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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Shane Bigham with you on this Friday February 19th, 2016.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, live from the Chinese capital...
Coming up on the program this evening...
Chinese officials are urging other nations to use restraint in regards to the North Korean nuclear issue...
China is easing the application process for foreigners seeking permanent residence status...
And European Union officials report progress in the negotiations1 to keep Britain within the bloc2, but say much work still needs to be done...
In business...Some Chinese commercial bank will not be able to enjoy preferential reserve requirement ratios because they failed to meet certain standards..
In sports...seeking public opinion on the design of winter Olympic venues4 in Zhenjiakou...
In entertainment...the sequel to Crouching5 Tiger, Hidden Dragon is now in wide release across China...
All of that is coming up in the next hour, but first, a reminder6, there are several ways you can reach us at the Beijing Hour.
You can follow our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.
On WeChat: search "beijinghour"
Email us at [email protected].
Visit ChinaPlusnews.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.
Top
China has urged all parties involved in the Korean nuclear issue to act prudently7 and not to aggravate8 the situation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry9 spokesperson Hong Lei says tougher sanctions and pressure may worsen the situation.
"Under the current sensitive situation of the Korean Peninsula, all parties should stay calm, exercise restraint and should not do things that may escalate11 the situation. China believes that no hot issues can be resolved through simple means of sanctions and pressure. Nor will any action that hurt the interests of third-parties can solve the problem, and they will only complicate12 the situation. We hope all parties involved can act prudently and not to cause troubles."
The comment comes after U.S. President Barack Obama signed-off on new sanctions on North Korea.
The new law requires the US government to sanction anyone involved with North Korea's nuclear program.
It also targets anyone who sells luxury goods, launders13 money or supports human rights abuses in North Korea.
The new US law also authorizes14 10-million US dollars a year for the next 5-years to fund non-sanctioned broadcasts into North Korea, as well as to assist anyone who leaves North Korea.
North Korea launched an Earth observation satellite into orbit earlier this month and tested what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb last month.
Protests planned for NYPD officer Peter Liang following his found of guilty
Nationwide protests are being planned on behalf of NYPD officer Peter Liang on Saturday.
This comes after Liang was found guilty of manslaughter earlier this month in the death of an unarmed black man.
However, Liang's defense15 team says the killing16 was an accident, as the gun was mistakenly fired in the stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project. The bullet ricocheted off a wall killing 28-year-old Akai Gurley.
Peter Liang's sentencing is planned to take place on April 14. He could face up to 15 years in prison.
Supporters say Liang is being used as a scapegoat17, after other police officers across the US were cleared in police shootings.
John Liu is a New York City politician.
"Asian Americans suffer from a couple of different stereotypes18. Perpetual foreigner syndrome19 basically says that you know we're Asian Americans, we're not real Americans, we're foreigners, potential spies for other countries and so we shouldn't be treated the same way. We don't necessarily deserve equal justice under the system. Model minority, good little boys and girls, they always behave and if one of them misbehaves, the other boys and girls will still remain well behaved and remain quiet and silent and not make a fuss."
Liang's conviction comes amid nationwide scrutiny20 over the use of excessive force by police officers.
Several previous cases involving the deaths of unarmed black individuals by white officers have failed to result in criminal convictions.
China to innovate21 permanent residence policy to attract foreign talent
Chinese authorities are to ease the application process for foreigners seeking permanent residence status in the country, in a move that aims to attract more foreign talent by providing them with better services.
The move was announced by the Ministry of Public Security in a statement on Thursday.
Authorities say China must attract elite22 professionals from outside the country in a more open manner, to ensure continuous economic and social development.
The ruling Party's central office also issued a circular on Thursday, saying China will explore grading applicants23' qualifications based on their salaries, taxes, and social scores, and allow more entities24 to employ permit applicants.
Officials say the qualifications for permanent residence are going to be more flexible, pragmatic and market-orientated.
The application procedures are also going to be simplified.
Foreigners working in fields with strong government support will be given priority.
There will also be fewer limits for overseas student applicants.
Under the permanent residency program, foreigners with permanent resident status are to enjoy equal treatment with Chinese citizens.
For more on this, our reporter Zhou Jingnan earlier spoke10 with Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, a think tank based in Beijing.
US business confident of China's economic growth
Anchor:
Recent statistics show that China surpassed Canada as the largest U.S. trade partner in goods for the first time in 2015.
Business insiders are optimistic about China's economic growth and believe there is huge potential for the trading partnership25 between Beijing and Washington.
Our reporter Guo Yan has details.
Reporter:
Statistics show that the annual trade of goods between the U.S. and China exceeded 590 billion US dollars last year.
Many business insiders see new growth opportunities in the enhanced China-US economic relationship.
David Goldin, founder26 and CEO of Capify, a small-business lender in the United States, says economic growth in China remains27 relatively28 strong compared to most other countries.
"The challenge is people were accustomed to China growing at double digit29 rates, and especially the majority of the S&P companies in the U.S. There's a lot of buyers in China that some of the S&P companies are selling to, and I think there is macro-economic concerns that even the U.S. companies are going to see slowdown based on less Chinese spending and less China growth."
