CNN 2008-10-21_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Good afternoon, from the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'm Cory Kessler. It's Monday, Oct 20th. Here's what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the economy needs another shot in the arm in the form of a new stimulus¹ package. He told the House Budget Committee today that Congress should look into passing another one to head off what he called "a protracted² slowdown". If Congress takes up Bernanke's advice, it would be the country's second stimulus package in less than a year. Last week, Bernanke warned there's no quick fix for the financial crisis.

The months of presidential campaigning are now down to just mere⁴ days. The election is two weeks from tomorrow. Democrat⁵ Barack Obama will spend most of that time blitzing states that were Republican strongholds four years ago. He'll go there with a new endorsement⁶, Colin Powell, a former Secretary of State in the Bush administration. Republican John McCain targets the swing state of Missouri today. Polls show a dead heat there. McCain's message is national. He wants supporters to vote right away since early voting is now available in every state.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell is endorsing⁷ Democratic Senator Barack Obama for President. Powell made the announcement Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press". "I think he is a transfer-national figure. He is a new generation coming into the world, onto the world stage, on the American stage. And for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama. McCain is down playing the endorsement, stressing that he has support from four former Secretaries of State, and more than 200 retired⁸ army generals and admirals.

Senator Ted³ Stevens is back in court, his trial just picked up again last hour. Stevens is accused of failing to disclose free home renovations and other gifts from an Alaska businessman. Stevens says he and his wife paid every bill for those renovations. The Alaskan Republican is currently running for re-election.

And gas prices just keep on dropping. AAA reports the national average now stands at a bit more than $2.92 a gallon. That's down more than 3 cents from the day before and it's the 33rd straight day we've seen prices slide.

That's a quick look at what's making news this hour, stay with CNN for more on these stories and other news of the day.

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收听单词发音

1 stimulus
n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物
参考例句：
Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。 Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 protracted
adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。来自《简明英汉词典》 We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ted
vt.翻晒，撒，撒开
参考例句：
The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。 She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

4 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

5 democrat
n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员
参考例句：
The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。 About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 endorsement
n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注
参考例句：
We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。 His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

7 endorsing
v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品
参考例句：
Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。来自互联网 Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。来自互联网

8 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。