2016年6月英语四级听力改革短篇新闻练习(4)
听力材料：The United Nations Security Council has condemnedtwo suicide car bombings
which left at least 55people dead in the Syrian capital Damascus. Thecouncil
members acknowledged the internationalpeace plan for Syria was under strain, but
they insisted there was no alternative. BarbaraPlett at the UN headquarters has
more.
The Security Council issued a strong condemnation of the attacks, but gave
no sign it wasready to admit the failure of peace efforts. Instead, it called on
all parties to keep theircommitments to stop the violence and reaffirm support
for the peace plan of the specialenvoy, Kofi Annan. Syria's ambassador, Bashar
al-Ja'afari, told the council his country hadevidence that foreign fighters and
groups linked to al-Qaeda were behind a growing number ofterrorist operations.
He repeated accusations that some regional countries were arming andfinancing
Syrian rebels, and he urged the council to exert maximum pressure on those
statesto end such support.
Millions of Egyptians are watching their country's first live television
debate between presidentialcandidates. Two front-runners, the former head of the
Arab League, Amr Moussa, and themoderate Islamist, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh,
are going head-to-head. Yolande Knell hasbeen watching.
Several polls suggest that Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh are
closely leading thepresidential race. This high-profile debate, shown on two
private TV networks, was a chancefor the two to confront each other – in a style
that's new to the Arab world. Each was asked awide range of questions, including
how their powers should be limited as president to ensurethey did not turn into
a dictator. They were also allowed to challenge each other. Amr Moussaattacked
the record of his rival as a former leading member of the powerful
MuslimBrotherhood, while Mr Aboul Fotouh called the former foreign minister a
'remnant of theousted regime'.
The polls have closed in Algeria's parliamentary elections. Dozens of new
parties have beentaking part, but the interior ministry has said just 35% of the
electorate turned out to casttheir ballots.
Reports in the United States suggest that an undercover agent who helped
foil a bomb plotby infiltrating al-Qaeda in Yemen was a British man. The bomb
was hidden in underwear andintended to be detonated on board a passenger plane
flying to the US, but instead, thewould-be suicide bomber gave the device to US
intelligence. Here's Gordon Corera.
The official response from British sources is to neither confirm nor deny
that the agent whoinfiltrated al-Qaeda in Yemen was a British national. US
reports claimed that the individual wasof Middle Eastern origin, but held a
British passport. That person managed to convince al-Qaeda in Yemen that he was
willing to carry out an attack using an underwear bomb, butinstead, delivered
the device to the US. When the story initially emerged, the US said
thatinternational partners had played a crucial role, and there have been
indications that Britishintelligence was involved from early on.
World News from the BBC
The President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, has told neighboring South Sudan
that his country willrespond vigorously to attacks on his territory. In a
televised speech, he warned SouthSudan against supporting rebels oppose to his
government. He said that if they did, he'drespond by backing rebels in the
south. "If they want tit for tat", the president said, "we areready."
A sheriff in the US state of Arizona, who's known for his tough stance on
immigration, is beingsued by the federal authorities. Sheriff Joe Arpaio's
department is accused of racially profilingLatinos during their patrols. From
Washington, Paul Adams has more.
The Department of Justice began investigating Joe Arpaio almost four years
ago, followingallegations that his police officers were discriminating against
Latinos. Last December, thedepartment accused him of fostering a culture of
disregard for basic constitutional rights.Months of subsequent negotiations
failed to result in a deal to train the sheriff's officers in howto avoid racial
profiling while conducting routine traffic stops. The sheriff accuses
federalgovernment of undermining his authority, and says he's not afraid of
going to court.
The Olympic torch has been lit at an elaborate ceremony in Greece before it
begins its journeyto London for the Games which start in July. Actresses dressed
as priestesses in queen pleatedrobes performed ritual dances at the ceremony at
the site of the ancient Games in Olympia.The torch was lit by the sun's rays
reflected from a parabolic mirror. The flame will be carriedaround Greece for
eight days before being flown to Britain.
Archeologists working in Guatemala say they've discovered the oldest
calendar yet from thenancient Maya civilization in Central America. They found
that it undermines the idea that theMayans predicted the world would end in
2012. Hieroglyphs on the 9th century calendaruncovered in the ruins of the
ancient city of Xultun predicted at least another 7,000 years.
