美联社新闻一分钟 2006-07-03

（单词翻译）

1. For the second time, NASA was forced to scrub the launch of the space shuttle Discovery because of weather. NASA says they'll try again on the 4th of July.

2. The CIA says the recently released audiotape of Osama bin¹ Laden² is real. The al-Qaida leader is heard endorsing³ the new terror leader in Iraq, and warning Shiites against working with the US. This is bin Laden's 5th message this year.

3. It's Election Day in Mexico, and analysts⁴ say it's too close to call. The race is essentially⁵ between two candidates: conservative Felipe Calderon and former Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

4. Inspired by the 1965 movie The Great Race, more than 100 teams are competing in a cross-country journey. The race started in Philadelphia and will end 4,200 miles later in California. The winner will drive off with 100, 000 dollars.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. scrub : verb
(informal) to cancel sth that you have arranged to do

2. endorse⁶ : verb
If you endorse someone or something, you say publicly that you support or approve of them.

3. too close to call : phrase
If something such as a competition or an election is too close to call, it is not possible to predict who will win because it seems likely to be won by only a very small margin⁷. (JOURNALISM)

4. drive off : phrasal verb
(of a driver, car, etc.) to leave
e.g. The robbers drove off in a stolen vehicle.