美联社新闻一分钟 2006-08-08

1. Explosions rocked Beirut. Lebanese security officials say Israeli warships¹ have been firing on the city southern suburbs. Local police reported at least five deaths. This after an Israeli raid that killed at least 23.

2. BP says it won't commit to a timeline to restart its oil field in Alaska. The company announced it's shutting down the nation's largest producing oil field after discovering corrosion² in a transit³ pipeline⁴ system. Analysts⁵ have speculated it could take months to get the oil field back at normal flow rates.

3. Flights coming into Los Angeles International Airport were delayed for more than an hour. The computer system that guides landing planes onto the runway crashed, permitting only about half the number of landings expected. The busy airport is getting back to normal after the delays.

4. Martha Stewart settled her Securities and Exchange Commission charges. She will pay about 195,000 dollars and cannot serve as director of a public company for five years under the settlement

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. commit to: verb
If you commit yourself to something, you say that you will definitely do it.

2. timeline: n-count.
A timeline means a schedule of activities or events; a timetable.

3. corrosion: n-uncount
Corrosion is the damage that is caused when something is corroded⁶.

1 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

2 corrosion   

n.腐蚀，侵蚀；渐渐毁坏，渐衰

参考例句：

• Corrosion is not covered by the warranty.腐蚀不在保修范围之内。
• Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。

3 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

4 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 corroded   

已被腐蚀的

参考例句：

• Rust has corroded the steel rails. 锈侵蚀了钢轨。
• Jealousy corroded his character. 嫉妒损伤了他的人格。