CNN 2009-04-08

Good morning to you from the CNN Center in Atlanta. I am Reggie Aqui, thanks for checking in. We're gonna give you a quick look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

 President Obama has made an unscheduled stop this morning in Baghdad on his way home from Turkey, the end of an eight-day trip overseas to Europe. Before leaving Turkey, Mr. Obama held a town hall meeting with college students in Istanbul. He told them he wants to clear up misunderstandings between the US and the Muslim world.

 "I know that the stereotypes¹ of the United State are out there and I know that many of them are informed not by direct exchange or dialogue but by television shows and movies. And misinformation, sometimes suggests that America has become selfish and crass² that we don't care about the world beyond us. Tonight, I am here to tell you that that's not the country that I know, that's not the country that I love."

 Well, talk now about the latest numbers out of Italy where authorities there confirmed 207 people dead after that devastating³ earthquake in the central part of the country. Fifteen people are still missing, but rescuers still are not sure how many people may be trapped in the wreckage⁴ of collapsed⁵ buildings. They will spend another 48 hours searching for them. Monday's 6.3 magnitude quake also left tens of thousands of people homeless. Most of them are staying in makeshift tents.

 Back  in the US, police confirmed that they have found the body of a missing eight-year-old girl in Tracy, California. Investigators⁶ tell us Sandra Cantu's body had been put inside a suitcase and placed at the bottom of an irrigation pond. Farm workers spotted⁷ that while draining the water. Cantu disappeared on her way to a friend's house more than a week ago.

 The suspect in Friday's New York shooting rampage apparently⁸ thought he was being harassed⁹ by undercover cops that's according to a two-page letter purportedly¹⁰ from the suspect Jiverly Wong. Police are still working to confirm it’s  authenticity¹¹. It was delivered to a TV station in a package that also had photos of Wong with two handcuff, handguns. The package was postmarked April 3rd, the day of the shooting. But the letter was dated March 18th. Wong is suspected of killing¹² thirteen people before turning the gun on himself.

 Well, the disappointment was probable on the street of downtown Detroit Monday night. You see, Michigan State University fans they were desperately¹³ hoping for a hometown victory. They had to instead accept defeat. And they trudged¹⁴ home in the biting cold of night. The University of North Carolina  grabbed this year's NCAA title winning 89-72. Fans  full filled held up home but it was clear the Spartans¹⁵ just couldn't catch the Tar¹⁶ Heels. Still many fans including former Spartans star Magic Johnson said they were proud  the team made it to the finals.

 Please stick with us here at CNN.com and CNN.com/live. We will continue to have your updates right here throughout the day.

1 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 crass   

adj.愚钝的，粗糙的；彻底的

参考例句：

• The government has behaved with crass insensitivity.该政府行事愚蠢而且麻木不仁。
• I didn't want any part of this silly reception,It was all so crass.我完全不想参加这个无聊的欢迎会，它实在太糟糕了。

3 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。

4 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

5 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

10 purportedly   

adv.据称

参考例句：

• This is purportedly the oldest tree in the world. 据称这是世界上最古老的一棵树。 来自互联网
• Mayor Oh Se-Hoon launched the campaign last year, purportedly to improve efficiency. 据悉，首尔市市长吴世勋于去年提出了这项旨在提高工作效率的计划。 来自互联网

11 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

12 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。

13 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

14 trudged   

vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。
• He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 spartans   

n.斯巴达（spartan的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The ancient Spartans used to expose babies that they did not want. 古斯巴达人常遗弃他们不要的婴儿。
• But one by one the Spartans fell. 可是斯巴达人一个一个地倒下了。

16 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。