AP美联社一分钟新闻 2008-12-13（在线收听）

1.The Illinois attorney general files a motion with the state's highest court, asking justices to remove scandal-plagued Governor Rod Blagojevich from office. AG Lisa Madigan wants to strip the governor of his power saying impeachment by legislators could take several weeks.

2.The Bush administration says it wants to avoid a collapse of U.S. auto industry but no help appears imminent. Officials suggest there is still time before General Motors and Chrysler run out of money. One choice is using a piece of the 700-billion-dollar bailout fund used to help the financial industry.

3.An ice storm in the northeast has left more than a million homes and businesses without power from Maine to Pennsylvania. Crews are so busy dealing with the emergencies, they have now started trying to turn lights back on. It could take days to get service restored.

4. Space shuttle Endeavour returns to its home base two weeks after landing back on earth. The shuttle made a detour to California because of stormy weather in Florida. It was then flown across the country on top of a Boeing 747 at a cost of nearly two million dollars.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1.motion: n.

a proposal in a court, meetings, etc which is usually decided on by voting

2.scandal-plagued: adj.

a state of being troubled by scandals seriously

3.imminent: adv.

an event that is imminent, especially an unpleasant one, will happen very soon

4.detour: n.

a way of going from one place to another that is longer than the usual way