AP 2011-04-22_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

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1. Stocks plunged¹ as Standard & Poor's Rating Service lowered the long term outlook on US debt to negative from stable. S&P says it has little confidence that Washington will produce a deficit² reduction plan before the 2012 elections.

2. North Carolina governor Beverly Perdue is meeting with families who were most devastated³ by a series of tornadoes⁴. Severe weather skipped across a half dozen states over the past few days, leaving as many as 44 people dead and destroying several neighborhoods.

3. A 16-year-old Florida boy has been arrested in connection with the weekend murders of two British tourists. Police are now trying to figure out why the victims voluntarily went to a notorious public housing complex before they were fatally shot.

4. The White House has released the 2010 tax returns of President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. The Obamas reported an income of 1.7 million dollars last year and paid nearly $454,000 in federal taxes.

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1 plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降
参考例句：
The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。 She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

2 deficit
n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差
参考例句：
The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。 We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 devastated
v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的
参考例句：
The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。 His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

4 tornadoes
n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。来自互联网 Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。来自互联网