1. Officials in India say more than a dozen explosions in a western city have killed 29 people and wounded scores more. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility. The explosions come a day after seven similar blasts struck another city in the south.

2. The White House says President Bush has concerns with some parts of the housing bill, but he will sign it. The bill aims to help thousands of struggling homeowners fight off foreclosure. The Senate passed the measure in a rare Saturday session. It also gives the government power to throw a financial lifeline to mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

3. Democratic candidate for president Barack Obama is heading back from his overseas trip. Obama finished his trip by meeting with British officials to discuss climate change, terrorism and strengthening trans-Atlantic relations.

4. The popular urban street pastime called Double Dutch, in which competitors jump between two ropes, is getting more recognition, becoming an officially sanctioned sport in New York City high schools. School officials say adding Double Dutch to the calendar should get hundreds of students participating in an enjoyable aerobic activity.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1.claim [transitive]v. to state that something is true, even though it has not been proved

claim responsibility/credit (for something) (=say officially that you are responsible for something that has happened)

第一条新闻用的是claim的名词形式，此时，claim和responsibility之间用of连接

2.fight somebody/something off phrasal verb
to keep someone away, or stop them doing something to you, by fighting or opposing them
3.lifeline [countable]n.
something which someone depends on completely
lifeline to
4.trans-Atlantic 可写做transatlantic
5.pastime [countable]n.
something that you do because you think it is enjoyable or interesting [hobby]
6.Double Dutch/ double-Dutch/double dutch 花式跳绳

a sport in which one person jumps rope with two ropes and one or more people jumping simultaneously.

7.sanction [transitive]v.formal
to officially accept or allow something [= approve]
8.aerobic adj.
using oxygen