英语听力精选进阶版 13678

Making way for Eurovision

In May, the former Soviet¹ state of Azerbaijan will for the first time host the Eurovision Song Contest. The authorities are busy preparing the capital Baku, including building a new concert hall. But residents of nearby apartment blocks say they are being forced to leave their homes.

Reporter

Damien McGuinnes

Report

Despite freezing temperatures and recent heavy snow, Azerbaijan's authorities have taken the roof off the apartment block and cut off water and phone lines, forcing residents of the building's upper floors to leave, whether they like it or not.

Pensioner² Natalya Allibiakova is one of the few home owners still left. She says the compensation offered by the government is not enough to buy a similar property elsewhere.

She told the BBC that Eurovision will now for her always be a painful reminder³ of how she lost her home.

Azerbaijan's authorities argue that the compensation is adequate and Eurovision's organisers say the evictions are nothing to do with the contest. 

But human rights organisation⁴ Human Rights Watch says the evictions risk overshadowing the song contest. 

Azerbaijan sees Eurovision as a chance to attract international attention, but that spotlight⁵ is proving less welcome, as it's also revealing alleged⁶ human rights abuses.

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 pensioner   

n.领养老金的人

参考例句：

• The tax threshold for a single pensioner is$ 445.单身领退休年金者的纳税起点为445英镑。
• It was the pensioner's vote late in the day that influenced the election of Mr.Sweet.最后是领取养老金者的选票影响了斯威特先生的当选。

3 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

4 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

5 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为