美联社新闻一分钟 AP 2012-12-24_在线英语听力室

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1. A Republican plan to avoid the fiscal¹ cliff came to an abrupt² end. "Plan B", as it was called, would have kept tax rates down for most Americans, but would not have addressed the spending cuts that take effect January 1st.

2. One of the two bank robbers who escaped from a prison in Chicago has been caught. The FBI says it found Joseph Banks still in the Windy City. Banks and Kenneth Conley broke a huge hole in the jail wall and lowered themselves 20 stories with a bed sheet rope. Conley remains³ at large.

3. Airlines are expecting travel to get back to normal Friday after a big winter-like storm canceled more than 1,000 flights Thursday. The storm dropped more than a foot of snow on some Midwestern states.

4. And Guatemala marked the end of the Mayan Calendar cycle with a ceremony in front of a Mayan pyramid. The calendar's end had prompted speculation⁴ about the impending⁵ end of the world.

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1 fiscal
adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的
参考例句：
The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。 The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

2 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

3 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 speculation
n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机
参考例句：
Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。 There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 impending
a.imminent, about to come or happen
参考例句：
Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。 The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

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美联社新闻一分钟 AP 2012-12-24