美联社新闻一分钟 2007-02-19（在线收听）

1. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in an effort to persuade Abbas government to renounce violence and recognize Israel. Tomorrow the two will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel will not work with the new Palestinian government if it does not agree to recognize Israel.

2. Eight American service members have been killed and fourteen others injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The chopper's pilot reported engine failure shortly before the craft went down today in southeastern Afghanistan.

3. The NASCAR season is about to get under way with the 49th running of the Daytona 500. Today's event comes after a controversy-filled week during which 5 crew chiefs were suspended for various rules infractions.

4. It's the year of the pig. So revelers in New York, out to play and eat, are celebrating the first day of the Lunar New Year. Based on the Chinese zodiac calendar, this year should be full of good luck and prosperity.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. renounce: verb
If you renounce a belief or a way of behaving, you decide and declare publicly that you no longer have that belief or will no longer behave in that way.

2. suspend: verb
If someone is suspended, they are prevented from holding a particular job or position for a fixed length of time or until a decision is made about them.

3. reveler: n-count
Revelers are people who are enjoying themselves in a noisy way, often while they are drunk. (LITERARY)

4. zodiac: noun
The zodiac is a diagram used by astrologers to represent the positions of the planets and stars. It is divided into twelve sections, each of which has its own name and symbol. The zodiac is used to try to calculate the influence of the planets, especially on someone's life.