BBC新闻：英国脱欧没有商讨余地

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

u TRANSCRIPT

Hello, this is Charles Carroll with the BBC news.

The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has said there's no room whatsoever to renegotiate the Brexit deal that the British Prime Minister Theresa May is trying to salvage. Mrs. May is on a tour of Europe to ask Mr. Juncker and her Dutch and German counterparts for assurances to try to convince sceptical British MPs to back the agreement. Earlier today, Mr. Juncker addressed the European Parliament. There is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened. Many British MPs fear the country could become permanently stuck in a legally binding backstop plan to avoid re-establishing a hard border in Ireland. Mrs. May canceled a parliamentary vote on her deal due to have taken place today and acknowledged that she would have been defeated.

Adapted from www.tingclass.net

u VOCABULARY

1. whatsoever adv. (用于名词词组后，强调否定陈述) 丝毫，任何，无论什么 You use whatsoever after a noun group in order to emphasize a negative statement. 例如：My school did nothing whatsoever in the way of athletics. 我的学校在体育方面无所作为。

2. salvage v. to manage to rescue sth. from a difficult situation; to stop a bad situation from being a complete failure 挽救；挽回。例如：

l What can I do to salvage my reputation? (= get a good reputation again) 我怎样才能挽回我的名声呢？

l He wondered what he could do to salvage the situation. 他不知道怎样才能挽救这个局面。

l United lost 5-2, salvaging a little pride with two late goals. 联队以2:5失利，只靠后来两次进球挽回了一点面子。

3. sceptical adj. sceptical (about / of sth.) having doubts that a claim or statement is true or that sth. will happen 怀疑的。例如：

l I am sceptical about his chances of winning. 我怀疑他取胜的可能性。

l The public remain sceptical of these claims. 公众对这些说法仍持怀疑态度。

l She looked highly sceptical. 她一脸深表怀疑的神色。

4. backstop plan 后备计划

u QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

What’s Mr. Juncker’s opinion about the Brexit deal?

 There’s no room to renegotiate it.

 He’ll try to convince the sceptical British MPs.

 There’s no room to address the European Parliament.  

 He’ll try to convince the European Parliament.

 What do many British MPs worry about?

 Britain will still have strong economic links to the EU.

 Britain will be permanently tied to a legally binding backstop plan.

 Britain will still have strong political links to the EU.

 Britain will still have strong military links to the EU.

What did Mrs. May acknowledge?

 She would convince the sceptical British MPs.

 She would address the European Parliament.

 She would cancel a parliamentary vote on her deal.

 She would have been defeated in the parliamentary vote.

u KEY

A。推断题。命题出处：The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has said there's no room whatsoever to renegotiate the Brexit deal that the British Prime Minister Theresa May is trying to salvage. Mrs. May is on a tour of Europe to ask Mr. Juncker and her Dutch and German counterparts for assurances to try to convince sceptical British MPs to back the agreement. Earlier today, Mr. Juncker addressed the European Parliament. There is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened.

B。细节题。命题出处：Many British MPs fear the country could become permanently stuck in a legally binding backstop plan to avoid re-establishing a hard border in Ireland.

D。细节题。命题出处：Mrs. May canceled a parliamentary vote on her deal due to have taken place today and acknowledged that she would have been defeated.