The comment came after US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that China's unclear policy over its currency was stoking turbulence30 in global markets and exacerbating31 global economic growth concerns.
Goldin says people shouldn't be surprised by what's happening with the Chinese economy, calling it a soft landing as officials in the country shift the economy from one that is export-driven to one that is consuming-driven.
"People don't want to face reality sometimes, and I think that people don't want to give up a good thing, especially the last seven plus years with the U.S. economy right after we had the global crisis. So I think the combination of the Fed raising rates, even though we knew it was coming for a long time, and the reaction that the markets had is really the first wake-up call now that economists33 and both consumers, businesses, and market traders now realizing wait a second, this really is happening."
The trade volume and the stock of two-way investment between China and the US have both increased rapidly.
Official figure shows that the two major economies have made huge contributions to global economic growth of 27.8 percent and 15 percent respectively.
Figures show that China will become the biggest importer in the world by 2022 and that US exports to China will exceed 530 billion US dollars, generating more than 3 million jobs.
It's expected that China-US economic ties will be further enhanced in the coming years.
For CRI, this is Guo Yan.
China Unveils New Measures Targeting Winter Air Pollution
Anchor:
A suite34 of strict and targeted measures have been announced to address severe air pollution in the area around China's capital during the winter heating season.
Reporter:
Recent data from China's Environmental Protection ministry has shown that although air quality improved continuously nationwide last year, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region still suffered heavy pollution, largely caused by PM2.5 particles.
The same data showed the average density35 of the particles in Beijing in the first ten months last year was cut by over 21 percent compared with the same period in 2014.
However, during the heating season, which began in mid-November, the PM2.5 density in the city surged over 75 percent year on year.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Environmental Protection Minister Chen Jining said the latest step in the regional air pollution fight is to unify36 standards for issuing air pollution alerts and those alerts would be issued according to the forecast maximum level of PM2.5.
"Unified37 standards for issuing air pollution alerts in Beijing and five neighboring cities, including Tianjin Municipality as well as Baoding, Langfang, Tangshan and Cangzhou in north China's Hebei Province, will be rolled out before March 15."
Beijing and its surrounding area is one of the worst PM2.5-polluted regions in China.
Coal-fired electricity generation, as well as vehicle exhaust, are said to be the main factors driving up pollution levels across the region in the annual heating season.
According to Chen Jining, a strong El Nino effect, which brought static weather patterns making it difficult for airborne pollutants39 to disperse40, made the situation even worse this winter.
He said apart from a revised air quality warning system, a slew41 of follow-up measures will also be put in place to prevent air pollution from getting worse again.
"Continued efforts including information sharing, tougher supervision42 over polluting firms, crackdowns on polluting vehicles and replacing coal with electricity or gas in heating will be carried out to cope with winter smog."
China enacted43 its Environmental Protection Law a year ago, and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law this January.
Chen Jinning noted44 it is also be a priority to implement45 these new laws effectively.
"Despite the deterrence46 of penalties and the growing public awareness47 of environment protection, many enterprises still risk being punished for discharging pollutants. During the 13th Five-year plan period, a major crackdown will be launched against polluters. But it requires the efforts of both the environmental protection authorities and groups from all walks of society."
Chen also added that the ministry is considering pollutant38 emission48 fees based on different seasons to encourage polluting enterprises to increase production in summer while decreasing during the winter.
For CRI, this is Luo Bin.
China Expropriates Record Amount of Narcotics50 in 2015
Anchor:
China's Narcotics Control Commission has released a report, showing the current state of drug abuse in the nation, and the efforts being made to tackle the problem.
It highlights China's "zero tolerance51" policy towards narcotics, and pledges to shoulder greater responsibility in the international fight against drug abuse and smuggling52.
For more on this, CRI's Huang Shan reports.
Reporter:
According to the report, Chinese police confiscated53 102.5 tonnes of narcotics in 2015, a record amount which marks an increase of 48.7 percent year on year.
Police are said to have handled 165,000 drug-related criminal cases during the past year, and captured 194,000 suspected criminals in total.
Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the National Narcotics Control Commission, said the prevalence of narcotics in China is generally under control, but several new problems have arisen.
"In terms of narcotic49 abuse, we found the proportion of people taking opioid drugs such as heroin54 has seen a decrease. But the popularity of synthetic55 drugs has been growing. Drug users come from all age groups, different education levels and various occupational groups in society."
The report shows the unemployed56 make up over 69 percent of the drug abusers, followed by farmers, students and celebrities57, which account for some 17 percent, 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent respectively.
The deputy director added that the illegal manufacture and smuggling of new psycho-active substances was spreading from the Yangtze River Delta58 to other parts of China.
"In the past year, we've listed and legislated59 against over one hundreds new psychoactive substances, although most of them have not yet been found in cases of drug-addiction in China. We aim to strengthen regulations and penalties as a priority, to prevent the development and extension of the third generation of narcotics across the world."
Liu Yuejin also pointed60 out that China faces pressure on two fronts - in dealing61 with the source of narcotics, with a greater inflow of drugs from overseas, and also a threat from domestic drug production.
