CNN 2009-08-20

Good morning, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a look at some of the stories that are happening NOW IN THE NEWS on this Wednesday.

Devastating¹ blasts rocked Baghdad in one of the worst explosions of violence since the US troop pulled back. Six explosions hit the city this morning, leaving at least 88 people dead and more than 400 others wounded. The deadliest blast was at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry² Building. The Finance Ministry was also targeted by a car bomb. Two suspects have been arrested.

Investigators³ believe the 88,000-acre wildfire in California may be linked to Mexican drug cartels. They say a marijuana farm where the fire started is very similar to ones used by drug traffickers in other areas.

Hurricane Bill has been upgraded to a major Category 4 storm. The hurricane hunter plane is now flying out to investigate the first hurricane at the Atlantic sea in 09. Right now, Bill's top sustained winds are near 135 miles an hour. It is on course to pass near Bermuda later in the week.

The Cash for Clunkers program, apparently⁴ a good deal for GM autoworkers. The automaker is announcing it's recalling more than 1300 laid-off workers, and 10, 000 current workers will be able to get some overtime⁵.

I'm excited! ! !

It shows that, you know, people out there buying their product and the economy has picked it up.

Well, that's good news for us. They were working overtime. And cars are starting to come in and people, uh, get buying cars again.

GM's production increase comes just five days after Ford⁶ announced plans to boost its production. Nearly all automakers have reported increases due to the Clunkers program.

You are up to date. Those are the headlines. Do stay with CNN and CNN.com for more on these stories or other news that develops today.

1 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。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 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》

4 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。

5 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。