CNN 2009-10-07

Hello everyone, I’m Catherine Callaway, at the CNN center, with a look at what’s happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Firefighters are finally gaining some ground against the wildfire just outside of Los Angeles because of the cooler weather. A spokeswoman for the US forest service says it’s not expected to spread unless strong winds develop. Most of the people who live in the area have been evacuated¹. Officials still do not know what started the fire.

And President Obama will meet with congressional leaders today to talk about whether to send more troops to Afghanistan. Top generals say more troops are needed because the Taliban is getting stronger, but others say the war can be fought with unmanned drones, and special forces. Secretary of Defense² Robert Gates tells CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that US needs a long-term strategy there.

General David Petraeus has been treated for the early stage, stages of prostate cancer, this, according to his office. The top commander of US forces in the Middle East was diagnosed with the illness in February, General Petraeus underwent two months of radiation treatment. His spokesman says the general decided³ not to make the information public till now because he and his family considered the situation a private matter, and his work schedule was not affected⁴. President Obama and several other administration officials, however, were aware of the general’s condition.

A new chapter of the fight against H1N1 is being written. Yesterday, health care workers in three states were given the nasal mist swine flu vaccination⁵. Officials want high risk groups to start lining⁶ up soon. 28 pregnant women and 60 children have already died from the flu since the H1N1 strain was discovered back in the spring.

Director Roman Polanski going to have to stay in the Swiss jail, while authorities decide whether he can be extradited to the United States. Polanski was trying to persuade a Swiss judge to free him, in the meantime, but prosecutors⁷ said that he may, he might flee, they remember that he was initially⁸ charged with raping⁹ a 13-year-old girl, but pled guilty in 1978 to a lesser¹⁰ charge and then fled the US.

Those are the headlines, stay with CNN for more on these stories and other news of the day.

 

1 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

6 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 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

10 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。