美联社新闻一分钟 2006-05-08

1. Iran is threatening to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty if the United States does not stop pressuring that country to end its nuclear program. The U.S. says it will go to the United Nations for a vote, but Iran says any UN action is illegal and will force a confrontation 1.

2. Three construction workers died while working on a high-rise condominium in Bal Harbour, Florida. Apparently 2, a wooden frame collapsed 3 and the men became trapped in quick-drying concrete. Structural 4 engineers are investigating to try and figure out what happened.

3. The FBI is searching for this man, Warren Steed Jeffs. Jeffs is a leader and self-proclaimed prophet of a polygamy sect 5. He is wanted on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor 6, conspiracy 7 and unlawful flight. Jeffs is considered armed and dangerous.

4. The legendary 8 Blue Angels flew through the sky at the South Florida this weekend for an Air & Sea Show. It continues on Sunday, about 4 million people are expected to watch the show.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. confrontation : n-var, oft n with/between n
A confrontation is a dispute, fight, or battle between two groups of people.
e.g. The commission remains 9 so weak that it will continue to avoid confrontation with governments.

2. high-rise : adj
High-rise buildings are modern buildings which are very tall and have many levels or floors.
e.g. high-rise office buildings.

3. condominium : n-count
A condominium is an apartment building in which each apartment is owned by the person who lives there. (AM)

4. frame : n-count
The frame of an object such as a building, chair, or window is the arrangement of wooden, metal, or plastic bars between which other material is fitted, and which give the object its strength and shape.
e.g. He supplied housebuilders with modern timber frames.

5. trap : verb
If you are trapped somewhere, something falls onto you or blocks your way and prevents you from moving or escaping.
e.g. The train was trapped underground by a fire.

6. concrete : n-uncount
Concrete is a substance used for building which is made by mixing together cement, sand, small stones, and water.
e.g. They had lain on sleeping bags on the concrete floor.

7. self-proclaimed : adj
①Self-proclaimed is used to show that someone has given themselves a particular title or status rather than being given it by other people.
e.g. He is President of his own self-proclaimed republic.
= self-confessed
②Self-proclaimed is used to show that someone says themselves that they are a type of person which most people would be embarrassed or ashamed to be.
e.g. One of the prisoners is a self-proclaimed racist 10 who opened fire on a crowd four years ago.
= self-declared

8. prophet : n-count
A prophet is a person who is believed to be chosen by God to say the things that God wants to tell people.
e.g. the sacred name of the Holy Prophet of Islam.

9. polygamy : n-uncount
Polygamy is the custom in some societies in which someone can be legally married to more than one person at the same time.

10. sect : n-count
A sect is a group of people that has separated from a larger group and has a particular set of religious or political beliefs.

11. count : n-count
In law, a count is one of a number of charges brought against someone in court.
e.g. He was indicted 11 by a grand jury on two counts of murder.

12. the Blue Angels ------(美国海军)蓝色天使(特技队)
The United States Navy's Blue Angels, or Navy Flight Demonstration 12 Squadron, was formed at the end of World War II, by order of Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Chief of Naval 13 Operations, to keep the public interested in naval aviation. The Blue Angels performed their first flight demonstration less than a year later in June 1946 at their home base. The Blue Angels perform more than 70 shows at 34 different locations throughout the USA each year. Since 1946, they have flown for more than 260 million spectators.