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Hello, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Thursday, Nov. 13th. Here a look at some of the stories happening Now In The News.

The economy seems to be going from bad to worse. New figures show more than half a million of people filing for unemployment claims last week, all of whom were the first time filers. That's the highest level since the September 11th terrorist attack seven years ago. We're also seeing a big jumping foreclosures, almost 85,000 homes lost to foreclosure last month, more than a quarter of a million borrowers received foreclosure filings like bank repo and auction¹ notices.

The Ford² Motor Corporation is taking drastic measures to deal with a massive sales drop. Bloomberg reports the auto³ maker⁴ will temporarily shut down 9 of its North American plants during this quarter. The shortest closures will be for a week, while plants in Minnesota and Kentucky will be closed for the entire month of December.

A suicide bomber⁵ has killed a U.S. soldier and seven civilians⁶ in eastern Afghanistan. The U.S. military says 75 others were injured when that bomb went off in a busy market place this morning. Officials say it appeared the terrorist had intended to ram⁷ its vehicle into a U.S. military convoy⁸ but swerved⁹ and hit the market instead.

John McCain returning to the campaign trail to help out fellow Senator Georgia's Saxby Chambliss. The incumbent¹⁰ Republican faces a runoff next month against Democrat¹¹ Jim Martin. Neither candidate got the required 50% plus one in last week's election. McCain won Georgia by a comfortable margin¹² in the general election but Republicans feel his presence in the state could certainly be a big help to Senator Chambliss.

And early this week, President-elect Barack Obama got that White House tour. Today is Vice¹³ President-elect Biden's turn to see his future home. Biden and his wife Jill are getting to see their new home at the invitation of Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne. The Cheneys host Bidens for dinner this evening, as well as they look around the vice president's residence at the Naval¹⁴ Observatory¹⁵.

And those the headlines making news this hour, do stay with CNN and CNN.com for more on these stories or other news of the day.

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收听单词发音

1 auction
n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖
参考例句：
They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。 They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 Ford
n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过
参考例句：
They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。 If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 auto
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车
参考例句：
Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。 The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

4 maker
n.制造者，制造商
参考例句：
He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。 A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

5 bomber
n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者
参考例句：
He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。 Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

6 civilians
平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )；老百姓
参考例句：
the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀 At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 ram
(random access memory)随机存取存储器
参考例句：
512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存，640K内存则更佳。

8 convoy
vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队
参考例句：
The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。 Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

9 swerved
v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。 The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。来自《简明英汉词典》

10 incumbent
adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的
参考例句：
He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。 It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 democrat
n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员
参考例句：
The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。 About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

13 vice
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。 They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 naval
adj.海军的，军舰的，船的
参考例句：
He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。 The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

15 observatory
n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台
参考例句：
Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。 Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。