CNN 2008-05-01_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

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Good afternoon, I'm Naamua Delaney at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The argument over whether the economy is in a recession will likely continue. Official numbers from the Commerce Department say the economy grew at a rate of 0. 6% in the first quarter of 2008, that's the same rate as the quarter before. So while the economy remains¹ sluggish², it is growing ever so slightly.

Another interest rate cut is expected from the Fed today. Stock prices have been surging this morning in reaction to analysts³' predictions of 8th cut of a quarter of points. The official word is expected in about an hour and a half.

The US military says the recent killings⁴ of three American soldiers in Iraq push the monthly death toll⁵ to a seven-month high. The death toll for American forces killed in April now stands at 47. That makes it the deadliest month since September. An American military spokesman attributed the increase to a surge in recent fighting, especially in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood.

The US now has two aircraft carriers in the Gulf⁶ region. The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived there Tuesday. It will replace the USS Harry⁷ S Truman. Defense⁸ Secretary Robert Gates insists it's not an escalation⁹, he calls the move a reminder¹⁰ to Iran. It comes as Washington continues to accuse Tehran of forging ahead with efforts to supply weapons and training to militants¹¹ in Iraq.

A teen removed from that polygamist compound in Texas has given birth to a baby boy. Child welfare officials say she is younger than 18. A spokesman for the sect¹² insists she is 18 and in a monogamous marriage to a 22-year-old. The teen also has a 16-month-old child. More than 460 children are in state custody¹³.

Well, those are the headlines at this hour, stay with CNN for more on these stories and the other news of the day.

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1 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 sluggish
adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的
参考例句：
This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。 Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

3 analysts
分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )
参考例句：
City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。 I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 killings
谋杀( killing的名词复数 )；突然发大财，暴发
参考例句：
His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。 The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

5 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。

6 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

8 defense
n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩
参考例句：
The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。 The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 escalation
n.扩大，增加
参考例句：
The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。来自辞典例句 Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。来自辞典例句

10 reminder
n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示
参考例句：
I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。 It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

11 militants
激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。 Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

12 sect
n.派别，宗教，学派，派系
参考例句：
When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。 Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。

13 custody
n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留
参考例句：
He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。 He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。