CNN 2009-03-13

Good morning, happy Thursday to you, from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Reggie Aqui. Thanks for checking in .We are gonna do a quick look at your news right now.

Disgraced financier Bernie Madoff has pled guilty to 11 felony counts. They're all related to that Ponzi scheme that cost thousands of investors¹ billions of bucks². The judge has now accepted the plea. Madoff could face up to 150 years in prison. He is not expected to be sentenced for at least 90 days.

A developing story out of Canada. Our CNN affiliate³, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is reporting a helicopter carrying 18 people has crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland. A search and rescue official tells the CBC that two people on a life raft have been spotted⁴ about 54 miles south of Newfoundland. Military and supply ships are now heading to that scene.

People in Germany and around the world are struggling to understand why a teenager opened fire at his former school. Police say 16 people died in two small German towns including the shooter who is believed to have taken his own life. Most of these victims were female and today they are all being remembered in what Germany's chancellor⁵ is calling " a national day of mourning".

Back here in the US that other shooting that just has happened-- the man who killed ten people in Alabama. Well, he was once a police officer. Michael McLendon was an officer in Samson Alabama in 2003 but he didn't finish his training. Investigators⁶ say they may have found McLendon's motive⁷ but they won't elaborate.

The judge in the murder trial of Miller⁸ Dossett Leath has declared a mistrial in the case. Jurors indicate twice that they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The woman was on trial for the 2003 death of her second husband.

Home foreclosures jumped nearly 6% from January to February. And that is despite all the moratoriums⁹ and prevention programs that we now have in this country. RealtyTrac says filings were up nearly 30% from February of last year. Nevada is the hardest hit state with Arizona coming in second.

Please stick with us here at CNN.com 24/7 for news from around the world. Of course we will have your updates right here throughout the day.

1 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

2 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

4 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

5 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

8 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

9 moratoriums   

正式的延缓，暂停( moratorium的名词复数 )

参考例句：