美联社新闻一分钟 2008-05-12_在线英语听力室

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

1. President Bush says the federal government will offer all possible assistance it can to states affected¹ by the latest round of severe weather. Tornadoes² and storms are being blamed for at least 23 deaths in three states including at least 14 in Missouri.

2. Media in Myanmar are reporting that the death toll³ from the cyclone⁴ last week has jumped to more than 28,000 but aid groups are warning it could be a much larger humanitarian⁵ catastrophe⁶. Today a Red Cross boat carrying rice and drinking water for cyclone victims sank. The ship was the first Red Cross shipment into the disaster area.

3. Mother's Day is not a day off for Hillary Clinton. The former First Lady and her daughter Chelsea campaign today in West Virginia. Clinton is in need of a big win there on Tuesday to keep her campaign afloat. But political analysts⁷ say even an overwhelming triumph is unlikely to close the gap with Barack Obama.

4. And the White House has released these pictures of Jenna Bush's wedding. Bush and Henry Hager, her beau exchanged vows⁸ last night in Crawford, Texas. President Bush is praising his new son-in-law as a quote "really good guy" .

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. afloat: adj.

If a person, business, or country stays afloat or is kept afloat, they have just enough money to pay their debts and continue operating.

2. triumph: n.

an important victory or success after a difficult struggle.

3. son-in-law: n.

the husband of your daughter.

点击

收听单词发音

1 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 tornadoes
n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。来自互联网 Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。来自互联网

3 toll
n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)
参考例句：
The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。 The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 cyclone
n.旋风，龙卷风
参考例句：
An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。 The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

5 humanitarian
n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者
参考例句：
She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。 The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 catastrophe
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。 This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

7 analysts
分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )
参考例句：
City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。 I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 vows
誓言( vow的名词复数 )；郑重宣布，许愿
参考例句：
Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。 The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

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美联社新闻一分钟 2008-05-12