2016年6月英语四级听力改革短篇新闻练习(4)思维导图

TheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilhascondemnedtwosuicidecarbombingswhichleftatleast55peopledeadintheSyriancapitalDamascus.ThecouncilmembersacknowledgedtheinternationalpeaceplanforSyriawasunderstrain,buttheyinsistedtherewasnoalternative.BarbaraPlettattheUNheadquartershasmore.

TheSecurityCouncilissuedastrongcondemnationoftheattacks,butgavenosignitwasreadytoadmitthefailureofpeaceefforts.Instead,itcalledonallpartiestokeeptheircommitmentstostoptheviolenceandreaffirmsupportforthepeaceplanofthespecialenvoy,KofiAnnan.Syria'sambassador,Basharal-Ja'afari,toldthecouncilhiscountryhadevidencethatforeignfightersandgroupslinkedtoal-Qaedawerebehindagrowingnumberofterroristoperations.HerepeatedaccusationsthatsomeregionalcountrieswerearmingandfinancingSyrianrebels,andheurgedthecounciltoexertmaximumpressureonthosestatestoendsuchsupport.

MillionsofEgyptiansarewatchingtheircountry'sfirstlivetelevisiondebatebetweenpresidentialcandidates.Twofront-runners,theformerheadoftheArabLeague,AmrMoussa,andthemoderateIslamist,AbdelMoneimAboulFotouh,aregoinghead-to-head.YolandeKnellhasbeenwatching.

SeveralpollssuggestthatAmrMoussaandAbdelMoneimAboulFotouharecloselyleadingthepresidentialrace.Thishigh-profiledebate,shownontwoprivateTVnetworks,wasachanceforthetwotoconfronteachother–inastylethat'snewtotheArabworld.Eachwasaskedawiderangeofquestions,includinghowtheirpowersshouldbelimitedaspresidenttoensuretheydidnotturnintoadictator.Theywerealsoallowedtochallengeeachother.AmrMoussaattackedtherecordofhisrivalasaformerleadingmemberofthepowerfulMuslimBrotherhood,whileMrAboulFotouhcalledtheformerforeignministera'remnantoftheoustedregime'.

ThepollshaveclosedinAlgeria'sparliamentaryelections.Dozensofnewpartieshavebeentakingpart,buttheinteriorministryhassaidjust35%oftheelectorateturnedouttocasttheirballots.

ReportsintheUnitedStatessuggestthatanundercoveragentwhohelpedfoilabombplotbyinfiltratingal-QaedainYemenwasaBritishman.ThebombwashiddeninunderwearandintendedtobedetonatedonboardapassengerplaneflyingtotheUS,butinstead,thewould-besuicidebombergavethedevicetoUSintelligence.Here'sGordonCorera.

TheofficialresponsefromBritishsourcesistoneitherconfirmnordenythattheagentwhoinfiltratedal-QaedainYemenwasaBritishnational.USreportsclaimedthattheindividualwasofMiddleEasternorigin,butheldaBritishpassport.Thatpersonmanagedtoconvinceal-QaedainYementhathewaswillingtocarryoutanattackusinganunderwearbomb,butinstead,deliveredthedevicetotheUS.Whenthestoryinitiallyemerged,theUSsaidthatinternationalpartnershadplayedacrucialrole,andtherehavebeenindicationsthatBritishintelligencewasinvolvedfromearlyon.

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ThePresidentofSudan,Omaral-Bashir,hastoldneighboringSouthSudanthathiscountrywillrespondvigorouslytoattacksonhisterritory.Inatelevisedspeech,hewarnedSouthSudanagainstsupportingrebelsopposetohisgovernment.Hesaidthatiftheydid,he'drespondbybackingrebelsinthesouth."Iftheywanttitfortat",thepresidentsaid,"weareready."

AsheriffintheUSstateofArizona,who'sknownforhistoughstanceonimmigration,isbeingsuedbythefederalauthorities.SheriffJoeArpaio'sdepartmentisaccusedofraciallyprofilingLatinosduringtheirpatrols.FromWashington,PaulAdamshasmore.

TheDepartmentofJusticebeganinvestigatingJoeArpaioalmostfouryearsago,followingallegationsthathispoliceofficerswerediscriminatingagainstLatinos.LastDecember,thedepartmentaccusedhimoffosteringacultureofdisregardforbasicconstitutionalrights.Monthsofsubsequentnegotiationsfailedtoresultinadealtotrainthesheriff'sofficersinhowtoavoidracialprofilingwhileconductingroutinetrafficstops.Thesheriffaccusesfederalgovernmentofundermininghisauthority,andsayshe'snotafraidofgoingtocourt.

TheOlympictorchhasbeenlitatanelaborateceremonyinGreecebeforeitbeginsitsjourneytoLondonfortheGameswhichstartinJuly.ActressesdressedaspriestessesinqueenpleatedrobesperformedritualdancesattheceremonyatthesiteoftheancientGamesinOlympia.Thetorchwaslitbythesun'sraysreflectedfromaparabolicmirror.TheflamewillbecarriedaroundGreeceforeightdaysbeforebeingflowntoBritain.

ArcheologistsworkinginGuatemalasaythey'vediscoveredtheoldestcalendaryetfromthenancientMayacivilizationinCentralAmerica.TheyfoundthatitunderminestheideathattheMayanspredictedtheworldwouldendin2012.Hieroglyphsonthe9thcenturycalendaruncoveredintheruinsoftheancientcityofXultunpredictedatleastanother7,000years.

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