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Hope you are having a great day. I'm Nicole Lapin at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Treasury¹ Secretary Henry Paulson and the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke are turning up the pressure on Congress. They insist the government must act immediately to bail² out the US financial system. Lawmakers from both parties say that they are just not willing to give the Treasury Secretary a quote "blank cheque" to buy troubled assets from financial firms. While Paulson says that the plan is the only way to unfreeze financial markets and give firms the confidence they need to start lending to one another yet again.

A gunman killed 10 people today at a trade school in Finland. Officials say that the 22-year-old gunman have been questioned by police only yesterday. Police say the shooter turned the gun on himself and died hours later. He's identified as a culinary arts student at the school. Police questioned the attacker about the postings on Youtube showing him firing a handgun. Police say that he was released because they had no legal reason to actually hold him.

Gas prices dropping again today. AAA now reporting the price for a gallon of self-service regular is 3 dollars and 73 cents. But drivers in the Southeast US are waiting in long lines to fill up their cars. Nashville continues to see the worse gas shortages out there. In Atlanta, some stations are either out of gas or only offering a certain grade. Officials blame the shortage on damage to refineries³ from the recent hurricanes.

Are you ready for this? really! Are you ready for Christmas? 93 days until Christmas but a lot of us may be feeling a little graunchy. A trade group is predicting that holiday sales will barely climb the season because of the awful economy. The Retail⁴, a federation⁵ of the National Retail Federation says the gas prices, food inflation and fear all point to a frugal⁶ holiday. But I have got no one.

Be sure to stick with CNN.com 24/7 for the news all around the world and of course we are gonna get you some updates right here throughout the day. Take care.

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收听单词发音

1 treasury
n.宝库；国库，金库；文库
参考例句：
The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。 This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 bail
v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人
参考例句：
One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。 She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

3 refineries
精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。 Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

4 retail
v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格
参考例句：
In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。 These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 federation
n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会
参考例句：
It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。 Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

6 frugal
adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的
参考例句：
He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。 The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。