CNN 2009-09-09

Hey there. I'm Virginia Cha at the CNN center in Atlanta. Welcome, here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

President Obama speaking to school kids around the country at noon Eastern today. The White House released the speech yesterday to try to dispel¹ rumors² that he will use it to push up a political agenda. The address encourages kids to work hard and stay committed to education. But not all school districts will be airing the speech. Some say it's because parents complained. Other say it would disrupt an already hectic³ school day.

Health care reform will pretty much consume Congress when it returns from a month-long recesses⁴ this afternoon. A group of six bipartisan senators is set to meet today to talk about their proposal. Source tells CNN their compromise will drop a public option but will tax expensive health insurance plans. President Obama delivers a prime time address to Congress on health care reform tomorrow night.

Commuters in California's bay area are in luck because one of the arteries⁵ for traffic is open today, one day sooner than expected. Officials say emergency repairs on the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge are complete, that the bridge is open fully⁶ right now. More than 250,000 vehicles cross that bridge every day.

Fire crews have stopped the spread of a massive wildfire north of Los Angeles. The fire is now more than half contained. It's expected to be fully contained next Tuesday. 78 homes though have been destroyed, but noting that 10,000 were under threat. At one point, a deputy fire chief says firefighters have done an unbelievable job.

Celebrity⁷ photographer Annie Leibovitz is facing a deadline like no other. Before the day's out, she has to pay back a 24-million-dollar loan to Art Capital Group. Leibovitz borrowed the money last year after running out of cash. If she fails to repay the money, she could lose her life's work and luxury properties.

Those are the headlines for you this hour. Stay with CNN for more on those stories and all your other news of the day.

1 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

2 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 hectic   

adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的

参考例句：

• I spent a very hectic Sunday.我度过了一个忙乱的星期天。
• The two days we spent there were enjoyable but hectic.我们在那里度过的两天愉快但闹哄哄的。

4 recesses   

n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭

参考例句：

• I could see the inmost recesses. 我能看见最深处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had continually pushed my doubts to the darker recesses of my mind. 我一直把怀疑深深地隐藏在心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。