BBC news 2011-06-16 加文本

短语讲解：

1. The Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has decided to form a new government in an attempt to push through an additional package of austerity measures.

in an attempt to力图,试图
例句：He studied hard in an attempt to pass the exam
他努力学习试图通过考试。
push through 使(某人或某事)被通过，使(提案等)获得通过
例句：We shall need all the votes we can get to push the new law through.
我们需要我们所能得到的所有选票，才好使新的法律得以通过。

2. The indignant movement, which had been holding peaceful demonstrations for more than two weeks, initially tried to stop the violence, but eventually some protesters stood back as the young rioters did their work.

stand back靠后站, 避开
例句：The policemen asked the spectators to stand well back.
警察要求旁观者靠后站。

3. The Prime Minister George Papandreou had always promised that he had the strength to save Greece from economic collapse.

save from从…中救出, 使免受
例句：Everybody knew they could not save themselves from defeat there.
谁都知道他们无法摆脱在那里失败的命运。

4. I think European countries need to step up to the plate.

step up走上，登上
例句：He stepped up to me to ask his way to the station.
他走近我问去车站的路。

5. If Europe is to play a significant role on the world stage in the future and take part in international security management missions, then Europe also needs critical military capabilities and that takes defence investments at a certain level.

play a role起作用; 扮演角色
例句：Woman used to play a passive role in a marriage.
妇女过去在婚姻中常常扮演顺从被动的角色。
take part in参加…, 参与…活动
例句：John takes part in many school activities.
约翰参加很多学校里的活动。

6. According to residents and activists, many of the town's 100,000 or so population have been fleeing in all directions.

according to据（…所说）；按（…所报道）
例句：According to their own accounts, they had barely managed to scrape through. 
按照他们自己的说法，他们好容易才勉强对付过去的。

7. The vice president of south Sudan, which is due to declare independence next month, says violence near the border with the north amounts to ethnic cleansing.

be due to 预计，预订
例句：Dick is due to arrive in Boston today.
迪克预定今天到达波士顿。

8. President Obama has called for an immediate ceasefire.

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

9. Federal agents said they were told to allow the weapons to be sold in the hope of tracking them to major gun traffickers, but the operation failed to secure any significant arrests.

in the hope of怀着…的希望
例句：We returned to the park in the hope of finding her wallet.
我们回到公园, 希望能找到她的钱包。

10. The rebels here are trying to advance west towards Tripoli, but they are short of equipment and ammunition.

be short of缺乏，不足
例句：We are short of ammunition.
我们的弹药不多了。