高中英语Lesson 3US, Israel to Confer on Settlement Plans英语听力

高中英语Lesson 3 US, Israel to Confer on Settlement Plansasf听力文件无病毒，请放心打开听力理解：Key words:1. confer 会谈，商变2. stance 态度，立场3. aerial 航空的4. photography 摄影术5. complicate 使复杂，使难弄6. hardliner 强硬派7. flatly 断然地8. placate 安抚Exercises:I. Fill in the blanks with the words you have heard from the news.1. The visit comes amid _ that the Bush administration has _ its stance and now supports Israels policy of _ new housing in _ West Bank settlements.2. The American team of experts _ here next month is to be _ by Constances Meyer, a _ analyst with the U.S. State Departments Bureau of _ and Research.3. The New York Times report also said Bush administration officials _ that the last thing President Bush _ to do as he faces a _ campaign for re-election is to _ Israel.II. Answer the following questions with the information you have heard from the news.1. What are the team of American diplomats and Israeli officials going to talk about?2. What was the U.S.s previous position on Israels settlement plans?3. According to The New York Times report, why did Bush administration change its policy?听力原文及答案US, Israel to Confer on Settlement PlansA team of American diplomats is due in Israel early next month for talks with Israeli officials on Prime Minister Ariel Sharons plans to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. The visit comes amid reports that the Bush administration has changed its stance and now supports Israels policy of building new housing in existing West Bank settlements. The American team of experts due here next month is to be headed by Constance Meyer, a senior analyst with the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research. She will be accompanied by experts in aerial photography whose job it will be to consult with their Israeli counterparts on setting construction boundaries in West Bank settlements that are to remain in place after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.The visit comes in the wake of a New York Times report this weekend that the Bush administration has changed its position and no longer objects to the expansion of populations in the existing settlements so long as any new housing is built within the current settlement boundaries. So far there has been no comment from the Israeli government on the new American position on the matter beyond a statement from the prime ministers office that“the issue is under discussion between us and the Americans.”There has been no public comment from Washington on the reported change in American policy. But word that a different view has been taken by the Bush administration comes following the announcement by Israel that it would begin taking bids for the construction of 1,001 new government-subsidized apartments for settlers in the occupied territories.Previously the U.S. position has been that Israel should freeze all settlement activity, including the construction of new housing units. Israelis have referred to new units as the“natural growth”of settlements. Israel has just begun building 100 new housing units in the settlement of Har Gilo just outside Jerusalem.According to The New York Times report, the administration made a decision this week to shift its policy so as not to complicate things for Mr. Sharon. The Israeli leaders plan to withdraw from Gaza has widespread public support in Israel with the notable exception of right-wing hardliners in his own Likud Party who have flatly rejected it. Expanding the population of West Bank settlements is seen as an attempt to placate those opponents.The New York Times report also said Bush administration officials acknowledged that the last thing President Bush wants to do as he faces a tough campaign for re-election is to criticize Israel.美、以将就定居点问题商讨美国外交官一行预计将于下个月初抵达以色列，就总理沙龙提出的从加沙地带和约旦河西岸部分地区撤军的计划跟以色列官员举行会谈。此间有报道说，布什政府已经改变了立场，对以色列在现存约旦河西岸定居点建造更多房屋的政策表示支持。预计下个月抵达以色列的美国专家组将由美国国务院属下的情报和研究局资深分析家康斯坦丝梅耶尔率领。随行的还有航空摄影专家，他们的工作是就划定约旦河西岸定居点施工界线的问题跟以色列的同行们进行磋商。这些定居点在以色列从加沙地带撤出后仍将存在。在此之前，纽约时报本周末报道说，布什政府改变了先前的立场，只要新建的房屋在目前定居点划定的界线内，就不再反对现有定居点的扩建。目前以色列政府尚未对美国这一新立场发表评论，以色列总理办公室只是发表了一项声明说：“我们正在就此事跟美国方面进行磋商。”华盛顿目前也没有对媒体报道的美国立场改变发表公开评论。但是，在以色列宣布将公开招标在以色列占领土地上承建1001所政府补贴的定居者公寓之后，传出了有关布什政府立场改变的消息。此前，美国的立场是，以色列应当冻结所有的定居点活动，包括建造新的房屋。以色列把新建造的房屋称为定居点的“自然增长”。以色列刚刚开始在耶路撒冷外围地区的吉洛山谷（Har Gilo）定居点兴建100套新房屋。纽约时报的报道说，布什政府本星期做出决定，改变先前的政策，以免使沙龙的计划更加复杂。沙龙提出的从加沙地带撤出的计划在以色列得到广泛支持，但引人注意的是，沙龙所在的利库德集团内部的强硬派表示断然反对。在约旦河西岸定居点扩大人口规模被认为是安抚这些反对派的举措。纽约时报的报道还说，布什政府的官员承认，在争取连任竞争激烈的总统大选之际，布什总统决不会去批评以色列。答案：I. 1. reports/ changed/ building/ existing2. due/ headed/ senior/ Intelligence3. acknowledged/ wants/ tough/ criticizeII. 1. They will talk on Prime Minister Ariel Sharons plans to withdraw from the