澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-02-28

 Libya’s rebel forces claim to have taken control of several cities in the country’s west and are preparing to march on the capital. There are reports they’ve now seized Zawiyah, just 30 kilometres from Tripoli. The former justice minister says he’s formed a transitional government based in the country’s east.

 

And the unrest continues to spread throughout the Arab world. Two people have died in clashes between protesters and police in the Gulf¹ state of Oman. And protests have again erupted in Tunisia, where the interim² prime minister has resigned amid the worsening demonstrations³.

 

Back home and Melbourne police are searching for a gunman who shot a man dead overnight. The man was gunned down on a street in the inner bayside suburb of Middle Park just before 10:00 o’clock last night. Police sealed off the area and called in the dog squad⁴ and police helicopters to search for the gunman.

 

New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key isn’t ruling out a national levy⁵ for the rebuilding of Christchurch. The government will announce an economic assistance package for the city today. The official death toll⁶ now stands at 147. Grave fears have been held for at least another 50 people.

 

And the barricades⁷ are up and the red carpet has been rolled out as Hollywood prepares for this year’s Oscars. The ceremony is now just hours away. The King’s Speech is the bookmakers’ favourite to take out best picture. Eight Australians are up for an award. 

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

5 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

6 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

7 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。