BBC news 2009-06-30 加文本

1.Mr. Obama said that United States believed the action was illegal and allowing it to stand would set a terrible precedent.

set a precedent开……先例；为……提供先例

例句：The judge's decision set a precedent for future cases of contempt of court.
      法官的裁决为未来藐视法庭案创造了一个先例。

2.That call from Mr. Obama created an interesting common ground for Washington.

common ground共同基础

例句：We may seek common ground while reserving differences.
      我们可以求同存异。

3.On the eve of withdrawal, Iraqi soldiers paraded through the streets in vehicles decorated with flowers and Iraqi flags while patriotic songs were played throughout speakers at checkpoints.

on the eve在……前夕

例句：Seeing waifs begging on the street on my way home on the eve of Spring Festival I felt very bad.
      春节的傍晚，看见流浪汉仍在沿街乞讨，我心里很不是滋味。

4.The American financier Bernard Madoff has been sentenced to 150 years in prison for an investment fraud of 65 billion dollars, the biggest in US history.

sentenced to 150 years in prison判处监禁

例句：He was sentenced to death because of robbery.
      他因抢劫被判处死刑。