美联社新闻一分钟 2007-01-19（在线收听）

1. The man accused of kidnapping two young boys has pleaded not guilty in one of the cases. Michael Devlin went before a judge this morning in the case of Ben Ownby. Meantime, the parents of Shawn Hornbeck, the other teen he's accused of kidnapping, says they think Devlin sexually assaulted their son.

2. It's the east coast turn to get a taste of bad wintry blast that's been hitting the Midwest. Areas in North Carolina are getting pelted by snow and sleet while states like Texas and Oklahoma are starting to thaw out.

3. The Pentagon is releasing its manual for handling upcoming trials of terror suspects. It would allow suspects to be convicted and perhaps executed using hearsay evidence and some coerced testimony.

4. Call it tragedy averted. A news chopper decided to help out a struggling deer by using its powerful rotor to actually blow the animal off the ice where it was stuck and then back onto land.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. plead: verb
When someone charged with a crime plead guilty or not guilty in a court of law, they officially state that they are guilty or not guilty of the crime.

2. go before: phrase
To go before a judge, tribunal, or court of law means to be present there as part of an official or legal process.

3. wintry: adj.
Wintry weather is cold and has features that are typical of winter.

4. pelt: verb
To pelt means to strike repeatedly.

5. manual: n-count
A manual is a book which tells you how to do something or how a piece of machinery works.

6. hearsay: n-uncount
Hearsay is information which you have been told and do not know to be true.

7. coerce: verb
If you coerce someone into doing something, you make them do it, although they do not want to. (FORMAL)

8. avert: verb
If you avert something unpleasant, you prevent it from happening.

9. rotor: n-count
The rotors or rotor blades of a helicopter are the four long, flat, thin pieces of metal on top of it which go round and lift it off the ground.

10. chopper: n-count
A chopper is a helicopter. (INFORMAL)