BBC News
【参考译文】
叙利亚首都大马士革发生两起汽车自杀式爆炸案，至少55人丧生，联合国安理会对此表示谴责。安理会成员国承认叙利亚的和平方案岌岌可危，但仍坚称别无选择。Barbara
Plett在联合国总部报道。
安理会对这一系列袭击表示严重谴责，但并无迹象表明将承认和平尝试的失败。相反，安理会要求各方坚守承诺，停止暴力，重申对特使科菲·安南和平方案的支持。叙利亚大使Bashar
al-Ja'afari向安理会表示，该国有证据表明，有外国武装人员和组织是日益增加的恐怖活动的幕后操作者。他反复指控一些地区国家向叙利亚叛军提供武装和财政支持，他敦促安理会向这些国家施加最大压力结束此类支持。
数百万埃及人正在观看本国首次总统候选人现场电视辩论。两名领先者阿盟前主席Amr Moussa和温和派伊斯兰Abdel Moneim Aboul
Fotouh直接对抗。Yolande Knell报道。
几次民调显示，Amr Moussa和Abdel Moneim Aboul
Fotouh在总统决选中不相上下。这次辩论很高调，两家私人电视网络都有播放，使两人有机会直接对抗，这种形式对阿拉伯国家来说很新鲜。每人都被提问了大量问题，包括如何限制总统的权力，以确保不会成为独裁者。他们还可以互相挑战提问。Amr
Moussa攻击对手作为强大的穆斯林兄弟组织前领导人的履历，而Mr Aboul Fotouh则称前外长为“被废制度的残存者”。
阿尔及利亚议会选举已告结束，几十个新党派也加入进去，但内政部长称有35%的选民投了弃权票。
来自美国的报道称，渗入也门基地组织并帮助挫败一起爆炸阴谋的秘密特工是一名英国人。这枚炸弹藏在内衣里，本要在一架飞往美国的客机上引爆，但相反，这位准自杀式炸弹袭击者却把设备交给了美国情报机关。Gordon
Corera报道。
英国官方对此的反应是，既不承认也不否认这名渗入也门基地组织的特工是英国人。美国报道称此人是中东裔，但持有英国护照。此人设法说服也门基地组织，称自己愿意用内衣炸弹进行袭击，但却把设备交给了美国。这件事最初浮出水面时，美国称国际伙伴发挥了关键作用，有迹象表明英国情报机构一开始就涉入其中。
苏丹总统奥马尔·巴希尔向邻国南苏丹表示，本国将对袭击领土的行为进行严烈抗击。他在电视讲话中警告说南苏丹不要再支持叛军反对本国政府。他说如果他们继续这样，他就会支持南苏丹的叛军。巴希尔说，“如果他们针锋相对，我们就奉陪到底。”
美国亚利桑那州以强硬的移民立场而出名的一名郡治安官被州政府起诉。郡治安官Joe Arpaio的部门被指控以种族歧视语言侵犯拉美人。Paul
Adams在华盛顿报道。
司法部对Joe
Arpaio的调查开始于四年前，起因是他的警官被指控歧视拉美人。去年12月，司法部指控JoeArpaio滋养出不顾基本的宪法权利的习气。随后进行了数月的协商未能达成协议，以培训治安警官如何在执行日常交通检查时避免种族歧视行为。郡治安官指责联邦政府削弱自己的权威，并自称不怕上法庭。
在希腊，奥运火炬在精心策划的仪式中被点燃，随后将一路抵达伦敦，7月份的奥运会就在那里举行。在古代奥运会旧址奥林匹亚举行的仪式上，装扮成女祭司的女演员身穿褶皱长袍表演仪式舞蹈。火炬是用一面凹面镜反射太阳光点燃的，这只火把将在希腊传递8天，然后抵达英国。
在危地马拉调查的考古学家称，在中美发现了古玛雅文明至今为止最古老的日历。他们发现这份日历推翻了之前所谓的玛雅人预计世界在2012年灭亡的观点。在Xultun古城遗址发掘的这份9世纪的日历上的象形文字预言称，世界至少还有7000年的时间。
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