美联社新闻一分钟 2006-12-30

1. It's expected the execution of Saddam Hussein will have taken place before midnight tonight. As the execution hour approached, Saddam was allowed to visit with 2 half brothers and reportedly gave them his personal belongings¹ and a copy of his will. Saddam's lawyers attempted a last-ditch appeal in the US court system.

2. Services are underway in California for former President Gerald Ford². After a state funeral at the church he attended, Ford's body will be flown to Washington tomorrow for honors at the Capitol.

3. Mike Tyson has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of cocaine³. Police stopped the former heavyweight champ after he left an Arizona nightclub. They said they found 2 bags of white powder in his back pocket.

4. It's the second major snowstorm that has pounded Colorado in a week. Highways have been shut down. Some flights are canceled, stranding⁴ passengers at the Denver Airport

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. last-ditch : ADJ
A last-ditch action is done only because there are no other ways left to achieve something or to prevent something happening. It is often done without much hope that it will succeed.

2. cocaine : N-UNCOUNT
Cocaine is a powerful drug which some people take for pleasure, but which they can become addicted⁵ to.

3. heavyweight : N-COUNT
A heavyweight is a boxer⁶ weighing more than 175 pounds and therefore in the heaviest class.

1 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

2 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

4 stranding   

n.（船只）搁浅v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The airport had to be closed, stranding tourists. 机场被迫关闭，造成游客滞留。 来自辞典例句
• The stream of history had changed course away from him, stranding him in failure. 历史潮流已经改变方向，与他背道而驰，使他陷于失败之中。 来自辞典例句

5 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

6 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。