美联社新闻一分钟 2006-03-17

1. The US launched its largest air assault¹ in Iraq since the war began in 2003. Operation Swarmer, as it's being called, will continue over the next few days.

2. Firefighters in Texas hope a break in the weather will help fire crews fight wildfires which have burned 840,000 acres and killed at least 11 people.

3. In France students are protesting by the thousands against the new law that would allow employers to fire people who have been out of school less than 2 years for no reason.

4. Singer Jessica Simpson was on Capitol Hill to lobby² lawmakers for Operation Smile, a charity that raises money to pay for medical cost for children with facial deformities.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. lobby :verb [I or T]
to try to persuade a politician, the government or an official group that a particular thing should or should not happen, or that a law should be changed:
e.g. Small businesses have lobbied³ hard for changes in the tax laws.

2. deformity :noun [C or U]
when a part of the body has not developed in the normal way or with the normal shape

1 assault   

v.猛烈地攻击，袭击；n.突然而猛烈的攻击

参考例句：

• She appeared in court on charges of kidnapping and assault.她因受到拐骗和侵犯人身的指控而出庭。
• The trainees were put through an assault course.受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

2 lobby   

n.前厅，（剧院的）门廊

参考例句：

• As he walked through the lobby,he skirted a group of ladies.他穿过门厅时，绕过了一群女士。
• The delegates entered the assembly hall by way of the lobby.代表们通过大厅进入会场。

3 lobbied   

vi.为了支持或抵制某项特定目标游说（lobby的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In spite of opposition from the other parties, the changes in the law have been lobbied through. 尽管其他党派表示反对，但该法律的修正案还是通过了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The NUT lobbied their MPs and held a half-day strike. 全国教师工会暗中疏通了议员，并进行了半天罢教。 来自辞典例句