BBC News with Julie Candler.
The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States, Russia and China have agreed a draft UN resolution for further sanctions against Iran. She said the draft resolution could be quick-circulated among members of the UN Security Council later today.
"I think this announcement is as convincing an answer to the effortsundertaken in Tehran over the last few days as any we could provide."
The BBC UN correspondent says the announcement is significant a day after Turkey, Brazil and Iran reached a nuclear fuel swap agreement, which they said removed the need for further sanctions against Tehran.
A series of primary elections is taking place in the United States in what's being seen as a crucial electoral test for President Obama. Voters in four states, Kentucky, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Oregon, are selecting candidates to take part in key mid-term contests in November. Analysts say that's avolatilepolitical mood in the United States resulting in many incumbent politicians facing strong opposition.
In a stormy session, the Nigerian parliament has confirmed the candidate chosen by President Goodluck Jonathan to become his deputy. Legislators screamed at one another amid chaotic scenes as Namadi Sambo, the governor of the northern state of Kaduna, was confirmed as vice president. Caroline Duffield reports.
The appointment means that the President Goodluck Jonathan does not face a powerful political rival in government. Elections are coming, and Mr Sambo is not a strongcontender. It could clear the way for Mr Jonathan to run himself.Nonetheless, the new vice president is controversial. In his home state Kaduna, Mr Sambo is seen as weak and inexperienced. Now his replacement in Kaduna will be his Christian deputy, and that hasprompted anger because the state is mostly Muslim.
European Union finance ministers have agreed to introduce tougher regulation of the trillion-dollar hedge fund industry which has been blamed for speculation on the euro and worsening the global financial crisis. Ministersoverrodeobjections by the new British government and the city of London where 80% of European funds are based. The Spanish Finance Minister Elena Salgado explained how the measures would work.
"We are not regulating the funds. We are regulating the fund managers. Youought tomake that clear. For these managers, we have rules about conduct; we have rules about organization, setup, information. All of them will be verystringentrequirements."
Several of the largest forestry companies in Canada have reached an agreement with environmental groups to restrict logging in the country's northern forests. In return, the environmentalists will end a decades-long international campaign against buying Canadian lumber. A spokesman said it was the largest commercial forest conservation plan in history.
BBC News.
At least 18 people including women and children have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on a NATO convoy in the Afghan capital Kabul. One Canadian and five American troops were among the dead. The Taliban said itcarried outthe bombing, the worst in the city for months. NATO described the attack as an act ofdesperatebrutality.
The energy giant BP says it is now able to capture about 40% of the oil that's leaking from aruptured underwater pipe in the Gulf of Mexico. The figure is double the amount reported 24 hours ago. However, the authorities have expanded the no-fishing zone in the area because of the size of the spill. And scientists are increasingly worried that the oil couldget caught ina current that could take it to Florida, damaging coral reefs and killing more wildlife there.
Members of parliament in Britain have taken their seats for the first time since the election which led to the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. During the sitting, they voted to reelect the speaker John Bercow. The reelection of a speaker is usually aformality. But some Conservatives have threatened to block the appointment, accusing Mr Bercow himself a Conservative of lackingimpartiality.
Football's governing body FIFA has announced a change to the rules which will affect the way that penalties are taken in next month's World Cup. More details from our sports news reporter Alex Capstick.
The new rule concerning penalty kicks will bein forcefor the World Cup which starts on June 11th. Players who hesitate at the point of striking the ball in order to confuse the goalkeeper will be considered guilty of unsporting behavior. They will receive a yellow card, and if the ball has gone into the net, the penalty will have to be retaken. But a deliberate starter during the run-up will still be allowed. FIFA's lawmakers have also decided to extend a European experiment on the use of extra referees, although this won't affect the World Cup.
BBC News.
