美联社新闻一分钟 2005-07-02

（单词翻译）

1. Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the US Supreme¹ Court often casting a swing vote on divisive issues says she is retiring.

2. President Bush vows² to name O'Connor's successor quickly, no matter who it is, a bruising³ Senate confirmation⁴ fight is expected.

3. US forces scour⁵ the Afghan mountains for an American military team missing in the same area where a US helicopter was shot down.

4. Near Baghdad, a suspicious fire paralyzes a water plant amid one hundred degree heat, also gunmen kill an aide to Iraq's top Shiite cleric.

5. And finally, the all-star Live 8 concerts urging a political solution to African poverty could draw a million people at shows in 10 cities.
WORDS IN THE NEWS

1.swing:adj.if emotions or opinions swing, or if something swings them, they change quickly to the opposite of what they were.
eg.Do campaign gifts swing votes ?

2.divisive:adj.causing a lot of disagreement between people
eg.The strike was a divisive issue in the community.

3.bruising:adj.difficult and unpleasant, and leaving you feeling tired or emotionally harmed.
eg.For farmers this was a bruising experience.

4.confirmation:n.a statement, document etc that says that something is definitely.

5.scour:v.to search very carefully and thoroughly⁶ through an area.
eg.Her family began to scour the countryside for a suitable house.

6.paralyze(=paralyse):v.to make something unable to operate normally.
eg.Motor traffic was paralysed in much of the city.