美联社新闻一分钟 2006-07-27

1. Israeli warplanes bombarded a port city in southern Lebanon. This six-storey building was leveled during the attack. No one was inside, but twelve people nearby were hurt. Israel considered Tyre to be a Hezbollah stronghold.

2. Andrea Yates wept quietly after a jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity¹. The Texas woman who admits to drowning her five children will be sent to a state medical hospital. She was convicted of murder in 2002, but that was later overturned.

3. This teen has been formally charged in connection with a highway shooting. Zachariah Blanton is accused of opening fire on a pickup² truck in southern Indiana over the weekend. A passenger in the pickup was killed; another man was hurt.

4. Another setback³ for gay couples hoping to tie the knot. The Washington Supreme⁴ Court upheld that state's ban on gay marriage. It's the second major defeat in less than a month in a liberal-leaning state. Massachusetts is the only state that allows gays to wed⁵.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. bombard: verb
If soldiers bombard a place, they attack it with continued heavy gunfire or bombs.

2. stronghold: n-count
A stronghold is an area dominated or occupied by a special group or distinguished⁶ by a special quality as a fortified⁷ place or a fortress⁸.

3. overturn: verb
If someone in authority overturns a legal decision, they officially decide that the decision is incorrect and not valid⁹. =overrule

4. pickup truck: n-count 小卡车,轻型货车,尤指有开放车体和底边的轻型卡车.
A pickup truck is a small truck with low sides that can be easily loaded and unloaded.

5. setback: n-count
A setback is an event that delays your progress or reverses some of the progress you have made.

6. tie the knot: phrase
If you say that two people tie the knot, you mean they get married. [INFORMAL]=get spliced

7. leaning: n-count
Your particular leanings are the beliefs, ideas or aims you hold or a tendency you have towards them.

1 insanity   

n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐

参考例句：

• In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。
• He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

2 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

3 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 wed   

v.娶，嫁，与…结婚

参考例句：

• The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
• The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。

6 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

7 fortified   

adj. 加强的

参考例句：

• He fortified himself against the cold with a hot drink. 他喝了一杯热饮御寒。
• The enemy drew back into a few fortified points. 敌人收缩到几个据点里。

8 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

9 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？