美联社一分钟新闻 2008-07-17（在线收听）

1. Oil prices are down for a second day, more than four dollars lower on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil is trading at less than 135 dollars a barrel. Yesterday prices fell nearly six and a half dollars in the biggest one-day drop in dollar terms since the Gulf War.

2. Pentagon leaders are looking for ways to send additional U. S. troops to Afghanistan this year. Defense officials say insurgents are waging more sophisticated and coordinated assaults. On Sunday nine soldiers died after an attack on a remote U.S. base near the Pakistan border.

3. Now arriving in Chattanooga, German auto giant Volkswagen. The car maker says it will spend one billion dollars to build a new plant, bringing about 2,000 jobs. VW says a new mid-size sedan will roll off the assembly lines here as part of a plan to triple U.S. sales by 2018.

4. And Marley does more than just doggy paddle, this golden retriever loves to dive and swim right to the bottom of this seven-foot pool. Marley's owner says her dog's love of water may have started after she was rescued from a fire as a puppy.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1.dollar terms

Quoting exchange rates in terms of how many units of the foreign currency equal one U.S. dollar.

in dollar terms 以美元换算

2.wage [transitive]v.
to be involved in a war against someone, or a fight against something
wage war (on somebody/something)
The police are waging war on drug pushers in the city.
wage a campaign/struggle/battle etc
The council has waged a vigorous campaign against the proposal

3.sedan [countable]n. American English, Australian English
a car that has four doors, seats for at least four people, and a trunk [= saloon British English]

4.doggy paddle 狗刨式

The dog paddle or doggy paddle is a simple swimming stroke. It is characterized by the swimmer lying on their chest and moving their hands and legs alternately in a manner reminiscent of how dogs and other animals swim. It is often the first swim stroke used by young children when they are learning to swim.

5.golden retriever [countable]n.金毛寻回犬
a large dog with light brown fur