VOA常速：孟加拉国暴雨引发洪灾
刘立军 供稿
TRANSCRIPT
At least 55 people have been killed and more than a million affected by two weeks of torrential rains, causing floods and landslides in southeast Bangladesh, officials said Sunday.
VOA’s Diane Roberts reports.
“These are some of the heaviest rains in recent years.” That’s what Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department chief told AFP. Officials said heavy rains lashed the southeast region August 1 through 11, triggering flash floods that caused rivers to burst their banks and inundate hundreds of villages. Officials say it was only possible to confirm how many were killed after the flood waters began to recede. Diane Roberts, VOA News.
A grand jury in the US state of Georgia could later this week issue new criminal indictments against Donald Trump and his allies over alleged attempts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Reuters correspondent Zachary Goelman reports.
Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis has for two years been investigating what some have characterized as an illegal pressure campaign by the Republican former president on local officials to announce that Trump had won in Georgia despite falling short to Democrat Joe Biden. And on Saturday, two witnesses who had previously received subpoenas in the probe confirmed they have been told to appear before a grand jury in Atlanta on Tuesday. Willis’s office already indicated she would seek charges by the end of next week, and security measures have visibly increased around the county courthouse in recent weeks. Reuters correspondent Zachary Goelman.
Argentines voted Sunday in a primary election that will act as a bellwether ahead of October general elections and give a hint at how eager citizens are for a change in a country suffering one of the world’s worst inflation rates. The primary in which voting is mandatory will determine who will be the presidential candidate in the main center-right opposition coalition. I’m Joe Ramsey.
VOCABULARY
1. lash v. to hit sb. / sth. with great force 猛击；狠打
2. inundate v. (formal) to cover an area of land with a large amount of water 淹没
3. recede v. to become gradually weaker or smaller 逐渐减弱；慢慢变小
4. criminal indictment: 刑事起诉
5. subpoena n. (law 律) a written order to attend court as a witness to give evidence （传唤证人出庭的）传票
6. coalition n. the act of two or more groups joining together 联合；结合；联盟。例如：They didn’t rule out coalition with the Social Democrats. 他们不排除与社会民主党人结盟的可能性。
QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.
1. What has been the cause of the flooding and landslides in southeast Bangladesh?
A) Earthquake.
B) Melting glaciers.
C) Dam breach.
D) Torrential rains.
2. What is expected to happen later this week concerning Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia?
A) They may be pardoned for their alleged crimes.
B) They may receive new criminal indictments.
C) They may be exonerated from all charges.
D) They will testify before a Senate committee.
3. What is the primary election in Argentina used for?
A) To elect the president directly.
B) To determine candidates for the general elections.
C) To change the constitution.
D) To decide on new laws.
4. What is Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis investigating?
A) An illegal pressure campaign by Donald Trump on local officials.
B) Fraudulent activities during the 2020 election.
C) The financial misconduct of Donald Trump.
D) The role of Donald Trump’s allies in an alleged plot.
5. What event caused rivers to overflow in southeast Bangladesh?
A) A dam failure.
B) Flash floods triggered by heavy rain.
C) Tsunami.
D) Seasonal monsoon.
KEY
1. What has been the cause of the flooding and landslides in southeast Bangladesh?
A) Earthquake.
B) Melting glaciers.
C) Dam breach.
D) Torrential rains.
【答案】D
【解析】细节题。命题依据来源于报道的开始部分：“At least 55 people have been killed and more than a million affected by two weeks of torrential rains, causing floods and landslides in southeast Bangladesh.” 根据这个出处，我们可以知道导致孟加拉国东南部洪水和山体滑坡的原因是暴雨。
2. What is expected to happen later this week concerning Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia?
A) They may be pardoned for their alleged crimes.
B) They may receive new criminal indictments.
C) They may be exonerated from all charges.
D) They will testify before a Senate committee.
【答案】B
【解析】细节题。命题依据来自报道的一段话：“A grand jury in the US state of Georgia could later this week issue new criminal indictments against Donald Trump and his allies over alleged attempts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.” 所以，预计未来一周，唐纳德·特朗普和他在乔治亚州的盟友可能会面临新的刑事起诉。
3. What is the primary election in Argentina used for?
A) To elect the president directly.
B) To determine candidates for a coalition.
C) To change the constitution.
D) To decide on new laws.
【答案】B
【解析】细节题。问题的答案来自于报道的最后一段：“The primary in which voting is mandatory will determine who will be the presidential candidate in the main center-right opposition coalition.” 根据这句话，阿根廷的初选被用来确定中间偏右反对派联盟大选的候选人。
4. What is Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis investigating?
A) An illegal pressure campaign by Donald Trump on local officials.
B) Fraudulent activities during the 2020 election.
C) The financial misconduct of Donald Trump.
D) The role of Donald Trump’s allies in an alleged plot.
【答案】A
【解析】细节题。问题的答案可以从报道中找到：“Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis has for two years been investigating what some have characterized as an illegal pressure campaign by the Republican former president on local officials.” 根据这句话，福尔顿县地方检察官Fannie Willis正在调查唐纳德·特朗普对当地官员的非法施压行动。
5. What event caused rivers to overflow in southeast Bangladesh?
A) A dam failure.
B) Flash floods triggered by heavy rains.
C) Tsunami.
D) Seasonal monsoon.
【答案】B
【解析】细节题。命题依据来源于报道的一段话：“Officials said heavy rains lashed the southeast region August 1 through 11, triggering flash floods that caused rivers to burst their banks and inundate hundreds of villages.” 因此，导致孟加拉国东南部河流溢出的因素是由暴雨引发的洪水。
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