美联社新闻一分钟 2007-06-06

1. A third test for TB bacteria turns up negative for Andrew Speaker, the Atlanta lawyer quarantined in Denver with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis¹. His chances of spreading the disease are low and he could soon leave his isolation² room.

2. It's two and a half years behind bars for Scooter Libby, the Vice³ President's former chief of staff and he will pay a fine of 250,000 dollars, all for lying and obstruction⁴ in a CIA leak probe.

3. President Bush takes on several European countries including Russia for not embracing democratic reforms. Bush accused Moscow of derailing reforms, backsliding on democracy. Russia is criticizing US plans for a missile defense⁵ system.

4. In Mexico a man caring for a lion and a tiger is fatally mauled. The felines⁶ attacked the caretaker during feeding times, swatting at him and holding him down. The tiger later died of complications from being sedated⁷.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. take on:
to compete against someone or start a fight with someone, especially someone bigger or better than you

2. derail: transitive verb
to spoil or interrupt a plan, agreement etc

3. backslide: intransitive verb
to start doing the bad things that you used to do, after having improved your behaviour

4. maul: transitive verb
if an animal mauls someone, it injures them badly by tearing their flesh

5. hold down:
to make someone or something stay on something, and stop them from moving away or escaping

1 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

2 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 felines   

n.猫科动物( feline的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Any of several felines, such as the cheetah or the snow leopard. 这片地区是濒临灭绝的雪豹的栖息地。 来自互联网
• Search in the basket of life, you will find it, answered Felines. 它在生命的篮子里＂巴思特女神回答道。 来自互联网

7 sedated   

v.使昏昏入睡，使镇静( sedate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She's sedated,but she's probably scared out of her mind. 她很安静，但是她可能已经吓疯了。 来自电影对白
• Are you telling me the porn actually sedated you? 你是要告诉我，那毛片的确让你镇静下来吗？ 来自电影对白