美联社新闻一分钟 2006-09-13

1. At the U.S. Embassy in Syria today, Islamic militants¹ tried but failed to storm the compound using automatic rifles, hand grenades and a van with explosives. Four people including three assailants were killed.

2. "Our nation is being tested in a way that we have not been since the start of the Cold War."
Democrats² say in his 9/11 speech to the nation last night President Bush was using a national day of mourning for partisan³ gain. The White House says a few sentences could be considered controversial, but Bush took pains to avoid partisanship⁴.

3. Hurricane Florence is leaving thousands in Bermuda without power, but no serious damage. But there is a new storm brewing⁶ in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Gordon could become a hurricane by tomorrow. It is expected to remain over open water.

4. Two members of the Atlantis crew walking to connect an addition to the International Space Station today say a bolt, spring and washer sprang loose and floated free. They are concerned because space debris⁷ can puncture⁸ the space station walls and jam mechanisms⁹.

WORDS IN THE NEWS


1. compound : n-count
A compound is an enclosed area of land that is used for a particular purpose.

2. assailant : n-count
Someone's assailant is a person who has physically¹⁰ attacked them.

3. take pains to : phrase
If you take pains to do something or go to great pains to do something, you try hard to do it, because you think it is important to do it.

4. partisanship : n-uncount
Partisanship is support for a person or group without fair consideration of the facts and circumstances.

5. brew⁵ : verb
If a storm is brewing, large clouds are beginning to form and the sky is becoming dark because there is going to be a storm.

6. puncture : verb
If a sharp object punctures¹¹ something, it makes a hole in it.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

4 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

5 brew   

v.酿造，调制

参考例句：

• Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
• The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

6 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

7 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

8 puncture   

n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破

参考例句：

• Failure did not puncture my confidence.失败并没有挫伤我的信心。
• My bicycle had a puncture and needed patching up.我的自行车胎扎了个洞，需要修补。

9 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

11 punctures   

n.（尖物刺成的）小孔( puncture的名词复数 )；（尤指）轮胎穿孔；（尤指皮肤上被刺破的）扎孔；刺伤v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的第三人称单数 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气

参考例句：

• My car has had two punctures this week. 这个星期我的汽车轮胎被戳破两次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SCULLY: Needle punctures, maybe. An animal bite. Electrocution of some kind. 针刺的，也许。动物的咬伤。某种电击。 来自互联网