美联社新闻一分钟 2007-03-20

1. Today marks the 4th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. In a statement this morning, President Bush asked Americans to be patient and said a quick troop withdrawal¹ would have devastating² consequences.

2. Three New York City police detectives surrendered today to face charges in the killing³ of an unarmed man on his wedding day. Two officers are charged with manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Sean Bell. A third officer faces lesser⁴ charges.

3. Stranded⁵ airline passengers around the country are hoping to make it to their final destination today after a weekend of flight delays. An ice storm in the Northeast is to blame for many of those problems.

4. Supermodel Naomi Campbell reported for duty this morning at a New York City sanitation⁶ garage. Campbell is serving a five-year(day) community service sentence for throwing a cellphone at her maid. The model will spend the week sweeping⁷ and mopping up the garage.

 

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. devastate⁸ verb
If something devastates⁹ an area or a place, it damages it very badly or destroys it totally.

2. surrender verb
If you surrender, you stop fighting or resisting someone.

3. manslaughter n-uncount 过失杀人
Manslaughter is the illegal killing of person by someone who didn't intend to kill them. (LEGAL)

4. make it
If you make it, you succeed in arriving some place. (COLLOQUIAL)

5. maid n-count
A maid is a woman who works as a servant in a hotel or private house.

1 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

2 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

3 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。

4 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。

5 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

6 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

7 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

8 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

9 devastates   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的第三人称单数 )；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮

参考例句：

• Strip mining devastates whole regions, leaving bare and useless ground. 露天矿产毁坏全部区域，离开赤裸和无用的地面。 来自互联网
• Prostitution is a profession that devastates the lives of young women. 雏妓这个职业是对女孩子极度的摧残。 来自互联网