美联社新闻一分钟 2006-05-27

1. A false alarm caused tension on Capitol Hill for several hours Friday. The Capitol was briefly¹ sealed off and the Rayburn House Office Building was searched after an unidentified caller reported gunfire. Investigators² later said it was actually noise from a construction crew.

2. The Senate filled some Bush Administration vacancies³ before heading out of town to the holiday. Lawmakers confirmed David Paulison to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and it okayed (or OK'd) General Michael Hayden to be CIA director.

3. Dozens of students were injured when the tour buses they were riding in collided. The accident near Raleigh North Carolina backed up traffic for miles along Interstate 95, at the start to the Memorial Day weekend.

4. The ultimate party animal flew into Cannes. Playboy founder⁴ Hugh Hefner and three of his playmate girlfriends traveled to the French Riviera to celebrate his 80th birthday in style.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. seal off phrasal verb
If one object or area is sealed off from another, there is a physical barrier between them, so that nothing can pass between them.
e.g. Windows are usually sealed off.

2. caller n-count
A caller is a person who is making a telephone call.
e.g. An anonymous⁵ caller told police what had happened.

3. ok/okay : tr.v. OK'ed or OK'd or okayed, OK'ing or okaying, OK's or okays
Abbreviation of oll korrect, slang respelling of all correct. If someone in authority okays something, they officially agree to it or allow it to happen. (INFORMAL)
e.g. His doctor wouldn't OK the trip.

4. Raleigh :
The capital of North Carolina, in the east-central part of the state southeast of Durham. Selected as the capital in 1788, the city was laid out in 1792. Population: 326,000.

5. back up : phrasal verb
If vehicles back up, they form a line of traffic which has to wait before it can move on.
e.g. Traffic into London on the M11 was backed up for several miles.

6. Memorial Day -----美国阵亡将士纪念日
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on May 30th and is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly⁶ known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates⁷ U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. Today, some Americans apparently⁸ use Memorial Day weekend to also honor family members who have passed away. Church services on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day may include a reading of the names of members who have died during the previous 12 months.

7. Cannes ----- 戛纳
A city of southeast France on the Mediterranean⁹ Sea near Nice. It is a fashionable resort and the site of an annual international film festival. Population: 65,200.

8. party animal : noun, informal
Someone who likes going to parties a lot and goes to as many as possible.
e.g. She was a real party animal at college. I don't remember her ever staying in in the evening.

9. style : n-uncount
If people or places have style, they are smart and elegant.
e.g. Both love doing things in style.

1 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

2 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》

3 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

5 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

6 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

7 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。