美联社新闻一分钟 2006-02-25

1. The streets are deserted¹ after Iraq’s government imposed an extraordinary daytime curfew on Baghdad and 3 neighboring provinces. It’s a bid to pull the nation back from the brink² of civil war after the bombing of a sacred Shiite shrine³ Wednesday and a wave of deadly revenge attacks.

2. In South Dakota, state lawmakers voted to ban nearly all abortions⁵ in the state. The Republican governor is expected to sign a measure, which makes it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion⁴ unless necessary to save the mother's life. Opponents say it's too extreme and unconstitutional.

3. Rallies were held at ports around the country including here in Baltimore Friday. Teamsters are protesting the sale of operations at 6 major US seaports⁶ to an Arab owned company.

4. A possible break in one of the biggest heists in Briton's history. 3 people who allegedly have ties to Wednesday’s 87-million-dollar robbery are in custody⁷. Investigators⁸ say they've recovered some of the stolen money and the vehicles used in the raid.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. brink :noun [S]
the point where a new or different situation is about to begin:
e.g. Scientists are on the brink of (= extremely close to) a major new discovery.

2. teamster :noun [C] US
someone who drives a truck as a job

3. heist : noun [C] INFORMAL
e.g. a crime in which valuable items are taken illegally and often violently from a place or person:
e.g. a $2 million jewellery heist

1 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

2 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

3 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

6 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

7 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

8 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》