Section A
1. interim
2. quit; post
3. sworn in
4. step down
5. named; chief
6. monarch; reign
7. resigned; in bribes
8. tapped; top
9. allegations; in office
10. replacing; in the job; nominated; take over
Section B
Tapescript
1. Democrats in the House of Representatives have unanimously confirmed Nancy Pelosi as the United States’ first woman speaker. Mrs. Pelosi will be the second in line to the presidency after Vice President Dick Cheney when she takes office in January.
2. President Bush has nominated the head of his Council of Economic Advisors Ben Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reerve, the U.S. central bank. He succeeds the outgoing chairman Alan Greenspan.
3. Salva Kiir Mayardit was soon in as Sudan’s senior vice president today to replaceJohn Garang who died in a helicopter crash.
4. President bush’s nominee for U.S. United Nations ambassador told the Senate hearing Monday he will work to make the world body more effective.
5. An outspoken aide to the Russian President Vladimir Putin has resigned in protest against changes in government policy.
Key: 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. A
Section C
Item 1
Tapescript
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced today that he’ll leave his post as part of a shakeup of While House personnel. McClellan has come under fire from Republicans who have complained he has not done enough to keep the president’s popularity from sliding. The White House also announced that top presidential adviser Karl Rove will give up his policy-making role in order to focus on maintaining Republican control of Congress during the next election.
Key: 1. (C) 2. (D) 3. (H) 4. (G, A) 5. (I)
Item 2
Tapescript
World Bank executive directors meet Thursday in Washington to vote on the nomination of U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz as the bank’s new president. Mr. Wolfowitz passed a major hurdle Wednesday when European Union officials sain they have no objection to his nomination. The nomination had been controversial in Europe because of Mr. Wolfowitz’s strong support for the war in Iraq. Mr. Wolfowitz acknowledges he is a polarizing person. Washington traditionally nominates World Bank presidents while Europe chooses the head of the International Monetary Fund.
Key:
Task 1 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F
Task 2
1. executive directors; vote on;
2. a major hurdle; have no objection
3. Europe; head; International Monetary Fund
Item 3
Tapescript
Argentina’s Finance Minister Roberto Lavagna who helped to oversee the country’s recovery from virtual economic collapse in 2001 has resigned. Mr. Llavagna quit amid reports of personal clashes with President Nestor Kirchner as well as disagreements about future economic policy. Mr. Lavagna reportedly wanted tough measures to stop inflation returning, while the president favored more investment to stimulate growth.
Key:
1. Argentina’s Finance Minister.
2. He helped to oversee the country’s recovery from the 2001 economic collapse.
3. Personal clashes with the President; disagreements about future economic policy.
4. Tough measures to stop inflation returning.
5. More investment to stimulate growth.
Section D
Item 1
Tapescript
President Bush’s nominee for a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court Harriet Myers has announces she is withdrawing her candidacy. She said she was concerned that the confirmation process presented a burden for the White House. The BBC Washington correspondent says her withdrawal is a huge blow for President Bush. Ms. Myers is an experienced lawyer but has never been a judge, leading to criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. One of the Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Edward Kennedy, hoped the future nominee would be acceptable to both the main parties.
Key:
1. Candidacy
2. a vacancy
3. U.S. supreme Court
4. confirmation process
5. burden
6. a huge blow
7. Democrats and Republicans
8. experienced lawyer
9. judge
10. Senator
11. the future nominee
Item 2
Tapescript
Embattled Federal Emergency Management chief Michael Brown has been relieved of his duties as managing the massive hurricane relief effort. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff Friday in Baton Rouge said Coat Guard Vice Admiral Trad Allen will take charge of federal operations in the area. The Admiral has been overseeing the rescue and recovery efforts in New Orleans. Mr. Chertoff said Mr. Brown is to return to Washington to oversee the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s operations nationwide. A number of congressional leaders and Louisiana officials have fiercely criticized the federal governments initial response to the disaster and called on President Bush to fire Mr. Brown. Several Democratic Senators said recalling Mr. Brown to oversee the Emergency Management Agency in Washington is a bad decision. They said his continued presence in the critical position endangers the success of the recovery efforts.
Key:
Task 1 1. D 2. A
Task 2 1. T 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. T 6. F 7. T
Item 3
Tapescript
Japan’s Parliament has officially chosen Shinzo Abe as the country’s new prime minister. VOA’s Steve Herman has more from Tokyo.
With the Liberal Democratic Party firmly in control of Japan’s parliament, there was no doubt Tuesday who would be selected as prime minister. Lawmakers cheered the announcement of the Lower House vote, showing the LDP president Shinzo Abe defeating his rivals by a large margin. Within hours of his election, Mr. Abe spoke to the nation, assuring it that he would not back away from the reform program implemented by his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi. Mr. Abe instead vowed to accelerate the administrative reform. The new prime minister also reiterated his campaign pledge to make Tokyo a more equal partner in its security alliance with Washington. Steve Berman, VOA News, Tokyo.
Key:
1. They cheered.
2. Because the liberal Democratic Party is firmly in control of Japan’s parliament.
3. The LDP President Shinzo Abe defeated his rivals by a large margin.
4. He assured the public that he would not back away from the reform program implemented by his predecessors Junichiro Koizumi.
5. He pledged to make Tokyo a more equal partner in its security alliance with Washington.
Section E
Exercise: Learn to Abbreviate (I)
Tapescript
1. California congressman Randy Cunningham announced today that he will not seek reelection.
2. The win gives him a mandate to move forward with his plan to privatize the country’s postal system. It has three trillion dollars in deposits and saving and insurance programs, making it the world’s biggest financial institution.
3. Usually in German elections campaigning comes to an end the day before polls open, but this year the race is close and the stakes are high so that SPD and the CDU are campaigning up to the last minute.
4. Taliban fighters tried to sabotage Afghanistan’s first legislative elections in more than three decades, but voters still turned out today despite violence, casting ballots in schools, tents and mosques.
5. Campaigning has ended in Liberia ahead of the West African country’s first presidential and congressional elections to be held since the end of the civil war two years ago.
Key:下载本文
