燕山大学 刘立军 编写

u TRANSCRIPT

The former head of Britain's intelligence services, MI6 has warned that the country is going through a political crisis with deep divisions as it grapples with Brexit. John Sawers told the BBC that the UK's international reputation had been damaged and that current politicians and neither of the main parties seemed likely to be able to restore it. We are going through a sort of political nervous breakdown here in the UK. We have potential prime ministers being elected by the Conservative Party now, by in the shape of the leader of the opposition, who do not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership.

World news from the BBC.

Adapted from: http://www.hxen.com/englishlistening/bbc/20190709/520866_2.html

u VOCABULARY

1. grapple (with sth.): to try hard to find a solution to a problem 努力设法解决

例如：The new government has yet to grapple with the problem of air pollution. 新政府还需尽力解决空气污染问题。

例如：I was grappling to find an answer to his question. 我正在努力解决他的问题。

2. potential adj. that can develop into sth. or be developed in the future 潜在的；可能的。 possible 例如：

l potential customers潜在的客户

l a potential source of conflict潜在的冲突根源

l a potential prime minister未来的首相

l First we need to identify actual and potential problems. 首先，我们需要弄清实际的问题和潜在的问题。

3. standing n. the position or reputation of sb. / sth. within a group of people or in an organization 地位；级别；身份；名声。 status 例如：

l the high/low standing of politicians with the public在公众中声望高 / 低的政治人物

l The contract has no legal standing. 那份合同在法律上没有约束力。

u QUESTIONS

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

The former head of Britain's intelligence services, MI6 has warned that the country is going through __________________ with deep divisions as it grapples with Brexit. John Sawers told the BBC that the UK's ________________________ had been damaged and that current ________ and neither of the main _______________ seemed likely to be able to ___________ it. We are going through a sort of political nervous ___________________ here in the UK. We have _______________________ prime ministers being elected by the Conservative Party now, by in the shape of the leader of the ____________________, who do not have the _______ that we have become used to in our top ______________________.

u KEY

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

The former head of Britain's intelligence services, MI6 has warned that the country is going through a political crisis with deep divisions as it grapples with Brexit. John Sawers told the BBC that the UK's international reputation had been damaged and that current politicians and neither of the main parties seemed likely to be able to restore it. We are going through a sort of political nervous breakdown here in the UK. We have potential prime ministers being elected by the Conservative Party now, by in the shape of the leader of the opposition, who do not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership.