CNN 2009-08-08

Good morning, from the CNN Center here in Atlanta, I’m Melissa Long. It’s a Friday, 7th of August. Here is a look at some of the stories that are happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

That is a crowd reacting in Los Angeles after they learned the Senate confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme¹ Court. Sotomayor had unanimous Democratic support, with nine Republicans also on board. Swearing-in is Saturday.

Some optimism on the job market, about the job market this month. According to the Labor² Department this morning, unemployment is slightly down at 9. 4%. 247, 000 jobs were lost last month. But results are a little better than what economists³ had been predicting. Experts say the number shows some benefit from the White House stimulus⁴ package, but that a full recovery is going to take some time.

You now have a few more weeks to take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program. President Obama signed legislation this morning that will add an additional two billion dollars to it and keep it running through Labor Day, the government estimating it will help sell another half a million new vehicles. The program’s initial one billion dollars boosted car sales, but the money quickly ran out. Some Republican critics say Cash for Clunkers will create debt for future generations.

A health care town hall meeting in Florida turning chaotic⁵ Thursday, people from all sides of the debate gathering⁶ to discuss President Obama’s proposed health care reform, but event organizers threatened to clear this room if the heckling, the pushing and the shoving didn't stop. The President met Thursday with a key group of lawmakers who are working to find some middle ground about this pressing issue.

Those are the headlines for you at this hour. Do stay with CNN, CNN. com for more on these stories or other news that develops today.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

5 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。