美联社新闻一分钟 2007-06-12

Georgia's Attorney General's Office will appeal the court decision today that released the man convicted of having sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was 17. The judge voided the original ten-year prison sentence, instead finding the man guilty of a misdemeanor.

A federal appeals court ruled that the Bush administration cannot legally use new anti-terrorism laws to keep U.S. residents locked up indefinitely without charging them. It’s a setback¹ for one of the central tools the administration has used to combat terrorism.

Police have still not identified the person responsible for the Wisconsin shootings that left six dead and a two-year-old girl in serious condition. Investigators² believe the mass killing³ was a result of a domestic dispute.

Paris Hilton continues to make news after returning to her jail cell last week. The heiress called Barbara Walters and said she would no longer (quote) "act dumb". Hilton now says she will serve her 45-day sentence and will not appeal it.

 

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. appeal : VERB V against n, V n, V to n to-inf
If you appeal to someone in authority against a decision, you formally ask them to change it. In British English, you appeal against something. In American English, you appeal something.

2. void: VERB V n
To void something means to officially say that it is not valid⁴. (FORMAL)

3. misdemeanor : N-COUNT
In the United States and other countries where the legal system distinguishes between very serious crimes and less serious ones, a misdemeanour is a less serious crime. (LEGAL)

4. indefinitely : ADV ADV with n
If a situation will continue indefinitely , it will continue for ever or until someone decides to change it or end it.

5. setback : N-COUNT oft N for/in/to n
A setback is an event that delays your progress or reverses some of the progress that you have made.

6. domestic : ADJ usu ADJ n
A domestic situation or atmosphere is one which involves a family and their home.

7. cell : N-COUNT
A cell is a small room in which a prisoner is locked. A cell is also a small room in which a monk⁵ or nun⁶ lives.

8. dumb : ADJ
If you say that something is dumb , you think that it is silly and annoying. (AM INFORMAL)

9. lock up : PHRASAL VERB V P n(not pron), also V n P
To lock someone up means to put them in prison or a secure psychiatric hospital.

10. charge : VERB V n, V n with n
When the police charge someone, they formally accuse them of having done something illegal.

1 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

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 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

5 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

6 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。