美联社新闻一分钟 2007-04-09

（单词翻译）

1. Iraqi flags are flying throughout Baghdad as residents prepare to mark the 4th anniversary of the city's fall in the US-led invasion of Iraq. Supporters of radical¹ cleric Muqtada al-Sadr planned to mark the day with a demonstration² in Najaf.

2. Pope Benedict XVI used the Easter Mass to lament³ the continual slaughter⁴ in Iraq. The Pope told the Easter crowd nothing positive is coming from Iraq.

3. Northwest Airlines is apologizing to passengers after a pilot went on the obscenity-laden tirade⁵. The airline cancelled the flight, stranding⁶ 180 passengers booked on the Las Vegas-to-Detroit trip. Northwest will decide if the pilot is punished.

4. Germany's baby polar bear may be cute and cuddly⁷, but is also making big money for the Berlin Zoo. Visitors to the zoo have doubled since Knut made his public debut⁸. The zoo is also unveiling a line of Knut merchandise.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. cleric: n-count
A cleric is a member of the clergy⁹.

2. obscenity: n-uncount
Obscenity is behavior, art or language that is sexual and offends or shocks people.

3. -laden
-laden combines with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something has a lot of a particular thing or quality.
e.g. a fat-laden meal, smoke-laden air

4. tirade: n-count
A tirade is a long angry speech in which someone criticizes a person or a thing.

5. cuddly: adj
A cuddly person or animal makes you want to cuddle them.

6. debut: n-count
The debut of a performer or sports player is their first public performance, appearance or recording¹⁰.