澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-05-06

A protest in Athens has descended¹ into violence leaving three people dead. The bodies were found inside a bank that had been set ablaze² by petrol bombs. The clashes erupted during a general strike over spending cuts and tax rises that designed to prevent Greece from defaulting on its debts.

 

The battle between education unions and the Government over national literacy and numeracy tests will be decided³ today in the Federal Court. A Fair Work Ombudsman is seeking an injunction to stop the Australian Education Union from boycotting⁵ next week's NAPLAN tests. The Federal Government says the tests will go ahead regardless of a boycott⁴.

 

Last-minute polling shows the result of the UK election is on a knife-edge. British party leaders have been campaigning around the clock with voters heading a hit to the polls in less than 24 hours. Bookmakers think the Conservatives have the best chance of forming government.

 

Crews are preparing to conduct a controlled burn of the Gulf⁶ of Mexico oil slick. Oil is still gushing⁷ into the sea at a rate of 800,000 litres a day. The BP has managed to seal the smallest of three leaks.

 

And US Middle East envoy⁸ George Mitchell has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the start of indirect talks with the Palestinians. The three-hour meeting in Jerusalem was described as "good and productive" by the US State Department. Mr. Mitchell is due to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Friday.

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 ablaze   

adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的

参考例句：

• The main street was ablaze with lights in the evening.晚上，那条主要街道灯火辉煌。
• Forests are sometimes set ablaze by lightning.森林有时因雷击而起火。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

5 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

6 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。

7 gushing   

adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
• The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。