"In recent years, we have been leading joint62 narcotic raids involving countries in the Lancang or Greater Mekong Area, especially targeting the "Golden Triangle", Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Now those operations are beginning to delivering results. Such cooperation has played a pivotal role in carrying out drug control efforts in the most severe narcotic sourcing countries."
In the first three quarters of 2015, 93.8 percent of confiscated heroin and 87.9 percent of crystal meth tablets came from the "Golden Triangle" in Southeast Asia.
For CRI, this is Huang Shan.
3 Missing Children Found in East China
The three children who were reported missing in eastern China on Tuesday have been found near a cave in the mountains not far from home.
They are said to be healthy.
Wang Qiusheng is the villager who found the children.
"We discovered them while searching on the mountain and saw them sitting there by the water. They didn't move while we shouted at them. They should have heard us but they just didn't move. We gave them food and ran down to call for help."
The three children, including a 7-year-old boy and two girls, aged63 8 and 12, disappeared from their village in Zhejiang province at around noon on Tuesday.
One of them is on record as saying they got lost while playing outside the village.
More than 4-thousand people, including 10 specialized64 rescue teams, participated in the search for the children.
Authorities say the cave they stayed in was only a few kilometers away from their villages but the complicated terrain65 in the area made the searching difficult.
Authorities in Harbin promise to further investigate the "overpriced fish" incident
Authorities in Harbin have met with a customer who claimed he was overcharged in a local fish restaurant.
Chen Yan says he's content with the attitude of the authorities in dealing with the incident.
"First, I'm content with the attitude of their meeting with me in person. And during the meeting, I was quite honest and told them all the details of the incident. They have promised me to give me a result of the investigation66 as soon as possible. "
The initial investigation by the Harbin price authorities shows that the fish was sold at a reasonable price.
However, media revelations show that the Huso sturgeon in the restaurant was actually priced much higher than others.
Unreasonable67 charges in China's catering68 industry have long been a target of public criticism, especially during holidays, and it's feared the practice is damaging the development of tourism in China.
Ill-behaved tour guide confirmed as legal but may face fine: report
It's been reported that the tour guide seen swearing at tourists in a viral video was not working illegally, and in fact has the necessary registration69 required by the industry.
The tour guide has been identified as a man surname Wang, who lives in Beijing and has been a tour guide for years.
The municipal tourism authorities say his behavior is in violation70 of industry rules.
His tour guide license71 may be revoked72 and he could be fined up to 30-thousand yuan.
The travel agency that Wang works for will also face fines.
Wang will be added to a blacklist that is displayed on the official website of the Beijing tourism sector73.
Shanghai teachers among world's most qualified74: OECD survey
A survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows Shanghai middle school teachers are among the world's most qualified.
The organization surveyed 4-thousand teachers from 200 junior middle schools in Shanghai last year along with teachers from 37 other countries.
According to the survey, 99 percent of the teachers surveyed have bachelor's degrees, while the global average is 93 percent.
It also shows the average age of the Shanghai teacher is 38, five years younger than the average level in the world.
Much Remains to be Done on Britain's Membership of EU: European Council
European Council President Donald Tusk75 says much remains to be discussed among EU leaders on Britain's renegotiation of its membership in the EU.
His comments on Friday came as the majority of the 28 EU heads-of-state and government left the summit.
"For now I can only say that we have made some progress but a lot still remains to be done. Now I will hold a series of bilateral76 meetings, starting with (British) Prime Minister (David) Cameron, (French) President (Francois) Hollande, (Czech) Prime Minister (Bohuslav) Sobotka and (Belgian) Prime Minister (Charles) Michel."
Tusk says EU leaders have reinforced their commitment to building a European consensus77 on migration78.
"We must respect the rules and laws that we have all adopted together. This concerns both the decisions on relocation as well as the need to gradually get back to a situation where all members of the Schengen area fully79 apply the Schengen borders code."
Tusk, who chairs the summit meetings, also announced the EU will hold a special meeting with Turkish leaders on the migration crisis at the beginning of March.
An EU official says the meeting is being scheduled for March 5.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had been due in Brussels on Thursday but cancelled his trip due to a bomb attack in Ankara the previous day.
Merkel Comments on Britain's Relationship with EU and Refugee Crisis
German chancellor80 Angela Merkel has addressed her European peers who have gathered in Brussels for a two-day European Union summit.
Commenting on changes demanded by Britain regarding its relationship with the EU, Merkel says the advantages of keeping Britain as a member state outweigh81 the disadvantages.
"It became clear that there were differences in opinion when it comes to question of an ever closer (European) Union. The opinions on European integration82 diverge83 significantly, that has become clear in today's discussion, but we are prepared to find a compromise here, even if it is difficult, because the advantages of Britain as a member state greatly outweigh the disadvantages that an exit would bring, which is why we have shown willingness to compromise."
Commenting on the refugee crisis in Europe, Merkel says there is support across the EU for strengthening the exterior84 borders of the Union.
"We will have a substantial change in our capacity to protect our exterior borders by agreeing on a NATO mandate85, which was today again approved and supported by everyone. With the help of NATO we want to improve the monitoring of the Aegean sea in coordination86 with the Turkish coast guard and Frontex."
Merkel says that with the number of refugees making the perilous87 journey across the Aegean Sea likely to rise with the beginning of spring, it is important to see quick results from the new measures.