美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿表示,美国,俄罗斯和中国已经就一份联合国决议草案达成一致,对伊朗进行进一步制裁。她表示,该决议草案今天晚些时候将在联合国安理会成员国之间迅速进行交流。
“我认为,我们宣布的这个决定与过去几天我们进行的任何努力是同样令人信服的答案。”
BBC联合国记者表示,该决定意义是非常重大的。就在一天之前,土耳其,巴西和伊朗达成了核燃料交换协议,他们称这样就消除了对德黑兰进行进一步制裁的必要性。
美国正在进行一系列预选,这被视为对奥巴马总统的关键性的选举考验。肯塔基州,阿肯色州,宾夕法尼亚州和俄勒冈的投票人正在选择参加11月份关键性周期选举的候选人。分析家称,美国目前的政治环境反复无常,导致许多现任政治家面临强烈的反对。
在暴风雨般激烈的会议中,尼日利亚议会确定总统古德勒克·乔纳森(Goodluck Jonathan)选择的候选人担任副总统。北部卡杜纳州州长Namadi Sambo被确认为副总统时,场面一片混乱,立法者们相互之间大吵大闹。Caroline Duffield报道。
该任命意味着总统古德勒克·乔纳森(Goodluck Jonathan)在政府中不会面临一个强有力的政治对手。选举即将来临,Namadi Sambo并不是一个强有力的竞争者,这将为乔纳森本人的竞选扫清道路。然而,新任副总统是非常有争议的。在他的家乡卡杜纳州,Sambo被人们认为非常懦弱,没有经验。现在,他在卡杜纳州长的职位将由他的基督徒副手接任。这也引发了人们的愤怒,因为该州大部分民众都是穆斯林。
欧盟财长同意对高达数兆美元的对冲基金行业进行更加严厉的监管。据称,对冲基金行业企图对欧元进行投机,使全球金融危机进一步恶化。财政部长们压倒了英国政府和伦敦市的反对。80%的欧洲基金都位于伦敦。西班牙财政部长艾琳娜-萨尔加多(Elena Salgado)解释了这些措施的运作方式。
“我们不是对基金进行调控,而是对基金经理人进行调控。这一点大家必须弄清楚。对这些经理人来说,我们有一系列行为规定。我们对组织,建立和相关信息都有规定。这些都是非常严格的要求。”
加拿大最大的几家林产公司与环保组织达成协议,限制在该国北部森林砍伐树木。相应的,环保主义者将终止长达数十年的反对购买加拿大木材的国际运动。一名发言人表示,这是历史上最大的商业森林保护计划。
阿富汗首都喀布尔一个北约护卫队遭遇自杀式炸弹袭击,包括妇女和儿童在内的至少18人遇难。死者中包括一名加拿大人,五名美国军人。塔利班分子称爆炸活动由他们进行。这是几个月来该市发生的最严重的爆炸事件。北约称这次袭击是惨无人道的行为。
能源巨头BP石油公司表示,现在他们已经控制了从墨西哥湾破裂的水下管道泄漏的40%的石油。该数字是24小时前报道的两倍。然而,由于漏油的范围非常大,当局扩大了禁止捕鱼区域的范围。科学家越来越担心这些浮油会卷入洋流,进入佛罗里达,损害珊瑚礁,造成更多野生生物死亡。
自英国议会选举形成保守党和自民党联合政府以来,英国议会成员首次就座。在此期间,他们进行了投票,对议长约翰·贝尔考(John Bercow)进行改选。议长改选通常只是程序。但是一些保守党员曾威胁阻碍任命,指控贝尔考是缺乏公正性的保守党员。
国际足协对比赛规则进行了一些修改,这将影响下月举行的世界杯的罚球方式。体育新闻记者Alex Capstick报道。
包括罚点球在内的新规则将6月11日世界杯开始时生效。在如果主罚在即将射门时停顿作出假动作迷惑守门员将被视为违反体育精神的行为。他们将收到黄牌警告。如果在这种情况下进球,罚球必须重新进行。但是可以在助跑期间停顿。国际足联还准备赋予场外的第四裁判更大的权力,然而这不会对世界杯造成影响。
1.undertake vt.担任, 承揽, 从事, 负责; 保证
例句:I want you to undertake all the responsibility.
我要你承担所有的责任。
Who will undertake the job of decorating the auditorium?
谁来负责装饰礼堂的工作?
2.volatile adj.易变的, 无长性的,无定性的,反复无常的, 易激动的
例句:With the markets being so volatile, investments are at great risk.
