|
【整理】2009-12-15 SE NEWS 1530 It is 15:30 Universal Time. I'm Steve Ember in Washington. [1] British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised increased cooperation with Pakistan to fight terrorism. He also says Britain will help in the investigation of last month's three-day deadly attack in Mumbai India. India suspects the Pakistani-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mr. Brown spoke in Islamabad after meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The British leader says he promised nine million dollars to help strengthen democratic systems in Pakistan. Earlier, Mr. Brown met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. Mr. Singh says he wants normalized relations between his country and Pakistan. But he says Pakistan must stop terrorists from using its territory to act against India. [2] Afghan officials say a bomb explosion has killed three police officers in the southern city of Kandahar. At least five policemen and six civilians were wounded. Local officials say a police vehicle was the target of the attack. The French news agency reports that the Taliban has claimed responsibility. On Saturday in Kandahar, three Canadian soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded near their vehicle. Also Saturday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on NATO allies to do their share in the fight against Taliban rebels in Afghanistan. [3] Lawmakers in Thailand are preparing to vote for the country's third prime minister this year. The vote comes after months of anti-government protests. The opposition Democratic Party and allies of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra each claimed to have enough support to win a majority when parliament votes on Monday. The new prime minister will replace Somchai Wongsawat. He resigned earlier this month after the courts found his party and his coalition members guilty of election wrongdoing. Protest leaders have warned they will begin demonstrating again if the new government is allied with Mr. Thaksin. The military ousted him two years ago for reported corruption. [4] Direct daily passenger flights and shipping services between China and Taiwan are set to begin Monday. The flights will end a 60-year ban on usual transport links. The French news agency reports that air service will be available between four Taiwanese and 12 Chinese cities. On Monday, ships from China and Taiwan are to sail for ports on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Direct travel ended when Taiwan divided from China in 1949. Until recently, travelers usually have to pass through a third place like Hong Kong or Macao to get from the mainland to Taiwan. Since taking office in May, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has supported closer ties with China. You are listening to the news in VOA Special English. |
|
【整理稿】Dec. 13, 2009 SE WORDS AND THEIR STORIES
Now, the VOA special English program words and their stories. Cold weather has a great effect on how our minds and our bodies work. Maybe that is why there are so many expressions that use the word cold. For centuries, the body's blood has been linked closely with the emotions. People who show no human emotions or feelings, for example, are said to be cold-blooded. Cold-blooded people act in cruel ways. They may do brutal things to others, and, not by accident. For example, a newspaper says the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer. The killer murmured someone, not in self-defense, or because he was reacting to anger or fear. He seemed to kill for no reason, and was no emotion, as if taking someone's life meant nothing. Cold can affect other parts of the body. The feet, for example, Heavy socks can warm your feet, if your feet are really cold. What there is an expression -- to get cold feet -- that has nothing to do with cold, or your feet. The expression means being afraid to do something you had decided to do. For example, you agree to be president of an organization, but then you learned that all the other officers have resigned. All the work of the organization will be your responsibility. You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation. Cold can also affect your shoulder. You give someone the cold shoulder when your refuse to speak to them. You treat them in a distant, cold way. The expression probably comes from the physical act of turning your back towards someone, instead of speaking to him face to face. You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you. Or, to someone who has lied about you to others. A cold fish is not a fish, it is a person. But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and shows no love or warmth. A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone. Someone who is cold fish could be cold-hearted. Now a cold-hearted person is someone has no sympathy. Several popular songs in recent years were about cold-hearted men or cold-hearted women who, without feeling, broke the hearts of their lovers. Out in the cold is an expression often heard. It means not getting something that everybody else got. A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise, but he was left out in the cold. And it is not a pleasant place to be. This VOA special English program, words and their stories, was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano. Maurice Joyce is the narrator. I'm Shirley Griiffith. 生词与词组 cold-blooded: adj. 冷血的,冷酷无情的 cold-blooded killer: 冷血杀手 to get cold feet: [口] 临阵畏缩,胆怯起来 cold shoulder: n. [俗] 对人冷淡、轻视 cold fish: n. 态度冷淡的人;对人不友善;不轻易流露感情,无动于衷 cold-hearted: adj. 冷漠无情的;无人性的 out in the cold: 被忽视、被冷落; 遭排斥(一般与动词 leave 或 turn 连用) |
|
【整理稿】 Dec. 14, 2009 SE Development Report
This is the VOA Special English Development Report. A new report says the illegal killing of rhinos for their horns is increasing in Africa and Asia. Rhinoceros poachers are killing an estimated two to three of the rare animals each week. Experts say demand in Asia -- especially Vietnam and China -- currently drives most trade in rhino horns from southern Africa. The horns are often used to make traditional medicines, or handles for dagger knives. The report is from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and an organization known as Traffic. Most African rhino poaching is in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Experts found that two hundred ten rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa in the last three years. The estimate for Zimbabwe is two hundred thirty-five. The situation threatens gains made in its rhino populations in the nineteen nineties. In the last two years, only six people were found guilty of poaching charges out of forty-one arrested. In two thousand one, sixty-eight percent of African rhino horns entering illegal trade were recovered. By this year, nine out of ten were heading to Asian markets without interference. The report says poaching and illegal horn trade has increased in South Africa even with new measures against it. Adding to the problem, poachers today are more skilled at killing rhinos, and not only with guns. They also use quieter methods, like veterinary drugs, poison and crossbows. An international agreement on protecting endangered animals and plants provides for sport hunting of white rhinos in Africa. But the horns often enter illegal markets. Not all the news is bad, however. The report notes that rhino populations are increasing in some areas. These include both white rhinos and black rhinos in the wild in Africa. Africa had an estimated seventeen thousand white rhinos and four thousand black rhinos as of two years ago. Current estimates for Asia are around three thousand rhinos. But even with poaching, growth is reported in some areas of India and Nepal. Wildlife activists are urging governments to do more to fight rhino poaching. The report was presented to the organization known as CITES. CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The next conference of countries that are parties to the agreement is in March in Doha, Qatar. And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. I'm Steve Ember. 生词 rhino: n. 犀牛 rhino horn: n. 犀牛角 rhinoceros: n. [动] 犀牛 poacher: n. 偷猎者,入侵者 dagger knife: 短剑,匕首 International Union for the Conservation of Nature: 国际自然保护联盟 crossbow: n. 石弓,弩 CITES: 全称 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES(濒危野生动植物国际贸易公约)是一个通过控制贸易的方法来维护物种生存及其持续利用的国际法规,其附录中所列的物种是重点管理的对象,主要根据现有的伯尔尼标准来确定。 |