CNN新闻：欧盟27国通过英国脱欧协议

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

u TRANSCRIPT

CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Twenty-seven members of the European Union have approved Britain's plan to leave the EU but will the plan pass in Britain itself? That's the first topic we're tackling today on CNN 10. I'm Carl Azuz. It's great to see you.

The Brexit, the British exit from the European Union was decided by British voters in the summer of 2016. But if you look at the calendar you get a sense of how complicated the process is.

The European Union is a political and economic partnership of dozens of countries. It was established in 1993. Two major reasons why Britains voted to leave it 23 years later, they wanted their country to set its own rules on issues like immigration and international business, and not be governed by those of the broader European Union. British Prime Minister Teresa May has been working with other European leaders to come up with a plan for how Britain will leave the EU. They've done that. Borders, trade, international cooperation are all part of it.

But while the European Union has approved Britain's Brexit plan, the United Kingdom's parliament needs to do that too and there are multiple critics of the plan inside Britain including people on both sides of the country's vote to leave the EU. Beyond Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump has also voiced concerns about Britain's ability to trade with America based on how the deal stands now. British Prime Minister May says her country and the U.S. have already started discussions on how that will work. She also says there is not a better deal available for her country.

December 11th is the date when Britain's parliament will have what it calls a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal. Brexit isn't the only thing keeping Britain's parliament busy. Some of its members are also participating in an investigation concerning Facebook and disinformation, fake or misleading information. Yesterday lawmakers from the UK and eight other countries attended an event called the International Grand Committee on Disinformation.

It was held three weeks after a British government report came out that accused Facebook of not doing enough to keep it's user's personal information safe. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was invited but he didn't attend the hearing. Instead, a Vice-President of Public Policy for Facebook, who's also a member of parliament's House of Lords, was asked questions about Facebook concerning security.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201812/572089.shtml

u VOCABULARY

1. tackle v. to make a determined effort to deal with a difficult problem or situation 应付，处理，解决（难题或局面）。例如：The government is determined to tackle inflation.   政府决心解决通货膨胀问题。

2. critic n. a person who expresses disapproval of sb/sth and talks about their bad qualities, especially publicly 批评者；挑剔的人。例如：

l She is one of the ruling party's most outspoken critics. 她是最直言不讳地批评执政党的一个人。

l a critic of private health care对私人卫生保健持批评态度的人

3. disinformation n. false information that is given deliberately, especially by government organizations （尤指政府机构故意发布的）虚假信息，假消息

u QUESTIONS

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

Who decided the British exit from the European Union in the summer of 2016?

 British voters.

 European Union.

 The U.S.  

 The British voters and the European Union.

 Why Britains voted to leave the E.U.?

 They wanted the UK to set its own rules on border issues.

 They wanted the UK to set its own rules on immigration and international business issues.

 They wanted the UK to set its own rules on international cooperation issues.

 They wanted the UK to set its own rules on military issues.

What did U.S. President Donald Trump concern about?

 Britain's ability to trade with EU.

 America's ability to trade with Britain.

 EU's ability to trade with America.

 Britain's ability to trade with America.

Who attended the hearing?

 Lawmakers from the UK, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and eight other countries.

 Lawmakers from the UK, a Vice-President of Facebook and eight other countries.

 Eight Lawmakers from the UK and eight other countries.

 Eight lawmakers from the UK, USA and eight other countries.

u KEY

A。细节题。命题出处：The Brexit, the British exit from the European Union was decided by British voters in the summer of 2016.

B。细节题。命题出处：Two major reasons why Britains voted to leave it 23 years later, they wanted their country to set its own rules on issues like immigration and international business, and not be governed by those of the broader European Union.

D。细节题。命题出处：Beyond Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump has also voiced concerns about Britain's ability to trade with America based on how the deal stands now.

B。推断题。命题出处：Yesterday lawmakers from the UK and eight other countries attended an event called the International Grand Committee on Disinformation. It was held three weeks after a British government report came out that accused Facebook of not doing enough to keep it's user's personal information safe. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was invited but he didn't attend the hearing. Instead, a Vice-President of Public Policy for Facebook, who's also a member of parliament's House of Lords, was asked questions about Facebook concerning security.