历史上的今天-Today in History 2012-02-18

 February 18th 1885Mark Twain's "The Adventures of  Huckleberry Finn", one of the great American novels is first published in the United States.

1861Months before the Civil War breaks out, Jefferson Davis is sworn in as president of the newly formed Confederate States of America.

1970Five of the Chicago Seven defendants¹ are found guilty of conspiring² to incite³ riots  at the 1968 Democratic national convention. The convictions are later overturned.

2001Veteran FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested accused of spying for Moscow for years. At first, Hanssen pleads innocent but then changes his plea to guilty and is sentenced to life in prison.

Also that same year, "We've lost Dale Earnhardt." In Florida, auto⁴ racing⁵ star Dale Earnhardt Sr. dies from injuries received in a crash at the Daytona 500. He was 49.

And in 1954"You know, I work on my hair a long time and you hit it. He hits my hair." Actor John Travolta, whose movie roles include Saturday Night Fever, Grease and Pulp⁶ Fiction is born in Englewood, New Jersey⁷.

Today in History, February 18th, Jon Belmont, the Associated Press.

1 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

2 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

3 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

6 pulp   

n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆

参考例句：

• The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。
• The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。

7 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。