美联社新闻一分钟 2007-08-17

1. The death toll¹ has risen to at least 450 in the Peru earthquake which devastated² cities in the country's southern desert. The United Nations reports many homes are totally destroyed, and there are fears aftershocks could bring more structures down.

2. A terrorism conviction³ in Miami. Jose Padilla was held for three and a half years as an enemy combatant once accused of being part of an al-Qaeda plot to detonate a dirty radioactive⁴ bomb. He faces life in prison.

3. It's a slow dig in Utah as crews make an underground path towards six trapped miners⁵. Officials say air samples show oxygen levels that can support life. Also a noise is raising hope the men are found alive.

4. One of President Bush's daughters is engaged. Jenna Bush said "yes" when longtime boyfriend Henry Hager asked her to marry him. Hager is a business school student and former White House aide.

WORDS IN THE NEWS


1. aftershock: noun
a small earthquake that happens after a larger one（余震）

2. structure: noun
something that has been built, especially something large such as a building or a bridge

3. dirty bomb:
a bomb that contains a radioactive substance which makes the bomb more dangerous than bombs containing only traditional explosives

1 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。

2 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

3 conviction   

n.确信，坚定的信仰；说服，信服；定罪

参考例句：

• His conviction carried him along in his research.他的信心支持着他把研究工作坚持下去。
• His conviction caused rioting in the streets.他被判有罪，引起了街头骚动。

4 radioactive   

adj.放射性的

参考例句：

• People should keep away from the radioactive waste.人们应远离放射性废物。
• The radioactive material is stored in a special radiation-proof container.放射性材料储存在防辐射的特殊容器里。

5 miners   

矿工( miner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The coal miners have come out for about two weeks. 煤矿工人已罢工约两周了。
• The roof of the cave dropped in on the miners, trapping them. 洞穴的顶部坍了下来，砸在矿工身上。