Japan's opposition88 parties file bills requesting to scrap89 security laws
Five Japanese opposition parties filed two bills to the National Diet's lower house on Friday, demanding the retraction90 of a series of controversial security laws.
The opposition camp aims to make the issue a debate in the upcoming upper house election, before the security legislation takes effect on March 29.
The legislation, enacted last year, gives a green light for Japan's Self-Defense Forces to aid allies in armed conflicts overseas, the first time such deployments will have been permitted since WWII.
More than 90 percent of Japanese constitutional experts consider the security laws to be in violation of the country's Constitution, which bans Japanese forces from exercising what is known as collective self-defense.
The ruling coalition91 aims to secure the majority of the upper house in the summer's election, so to review the country's pacifist Constitution.
Turkish President accuses PYD of carrying out Ankara attacks
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the Kurdish Democratic Union Party of carrying out the bombing in Ankara on Wednesday, despite denials of any wrongdoing from that group.
"Even though those who head the PYD and PKK say this has no connection with them, based on the information obtained by our interior minister and our intelligence agencies, it is identified that this is done by them."
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says a Syrian national with links to Kurdish militias92 carried out the attack in concert with Turkey's own outlawed93 Kurdish rebel group, the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
Salih Muslim Muhammad, a PYD co-chairman, denied the accusation94, and said the Islamic State group was responsible for the Ankara attack.
The blast on Wednesday claimed the lives of 28 people, including several military personnel, and wounded 61. It came a day after another attack which killed 6 Turkish soldiers.
14 people have been detained in connection with the attack.
Countries including China and Russia, along with the United Nations, have all strongly condemned95 the latest terrorist attacks in Turkey.
Weather
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of -5; sunny tomorrow and a high of 4.
Shanghai, also cloudy with a low of 6; sunshine tomorrow with a high of 11.
Chongqing will be overcast96 with a low of 8; same skies tomorrow, highs of 13.
Lhasa, clear tonight with a low of 0; cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 23.
Kabul, cloudy, 4.
Down in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sydney will see slight rain, highs of 28.
Brisbane, slight rain, 28.
Perth, cloudy, 34.
And finally Auckland will have some clouds with a high of 25 degrees Celsius97.
Headline News
Chinese FM on Korean nuclear issue, South China Sea
China has urged all parties involved in the Korean nuclear issue to act prudently as U.S. President Barack Obama signed-off on new sanctions against North Korea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said the Korean nuclear issue cannot be resolved by simple sanctions.
Meantime, the spokesperson also urged the concerned countries to get clear understanding of the basic facts of the South China Sea.
Hong Lei made the remarks after U.S. State Department said the missiles on Yongxing Island were installed recently and there was no sign of China stopping the militarization of the island.
He stressed China has ample historical evidence and legal proof over its sovereignty of the Nansha islands and their adjacent waters.
New human H7N9 case reported in east China
A new human case of H7N9 avian flu has been reported in Shandong Province, the first case in the eastern Chinese region since September.
A 57-year-old man is in a critical condition.
He was diagnosed with the flu on Wednesday and had been in contact with poultry98.
EU leaders vow99 to implement existing agreements on migration
European Union leaders have agreed to implement existing agreements concerning the ongoing100 migration crisis hitting Europe.
Leaders at the two-day European Summit said the implementation101 of the EU-Turkey Action Plan remains a priority.
Under the deal, Turkey agreed to protect EU borders from the flood of refugees in exchange for billions of U.S. dollars from the EU.
Brazil's Air Force joins fight against Zika transmitting mosquito
Brazil's Air Force has joined the fight against mosquitoes that carry Zika and other viruses.
200-thousand Brazilian soldiers are involved in the "Zika zero" campaign, searching for possible mosquito breeding grounds.
The government has decided102 to inspect around three million houses in the country's 350 cities.
Brazil is currently in a state of emergency due to the spread of Zika and its possible link to the increasing cases of microcephaly in the South American country.
Tibetan antelope103 sanctuary104 applies for world heritage
The remote western Hoh Xil nature reserve in western China has applied105 for UNESCO world natural heritage status.
The reserve, home to 70-thousand Tibetan antelope, covers 60-thousand square kilometers in northwest China's Qinghai Province.
It will be the only site in China to apply for listing in 2017.
The UNESCO committee will inspect the reserve in September with findings expected to be released in the summer of 2017 at the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee.
Biz Reports
Anchor:
Time to check today's business news, starting with the closing market numbers in Asia.
Here is CRI's Min Rui.
Reporter:
China's stocks closed mixed on Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index inching down 0.1 percent.
The smaller Shenzhen index closed nearly half a percent higher. The ChiNext Index of growth enterprises gained 0.9 percent.
Over in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index lost 0.4 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei ended lower on the yen106's advance, down 1.4 percent.
South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.4 percent.
Singapore's Straits Times inched up 0.1 percent.
And finally, Australia's ASX/200 lost 0.8 percent.
Central Bank denied rumors107 on lifting RRR for banks
Chinese central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan denied rumors the Central Bank will increase the reserve-requirement ratios for some commercial banks because they issued new loans too fast.
