美联社新闻一分钟 2007-05-06

（单词翻译）

1. Much of Greensburg, Kansas has been leveled by a tornado¹. Officials say 95% of the homes and businesses there were destroyed including most of the downtown. They say it will take them days to pick through the debris².

2. Search planes are flying over an area where a Kenya Airways³ flight may have crashed early this morning. The Nairobi-bound jet went down shortly after takeoff in West Africa. About 114 passengers and crew are believed to be aboard.

3. Ballot⁴ boxes are in place in France as the country is getting ready to select a new president. The choice is between a conservative who wants to free up labor⁵ markets and a socialist⁶ who wants to save France's generous welfare system.

4. Paris Hilton could be calling this place home for a month and a half. Yesterday, she was sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her probation⁷. And now officials are giving the public a glimpse of the jail she's supposed to report to.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. ballot box: n-count
A ballot box is the box into which ballot papers are put after people have voted.

2. probation: n-uncount
Probation is a period of time during which a person who has committed a crime has to obey the law and be supervised by a probation officer, rather than being sent to prison.