美联社新闻一分钟 2006-01-13

1. Supreme¹ Court nominee² Samuel Alito tells senators Americans have a right to designate family members or friends to carry out their right-to-die wishes.

2. At least 110 are killed and 1,000 injured in a Saudi Arabian stampede as thousands of Muslim pilgrims rush to complete a symbolic³ stoning ritual on the last day of the hajj.

3. European ministers declaring talks over Iran’s nuclear program at a dead end say Tehran should be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

4. The man who tried to assassinate⁴ Pope John Paul II in 1981 is released from prison after serving more than 25 years in Italy and Turkey.

5. Oprah Winfrey breaks her silence about James Frey’s disputed memoir⁵ of addiction⁶ dismissing allegations of falsehoods as “much ado about nothing”.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. designate
3 designate designates designating designated
When you designate someone as something, you formally choose them to do that particular job.
Designate someone as the spokesperson.
The President's designated successor is his son.
VB

2. memoir
2 memoir memoirs⁷
A memoir is a book or article that you write about someone who you have known well. (FORMAL)
He has just published a memoir in honour of his captain.
N-COUNT

3. falsehood
2 falsehood falsehoods
A falsehood is a lie. (FORMAL)
He accused them of knowingly spreading falsehoods about him.
N-COUNT

4. much ado about nothing [简明英汉词典]
无事空忙
小题大作
庸人自扰

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

3 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

4 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

5 memoir   

n.[pl.]回忆录，自传；记事录

参考例句：

• He has just published a memoir in honour of his captain.他刚刚出了一本传记来纪念他的队长。
• In her memoir,the actress wrote about the bittersweet memories of her first love.在那个女演员的自传中，她写到了自己苦乐掺半的初恋。

6 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

7 memoirs   

n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数)

参考例句：

• Her memoirs were ghostwritten. 她的回忆录是由别人代写的。
• I watched a trailer for the screenplay of his memoirs. 我看过以他的回忆录改编成电影的预告片。 来自《简明英汉词典》