历史上的今天-Today in History 2010-03-19

 March 19th,2003For the second time in a dozen years, an American-led coalition¹ launches a war against Iraq. Cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs are aimed at Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein near the capital Baghdad. President George W. Bush tells the American people.

“The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw² regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder.”

1987Televangelist Jim Bakker quits as head of his PTL ministry³. He steps down amid a sex and money scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary. Bakker later serves five years in federal prison for using his TV show to defraud⁴ his followers⁵.

1931Nevada legalizes casino gambling⁶, a move that puts Las Vegas on the map as America’s gambling capital. And 1962Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut⁷ album is released. The singer songwriter is just 20 years old at that time.

Today in History, March 19th, Ross Simpson, the Associated Press.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

5 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

6 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

7 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。