CNN 2009-04-28

Good morning. From the CNN Center here in Atlanta, I'm Melissa Long. It is Monday, April 27th. Here are some of the headlines making news this morning.

The US has stepped up efforts to control the spread--the deadly swine flu virus. There are now border checks in place for people who may have the flu. So far there are 20 confirmed cases in the US. President Obama commented on the outbreak this morning.

We are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States. And this is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it's not a cause for alarm. And the Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively.

General Motors is phasing out its Pontiac line as part of its plans to cut 23,000 jobs by 2011. It's  part of its massive restruction plan to avoid bankruptcy¹. It will also be fewer car dealerships. GM plans to sell 13 fewer vehicles.

Iowa, excuse me, is now issuing same sex marriage licenses². There's a new video this morning as couples  are lining³ up in Iowa outside the courthouse in Des Moines. County officials start processing same sex  applications when they open for business. State law requires a 3-day waiting period before couples get married but judges can waive⁴ the rule and allow immediate⁵ weddings.

I think there will be a number of us who turn out, who just feel like it's been so long and it's such a significant victory, urh, for a community that we  want to participate in that. But there's also a feeling of, you know, this isn't something that they can take away, right away, you know. That this is gonna be around for a couple of years. You don't have to rush into anything.

And forget about a bull in a china shop. How about a bull in a grocery store? Well, see the bull barging into the supermarket. This is in Ireland. Workers used  a shopping cart at one point to try to fend⁶ it off. Hey, there. When the farmer who owned the bull followed it into the store, the bull chased after him as well. That's how it finally got out of the supermarket actually. No one was injured.

1 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

2 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

3 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

4 waive   

vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等)

参考例句：

• I'll record to our habitat office waive our claim immediately.我立即写信给咱们的总公司提出放弃索赔。
• In view of the unusual circumstances,they agree to waive their requirement.鉴于特殊情况，他们同意放弃他们的要求。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。