BEC中级阅读指导汇总
D.
Friday 11.00-13.00
Participants on this course will develop their telephone skills and reception techniques in practical situations. Other topics included in the course are dealing with correspondence, the latest development in fax equipment and photocopiers, and the advantages these new facilities offer. The course also covers health and safety, including recent important changes in safety regulations governing the workplace.
沙特阿拉伯已开始新建一支逾35000人的特种安全部队，以保护其石油设施免受可能发生的袭击。
Saudi Arabia has begun setting up a new 35,000-strong specialised security force to protect its oil facilities from potential attacks.
此举凸显出组织(al-Qaeda)袭击海湾地区石油设施的威胁，以及伊朗与美国之间的紧张局势不断升级的局面，沙特对其石油设施安全的担忧不断加剧。
The move underlines the kingdom's growing concern about the security of its installations in the face of threats from al-Qaeda to attack oil facilities in the Gulf, and rising tensions between Iran and the US.
以前曾有人担心，美国和伊朗之间的军事对抗可能导致伊朗针对海湾地区的美国利益采取报复行动，其中包括美国在沙特的利益。
There have been fears that military confrontation between Iran and Washington could provoke Tehran to retaliate against US interests across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia.
上述安全部队的招募工作数月前开始。一位沙特战略事务顾问昨日表示，目前已有逾5,000人正接受训练，学习使用新型监控设备和危机管理知识，该项目是由美国防务集团洛克希德-马丁(Lockheed Martin)管理的。总部位于尼科西亚的'中东经济调查(MEES)表示，上述培训是一个美国政府合同的一部分。MESS首先披露洛克希德-马丁涉足了上述安全部队的培训工作。
Recruitment for the security force began several months ago. It already has more than 5,000 personnel, who are being trained in the use of new surveillance equipment and crisis management under a programme managed by US defence group Lockheed Martin, a Saudi strategic affairs adviser said yesterday. The training is part of a US government contract, according to the Nicosia-based Middle East Economic Survey, which first revealed that Lockheed was involved in training the force.
昨日记者未能立即联系到洛克希德以获取置评。
Lockheed was not immediately available to comment yesterday.
上述顾问补充称，估计沙特将在新装备和部队上投入约40亿-50亿美元。沙特是全球最大的石油输出国，拥有全球25%的已探明石油储量。
The kingdom, which is the world's biggest oil exporter and has 25 per cent of the world's proven oil reserves, is investing an estimated $4bn-$5bn in the new equipment and the force, the adviser added.
沙特已拥有逾75000人的陆军，18000人的空军，15500人的海军以及一支16000人的防空军。
Saudi Arabia already has a 75,000-strong army, an air force of 18,000, a navy of 15,500 and an air defence force of 16,000.
美国政府7月份宣布了一笔拟议中的交易，估计价值为200亿美元，合同方是海湾合作委员会(Gulf Cooperation Council)的6个国家，其中包括沙特，以提升该地区的安全。
Washington announced a proposed arms deal in July, estimated to be worth $20bn, with the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, to boost security in the region.
自2003年发生一系列针对西方居住区的袭击以来，沙特加大了对伊斯兰武装分子的打击力度。
Saudi Arabia has stepped up its crackdown against Islamist militants since a series of attacks against western residential compounds in 2003.
随着各方吸引迅速增长的中国公司赴海外上市的争夺战愈演愈烈，纳斯达克(Nasdaq)昨日成为最新一个在北京开设代表处的全球证交所。
Nasdaq yesterday became the latest global exchange to open a representative office in Beijing, as the battle to lure fast-growing Chinese companies to list on overseas markets intensifies.
国家政府最近修改了有关规定，允许国外证交所在中国内地设立营销办事处。侧重科技行业的纳斯达克以及纽约证交所(NYSE)率先抓住了这一机会。
The technology-focused US exchange and the New York Stock Exchange are the first foreign groups to exploit a recent change of rules that permits non-Chinese bourses to establish marketing offices on the mainland.
纳斯达克副董事长、前美国国会议员迈克尔?奥克斯利(Michael Oxley)称，通过北京代表处，纳斯达克可以向那些希望进入这个“大联盟”的中国企业宣传美国的资本市场。
The office will allow Nasdaq to publicise US capital markets to Chinese companies wishing to enter the “big league”, according to Michael Oxley, the vice-chairman and a former US lawmaker.
近年来，已有几百家中国企业蜂拥至香港上市。而今年，在上海和深圳上市的内地企业也越来越多。
In recent years, several hundred Chinese companies have flocked to list in Hong Kong. This year, an increasing number of mainland companies have listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
相比之下，国际证交所很难吸引到中国公司前往上市，尤其是美国的证交所，原因是很多公司高管认为，自己的公司会受到繁重的监管，还要面临美国的诉讼环境。
International exchanges have, by comparison, struggled to attract Chinese issuers, with those in the US in particular hit by perceptions among business executives that their companies would be subject to onerous regulation as well as the country’s litigious environment.
奥克斯利否认，对过度监管的恐惧会损害纳斯达克魅力攻势。他是美国2002年颁布的《萨班斯-奥克斯利法》(Sarbanes-Oxley Act)的联合提案人。
Mr Oxley, co-author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the US in 2002, rebuffed concerns that fears of over-regulation would hurt Nasdaq’s charm offensive.
“你可以看到，自从实行《萨班斯-奥克斯利法》以来，全球的监管标准都有所提高，”他说道。“通过在美国上市，公司会达到最高监管标准。好的治理有益于公司。”
“You have seen an increase in regulatory standards worldwide since the introduction of Sarbanes-Oxley,” he said. “By listing in the US, companies reach the highest regulatory standards. Good governance is good for business.”
纳斯达克今年吸引了19家中国公司进行首次公开发行(IPO)，数目比去年提高一倍，也使得在纳斯达克上市的中国企业总数达到52家。
Nasdaq has attracted 19 initial public offerings of Chinese companies this year, double that of last year, raising the total to 52.
以前，纳斯达克吸引了相当一部分内地科技公司前去上市。不过，投资银行家们认为，上个月，中国领先的“BtoB”电子商务网站阿里巴巴(Alibaba.com)在香港的上市取得了极大的成功，有助于香港吸引类似的IPO，对这家美国证交所构成了挑战。
It has traditionally at-tracted a significant proportion of mainland technology companies, although investment bankers believe last month’s hugely successful listing in Hong Kong of Alibaba.com, China’s leading business-to-business website, could help the city attract similar IPOs at the expense of the US exchange.