美联社新闻一分钟 AP NEWS 2007-12-17

1. The second major winter storm in a week is making its way through the Northeast. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has ordered state agencies to send home non-emergency employees and he is encouraging private businesses to follow suit. The storm is being blamed for dozens of traffic accidents throughout the state.

2. British forces have formally handed over control of Basra to Iraq. British troops will continue to help train security forces there. The handover means half of the country's 18 provinces are controlled by the Iraqi government.

3. Turkish forces are escalating¹ their fight against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq. They launched a deadly early morning air raid, targeting rebel positions near the border with Iran.

4. A group of students from a culinary academy in Peru thought they would get festive² in a different way to mark the upcoming Year of the Potato. These students cooked up a Christmas exhibition made entirely³ of potatoes. It is complete with a potato Christmas tree and Nativity scene.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。