He made the remark while attending the annual Chinese Economists 50 Forum108 in Beijing this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the central bank issued a statement on its website saying that it will abolish preferential reserve requirement ratios for some banks after they failed to meet official requirements.
The central bank has examined banks' implementations of targeted RRR cuts announced last year and found a small number of lenders had failed to meet the standards attached to such cuts.
The standards were related to the banks' support for the farm sector.
The latest changes to the RRR will take effect next Thursday.
China to lower tax on property transactions
Chinese authorities have decided to lower taxes on home purchases in most cities to help end the property glut109.
The finance ministry announced on Friday that houses above 90 square meters will be levied110 a deed tax at 1.5 percent of the home's value, down from the current 2 percent, for first time buyers in all Chinese cities.
In terms of a second home purchase, tax rates will be cut to 1 or 2 percent depending on the size of the home, but the change excludes first-tier cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Previously111 the rate was 3 percent, regardless of floor space.
In addition, sales of houses held more than 2 years will be exempt112 from business taxes in most cities.
The new policy will take effect on Monday.
China has recently reduced the minimum down payment required for first- and second-time home buyers in most cities, a move aimed at clearing a housing glut that is weighing on the broader economy and discouraging new investment.
China to use more new energy vehicles in public institutions
More public institutions will have greener auto113 fleets by 2020.
Institutions including government ministries114, education, hospitals, cultural venues, and sports facilities will be affected115 by the government edict to reduce their respective carbon footprints.
According to a statement from the National Government Offices Administration, these institutions are expected to take the lead and add more new energy vehicles to their fleets.
The statement acknowledges that the institutions may struggle with covering the cost of building charging stations and other expenses.
The statement also encourages private companies to build charging stations and to provide other services.
Aston Martin to develop electric car with China's LeEco
Aston Martin set up a venture with Chinese consumer electronics group LeEco to jointly116 develop the British luxury car brand's first electric vehicle.
This is viewed as an example of the deepening ties between the technology and automotive industries.
Companies like Alphabet and LeEco are developing automotive expertise117 because they want to broaden their reach beyond computers and cellphones into cars, while automakers want Internet connectivity to give drivers live traffic updates and infotainment.
Aston Martin and LeEco say they plan to develop an electric car based on the British automaker's Rapide S model, before developing other potential electric vehicles, including ones for LeEco.
Currently, China's government is promoting electric vehicles to cut the smog that frequently envelops118 its cities.
Officials say sales quadrupled last year and this has turned China into the world's biggest market for these vehicles.
Marriott Targets China's Mid-Scale Hotels & WeChat's Fees
For some other major events that have been taking place on the corporate119 front in China this week,
The Beijing Hour's Bob Jones spoke earlier with Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
Filmmaker inks 5-year deal with Universal
A Chinese entertainment firm has announced it will offer 250 million US dollars in financing to Universal Pictures in the US.
Beijing-based Perfect World Pictures said it will invest in Universal's films for the next five years.
It will also share global revenue for at least 50 co-financed movies with Universal, which is behind film franchises121 such as "Jurassic Park" and "The Fast and the Furious."
Perfect World is best known in China for producing TV shows, but is also behind domestic films.
Chinese companies are increasing investment in the foreign entertainment industry.
Last month, Wanda Group signed a US$3.5 billion deal to buy Hollywood studio Legendary122 Entertainment, said to be China's biggest-ever cultural takeover.
Sports
Zhangjiakou preps for 2022 winter Olympics
And in some Olympic news:
Co-host city, Zhangjiakou, is gearing up to see some serious changes in its sports venue3, after Beijing was picked to host the 2022 winter Olympic games.
As the city is preparing to build this new venue, they are looking for public opinion on what designs should be picked.
Netizens can go to the city's official website, look at the 5 designs listed and give their thoughts and comments.
This new venue will hold several different areas for competition, including a stadium, a gymnasium and a speed skating rink.
The area for construction will cover around 50 hectares and when its completed, the venue can host over 70,000 people.
Local authorities have promised the public this new venture will be a frugal123 and sustainable development.
Update from Rio Open
In an update from the Rio Open:
Spaniard's Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, the two top seeded players, have advanced after their victories over fellow countrymen on Thursday.
The King of the Clay, Nadal beat Nicholas Almagro 6-3, 7-5 to advance in the tournament, while Ferrer beat Albert Vinolas, 4-6,6-1,6-4.
After the games, Nadal gave comment about how he was feeling.
"The most important thing here, for the moment, is that I am feeling better physically124. Last week I had a little bit of trouble with my stomach there (in Buenos Aires), during the whole week and, with the humidity, that was unbelievable. I felt so bad physically in court, suffering too much in every match. Here, physically, I am feeling much better because my stomach is better. So that's the key of my improvement on my game.
Next up for Nadal will be a face-off against Alexander Dolgopolov
and for Ferrer, he will play Dominic Thiem.
Update from Dubai Tennis Championships
And in some tennis news from Dubai:
Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic and the Ukraine's Elina Svitolina have advanced from the quarter finals of the Dubai tennis championships on Thursday.
Strycova beat out world number 17 Ana Ivanovic with a 7-6, 6-3.
