美联社新闻一分钟 2006-09-28

1. Terrell Owens says it was not a suicide attempt that put him in the hospital. Despite a police report saying Owens had attempted suicide, the Dallas Cowboy’s receiver says he took some extra pain pills with some supplements and the combination made him groan¹.

2. A wildfire that jumped containment² lines in California came within a half mile of homes and ranches³. Four mountain towns are now being evacuated⁴ as the fire that's been burning for 23 days spreads.

3. Bagged spinach⁵ is returning to some food store shelves today. The Food and Drug Administration says spinach from areas not affected⁶ by the deadly E. coli outbreak is safe to eat. The leafy greens are from Colorado and Canada, but not California.

4. One hundred Sargento Cheese factory workers who won the 208 million dollar Powerball jackpot last month are getting ready to collect their big prize. In addition to celebrating, each winner has to decide whether he or she wants the more than 600,000 dollar after tax payout or the 30-year annuity⁷.

WORDS IN THE NEWS


1. receiver : n-count
[football] A member of the offensive team eligible⁸ to catch a forward pass.

2. supplement : n-count
A supplement is a pill that you take or a special kind of food that you eat in order to improve your health.

3. containment : n-count
The containment of something dangerous or unpleasant is the act or process of keeping it under control within a particular area or place..

4. greens : n-plural
You can refer to the cooked leaves of vegetables such as spinach or cabbage as greens.

5. jackpot : n-count
A jackpot is the most valuable prize in a game or lottery⁹, especially when the game involves increasing the value of the prize until someone wins it.

1 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

2 containment   

n.阻止，遏制；容量

参考例句：

• Your list might include such things as cost containment,quality,or customer satisfaction.你的清单上应列有诸如成本控制、产品质量、客户满意程度等内容。
• Insularity and self-containment,it is argued,go hand in hand.他们争论说，心胸狭窄和自我封闭是并存的。

3 ranches   

大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
• Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。

4 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

5 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。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 annuity   

n.年金；养老金

参考例句：

• The personal contribution ratio is voluntary in the annuity program.企业年金中个人缴费比例是自愿的。
• He lives on his annuity after retirement.他退休后靠退休金维生。

8 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

9 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。