BBC在线收听下载:美国和古巴重新建立直接电话联系

短语讲解：

1. Mr. Jackson has so far resisted calls to step down over his handling of the shooting of the unarmed black teenager and weeks of protests that followed.

step down 退休，辞职
例句：If I were to be, I would step down and raise my voice immediately. 
一旦我弄清楚了，我会立即辞职站出来表态。

2. Shia militias make up a large part of the government forces attacking Tikrit.

make up 组成; 补足
例句：Her beauty can't make up for her stupidity. 
她的美丽不能弥补她的愚蠢。 

3. This is not the government’s first attempt to retake Tikrit, but this operation now 10 days old does seem to be the most concerted efforts so far and it’s entering a critical phase 3,000 government troops backed by around 20,000 Shia militiamen and much smaller forces of Sunni tribesmen are now reported to have entered one of Tikrit’s northern neighborhoods Qadisiya.

so far 到目前为止; 迄今为止
例句：Now, I have so far merely made assertions. 
直到现在为止，我只是在作论述。 

4. The city is more or less sealed off, but it is not clear if street fighting has really begun in earnest.

seal off 把…封锁起来; 拆封; 烫开
例句：It did not seem to occur to the police to seal off the entrance or order nobody to leave. 
警察似乎没有想到应封锁各入口处或命令任何人不得离开。 

5. It is the first agreement signed between Cuban and American companies since the announcement last December that both states will renew diplomatic ties after more than 50 years of hostility.

more than 不只是; 很; 超过; 在…次以上
例句：True friendship is worth more than money. 
真正的友谊比金钱更有价值。 

6. It was anchored horizontally for the test carried out in Utah.

carry out 执行; 进行; 完成
例句：No matter what we do, we must carry out our duties. 
无论干什么工作,我们都应履行自己的职责。