A tie breaker in the first set marked the point where the Czech star would start dominate.
After that, Strycova never looked back.
Her next match will be against France's Caroline Garcia in the semi's.
And for Svitolina, she defeated America's Coco Vandeweghe 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in their quarter finals meet up.
This comes after she knocked out tournament second seed, Garbine Muguruza in her previous match.
The world number 21 beat her 46th ranked American opponent in 1 hr and 57 minutes.
Next up she will play Italy's Sara Errani.
Tottenham ties Fiorentina 1-1 in Europa league first leg
And in some Euro football action:
Tottenham has drawn125 Fiorentina 1-1 in their Europa league first leg on Thursday.
The match took place at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, which meant an away game for the English visitors.
After the game, Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino, gave comment about his team's perfomance.
"Yes, it was tough, a tough game but we knew that Fiorentina is a very good team and I think that until we concede the goal I think that we were playing much better and then I think that we didn't manage properly the ball after we concede the goal. This was...we have a problem to manage the last 25 minutes but very pleased with the performance we gave and now the tie is open and we need to think in the next game. We need to be ready for Sunday, a very tough game against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup."
Despite the game ending in a tie, Tottenham can rest easy after scoring an away goal which could aid them in next Thursday's second leg at White Hart Lane.
NHL's Black hawks126 honored at White House
and in some Hockey news:
The Chicago Black Hawks were honored at the White House on Thursday for winning their third Stanely Cup in six years.
During the ceremony Obama gave praise to the 2015 Champions.
Three titles in six years, conference finalists in five out of seven years, one of the best records in hockey this year as well. Each year that target on their back grows a little bit bigger. Each year the salary cap makes it a little tougher to keep this group together. But each year the Hawks keep on winning. It is, like I said, a tribute to the front office. It is also, by the way, a tribute to the head of scouting127, who just told me that he could help me pick my Supreme128 Court justice."
The Hawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games last June to seize their sixth Stanley Cup
The president also took a minute to recognize some of the teams unsung heroes, defenseman Kimmo Timonen and backup goaltender Scott Darling.
Timonen was recognized for overcoming is blood clot129 diagnosis130 and contributing to the cup win and Darling was recognized for an act of charity during the offseason.
In response to the president's nice words, the team gifted him a permanent parking pass to their Arena131, the United Center.
Obama stated that this has been one of the best gifts he has ever received while being in the white house.
Entertainment
"Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II" Hits Chinese Theaters
"Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II: Sword of Destiny" opened today in Chinese theaters.
Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, the sequel to Ang Lee's 2000 martial132 arts classic is set 20 years after the events of the first movie.
Unlike actress Michele Yeoh who reprised her original character as Yu Shu Lien133, lead actor Donnie Yen has played a new role named Meng Sizhao, the silent wolf in the film.
Yuen was the action director to Donnie Yen's first martial art film 30 years ago. To Yen, he's always the mentor134 who helped him start his career.
And this time, it was also Yuen that helped him make up his mind about joining the project.
"Actually, the team had been inviting135 me for years to join the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2 project, but I just can't make up my mind before they decide on the director. To me, the name itself is like a brand already, since the first one was such a success, with an Oscar award. I felt challenged to provide my best performance in the movie, especially without director Ang Lee this time. But then, the producer says my teacher is going to direct, that's what change my mind."
The whole movie was shot in English to better present traditional Chinese culture and art on the international stage.
Before the big release today, the movie had already received wide praise from its world premiere on Tuesday.
The Great Wall Movie Shifts to 2017
Legendary Pictures says that "The Great Wall," a movie originally scheduled to hit US theatres on November 23rd this year, has been pushed to February 17th of next year.
With that change, the movie will go up against Will Smith's 'Bad Boys 3' and the final film in the "Maze136 Runner" franchise120, "Maze Runner: The Death Cure."
The movie was directed by Zhang Yimou and staring Andy Lau and Matt Damon.
Set in 15th century China, the movie revolves137 around an elite force of soldiers who use the Great Wall to battle otherworldly creatures.
"The Great Wall" is the largest co-production between Hollywood and China to date with an estimated budget of 150 million dollars.
The film is the first full English-language production for Zhang.
James Bond's Newest Sports Car: Sold!
The Aston Martin DB10 Sports car from the latest James Bond movie "Spectre" sold at auction138 for 3.5 million US dollars.
The sale happened at Christie's in London.
The movie's Associate Producer, Greg Wilson, said the association of "Bond" with luxury and style is what brings in the bidders139.
"Bond is a man who likes the refined things in life and one of the reasons for that goes back to Fleming, he was a guy who didn't know if he was going to live to see tomorrow, so while he was here wanted to enjoy the finest foods, drinks and that also means the Aston Martin as you can see behind me, and he also needed to rely on these things to do his job because you never know when you're going to have to chase after, or evade140 some bad guys."
Ten Astons were made for the film for special effects scenes, except for one that is road-worthy.
Even so, the unidentified buyer cannot really take the car for a spin, since the car does not have the necessary road certifications or safety features, as it was created solely141 for its 007 film role.
Nine other items from Spectre were sold, including an Omega wristwatch and a Daniel Craig dinner suit.
