美联社新闻一分钟 2005-10-17

1. Iraq's constitution seems assured of passage despite strong opposition¹ from Sunni Arabs, who voted in surprisingly high numbers in an effort to block it.

2. President Bush portrays² the Iraqi vote on a new constitution as a victory for opponents of terrorism and a sign that the country is moving toward democracy.

3. A bus carrying high-school students home from a band competition collides with a semitruck on an interstate in Wisconsin, killing³ 5 passengers.

4. A Pakistani official says 40,000 people died in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir in last week's earthquake, raising the overall death toll⁴ to more than 54,000.

5. And fashion giant Burberry is threatening legal action against another British company that makes quirky clothing for ferrets, including a checked cape⁵ and cap.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. semitruck=semitrailer
n.（名词）
A trailer having a set or several sets of wheels at the rear only, with the forward portion being supported by the truck tractor or towing vehicle.
半挂车：在后部有一套或若干套轮子，前部由牵引车或牵引机动车支撑的挂车

2. interstate
2 interstate interstates
In the United States, an interstate is a major road linking states.
We were driving along Interstate 280, toward my home in Woodside.
...the southbound lane of Interstate 75.
N-COUNT: also N num

3. quirky
quirky quirkier quirkiest
Something or someone that is quirky is rather odd or unpredictable in their appearance, character, or behaviour.
We've developed a reputation for being quite quirky and original.
ADJ-GRADED

· quirkiness
You will probably notice an element of quirkiness in his behaviour.
N-UNCOUNT

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 portrays   

v.画像( portray的第三人称单数 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The museum collection vividly portrays the heritage of 200 years of canals. 博物馆的藏品让运河200 年的历史再现眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The film portrays Gandhi as a kind of superman. 这部电影把甘地描绘成一个超人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

5 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。