美联社新闻一分钟 2007-05-01

1. Virginia's governor says he's closed a state gun law loophole that allowed the disturbed Virginia Tech student to acquire guns for a campus massacre¹. The order bans sales to dangerous individuals who've been ordered to undergo involuntary mental health treatment.

2. Bay Area commuters have been forced to change their travel routines. This after a fiery² weekend crash melted a section of California highway. Ferries, buses and trains are all free today, hoping to aid congestion³ near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

3. The head of the British army says he's personally decided⁴ to allow Prince Harry⁵ to serve in Iraq. Last week, newspaper reports cited unnamed officials who speculated that the high-profile soldier could be banned from the battlefield out of concern that his presence would endanger other soldiers.

4. And former American Idol⁶ finalist Jessica Sierra has been arrested in Florida. The 21-year-old allegedly hit a man on the head with a heavy glass. Police also say cocaine⁷ was found in her possession.

 

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. loophole: n-count
A loophole in the law is a small mistake which allows people to do something that would otherwise be illegal.

2. congestion: n-uncount
If there is congestion in a place, the place is extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people.

3. cite: verb
If you cite something, you quote it or mention it, especially as an example or proof of what you are saying.

1 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

2 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

3 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

7 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。