美联社新闻一分钟 2007-07-23

1. At least 26 people are dead after a bus crash on a steep mountain road in France. The bus was carrying Polish pilgrims back from a holy site in the French Alps. Officials say the bus did not have a permit to drive on the winding¹ road.

2. A purported³ Taliban spokesman has announced a 24-hour reprieve⁴ for two dozen South Korean hostages in Afghanistan. The captors had threatened to kill the group today. Negotiators are discussing a possible swap⁵ involving Taliban prisoners and the South Koreans.

3. It was a fight to the finish in this year's British Open, Padraig Harrington emerging victorious⁶ after a four-hole play-off. Harrington beat Spain's Sergio Garcia by one stroke.

4. A Washington D.C. artist is trying to spread a little goodwill⁷ on a street of the nation's capital. The work of art is a compliment machine, offering automated⁸ messages to passers-by, "You stand out in a crowd." The artist hopes the random⁹ compliments give people a little boost of confidence.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. pilgrim: noun
a religious person who travels a long way to a holy place

2. the Alps: noun
a range of mountains which go through France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Austria.

3. purport²: verb
to claim to be or do something, even if this is not true

4. reprieve: verb
an official order stopping the killing¹⁰ of a prisoner as a punishment

5. swap: noun [usually singular]
a situation in which you give something to someone and get another thing in return [= exchange]

6. the British Open: noun
the most important British golf competition, which is held every year in different parts of the UK

7. hole: noun
one part of a golf course with a hole(here it means a hole in the ground that you try to get the ball into in the game of golf) at one end

8. play-off: noun
a game played to decide who will win after a previous game has ended with two teams or players having equal points
直说了，原文中的hole是特指把一个golf ball打进洞的过程，four-hole play-off就是之前双方打成平局，接下来要打的一个包括了四个这样过程的比赛，用来决定最后胜者

9. compliment: noun
a remark that shows you admire someone or something

10. automated: adj
using computers and machines to do a job, rather than people

11. boost: noun
something that gives someone more confidence, or that helps something increase, improve, or become successful

1 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

2 purport   

n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...

参考例句：

• Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

3 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

5 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

6 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

7 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

8 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

9 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。