Section 4. Listening/Composition

The price of lame joke

A two-time candidate for governor who is charged with attempting to “entice” a 13-year-old girl and her 11-year-old sister to engage in “illegal sexual activity” says the allegations against him stem from a misunderstanding. The former candidate, Hensley, said he was grocery shopping when he saw the two girls and their grandmother. “The one girl turned around and looked at me and smiled,” “I said ‘Ma'am, do you want to trade them girls for a good fattening hog?'* and then I went on into the meat department. That was all that was said. That was a joke!” But the woman didn't laugh. Instead, the family obtained a warrant for Hensley's arrest from the local prosecutor, claiming the comment was intended to entice the children into illegal sexual activity. Hensley was arrested and spent three days at the Harlan County jail before his son paid the $15,000 cash bond to get him out. “This has ruined my reputation,” said the former governor candidate. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

*(The phrase may be a reference to the long-ago practice of giving farm animals as part of a dowry. The phrase has historically been used in Eastern Kentucky as a way of complimenting someone’s daughters, to say that they are beautiful and will be marriageable.)

Section 5. Response Rate/Sight Translation

1A. issue condemnation – ожидать сдержанной реакции -- head of EU foreign policy – спорный инцидент -- mistakenly enter country’s airspace -- фонд срочной помощи -- recapitalization -- сообщить, что идут переговоры -- accumulate a total of 10 thousand votes -- процентный порог голосования -- be denied entry -- считать приводимые опросы несоответствующими -- override concerns -- правящая Единая Россия --detention –общественные работы -- inflict no damages to – свергнуть режим -- ringleader -- не соответствовать законам --capture smb – набрать (превысить) требуемое количество голосов делегатов

1 B. выразить осуждение -- seek restraint from smb -- верховный представитель Европейского Союза по внешней политике -- disputed incident -- случайно нарушить воздушное пространство -- bailout fund - изменение структуры капитала (рекапитализация) -- reveal (that) talks are underway -- набрать общее количество 10 тыс голосов -- polling threshold -- не получить доступа -- deem cited polls as inadequate -- игнорировать проявление озабоченности -- ruling United Russia --задержание --community service -- не причинять ущерба – topple the regime - зачинщик – be inconsistent with the laws -- взять в плен -- surpass the required number of delegates

2A. clinch party's presidential nomination -- предполагаемый кандидат в президенты -- emerge with an agreement – смягчить международную напряженность --enriched uranium – столкновения с полицией --fire tear gas at rioters -- вырывать куски мрамора из стен зданий --call the walkout – полномасштабный пакет мер жесткой финансовой политики --public sector layoffs -- переговоры о коллективном договоре --anti-consumerist magazine -- растущее неравенство материального положения -- призывать к равенству и справедливости

2B. обеспечить себе выдвижение на пост президента -- presumptive presidential nominee – предложить принятие соглашения -- alleviate international tensions -- обогащенный уран -- clash with police -- применить слезоточивый газ против повстанцев -- tear chunks of marble off buildings–объявить забастовку -- a sweeping package of austerity measures -- увольнения госслужащих -- collective bargaining -- антиконсьюмеристский журнал -- a growing disparity in wealth -- призывать к равенству и справедливости

POLITICS and CONFLICTS

1. A regular conference of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg today issued condemnation of Syria's recent shootdown of a Turkish fighter jet, but also sought restraint from Turkey in its response. Catherine Ashton, head of EU foreign policy, said the bloc is "very concerned" by the situation. The disputed incident saw a Turkish F-4 Phantom jet destroyed on Friday, with Syria claiming they were unaware of the aircraft's origin and merely defending themselves. The Turks claim the jet mistakenly entered Syrian airspace, but had left again after a warning and was in international airspace when it was attacked.

2. Cyprus today became the fifth member state to seek access to funds from the European Union's bailout fund. The move was triggered after the Cyprus Popular Bank, the nation's second-largest bank, asked the government for recapitalisation. The bank has been hit hard, as has the wider Cypriot banking sector, by exposure to Greek economics. Cyprus Popular Bank chairman Michalis Sarris today revealed talks are also underway with China about a possible loan. Low taxes and regulation have attracted large amounts of foreign money to Cyprus, including much Russian money, producing a banking sector far larger than most nations that size.

