BBC news 2011-01-04 加文本

1.The government of Yemen says two boats crammed with African migrants have capsized off its coast, killing more than 80 people.

be crammed with挤满

例句：The classroom was crammed with students.
      教室里挤满了学生。

2.It is perhaps a measure of the hard life they are fleeing that the refugees continue to try to come to Yemen, despite the risk to the lives and the bleak life that awaits most of them in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Despite用作介词时，与 in spite of同义，都表示“尽管”、“虽然”、“不顾”之意，但程度有所不同。

一般说来，in spite of的语气较强，使用范围也较广； despite的语气较弱，多用于诗歌或正式的文体中。Despite可以写作despite of，也

可以写作 in despite of；in spite of则可以写作 spite of，但这些写法已少用了。例：

Despite his advanced years，he is learning to drive．

虽然年事已高，他现在在学驾驶汽车。

Despite the drought，we expect a good crop．

尽管天旱，丰收依然在望。

In spite of the police brandishing their clubs and pistols，people showed not the slightest fear．

尽管警方挥动着短棍及手枪，但人们毫不畏惧。

We arrived at the station in spite of the storm．

虽然有暴风雨，我们依旧准点到达火车站。

应当在此指出的是，在现代英语里，despite和in spite of的差距已日渐缩小，很多人已将它们互换使用。

Despite除作介词外，尚可用作名词，表示“蔑视”、“憎恨”、“无意对待”之意。例：

The old woman died of despite．

那位老大娘饮恨而死。

He tripped me out of despite，not by accident．

他绊倒我是出于恶意，不是出于意外。

在上列两句中，despite用作名词，它亦可改写为spite。

3.A judge in Uganda has ruled in favour of a petition to stop media companies from outing homosexuals.

in favour of参加支持…的活动

例句：Are you in favour of hanging?
      你赞成绞刑吗？

4.The judge ruled that publishing the identities of gay people violated their constitutional right to privacy as it exposed them to attacks from vigilantes.

expose to使易受, 使受

例句：Don't expose undeveloped film to light.
      不要把未冲洗的胶卷暴露在光照下。

5.Almost four million people have signed up to vote in southern Sudan's independence referendum which is due to begin on Sunday.

sign up跟…签订合同

例句：They manage to sign up all the best performers.
      他们设法跟所有最佳演员签订合同。