2013届高考英语听力特训3（word文本）：23SovietofficialshaveconfirmedthatacripplednuclearsubmarinesankintheAtlanticearlytoday.USofficialsbelievethesubcarriedatleastsixteennuclearmissiles.ExplosionandfireonthevessellastFridaykilledthreecrewmen.Therestofthecrewwassuccessfullyevacuatedbeforethevesselsank.Sovietofficialssaynoradiationleakedintheairortheocean.It'sunclearwhatmayhavecausedtheexplosionthatledtothesinking.AnewsagencyinBeirutreleasedavideotapetodaywithpleasfromthreeFrenchmenheldformorethanayearbytheIslamicJihad.EachhostagecalledontheFrenchgovernmenttochangeitspolicyintheMiddleEast.MelodyWalkerreportsfromParis."Duringthetwenty-eight-minuterecording,thethreehostagescriticizedtheFrenchgovernmentforfailingtogaintheirrelease,andsaidtheyhadtheimpressiontheywerebeingforgotten.Takingturnsreadingpreparedtexts,thetwodiplomatsandonejournalistlookedphysicallyexhaustedandemaciated.Declaringthathewasattheendofhisrope,oneofthehostagessaidthatthegovernmentforgotabouttheremaininghostagesafterthereleaseoftwoFrenchmeninJune.AtotalofsevenFrenchcitizensarecurrentlyheldhostageinLebanon.AcommuniquéfromtheIslamicJihadwhichaccompaniedthevideocassettecallsonFrancetonegotiatethereleaseofseventeenShi'iteprisonersjailedinKuwait.TheFrenchMinisterforForeignAffairsdidnotcommentonthecontentofthevideocassetteorthedemands,butsaidtonightthatthegovernmentwasdoingeverythingpossibletofreethehostages.ForNationalPublicRadio,thisisMelodyWalkerinParis."SkiesareclearingoverOklahomawhereheavyrainshaveproducedwhat'sbeingcalled"theworstfloodinginthehistoryofthatstate."Thousandsofpeoplebeganreturningtotheirhomesandofficialsbeganthetaskofassessingthedamage.Floodshavecausedmillionsofdollarsindamage,butspecificestimatesmaynotcomeuntiltomorrowwhenclean-upoperationsareexpectedtostart.Tonight,aSovietnuclearsubmarineisonthebottomoftheAtlanticOcean,damagedthreedaysagobyafireonboard.OfficialsinWashingtonandMoscowconfirmedthismorning'ssinking.Officialsinbothcountriesalsosaidthelossofthevesselpresentsnoatomicthreatdespitethepresenceofbothnuclearmissilesandanuclearpowerreactoronthesubmarine.NPR'sDaivdMalthushasareport:PentagonofficialssaythecrippledSovietsubmarine,whichnormallycarriessixteennuclearmissiles,eachwithtwowarheads,wentdownjustbeforedawnsixhundredandeightymilesnortheastofBermuda.TheSovietsputtheprecisetimeofsinkingat4:03ameasterntime,andMoscowsaystherewasnofurtherlossoflifeasidefromthethreecrewmenkilledwhenafirebrokeoutFriday.Americansurveillanceplanesobservedthattowingeffortswerehaltedshortly1aftermidnight.Aboutthreehourslater,theremainingcrewmemberswereobservedabandoningshipinanorderlyandplannedfashion,accordingtoAmericanofficials.ThecrewwasrescuedfromliferaftsbyfiveSovietsurfaceshipsinthearea.PentagonofficialssayaUSocean-goingtugboatwasnearbyandreadytoassist,buttheSovietsrefusedanyhelp.PentagonsourcesdonotruleoutthepossibilitythattheSovietsscuttledtheirsubonceitbecameclearthatleakscouldnotbecontrolled.TheSovietshavenotexplainedthecauseofthedamagetotheship,butPentagonofficialssaytherewasanexplosioninoneofthemissiletubesthatblewabigholeinthedeck.ViceAdmiralPowellCarterdescribesthedamagethisway:"You'retalkingaboutastructurethat'senormouslystrongupthere.It'slike,eachofthosemissiletubedoorsthatshutsisjustlikeasafevault.Andthenitshutsandlockswithabigrotatingring,andthat'sbeentorncompletelylooseandbentlikeapretzelba...
