英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-12-24

 It's Prime Minister Tony Abbott who has used his Christmas message to thank those Australians who'll be spending the day away from their families. Mr.Abbott made special mention of the doctors, nurses, police officers and fire and emergency services personnel who'll be working on Christmas day. And he paid tribute to those Australians serving overseas. 

 

Police will resume their search this morning for a fisherman who's been feared drowned on the New South Wales south coast. The 28-year-old man was swept from rocks near Currarong where he was fishing with three friends yesterday morning. He couldn't swim and was not wearing a life jacket.

 

The drug ice is being linked to a spate¹ of suicides in an indigenous² community in northwest Victoria. There've been six suicides in five months in the city of Mildura. Locals say the rebels outlaw³ motorcycle gang has been targeting the local indigenous community and the men killed themselves because of drug debts. 

 

Australians are to be slugged more for their private health cover. The Federal Government has approved the largest increase in the insurance premium⁴ in eight years. Premiums⁵ are set to rise an average of six per cent from April. 

 

And the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle has died at the age of 94. Mikhail Kalashnikov was in his 20s when he created the automatic rifle just after World WarⅡ. Now it went on to become one of the world's most famous and widely used weapons.

1 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

2 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

3 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。

4 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

5 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》