由于市场那么变化不定, 投资冒着很大的风险。
3.contender n.(冠军)争夺者;竞争者
例句:a strong contender for the gold medal
金牌的强有力争夺者
4.nonetheless a.虽然如此;但是
5.prompt vt.促使, 推动, 引起
例句:The sight of the ships prompted thoughts of his distant home.
看到船使他想起遥远的家乡。
What prompted him to be so generous?
是什么原因使得他如此大方呢?
6.override vt.(以权力)否决,推翻,不理会,不顾
例句:The Congress overrode the President's objection and passed the law.
国会不顾总统的反对, 通过了那项法令。
7.stringent adj.严格的;严厉的
例句:Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.
合同中有几项条件太苛刻。
8.desperate adj.不顾一切的, 拼命的
例句:He is a desperate criminal.
他是个亡命之徒。
The prisoners grew more desperate.
囚犯们在绝望中更加不顾死活了。
9.rupture vt.vi.(使容器或管道等)断裂,破裂
例句:They reported that the pipeline had ruptured.
他们报告说管道已经破裂了。
10.formality n.拘泥形式, 拘谨;遵守礼节
例句:There’s no time for formality in everyday life.
在日常生活中没有时间讲究礼节。
11.impartiality n.公平;公正;不偏不倚
例句:He shows impartiality and detachment.
他表现得不偏不倚,超然事外。
The BBC must ensure that due impartiality is preserved in its news programmes.
英国广播公司必须确保新闻节目保持应有的公正。
1.You ought to make that clear.
ought to应该
例句:I think you ought to be able to stand on your own legs.
我认为你应该能够自立了。
The punishment ought to fit the crime.
罚需当罪。
2.The Taliban said it carried out the bombing, the worst in the city for months.
carry out执行; 贯彻
例句:He carried out the plan in very detail.
他一丝不苟地执行那项计划。
If you make a promise, it should be carried out.
你许了诺言, 就一定要兑现。
3.And scientists are increasingly worried that the oil could get caught in a current that could take it to Florida, damaging coral reefs and killing more wildlife there.
get caught in遭受,遭遇
例句:We must risk getting caught in a storm.
我们必须冒为暴风雨所阻之险。
4.The new rule concerning penalty kicks will be in force for the World Cup which starts on June 11th.
in force生效的, 有效的
例句:Is that very old law still in force?
那项古老的法律仍然有效吗?
1.I think this announcement is as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Tehran over the last few days as any we could provide.
as as
带as(so)… as的结构
1)在表示“和…一样…”时,可用“as... as”结构(前面的as后要用原形):
He is as busy as before. 他还是和以前一样忙。
I’ll give you as much help as I can. 我将尽量帮助你。
The airport was as crowded as ever. 机场还是像平常那样拥挤。
You’re as good a singer as Johny Buck. 你的歌唱得像约尼·伯克一样好。
Modern computers can be as small as a book. 现在的电脑可以像一本书那样大。
2)在表示“不像…那样…”时可用“not as(so)... as”这种结构:
It isn’t so cold as yesterday. 今天不像昨天那样冷。
He is not so handsome as his brother. 他不像他哥哥那样英俊。
I’m not so experienced as you think. 我没有你想的那样有经验。
The situation is not so bad as had been painted. 形势没有描绘的那样糟糕。
Jack is not as(so) old as he looks. 杰克不像他看起来那样老。
3)这种结构中也可包含一个状语或有almost, just, nearly, quite这类副词形容:
The whale was twice as long as her boat. 那头鲸有她的那艘船的两倍长。
Their house is about three times as big as ours. 他们的房子约为我们房子三倍大。
My command of English is not half so good as yours. 我的英语掌握得还不及你的一半好。
He was almost as diligent as his sister. 他几乎和她姐姐一样勤奋。
She is nearly as tall as her mother. 她几乎和她妈妈一样高。
4)as... as还可用在许多固定说法中:
as brave as a lion
as busy as a bee
as vain as a peacock
soft as velvet
as bright as day
as fat as a pig
as gentle as a lamb
easy as ABC
2.The BBC UN correspondent says the announcement is significant a day after Turkey, Brazil and Iran reached a nuclear fuel swap agreement, which they said removed the need for further sanctions against Tehran.
这句话的主干是:The BBC UN correspondent says the announcement is significant。a day after...是时间状语。which they said...是定语从句,修饰agreement。