美联社新闻一分钟 AP NEWS 2007-12-23

1.The holiday shopping rush is on, for retailers¹ try to attract last-minute Christmas shoppers, salvaging² what has been so far a mediocre³ December. At Macy's price cuts on most merchandise up to 50%.

2.The video plea from the parents of Madeleine McCann, the British girl missing since May from a resort in Portugal. Her parents released video of Madeleine opening gifts from last Christmas.

3.Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has left the Church of England, converted to Catholicism, now sharing the faith of his wife and children. The Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the world's Anglicans, wishes Blair the best in his spiritual journey.

4.Just before Christmas this reindeer⁴ herd⁵ is grounded, due to recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and Bluetongue virus. The herd is usually in demand for holiday displays but not this year. Authorities want a barrier between the animals and everyone else.

1 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

2 salvaging   

（从火灾、海难等中）抢救（某物）( salvage的现在分词 )； 回收利用（某物）

参考例句：

• A shipping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship. 某轮船公司要求赔赏打捞沉船的费用。（make a claim 要求）
• It is not uncommon to hear that a shipping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship. 航运公司为打捞沉船的费用而提出要求，这并非奇闻。

3 mediocre   

adj.平常的，普通的

参考例句：

• The student tried hard,but his work is mediocre. 该生学习刻苦，但学业平庸。
• Only lazybones and mediocre persons could hanker after the days of messing together.只有懒汉庸才才会留恋那大锅饭的年代。

4 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

5 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。