CNN 2009-01-29

Good morning to you from the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Reggie Aqui, thanks for checking in, here is what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

We're beginning with President Obama's plan to fix the economy. It goes before House lawmakers today, they're gonna vote on that 825-billion-dollar economic stimulus¹ package. The plan is to prop² up the economy through government spending and tax cuts. Now the President is hoping to sign the bill by mid-February.

Special voting under way now in Iraq ahead of this weekend's provincial³ elections. Iraq's security forces, detainees and hospital patients get to cast their ballots⁴ early. Some 600,000 people are expected at the polls today and millions more on Saturday.

After getting a key Republican endorsement⁵, the Senate Judiciary Committee is finally ready to vote on Eric Holder⁶. Senator Arlen Specter says he will support Holder's confirmation⁷ for attorney general. Last week's planned vote on Holder was held up over questions about pardons approved during the final days of the Clinton administration. Holder would become the nation's first African-American attorney general if he is confirmed.

A wicked winter storm to tell you about now accidents and elegies⁸ from Texas all the way over to Delaware and the Northeast is in for it today. The storm already is blamed for at least 19 deaths, power is out at hundreds of thousands of homes and many could be in the dark for days. Hundreds of schools and government offices are closed.

AAA is reporting the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $1.84, which is actually up two-tenth of a cent from yesterday. Four states have gas prices above two dollars. The cheapest gas can be found in Wyoming; right now they're paying $1.50.

Be sure to stick with us at CNN.com 24/7 for news from around the world, we're gonna continue to have your updates right here throughout the day.

1 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

3 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

4 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

6 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

7 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

8 elegies   

n.哀歌，挽歌( elegy的名词复数 )

参考例句：