CNN 2012-03-22

 The end of winter brought a huge snow storm to one US state but probably not a state you associate with snow.That story's coming up.I am Carl Azuz,this is cnn student news.First up,voters are casting ballots¹ in Illinois today.As that state hold its Republican presidential primary.A lot of experts are describing this is a showdown between former Massachusetts governor Mitt² Romney,the front runner,and former Rick Santorum.Governor Romeny just enjoyed the win in Puerto Rico in Sunday.He got more than 80% of the votes in the primary there so he won all the Puerto Rico's 20 delegates.The are 54 delegates up for grabs in Illinois today and it takes 1144 delegates to win the Republican presidential nomination³.Here's how things stack up right now.

 

The latest estimates from CNN show Governor Romney with 519 delegates.Senator Santorum has 239,former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has 138 and CNN estimates US Representative Ron Paul has 69 delegates.

 

One thing all the candidates including the President have been talking recently,gas prices.If you or your parents drive,you know they are on the way up.The national average price for a gallon of gasoline has been rising everyday for more than a week now.It's current 3 dollars and 84 cents,that the average.It's actually more expensive in some places and cheaper in others,because of the cost of oil,taxes and distribution.The record price was $4.11 in July 2008.Rick Vincent,now shows us how gas prices are fueling political fire.

 

Prices are the pump climbed steadily,beginning March 9th,after a few day of slide declines.They rose in the back of soaring oil prices.President Obama put a spotlight⁴ on the issue in his weekly.He outlined his energy policy and knocked Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich for campaigning on a promise of 250 ($2.50) gas.

 

It's easy to promise a quick fix when it comes to gas prices.There just isn't the one.Anyone who tells you otherwise,any career politician who promises some three point plan for 2 dollar gas,they are not for solution they are just looking for your vote.

 

Campaigning over the weekend,Rick Santorum said high gas prices are leading to inflation and he says it's only going to get worse.

 

It's going to have a ripple⁵ effect.If 4 dollars,and in some places,now 5 dollars a gallon gasoline and they are talking five dollars and may be even 6 dollars.

 

Right now,the highest price nationally is in Hawaii,at an average of $4.48 a gallon.

 

Mitt Romney said the President is not the right person to tackle such problems.

 

The president learned the economy by reading about it,not by living it.25 years in business,taught me how jobs come and how they go.

 

I'm Rick Vincent reporting.

 

Today's Shoutout goes out to Coach Streiffert's economics classes at Waccamaw High School in Pawleys Island,South Carolina. What is the state nickname of Arizona? Here we Go.Is it the Land of Enchantment,Desert State,Last Frontier or Grand Canyon⁶ State?You`ve got three seconds,now go.

 

Arizona gets its nickname from its most famous natural feature,the Grand Canyon.That's your answer,and that's your Shoutout.

 

You might think of Arizona as the desert state.Its usually warm weather is a big draw for tourists,not this past weekend though.While people all over the central and eastern US were enjoying early spring temperatures.Parts of Arizona were dealing⁷ with this,massive snowstorms.The city of Flagstaff got 10 to 14 inches of snow over the weekend.Officials were worried about dangerous driving conditions especially in some of the Arizona's mountain  regions.Around one hundred and eighty miles of one major inner state was shut down because of the weather.One resident talked about the major shift in temperature,saying"The other day it was 65 degrees,next day,it's snowing,it's crazy"

1 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

5 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

6 canyon   

n.峡谷，溪谷

参考例句：

• The Grand Canyon in the USA is 1900 metres deep.美国的大峡谷1900米深。
• The canyon is famous for producing echoes.这个峡谷以回声而闻名。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。