英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2014-05-16

 Leading our news today, Bill Shorten has released his budget reply speech to challenge the prime minister to an early election. The Opposition¹ Leader has confirmed that Labor² will oppose key budget measures including the GP coal payments, the increase to the petrol tax and cuts the pensions and welfare.

 

“If you want an election, try us. If you think Labor is too weak, and you think that Labor is too weak, bring it on.” 

 

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed John Howard’s criticism of the government’s decision to wind back family payments. Mr. Howard told a business function in Perth. The decision to tighten³ eligibility⁴ requirements is effectively a tax rise. 

 

Actor Robert Hughes will be sentenced today for sexually abusing several girls. The former Hey Dad star has been convicted of ten offenses⁵ dating back to the 1980s. The girls involved were between 7 and 15 years of age.

 

There’s been an unexpected development in the trial of Australian journalist Peter Greste in Egypt. His lawyer has told the court he’s quitting. He’s accused broadcaster Al Jazeera of being more interested in damaging Egypt than getting its three journalists freed.

 

And there’ve been more violent clashes in Turkey as anger grows over the country’s deadly coal mine disaster. Thousands of people are taken to the streets as part of 24-hour strike. More than 280 miners died in the mine collapse⁶ but 100 others are still missing.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

4 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

5 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。