Meanwhile, a further 14 items continue to receive bids in an online auction which ends next Tuesday.
Amazon Buys Rights to upcoming Woody Allen Film
US online giant Amazon announced on Thursday, that it has acquired the North American rights to Woody Allen's upcoming movie.
The film, which does not yet has a title, is a romantic comedy set in the 1930s and stars Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart.
Set for release this summer, Amazon will open the film with a "traditional, nationwide theatrical142 release," and then make it available exclusively to Amazon Prime users.
The filmmaker is also writing a television series for Amazon marking his TV debut143, which will come out later this year.
Amazon has been seeking to catch up with Netflix, which has developed a loyal following through series such as the dark Washington thriller144 "House of Cards" and prison comedy "Orange Is the New Black."
Amazon has already won awards with comedy-drama "Transparent145" and Golden Globe winning piece "Mozart in the Jungle."
Justin Bieber takes back US Number 1 single from Zayn
Justin Bieber has reclaimed146 the top spot on this week's Billboard147 Hot 100, knocking Zayn Malik's Pillowtalk from Number 1, with a song called "Love Yourself."
The new release has racked up more than 100 thousand downloads and has been streamed 17 million times.
Weather
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of -5; sunny tomorrow and a high of 4.
Shanghai, also cloudy with a low of 6; sunshine tomorrow with a high of 11.
Chongqing will be overcast with a low of 8; same skies tomorrow, highs of 13.
Lhasa, clear tonight with a low of 0; cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 23.
Kabul, cloudy, 4.
Down in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sydney will see slight rain, highs of 28.
Brisbane, slight rain, 28.
Perth, cloudy, 34.
And finally Auckland will have some clouds with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour...
Recapping our top stories...
Chinese officials are urging other nations to use restraint in regards to the North Korean nuclear issue...
China is easing the application process for foreigners seeking permanent residence status...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour team, it’s Shane Bigham in Beijing. Join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together...
1 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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2 bloc | |
n.集团;联盟 | |
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3 venue | |
n.犯罪地点,审判地,管辖地,发生地点,集合地点 | |
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4 venues | |
n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 );会场;(尤指)体育比赛场所;犯罪地点 | |
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5 crouching | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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6 reminder | |
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示 | |
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7 prudently | |
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地 | |
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8 aggravate | |
vt.加重(剧),使恶化;激怒,使恼火 | |
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9 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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10 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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11 escalate | |
v.(使)逐步增长(或发展),(使)逐步升级 | |
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12 complicate | |
vt.使复杂化,使混乱,使难懂 | |
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13 launders | |
v.洗(衣服等),洗烫(衣服等)( launder的第三人称单数 );洗(黑钱)(把非法收入改头换面,变为貌似合法的收入) | |
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14 authorizes | |
授权,批准,委托( authorize的名词复数 ) | |
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15 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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16 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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17 scapegoat | |
n.替罪的羔羊,替人顶罪者;v.使…成为替罪羊 | |
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18 stereotypes | |
n.老套,模式化的见解,有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化,使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 ) | |
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19 syndrome | |
n.综合病症;并存特性 | |
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20 scrutiny | |
n.详细检查,仔细观察 | |
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21 innovate | |
v.革新,变革,创始 | |
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22 elite | |
n.精英阶层;实力集团;adj.杰出的,卓越的 | |
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23 applicants | |
申请人,求职人( applicant的名词复数 ) | |
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24 entities | |
实体对像; 实体,独立存在体,实际存在物( entity的名词复数 ) | |
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25 partnership | |
n.合作关系,伙伴关系 | |
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26 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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27 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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28 relatively | |
adv.比较...地,相对地 | |
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29 digit | |
n.零到九的阿拉伯数字,手指,脚趾 | |
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30 turbulence | |
n.喧嚣,狂暴,骚乱,湍流 | |
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31 exacerbating | |
v.使恶化,使加重( exacerbate的现在分词 ) | |
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32 bin | |
n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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33 economists | |
n.经济学家,经济专家( economist的名词复数 ) | |
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34 suite | |
n.一套(家具);套房;随从人员 | |
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35 density | |
n.密集,密度,浓度 | |
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36 unify | |
vt.使联合,统一;使相同,使一致 | |
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37 unified | |
(unify 的过去式和过去分词); 统一的; 统一标准的; 一元化的 | |
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38 pollutant | |
n.污染物质,散布污染物质者 | |
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39 pollutants | |
污染物质(尤指工业废物)( pollutant的名词复数 ) | |
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40 disperse | |
vi.使分散;使消失;vt.分散;驱散 | |
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41 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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42 supervision | |
n.监督,管理 | |
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43 enacted | |
制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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45 implement | |
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行 | |
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46 deterrence | |
威慑,制止; 制止物,制止因素; 挽留的事物; 核威慑 | |
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47 awareness | |
n.意识,觉悟,懂事,明智 | |
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48 emission | |
n.发出物,散发物;发出,散发 | |
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49 narcotic | |
n.麻醉药,镇静剂;adj.麻醉的,催眠的 | |
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50 narcotics | |
n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 );毒品;毒 | |
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51 tolerance | |
n.宽容;容忍,忍受;耐药力;公差 | |
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52 smuggling | |
n.走私 | |
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53 confiscated | |
没收,充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54 heroin | |
n.海洛因 | |
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55 synthetic | |
adj.合成的,人工的;综合的;n.人工制品 | |
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56 unemployed | |
adj.失业的,没有工作的;未动用的,闲置的 | |
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57 celebrities | |
n.(尤指娱乐界的)名人( celebrity的名词复数 );名流;名声;名誉 | |
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58 delta | |
n.(流的)角洲 | |
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59 legislated | |
v.立法,制定法律( legislate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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61 dealing | |
n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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62 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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63 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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64 specialized | |
