美联社新闻一分钟 2007-02-14

1. The 18-year-old who went on a shooting spree in a Utah mall had several rounds of ammunition¹ and 2 guns. He killed 5 and wounded 4 others before police shot and killed him. Authorities are trying to figure out what sparked the rampage.

2. A powerful storm and likely tornado² has left parts of New Orleans without power and close schools. The storm killed an elderly woman and injured at least 15 others. The damage included FEMA trailers brought in after hurricane Katrina.

3. In a landmark³ agreement, North Korea will shut down its main nuclear reactor⁴ and eventually dismantle⁵ its atomic weapons program. In return, the nation will get fuel oil and other aid.

4. It may be the world's most expensive chocolate heart for what's inside--a luxury ring worth 487,000 dollars available at a London department store just in time for Valentine's Day. Of course the heart is made of only the best dark Columbian chocolate.

 

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. spree: n-count
If you spend a period of time doing something in an excess way, you can say that they are going on a particular kind of spree.

2. rampage: noun
If people go on the rampage, they rush about in a wild way, causing damage or destruction..

3. trailer: n-count
A trailer is a long vehicle without engine which people use as a home or as an office and which can be pulled behind a car. (AM; in BRIT use caravan)

4. dismantle: verb
In relation to the weather, a front is a line where a mass of cold air meets a mass of warm air.
To dismantle an organization or system means to cause it to stop functioning by gradually reducing its power or purpose.

1 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

2 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

3 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

4 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

5 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。