美联社新闻一分钟 2006-03-24

（单词翻译）

1. Officials in Chile say that 12 elderly Americans who died in a bus crash arranged the tour on their own. The victims were on a celebrity¹ cruise ship, but the tour was not offered by the ship. The bus driver apparently² lost control on a steep winding³ road and rolled down an embankment.

2. Darryl Littlejohn pleaded not guilty to the murder of Imette St. Guillen in New York Thursday. The Boston graduate student was found raped⁴ and murdered last month. Littlejohn was arraign⁵ed on 1st and 2nd degree murder charges.

3. The prosecution⁷ has rested in the sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. Moussaoui has said he plans to take the stand in his own defence. The Al-Qaeda conspirator⁸ faces life in prison or the death penalty.

4. 15 bishop⁹s will be elevated to cardinal¹¹ by the Catholic Church Friday. Pope Benedict XVI will conduct the ceremony. The majority of cardinals¹² are in Europe

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. elderly :adjective
POLITE WORD FOR old:

2. cruise ship :noun [C] (ALSO cruise liner)
a large ship like a hotel, which people travel on for pleasure

3. embankment :noun [C]
an artificial slope made of earth and/or stones:

4. arraign :verb [T] LEGAL
to formally accuse someone in a court of law of a particular crime and ask them to state whether they are guilty or not:
e.g. He was arraigned⁶ on charges of aiding and abetting¹³ terrorists.

5. bishop :noun [C]
a priest of high rank who is in charge of the priests of lower rank in a particular area:

6. be elevated to sth.:
to be given a higher rank or social position:
e.g. He has been elevated to deputy manager.