CNN 2009-10-02

Good morning! I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN center in Atlanta. It is a Thursday morning, the 1st of October. Here's a look at some of the stories that's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

 Officials in Indonesia say the death toll¹ in this week's earthquakes could climb, into the thousands. Thousands of people might already be buried alive as they’re waiting rescue. Survivors² were sleeping out last night, unprotected from falling debris³ and after-shocks because their homes were destroyed. A CNN producer managed to speak with a man who's been trapped under a hotel for more than a day. Right now soldiers are trying to free that man with a pick and hammer. He's been able to sip⁴ water. He also asked the producer to call his two daughters for him.

 

Bank of America CEO Ken⁵ Lewis says he's going to be resigning at the end of the year. He helped build the company from a scrappy Southern bank into a first true national bank. By assets it’s the biggest US bank although it owed taxpayers’ about $ 45 billion dollars. Lewis is quitting amid heavy criticism over his bank's takeover of Merrill Lynch.

 The death row inmate⁶, convicted of killing⁷ nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford is dead. Florida State Prison officials say the 50-one-year old John Couey died of natural causes. He was convicted of kidnapping, raping⁸ and burying Lunsford alive in 2005.

 President Obama heading to Denmark a little bit later today. The President will make a personal pitch for Chicago to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. First Lady Michelle Obama's already there along with the heads of state for the other three finalists, Japan, Spain and Brazil. The International Olympic Committee will announce its long-awaited decision tomorrow in Copenhagen.

 You are up to date. Those are the headlines. Do stay with CNN and CNN.com for more on these stories or other news that develops today.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

3 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

4 sip   

v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

参考例句：

• She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
• Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

5 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

6 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网