奥巴马任命贾兰德担任最高法院大法官

听力文本Hello,I'mSueMontgomerywiththeBBCnews.PresidentObamahasnominatedamoderatejudgeMerrickGarlandtothevacancytotheUSSupremeCourt,settingupashowdownwithRepublicans.TheappointmenthastoberatifiedbythesenatebutitsRepublicanmajorityhasvowedtoblockanycourtnomineefromMrObama.BarbaraPlett-UsherhasmorefromWashington.PresidentObamachosejusticeGarlandasthebestoptionforaconsensuscandidatesomebodywhoisaliberalbutnotahard-down-the-lineliberal,moreofacentristcandidateinmanyways.SomebodywhohasbeensupportedbybothRepublicansandDemocratsinthepastandwhohasareputationfordecencyandfair-mindedness.TheBrazilianpresidentDilmaRousseffhasdefendedtheappointmentofherpredecessorLuizInácioLuladaSilvaaschiefofstaff.MsRousseffsaidtheformerleaderwasaskillfulpoliticalnegotiatorwhowouldhelpkickoffaneconomicrecovery.Hoursaftertheannouncement,protectorsgatheredoutsidethepresidentialpalaceinBrasília.JuliaCarneirohasjustsentthisreport.Lulaisbeinginvestigatedbypoliceandthemovetobringhimintogovernmentisseenbymanyasanattempttoshieldhimfromcharges.Hisnewrolegrantshimspecialprivilegesandhecannotbeprosecutedbyregularcourts,onlybytheSupremeCourt.ProtestsagainsthisappointmenthavebrokeinatleastfourBraziliancitiesincludingthecapitalBrasíliawherearound2000peoplegatheredoutsidethepresidentialpalace.TheangerspreadtothelowerhousewhereMPsheldachaoticsessionloudlychantingresignation,callingpresidentDilmaRoussefftoleaveherpost.PresidentObamahasorderednewsanctionsagainstNorthKoreafollowingitsrecentnuclearandmissiletests.Earlier,theWhiteHousehasaccusedNorthKoreaofusingAmericancitizensaspoliticalpawns.AfterPyongyangsentencedtheUSstudentOttoWarmbierto15yearsofhardlabourforcrimesagainstthestate,theWhiteHousespokesmanJoshEarnestcalledforthestudent'simmediaterelease.TheallegationsforwhichthisindividualwasarrestedandimprisonedwouldnotgiverisetoarrestorimprisonmentintheUnitedStatesorinjustaboutanycountryintheworld.NowdespiteofficialclaimsthatUScitizensarrestedinNorthKoreaarenotusedforpoliticalpurposes,itisincreasinglyclearthattheNorthKoreangovernmentseekstousetheseUScitizensaspawnstopursueapoliticalagenda.LocalauthoritiesinSomaliaandKenyanforceswho'redeployedinthecountrysaythey'vekilled30suspectedmembersofthemilitantgroupal-Shababintwoseparatebattles.Theauthoritiesinthesemi-autonomousregionofPuntlandsay11IslamistswerekilledandtheKenyanarmysaiditsforceskilled19militantsinsouthernSomalia.WorldnewsfromtheBBC.Pro-RussianrebelsinUkraine'sbreakawayprovinceofDonetskhasbegunissuingpassportsinanefforttoshowtheirindependencefromthegovernmentinKiev.Theleaderoftheself-proclaimedDonetskPeople'sRepublicAlexanderZakharchenkosaidthepassportswereanimportantsteponthepathtowardsstate-buildingandcouldbeusedtotraveltoneighboringRussia.MoscowhasnotofficiallyrecognizedtheterritorywhichnowusestheRussianroubleasitsofficialcurrency.PoliceinFrancesaythey'vearrestedfoursuspectedIslamistmilitantsaspartofawiderinvestigationintoapossibleplotagainstFrenchtargets.Computerequipmenthasalsobeenseized.TheInteriorMinisterBernardCazeneuvesaidtheauthoritieshavereceivedinformationthatoneofthosearrestedmightcommitviolentattacksbutalsourgedcaution.WehaveinformationaboutonepersonthatsuggestedhecouldundertakeviolentattacksinFrance.ThismancouldhavebeenincontactofpeopleinSyriaandmembersofIS.TheUScentralbank,theFederalReservehaskeptitsinterestrateunchangedbecauseoffearsforthehealthofglobaleconomy.Thetightrateremains0.25precentto0.5percentafterbeingraisedforthefirsttimeinnearlyadecadeinDecember.TheFederalReservehadpreviouslyindicatedthatitwasplanningforasmallinterestrateraisethisyeartotalingoneprecentbutthat'snowbeingscaledback.WhiteHouseofficialssaypresidentObamawillmakeahistoricaladdresstotheCubanpeoplewhenhevisitstheislandnextweek.TheofficialsaidthatinthisspeechTuesday,thelastdayofhistrip,MrObamawilltalkaboutthecomplicatedhistorybetweenthetwocountries.HewillbethefirstsittingUSpresidenttovisitCubaforalmost90years.BBCnews.词汇学习1.showdownn.摊牌；紧要关头；最后一决胜负Theymaybepushingthepresidenttowardafinalshowdownwithhisparty.他们可能会逼迫总统与其政党做最后的较量。2.pawnn.典当；抵押物；兵，卒；人质vt.当掉；以……担保Itlooksasthoughheisbeingusedasapoliticalpawnbythepresident.看来似乎他在被总统用作政治卒子。3.decencyn.正派；体面；庄重；合乎礼仪；礼貌Hissenseofdecencyforcedhimtoresign.他的正派作风迫使他辞职。4.breakawayn.分离；脱逃Abreakawayfactionoftherebelgrouphasclaimedresponsibilityforthekilling.反叛团体的一个分裂出来的派别已宣称对那次凶杀负责。5.self-proclaimedadj.自称的Heispresidentofhisownself-proclaimedrepublic.他是自己宣布成立的共和国的总统。6.imprisonvt.监禁；关押；使…下狱Hewasimprisonedfor18monthsonchargesoftheft.他因盗窃指控而被监禁了18个月。7.vacancyn.空缺；空位；空白；空虚Mostvacanciesareattheseniorlevel,requiringappropriatequalifications.大多数空缺在高层，要求适当的资历。内容解析1.MsRousseffsaidtheformerleaderwasaskillfulpoliticalnegotiatorwhowouldhelpkickoffaneconomicrecovery.kickoff[足球]中线开球；[口]（使）开始；[美，口]死；踢开Themayorkickedofftheparty.市长揭开了宴会的序幕。TheshowskickoffonOctober24th.展览从10月24日开始。2.Lulaisbeinginvestigatedbypoliceandthemovetobringhimintogovernmentisseenbymanyasanattempttoshieldhimfromcharges.shieldfrom庇护使免遭...Theinteriorwasshieldedfromthecuriousgazeofpassersby.屋子内部被挡住了，以防路人好奇地张望。Thecompanydoesnotbetits