adj.专门的,专业化的 | |
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65 terrain | |
n.地面,地形,地图 | |
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66 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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67 unreasonable | |
adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的 | |
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68 catering | |
n. 给养 | |
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69 registration | |
n.登记,注册,挂号 | |
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70 violation | |
n.违反(行为),违背(行为),侵犯 | |
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71 license | |
n.执照,许可证,特许;v.许可,特许 | |
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72 revoked | |
adj.[法]取消的v.撤销,取消,废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 sector | |
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形 | |
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74 qualified | |
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的 | |
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75 tusk | |
n.獠牙,长牙,象牙 | |
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76 bilateral | |
adj.双方的,两边的,两侧的 | |
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77 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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78 migration | |
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙 | |
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79 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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80 chancellor | |
n.(英)大臣;法官;(德、奥)总理;大学校长 | |
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81 outweigh | |
vt.比...更重,...更重要 | |
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82 integration | |
n.一体化,联合,结合 | |
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83 diverge | |
v.分叉,分歧,离题,使...岔开,使转向 | |
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84 exterior | |
adj.外部的,外在的;表面的 | |
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85 mandate | |
n.托管地;命令,指示 | |
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86 coordination | |
n.协调,协作 | |
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87 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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88 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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89 scrap | |
n.碎片;废料;v.废弃,报废 | |
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90 retraction | |
n.撤消;收回 | |
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91 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
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92 militias | |
n.民兵组织,民兵( militia的名词复数 ) | |
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93 outlawed | |
宣布…为不合法(outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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94 accusation | |
n.控告,指责,谴责 | |
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95 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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96 overcast | |
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
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97 Celsius | |
adj.摄氏温度计的,摄氏的 | |
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98 poultry | |
n.家禽,禽肉 | |
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99 vow | |
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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100 ongoing | |
adj.进行中的,前进的 | |
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101 implementation | |
n.实施,贯彻 | |
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102 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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103 antelope | |
n.羚羊;羚羊皮 | |
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104 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
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105 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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106 yen | |
n. 日元;热望 | |
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107 rumors | |
n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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108 forum | |
n.论坛,讨论会 | |
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109 glut | |
n.存货过多,供过于求;v.狼吞虎咽 | |
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110 levied | |
征(兵)( levy的过去式和过去分词 ); 索取; 发动(战争); 征税 | |
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111 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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112 exempt | |
adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者 | |
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113 auto | |
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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114 ministries | |
(政府的)部( ministry的名词复数 ); 神职; 牧师职位; 神职任期 | |
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115 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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116 jointly | |
ad.联合地,共同地 | |
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117 expertise | |
n.专门知识(或技能等),专长 | |
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118 envelops | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的第三人称单数 ) | |
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119 corporate | |
adj.共同的,全体的;公司的,企业的 | |
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120 franchise | |
n.特许,特权,专营权,特许权 | |
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121 franchises | |
n.(尤指选举议员的)选举权( franchise的名词复数 );参政权;获特许权的商业机构(或服务);(公司授予的)特许经销权v.给…以特许权,出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 ) | |
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122 legendary | |
adj.传奇(中)的,闻名遐迩的;n.传奇(文学) | |
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123 frugal | |
adj.节俭的,节约的,少量的,微量的 | |
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124 physically | |
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律 | |
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125 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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126 hawks | |
鹰( hawk的名词复数 ); 鹰派人物,主战派人物 | |
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127 scouting | |
守候活动,童子军的活动 | |
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128 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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129 clot | |
n.凝块;v.使凝成块 | |
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130 diagnosis | |
n.诊断,诊断结果,调查分析,判断 | |
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131 arena | |
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台 | |
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132 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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133 lien | |
n.扣押权,留置权 | |
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134 mentor | |
n.指导者,良师益友;v.指导 | |
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135 inviting | |
adj.诱人的,引人注目的 | |
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136 maze | |
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑 | |
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137 revolves | |
v.(使)旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 );细想 | |
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138 auction | |
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖 | |
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139 bidders | |
n.出价者,投标人( bidder的名词复数 ) | |
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140 evade | |
vt.逃避,回避;避开,躲避 | |
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141 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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142 theatrical | |
adj.剧场的,演戏的;做戏似的,做作的 | |
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143 debut | |
n.首次演出,初次露面 | |
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144 thriller | |
n.惊险片,恐怖片 | |
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145 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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146 reclaimed | |
adj.再生的;翻造的;收复的;回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 );要求收回;从废料中回收(有用的材料);挽救 | |
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147 billboard | |
n.布告板,揭示栏,广告牌 | |
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