美联社新闻一分钟 2006-08-19

1. A new twist in the investigation¹ into JonBenet Ramsey's death. San Quentin State Prison officials searched the cell of Richard Allen Davis, the man convicted of killing² Polly Klaas. That's because the main suspect in JonBenet's death, John Mark Karr, may have corresponded with Davis. Karr has confessed to the gruesome murder but there's skepticism about his claims.

2. Amid cheers, Lebanese troops reached the country's southern border with Israel. Meantime, the UN says some 3,500 troops have been pledged to serve as peacekeepers in the region.

3. President Bush is criticizing a federal court ruling that calls his warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional. Bush defended the program saying opponents do not understand the nature of the world in which we live.

4. The crew of the shuttle Atlantis is set to embark³ on a home improvement project August 27th. The six astronauts will be delivering a 35,000-pound addition to the half-built international space station.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. twist: n-count
A twist in something is an unexpected and significant development.

2. cell: n-count
A cell is a small room in which the prisoner is locked.

3. correspond: verb
If you correspond with someone, you write letters to them.

4. gruesome: adj.
Something that is gruesome is extremely unpleasant and shocking.

5. skepticism: n-uncount
Skepticism is great doubt about whether something is true or useful.

6. pledge to: phrase
If you pledge to do something, you promise in a serious way to do it.

7. wiretap: verb
If someone wiretaps your telephone, they attach a special device to the line so that they can secretly listen to your conversations.

8. unconstitutional: adj.
If something is unconstitutional, it breaks the rules of a political system.

9. embark on: phrase
If you embark on something new, difficult or exciting, you start doing it.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 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。

3 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。