VOA慢速英语 2007 1230

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

On December twentieth,  the editors and news directors of the Associated Press voted for the top ten news stories of two thousand seven. 
On April 23, a moment of silence was observed for each of the 32 Virginia Tech shooting victims

They chose the tragic¹ killings² of thirty-two people at Virginia Tech, a university in Blacksburg, Virginia, as the top news story of the year.  Twenty-three-year-old Seung-Hui Cho shot students and professors at his university on April sixteenth before taking his own life. It was the worst mass shooting in American history.

The United States home mortgage crisis was second on the list of top stories this year.  Many homeowners have lost, or are in danger of losing, their homes because of rising payments.  A sharp drop in housing prices also caused major losses in financial markets. 

 
Major General Rick Lynch speaks with Sunni Sheik Emad Ghurtani, right, in Haswah, Iraq, in October
The war in Iraq was voted the third top story this year, down from last year, when it was the top news story.  A major increase in American troops in Iraq is believed to have improved the nation’s security situation.  Still, thousands of Iraqis and hundreds of Americans were killed in violence in Iraq.  Critics say the troop increase failed to meet what was supposed to be the main goal -- to give Iraqi leaders the chance to work for political unity³.

Rising oil prices was next on the list.  Oil prices hit record highs this year, reaching almost one hundred dollars a barrel.  The increase in fuel costs pushed American lawmakers to pass a new energy bill.  It requires cars and light trucks to use less gasoline by two thousand twenty.

Also among the top news stories was a series of recalled exports from China.  These products included poisonous toothpaste, unsafe pet food and toys containing dangerous lead paint. 

Another major issue this year was global warming.  United Nations climate scientists warned about the danger of rising seas, severe dry weather and the disappearance⁴ of plants and animals.  The U.N. scientists shared this year’s Nobel Peace Prize with former American Vice⁵ President Al Gore⁶. 
The collapsed⁷ bridge over the Mississippi River near Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the American state of Minnesota, a large bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed on August first.  Thirteen people were killed and about one hundred others were injured.

The American presidential campaign was also the subject of major new stories this year. Many candidates traveled around the country seeking support in the primary elections that will choose the nominees⁸ from the two major political parties.  

Also in the United States, debate continued on immigration after a compromise plan failed in Congress because of Republican Party opposition⁹. Illegal immigration is among the major presidential campaign issues.

And finally, the United States and several other countries continued to press Iran to stop enriching uranium.  Iran said it never had a nuclear weapons program.  But a recent American intelligence report said Iran did have a nuclear weapons program, but that it ended in two thousand three.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake.  I’m Steve Ember.

 

1 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

2 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。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

7 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

8 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。