CNN 2011-06-07

First up, we're looking at some of today's headlines, starting with tornadoes¹ in Massachusetts. Several twisters hit the state on Wednesday, and Springfield -- one of the largest cities in Massachusetts -- was hit badly. At least two tornadoes touched down there. You can see some of the damage that was left behind. At least four people were killed. Dozens of other people were injured. Rescue workers were going door-to-door early Thursday looking for survivors². This could be a record year for tornadoes, but you don't see too many of them up in Massachusetts. That's part of the reason why these storms made such an impact.

And magnitude, when you see those houses flattened³, really hits you. In 45 years of public service, I have never seen this kind of damage or devastation⁴ in Massachusetts. And as many of the residents said to me, "This is Massachusetts, this isn't supposed to happen here." And it never has to our recollection.

For a while now, U.S. nutrition standards have been based off different versions of the food pyramid. A lot of people say the pyramid was too confusing. So yesterday, officials ditched the pyramid for a plate. It's called "MyPlate," and it's the government's new standard for nutrition. About half of the plate, half of what the government says people should be eating, is made up of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains and lean protein make up the other half, with a side of dairy. Officials hope that simplifying the standards this way will help Americans eat better. A lot of health experts agree it's better than the old pyramid. But some say that the new MyPlate doesn't give people enough information to make the best choices.

1 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

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 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

4 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》