美联社新闻一分钟 2006-03-06

（单词翻译）

1. More violence in Iraq after gunmen stormed a Sunni mosque¹ in Baghdad, killing² at least three people and wounding several others. The cause of the clash is not known.

2. Al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri released a tape criticizing western countries for cartoons lampoon³ing the Prophet Mohammad. Al-Zawahri also called for a continued holy war to reclaim⁵ Palestinian lands.

3. In California, a house exploded in a Los Angeles suburb early Sunday. Authorities say it was packed with fireworks and the explosion was strong enough to move the house off its foundation and break windows blocks away. One man was taken to the hospital with minor⁶ burns to his body.

4. And the premier⁷ 1,100-mile Iditarod begins for real on Sunday. The grueling race had its ceremonial start Saturday in Anchorage and ends in Nome, Alaska. 83 dog sled teams are competing in the race this year which could take more than 10 days to complete.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. lampoon :verb [T]
to criticize someone or something in a humorous way that makes them seem stupid:
e.g. The Prime Minister was frequently lampooned⁸ in political cartoons.

2. premier :adjective [before noun]
best or most important:
e.g. He's one of the nation's premier scientists.

3. Iditarod :Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
annual competition held in March, in which mushers (dogsled drivers) race teams of up to 16 dogs on a grueling course between the Alaskan cities of Anchorage and Nome. The dogsledding event, which covers about 1850 km (1150 mi), is called “The Last Great Race on Earth” and demands strength, endurance, and courage from mushers and their dogs. The difficult and challenging conditions of Alaska’s winter wilderness⁹ can include deep snow, unpredictable weather, and encounters with wild animals.

4. grueling : adjective
extremely tiring and difficult, and demanding great effort and determination:
e.g. He eventually won the match after five gruelling sets.

5. sled :verb [I or T]
to ride or travel on snow using a sledge