AP 2011-08-17_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

1. Tim Pawlenty has dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination¹. The move came a day after finishing a disappointing third in the Iowa straw poll. Pawlenty had struggled to gain traction² in Iowa, a state he said he must win.

2. Five people are dead after winds estimated at 60-70 miles an hour caused a stage to collapse³ at the Indiana State Fair. It happened last night as a crowd was waiting for a performance by the country duo Sugarland.

3. Forecasters say Tropical Storm Gert has formed in the Atlantic and could approach Bermuda as early as Sunday night. Gert had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles an hour. It could get stronger as it makes its way toward Bermuda.

4. And a gay man and a woman, whose sex change operation was paid for by the government, married in Cuba this weekend. It was the first of its kind in a country that once persecuted⁴ people who were gay or transgender.

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1 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。

2 traction
n.牵引；附着摩擦力
参考例句：
I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。 She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

3 collapse
vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷
参考例句：
The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。 The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 persecuted
（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )；烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人
参考例句：
Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。 Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。