美国有线新闻 CNN 2013-02-24

 First up today on CNN student news. JJ's restaurant, Kansas City Missouri, closed early on Tuesday. People there smelled a strong gas odor¹, about an hour later, this is what JJ's looked like. An explosion² ripped³ the roof off, the whole place burst into flames. At least one person was killed then, another body was found yesterday. At least 15 people were injured, the hospital spokeswoman shared one person's memory of what happened. He said that he remembered the smells of the gas. The explosion and the roof collapsing⁴, and I asked him how he got out, and he said there was no door for me to walk through. He said it was just rubble⁵.

Authorities⁶ are trying to figure out what happened. They think it might have had to do with the leak in an underground natural gas line. This kind of natural gas used in homes and businesses is called methane⁷. It doesn't have any natural odor, companies actually add a smell to the gas so that you can know something is wrong like in JJ's, people smelled gas and called authorities out to check on it. If you ever do smell natural gas, either at home or at restaurant, don't stick around. Experts say you need to get out and then call the gas company. Don't know the number  Call 911, some other safety tips especially around the house. If your stove uses natural gas, look for that blue flame, it means it's working correctly. 

Also, only use your stove or oven⁸ for cooking, don't turn it on and leave it running to try and heat the house. And always make sure you hava at least one fire extinguisher around and make sure that works⁹. Kansas City officials were hoping to finish searching through the rubble of JJ's restaurant before a massive¹⁰ winter storm hit the area, and this isn't just in Missouri. Eighteen states were under some kind of watch or warning yesterday, forecast were predicting eighteen inches of snow in Kansas. White out conditions in Nebraska and Missouri, heavy rain and possible flooding down around Louisiana and Alabama.

Winter weather was making driving dangerous, a 26-car pile up in Wisconsin, tied up traffic for hours. Snow in the middle west may not sound that strange, but California? You might think sunshine, palm trees, not this week,this video is from Sacramento on Tuesday. A snow storms started on the west coast and it's pushing its way across the country. At least the dog doesn't seem to mind the weather too much.

April is financial literacy¹¹ month, we just didn't want to wait for it on our blog. When it comes to money, we ask if you tend to save more or spend more. Look at this, 50-50, not often we see that. Nate says, "It's eaiser to spend money to hard to save it, if you have the self-control, it'll pay off in the long run. Ben says his financial habits depend on its income, if he is making money, he'll spend more, if he is not, he'll save more. From Mariko, "I'm still young and I like to go shopping, it's hard not to spend money especially when you have more than five dollars." Kamren writes, "By saving¹² money, we're giving the impression that we aren't going to use the saved money ever, so why not just spend it now."

Seraphina tends to save more, because you never know when having it will be useful or if you have to buy a gift for someone on short notice." And Paxton writes, "Handling money well is when you have a balance between spending and saving, so you don't end up with no money or not enough things that you need." A lot of your seniors might be focused on getting through May, wrapping up high school, moving on to whatever comes next. Zach Sobiech is determined¹³ to make it through May as well. He doesn't know what comes next and neither do his doctors. They don't think he'll live pass May because of cancer. The ways Zach reacted to that news is what's incredible¹⁴.

1 odor   

n.气味，香气，臭气

参考例句：

• The whole herb has a characteristic taste and odor.整株药草有种独特的味道和气味。
• He is in bad odor with his friends.他在朋友中声誉不佳。

2 explosion   

n.爆发，发出，爆炸

参考例句：

• The police arrived right at the moment of the explosion.警察就在爆炸的那个时候赶到了。
• The shock of the explosion was felt far away.爆炸引起的震动很远都可感觉到。

3 ripped   

adj. <美俚>喝醉的，受毒品麻醉的 动词rip的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He had ripped up the carpet, leaving only the bare boards. 他用力扯去了地毯，只剩下裸露的地板。
• I ripped my jeans on the fence. 我的牛仔裤在栅栏上划破了。

4 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

5 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

6 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

8 oven   

n.烤炉；烤箱

参考例句：

• You put food inside an oven to cook it.你把食物放进烤箱里热一下。
• She baked bread in an oven.她用烤炉烤面包。

9 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

10 massive   

adj.巨大的，大规模的，大量的，大范围的

参考例句：

• A massive sea search has failed to find any survivors.经过大规模的海上搜救仍未找到幸存者。
• He drank a massive amount of alcohol.他喝了大量的烈酒。

11 literacy   

n.识字，有文化，读写能力

参考例句：

• I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
• The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。

12 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

13 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

14 incredible   

adj.难以置信的，不可信的，极好的，大量的

参考例句：

• Some planets run at incredible speed.某些星球以难以置信的速度运行着。
• Her answer showed the most incredible stupidity.她的回答显示出不可思议的愚蠢。