BBC news 2011-06-07 加文本

短语讲解：

1. Syrian state television is reporting the deaths of at least 120 security personnel in a series of battles with hundreds of gunmen in the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour.

a series of一系列
例句：The post office will issue a series of new stamps.
邮局将要发行一套新邮票。

2. There have been no independent or Syrian opposition reports from the town, which is close to the Turkish border.

be close to接近,靠近
例句：The shops are close to our home.
商店离我们家很近。

3. In a dramatic series of urgent flashes, Syrian state TV said hundreds of gunmen who took over the town of Jisr al-Shughour had committed what it called "a real massacre".

take over接管; 接替
例句：The strikers took over the factories.
罢工工人接管了工厂。

4. It said there were massive casualties when the security headquarters was overwhelmed; others died when security forces were ambushed on their way to reinforce the town.

on one’s way to在去往…的路上
例句：He is on his way to the farm.
在他去农场的路上。

5. If the government's account is true, it's by far the biggest number of security forces killed in any single incident since the uprising began in March.

by far极高，很，最最
例句：That is by far the best choice.
那是最好的选择。

6. Mr Saleh is at present in Saudi Arabia, being treated for injuries after his compound in Sanaa was attacked on Friday.

at present目前, 现在
例句：He is all right at present.
现在他没事了。

7. Saudi officials say progress is continuing on a deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council for President Saleh to step down, which until now he's refused to implement.

continue on继续
例句：If the company continues on this course, it's heading for financial trouble.
如果公司继续这样下去, 它就会陷入财政困难。
step down辞职，下台
例句：The manager had to step down on account of poor health.
那位经理由于身体不好, 只能辞职不干。

8. Dozens of doctors and nurses in Bahrain who treated injured anti-government protesters earlier this year have appeared in court, charged with attempting to topple the kingdom's monarchy.

charge with指控…犯有罪
例句：He was falsely charged with robbery.
他被诬告犯有抢劫罪。

9. Results from half of the samples tested so far at the farm have proved negative.

result from产生于…, 由…引起
例句：His failure resulted from not working hard enough.
他的失败是工作不够努力造成的。

10. There are a number of quite pretty decent threads which have been followed up.

follow up跟着; 追逐; 继续
例句：The chairman followed up with another question.
主席接着又提了一个问题。

11. We will test it a couple of days before all the lab result and all the epidemiological data will help us to track down the culprit.

track down追捕到,追查出
例句：It was not long before I tracked down the lost watch.
不久我就找到了遗失的表。

12. The authorities in Kenya have for the first time begun a process of screening more than 1,600 senior police officers in an effort to weed out corruption.

weed out去除，清除，删除，淘汰
例句：We have to weed out unqualified applicants. 
我们必须淘汰不合格的申请人。

13. China's top tennis official has called for the country's state-run sports system to be reformed following the success of Li Na at the French Open on Saturday.

call for要求
例句：The letter calls for an investigation of the facts.
来信要求对这些事实进行调查。