BBC news 2011-09-17 加文本

短语讲解：

1. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has confirmed that he'll ask for full membership of the United Nations next week.

ask for请求…, 要求…
例句：We often asked the veteran workers for advice.
我们常常向老工人求教。

2. Mr Abbas said that he would apply to the Security Council for Palestinian statehood within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.

apply to向…申请〔要求〕
例句：We applied to the authorities for assistance.
我们向当局请求帮助。

3. Having addressed his people, it will now be difficult, if not impossible, for him to back down despite immense diplomatic pressure and the threat of a veto from the United States.

back down退让, 退回去, 撤销(要求等)
例句：After being confronted with our evidence, the other side had to back down.
面对我们的证据, 另一方不得不退让。

4. The president's speech also aimed to play down expectations.

play down轻描淡写, 故意缩小…的重要性
例句：She tried to play down his part in the affair.
她极力贬低他在这一事件中的作用。

5. The assembly voted 114 votes for and 17 votes against.

vote against投票反对
例句：Eight delegates voted against the motion.
八名代表投票反对这一动议。

6. But the ministers welcomed what they described as the commitment and determination of Greece to meet its obligations.

describe as描述为
例句：I should describe the attempt as a failure.
我认为这次尝试失败了。

7. The gathering was attended by the US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who called for the euro's rescue fund to be increased, a plea that was rejected.

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。

8. The big decisions on Greece and on support for other countries which could run into difficulty over their sovereign debt will now be made next month.

run into偶然遇见
例句：He has run into trouble in his job.
他的工作遇到了麻烦。

9. It's little wonder that many also talked of children dying of disease.

talk of谈到, 说到, 说及
例句：We often talk of you.
我们常常谈到你。
die of死于
例句：People are dying of cancer more and more often.
死于癌症的人越来越多了。

10. The American space agency Nasa has warned that a six-tonne satellite is heading for Earth and could crash down in about a week.

crash down坠落
例句：She crashed the plates angrily down on the table.
她生气地把盘子摔在桌子上。