美联社一分钟新闻 2009-03-22_在线英语听力室

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1. Iran's supreme¹ leader is dismissing overtures² from President Barack Obama. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says even though Obama congratulated Iranians on the Persian new year, US policy toward Iran hasn't changed. Obama has offered to ease relations if Iran tones down its combative³ rhetoric⁴.

2. President Obama has listed his budget priorities in his weekly radio and Internet address. Obama says any budget Congress approves must cut the deficit⁵, reform health care, invest in education and reduce US dependence⁶ on foreign oil.

3. The Pope is in Angola on his first pilgrimage to Africa. Pope Benedict has appealed to people to reach out and convert believers in witchcraft⁷ to Catholicism. Eighty percent of the country's population is Christian⁸.

4. Round two of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament gets underway today and more upsets could be on tap. Last night, 13th-seed Cleveland State pulled off the big shocker by knocking off fourth-seed Wake Forest 84 to 69.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. overtures: [plural] n.

an attempt to begin a friendly relationship with a person, country etc

2. offer to do something:

to say that you are willing to do something

3. tone down: phr v.

If you tone down something that you have written or said, you make it less forceful, severe, or offensive.

4. witchcraft: n.

the use of magic powers, especially evil ones, to make things happen

5. upset: n.

when a person or team defeats an opponent who is considered to be much better than them

6. be on tap:

informal something that is on tap is ready to use when you need it

7. pull off: phr v.

If you pull off something very difficult, you succeed in achieving it.

8. shocker: n.

a film, news story, action etc that shocks you - used especially in news reports

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1 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 overtures
n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲
参考例句：
Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。来自《简明英汉词典》 He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。来自辞典例句

3 combative
adj.好战的；好斗的
参考例句：
Mr. Obama has recently adopted a more combative tone.奥巴马总统近来采取了一种更有战斗性的语调。 She believes that women are at least as combative as are.她相信女性至少和男性一样好斗。

4 rhetoric
n.修辞学，浮夸之言语
参考例句：
Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？ Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 deficit
n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差
参考例句：
The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。 We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 dependence
n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属
参考例句：
Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。 He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

7 witchcraft
n.魔法，巫术
参考例句：
The woman practising witchcraft claimed that she could conjure up the spirits of the dead.那个女巫说她能用魔法召唤亡灵。 All these things that you call witchcraft are capable of a natural explanation.被你们统统叫做巫术的那些东西都可以得到合情合理的解释。

8 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

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美联社一分钟新闻 2009-03-22