英语听力精选进阶版 8191

Polling stations have closed in all 28 European Union member countries, following four days ofvoting for the European parliament. Exit polls suggest anti-immigration parties hostile to theEU have done well. The far-right Front National party is claiming victory in France, ahead of therelease of the official results. The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said such result would beshocking. Chris Morris reports from Brussels.

“The first exit polls have been published in several European countries, already there are somestriking predictions. The National Front in France, which wants to quit the EU, says it's clearly inthe lead there. In response, the French Prime Minister has spoken of a political earthquake. InGermany, by contrast, main-stream parties of the center-right and center-left have performedwell. But anti-Euro campaigners are also said to win seats in the next European parliament.”

Exit polls suggest that the billionaire confectionary magnate Petro Poroshenko has won an out-right first-run victory in the Ukrainian presidential elections with about 56% of the vote. Officialresults won't be announced until Monday. However, Mr Poroshenko is already claiming victory.

“All exit polls without exception which were conducted by the most authoritative 1 sociologicalagencies of the country and the world, with very small differences, confirm that the electionwas completed in one round, and the country has a new president.” Mr Poroshenko said hisintention was to end war and bring peace to the country, and added that Ukraine would neveraccept, what he called, Russia's occupation of Crimea.

President Obama has made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to see American troops aheadof the planned withdrawal 2 of combat forces by the end of the year. Addressing soldiers at thebase, he promised that the war would be over this year. He said that Al Qaeda had beendecimated and the Taliban's momentum 3 reversed.

Poland's last Communist leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski has died at the age of 90. GeneralJaruzelski was bestknown for declaring martial 4 law in 1981 in the face of growing resistance toCommunist rule from Lech Walesa’s solidarity 5 movement.

“I announce that today the military council for national salvation 6 was constituted. The statecouncil in accordance with the constitution imposed today at midnight a state of war in theterritory of the whole country.” After the demise 7 of communism, General Jaruzelski wasdefended this decision, saying it was the only way to avoid a Soviet 8 invasion of Poland.

BBC news.

Pope Francis has made an unexpected invitation to the Israeli and Palestinian presidents tovisit the Vatican to pray for an end to the conflict between the two peoples. Both ShimonPeres and Mahmoud Abbas have accepted. Earlier, he made an unscheduled visit to theconcrete barrier Israel is building in and around the west bank.

A special day of Muslim prayers for peace and security has been held in the Nigerian capitalAbuja. The event was called by the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims who said terrorism hadno place in Islam. Will Ross reports from the Nigerian capital.

“From all corners of the country, the Muslim faithful, including Islamic scholars and imams,headed to Abuja's gold domed 9 national mosque 10. As the insurgency 11 rages in the northeast,there were prayers for peace and security. They were invited by the spiritual leader of Nigeria'sMuslims. The sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar the third said terrorism had noplace in Islam, and then singled out corruption 12 as the root cause of the country's woes 13. Heberated people for expecting their prayers to be answered when they themselves he said weremorally bankrupt. The sultan called on leaders to end corruption.”

Police in Malaysia have arrested three Sri Lankan men suspected of attempting to revive theTamil Tiger rebel group. A police spokesman told the BBC they’d engaged in fund-raising andpropaganda. He said the suspects were being held under immigration laws and could facedeportation from Malaysia.

The South African president Jacob Zuma has appointed a black African to head the country'sfinance ministry 14 for the first time. He is Nhlanhla Nene, who has served as deputy financeminister. Mr Zuma was sworn in for a second term on Saturday, promising 15 radical 16 socialeconomic transformation 17. In the 20 years since the end of apartheid rule, economic wealthremains predominantly in white hands.