CNN 2008-05-21_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Hello and happy Tuesday to you. I'm Stacey Elgin at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Two more states are holding presidential primaries today. Senator Hillary Clinton is expected to win the Democratic primary in Kentucky, though she would still trail Senator Barack Obama's delegates total. Obama is seen as the front runner in Oregon, which is also holding its primary today. But he's spending the day in Iowa where he won the caucuses¹ as the primary season got underway. Obama rarely mentions Clinton except to praise what he calls her magnificent campaign. Instead, he's already focusing on Republican candidate Senator John McCain and a prelude² to the fall presidential campaign.

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush made an unscheduled visit to the Chinese Embassy in Washington this morning. They expressed their sympathies to quake victims and signed a book of condolences. The US has offered more than one million dollars and assistance to China and is sending recovery equipment and specialists to the quake zone.

Meanwhile, China's Sichuan Province is bracing³ for what government officials predict could be the most powerful aftershock yet. And 8 days after the first quake, the official death toll⁴ has topped 40, 000.

A court decision could change the look and feel of your cash. A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that said paper money discriminates⁵ against blind people. That could force the US to redesign its money so that the blind can distinguish between the denominations⁶. That may mean making bills different sizes or including raised markings. Bills could even be printed with oversized numbers for people who are visually impaired⁷.

Well, you maybe paying more than ever to fly, but many of you think you are just not getting much bang for your buck⁸. Passengers' happiness with the airlines has fallen to its lowest level since 2001. US Airway⁹ said United scored worst in customer service. There's one exception though, Southwest ranked first and actually improved its score from last year.

And that's a look at the latest headlines for you this hour. Do be sure to stay with CNN for more on these stories and other news of the day.

点击

收听单词发音

1 caucuses
n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议
参考例句：
Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。来自互联网

2 prelude
n.序言，前兆，序曲
参考例句：
The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。 The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

3 bracing
adj.令人振奋的
参考例句：
The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。 The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

4 toll
n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)
参考例句：
The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。 The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

5 discriminates
分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )；歧视，有差别地对待
参考例句：
The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。 One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 denominations
n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 )；教派；面额；名称
参考例句：
Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。 The service was attended by Christians of all denominations. 这次礼拜仪式各教派的基督徒都参加了。来自《简明英汉词典》

7 impaired
adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 buck
n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃
参考例句：
The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。 The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

9 airway
n.空中航线，通风口
参考例句：
Lay them on their side and ensure the airway is unobstructed.让他们侧躺着，并确保呼吸道畅通。 There is a purple airway in London Airport.伦敦机场里有一条皇家专用飞机跑道。