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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
We're starting with report from the World Meteorological Organization. It's part of the United Nations that studies climate. And it says that 2016 was the Earth's warmest year on record since scientists started maintaining temporary records in the 1880s.
Researchers say that 2016 was seven hundredths of one degree Fahrenheit1 warmer than 2015. That was the previous record holder2.
The U.N. organization says it used several sources like NASA, to come up with its data, though one of them, the United Kingdom's Met Office says the temperature increase it measured was within its margin3 of error, according to the BBC. So, the record is not certain across all measurements.
One big factor in the warm temperatures was a powerful El Nino, a natural warming of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures that affected4 the climate from 2015 to 2016. But a scientist from NASA says greenhouse gas emissions5, which are given off by human activity, are responsible for warming temperatures in the long-term. Because of the recent El Nino event has subsided6, scientists do not expect 2017 to break a new warming record.
Yesterday afternoon, U.S. President Barack Obama gave his final news conference while in office. It was likely the last time he'd speak in public as president.
A lot of subjects were covered, increasingly strained U.S. relations with Israel and Russia, the relationship between the White House and the media, a recent move to reduce the sentences of more prisoners than any other U.S. president. It all came up.
And President Obama was asked about his successor, President-elect Donald Trump7, and some of the controversies8 he's been involved in. The outgoing leader said he and the incoming one had had constructive9 and sometimes lengthy10 conversations. But Mr. Obama said the best piece of advice he could give to Mr. Trump was to rely on others around him, as the presidency11 isn't a job that anyone can do alone.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe in this country. I believe in the American people.
I believe that people are more good than bad. I believe tragic12 things happen. I think there's evil in the world. But I think that, at the end of the day, if we work hard and if we're true to those things in us that feel true and feel right, that the world gets a little better each time.
That's what this presidency has tried to be about, and I see in the young people I've worked with.
At my core, I think we're going to be OK. We just had to fight for it. We have to work for it, and not take it for granted. And I know that you will help us do that.
1 Fahrenheit | |
n./adj.华氏温度;华氏温度计(的) | |
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2 holder | |
n.持有者,占有者;(台,架等)支持物 | |
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3 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
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4 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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5 emissions | |
排放物( emission的名词复数 ); 散发物(尤指气体) | |
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6 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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7 trump | |
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭 | |
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8 controversies | |
争论 | |
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9 constructive | |
adj.建设的,建设性的 | |
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10 lengthy | |
adj.漫长的,冗长的 | |
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11 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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12 tragic | |
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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13 corps | |
n.(通信等兵种的)部队;(同类作的)一组 | |
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