美联社新闻一分钟 2006-09-20

1. The Thai military has launched a coup¹ against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, circling his offices with tanks, seizing control of television stations and declaring a provisional authority loyal to the king. Thaksin was in New York at the UN General Assembly and has declared a state of emergency.

2. “Let’s see Mr. George W. Bush”
Before world leaders at the UN today, "This morning, I want to speak about the more hopeful world that is within our reach." President Bush outlined his vision for global security that includes Palestine and Israel living peacefully side by side and pushed Iran again to begin negotiations² on its nuclear program.

3. The crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis won't be landing until Thursday at the earliest. NASA has delayed Wednesday's scheduled landing after engineers spotted³ an object that may have accidentally flown out of its cargo⁴ bay.

4. Health officials are waiting on test results from California farms and packing plants that could help them pinpoint⁵ the source of that deadly E. coli outbreak. 21 states have reported more than 100 E. coli cases linked to taint⁶ed spinach⁸, including a 77-year-old Wisconsin woman who died.

WORDS IN THE NEWS


1. coup : n-count
When there is a coup, a group of people seize power in a country.

2. provisional : adj
You use provisional to describe something that has been arranged or appointed for the present, but may be changed in the future.

3. wait on : phrase
If you are waiting on something, you are waiting for it to happen, for example before you do or decide anything.

4. pinpoint : verb
If you pinpoint something or its position, you discover or show exactly where it is.

5. taint : verb
If an unpleasant substance taints⁹ food or medicine, the food or medicine is spoiled or damaged by it.

1 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 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。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

6 taint   

n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染

参考例句：

• Everything possible should be done to free them from the economic taint.应尽可能把他们从经济的腐蚀中解脱出来。
• Moral taint has spread among young people.道德的败坏在年轻人之间蔓延。

7 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 spinach   

n.菠菜

参考例句：

• Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
• You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。

9 taints   

n.变质( taint的名词复数 )；污染；玷污；丑陋或腐败的迹象v.使变质( taint的第三人称单数 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• Meat taints readily in hot weather. 天气炎热，肉容易变味。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This disease of money and greed taints other people. 别人会为了贪财争赃而丧心病狂。 来自辞典例句