3. Proclaiming that the fat lady had sung*, political consultant Fred Karger of California officially ended his presidential campaign on Friday, three days after a last place finish in the Utah Republican primary. Karger was the first openly gay individual to seek the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party, and accumulated a total of 12,609 votes in six primary elections. He attempted to appear in GOP presidential debates, but was unable to meet the polling threshold for any; he believed he had qualified for an August debate, but was denied entry after organizers deemed his cited polls as inadequate.

(*It ain't over till (or until) the fat lady sings is a colloquialism, essentially meaning that one should not assume the outcome of some activity (e.g. a sporting contest) until it has actually finished, similar to a common proverb. It is a perception of Grand Opera, with its stereotypically overweight sopranos.

4. President Vladimir Putin of Russia today signed a new law increasing the fines available against those involved in unlawful protests, overriding concerns from his human rights advisor and the Council of Europe. The measure was proposed by ruling United Russia after May 7 protests. Organisers of protests that result in injury or damage can be fined up to 300,000 rubles. Smaller violations can be dealt with by detention of up to fifteen days, and up to 200 hours of community service is available. Supporters say the bill is required for public safety. Putin explained protests "must be organized in such way that they inflict no damages to other citizens, who do not take part in them".

5. A court in Libya has sent 24 foreigners, mostly Ukrainians, to prison for supporting late leader Colonel Muamar al-Gaddafi's regime by working on anti-aircraft missiles. The convicts say they are oil workers who were forced into the conflict which toppled Gaddafi. A Russian deemed to be the ringleader received a life sentence, while a second Russian, nineteen Ukranians, and three Belarussians were all given ten years' hard labour. The Ukrainian ambassador called the decision "inconsistent with the laws of the countries of the citizens who were tried." The men have been held since their capture in August last year by rebels who had taken the city of Tripoli.

6. Despite the less favorable results in West Virginia and Arkansas, U.S. President Barack Obama easily carried Texas with 88 percent support from that state's Democratic Party primary voters. On the Republican side, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney surpassed the required 1,144 delegates to clinch his party's presidential nomination ahead of the August Republican National Convention. Due to the Republican result, Romney is now officially that party's presumptive presidential nominee, setting up a general election battle between him and President Obama, who already secured the Democratic Party nomination.

7. Iran, Turkey, and Brazil emerged with an agreement yesterday from talks regarding Iran's nuclear program. In this new deal, Iran will send its uranium to Turkey for processing in return for nuclear fuel. Turkish foreign minister revealed the agreement Sunday night, which may alleviate international tensions about Iran's nuclear program. Prior to the meeting, many had thought the chance of an agreement slim. Iran, however, seemed to be open to new ideas. Earlier, Iran denied claims by other countries that it plans to advance its nuclear arms program using enriched uranium, saying that it will be used for energy purposes only.

8.A two-day general strike has shut down public transport, schools and shops in Greece as thousands of protesters clash with police in the capital Athens. Police fired tear gas at rioters, who tore chunks of marble off buildings with hammers and crowbars and smashed windows and bank signs. Unions representing around half of the country's four million-strong workforce have called the walkout. They are protesting against a sweeping package of austerity measures which are due to be voted on in parliament. The latest bill includes tax increases, wage cuts, public sector layoffs and changes to collective bargaining rules. Greece must pass the bill if it is to continue receiving funds from its 110 billion euro (£96bn) international bailout.

9. In mid-2011, the Canadian-based group Adbusters Media Foundation, best known for its advertisement-free anti-consumerist magazine Adbusters, proposed a peaceful occupation of Wall Street to protest corporate influence on democracy and address a growing disparity in wealth. The movement, called Occupy Wall Street (OWS) turned into an ongoing series of demonstrations in New York City. Their motto is “After huge bailouts and in the face of unemployment, privatisation and austerity, we still see profits for the rich on the increase. We are the 99%. Our voice unites across gender and race, across borders and continents, as we call for equality and justice for all”.