2016.5.27

2016.5.27

news from BBC

Barack Obama set for historic Hiroshima visit

Barack Obama is set to arrive in Hiroshima（广岛） and become the first serving US president to visit the Japanese city since the 1945 nuclear bombing.

1.　　Seiki Sato, whose father was orphaned by the bomb, told the New York Times: "We Japanese did terrible, terrible things all over Asia. That is true. And we Japanese should say we are sorry because we are so ashamed, and we have not apologised sincerely to all these Asian countries. But the dropping of the atomic bomb was completely evil."

　　　sincerely　【sɪnˈsɪəli】　真诚地

　　　ashamed　惭愧的　

2.　　Mr Obama referred to this in his speech at the base, saying: "As president, I made sure that the United States is leading again in the Asia Pacific, because this region is vital."

　　　refer to　提及　

　　　vital　【ˈvaɪtl】　重要的

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French strikes: Does France's workforce really have it easy?

1.　　At 35 hours, the French have the shortest legal working week in Europe. With it, they have a reputation in some quarters for an easy working life, staunchly defended by powerful labour unions.

　　　reputation　【ˌrepjuˈteɪʃn】　名声，声誉　

　　　in some quarters　在某些方面　

2.　　This week, there is widespread disruption across the country after France's largest union called a strike over planned reforms to the labour laws. Workers have blockaded power plants, petrol stations, and oil refineries.

　　　disruption　【dɪs'rʌpʃn】　中断，分裂

　　　blockade　【blɒˈkeɪd】　封锁，阻塞

　　　refinery　【rɪˈfaɪnəri】　精炼厂，提炼厂，冶炼厂

3.　　France also mandates 11 consecutive hours of rest between each working day and one consecutive 35-hour period of rest per week, usually a weekend.

　　　consecutive　【kənˈsekjətɪv】　连续的，连贯的

4.　　The reforms would also make it easier for employers to make workers redundant, which the government hopes will encourage companies to take risks on hiring new staff.

　　　redundant　【rɪˈdʌndənt】　多余的，被解雇的，失业的

　　　employer　雇主　

5.　　France's existing labour laws offer substantial protections to workers. Employers can be barred from making redundancies if the company or parent company is profitable. The reforms would allow companies whose revenues have fallen for four consecutive quarters to lay people off.

　　　substantial　【səbˈstænʃl】　大量的，结实的

　　　lay people off　裁员

6.　　Spain enforces a similar profitability condition but the employer only has to post losses for three quarters.

　　　Spain　【speɪn】　西班牙　

　　　post　发布（信息）

　　if you post information on the internet, you make the information available to other prople on the internet.

　　　enforce　实施，执行，强行实施

7.　　"I'm particularly concerned about the part regarding the 'hiring and firing' of people," he says. "It could mean that older people will be got rid of, even though they are experienced.

　　　regarding　关于，就..而论

　　　regard　认为，凝视，涉及　

　　　get rid of　免除，去掉　

8.　　But the statistics are something of a red herring

　　　statistic　【stəˈtɪstɪk】　统计数据

　　　a red herring　【herɪŋ】　掩人耳目的东西