BBC news 2011-04-04 加文本

短语讲解:

1. Troops supporting the two rival leaders in Ivory Coast have continued to fight for key buildings in the main city Abidjan, including the presidential palace and state television station.

fight for为…而战，而奋斗
例句：hey fight for the communism cause.
他们为共产主义事业奋斗。

2. But the fighting appears haphazard and likely to drag on.

drag on沉闷无味地进行，拖得很久
例句：Falling exports will continue to drag on Japanese growth.
出口不断下滑仍将拖累日本的经济增长。

3. It’s hard to see how his forces can win this, but they are clinging on.

cling on  舍不得放弃，坚持
例句：I cling on until now.
坚持，坚持，坚持到现在这一刻。

4. Despite that Transocean handed out huge bonuses to its executives, citing the company’s best year for safety ever, Transocean’s annual report acknowledges the explosion.

hand out分发，分给，拿出
例句：He handed out the presents to everyone with a smile.
他微笑着给每一个人分发礼物。

5. Another attempt is being made to stop radioactive contamination leaking into the sea at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power station in Japan.

nuclear power station 原子能发电厂
例句：The construction of the nuclear power station is a real menace.
修建核电站是一件非常危险的事情。

6. The top United Nations official in Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, has said the UN will not be driven out of the country in what he called a 'delicate and crucial period’
.
drive out of  驱逐出
例句：They were determined to drive the aggressors out of their soil. 
 他们决心把侵略者赶出国土。 

7. The man who has ruled Kazakhstan for more than 20 years, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is standing for re-election today with a strong likelihood that he will win again.

stand for  代表，担任…的候选人，象征
例句：Candidates nearly all stand for election. 
 候选人几乎都要参加竞。

8. The National Commission on Human Rights said almost 5,400 people have been reported missing since 2006 when the President Felipe Calderon declared war on drug cartels.

declare war on (向…)宣战；(向…)发动进攻
例句：The country had no other choice but to declare war on their enemy.
这个国家没有其他选择，不得不向他们的敌人宣战。
drug cartels贩毒集团
例句：Investigators believe the 88, 000-acre wildfire in California may be linked to Mexican drug cartels.
调查人员称，加利福尼亚88，000公顷大火与墨西哥毒品集团有关。