澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-12-21

 Leading the news this morning:

 

Farmers in Western Australia's flood-affected Gascoyne region are facing millions of dollars worth of stock and crop losses. The record floods are now receding¹, but it will be days before many of those evacuated² will be able to return home. A state of emergency has been declared for the area around Carnarvon.

 

Europe's deep freeze continues to disrupt the Christmas travel plans of hundreds of thousands of people. Many are bedding down at airports as more flights are delayed or cancelled.

 

At last, some encouraging signs from North Korea -- the rogue³ state may be able to let United Nations inspectors⁴ back into the country. US politician Bill Richardson is visiting Pyongyang. He says inspectors will be allowed to access a uranium enrichment facility. North Korea has also backed away from its threat to attack its southern neighbour in retaliation⁵ for a military exercise.

 

New South Wales police and the Australian Defence Force are investigating allegations of a drug-trafficking ring being run by navy personnel in Sydney. The Australian newspaper reports the investigation⁶ is focused on potentially dozens of sailors stationed at Sydney's Garden Island naval⁷ base. Now police won't confirm the nature of the investigation, but they say the Defence Force is looking into certain allegations against uniformed navy personnel.

 

And authorities investigating the Christmas Island boat tragedy are turning their attention to trying to identify the bodies of the dead. They are also pondering what to do with three children orphaned⁸ in the boat wreck⁹.

1 receding   

v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句
• Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句

2 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

3 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

4 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

8 orphaned   

[计][修]孤立

参考例句：

• Orphaned children were consigned to institutions. 孤儿都打发到了福利院。
• He was orphaned at an early age. 他幼年时便成了孤儿。

9 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。