美联社新闻一分钟 2006-05-10

（单词翻译）

1. President Bush says diplomacy¹ is the first choice in dealing² with Iran and its nuclear programs. Speaking today in Florida, Mr. Bush said he believed diplomacy can entice³ Teheran to end its uranium enrichment program.

2. It's raining in Florida, but that's not much help to firefighters. This is day five, and so far brush fires across the state have scorch⁴ed 8,000 acres and shut down more highways.

3. Police in Chantilly, Virginia near the nation's capital are investigating the motive⁶ behind a shoot-out at a police station on Monday that left a female detective dead. Authorities say the young gunman was heavily armed.

4. And in New Jersey⁷, a black bear is ambling⁸ just a little too close for comfort. He was spotted this morning wandering not far from a high school. So far police have had no luck in tranquilizing the animal.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. entice : verb
To entice someone to go somewhere or to do something means to try to persuade them to go to that place or to do that thing.
e.g. Retailers¹⁰ have tried almost everything to entice shoppers through their doors.

2. brush : n-uncount
Brush is an area of rough open land covered with small bushes and trees. You also use brush to refer to the bushes and trees on this land.
e.g. the brush fire that destroyed nearly 500 acres.
brush fire : noun
An uncontrolled fire that consumes brush and shrubs¹¹ and bushes.

3. scorch : verb
To scorch something means to burn it slightly.
e.g. The bomb scorched⁵ the side of the building.

4. shoot-out : n-count
A shoot-out is a fight in which people shoot at each other with guns.
e.g. Three IRA men were killed in the shoot-out.

5. amble¹² : verb
When you amble, you walk slowly and in a relaxed manner.
e.g. Slowly they ambled¹³ back to the car.
= stroll

6. too close for comfort :
If you say that something is too close for comfort, you mean you are worried because it is closer than you would like it to be.
e.g. The bombs fell in the sea, many too close for comfort.

7. spot : verb
If you spot something or someone, you notice them.
e.g. Vicenzo failed to spot the error.

8. tranquilize : verb
To tranquillize a person or an animal means to make them become calm, sleepy, or unconscious by means of a drug.
e.g. This powerful drug is used to tranquilize patients undergoing surgery.
= sedate