美联社新闻一分钟 2006-07-23

（单词翻译）

1. Thick black smoke was pouring out after Israeli warplanes hit TV transmission towers in northern and central Lebanon. One person was killed in the attack which knocked Lebanon's leading private network off the air. It's the first major airstrike in the country's Christian¹ heartland.

2. At least one hundred Hezbollah rockets have struck northern Israel so far today. Here in Haifa, air sirens continue to sound. Some explosions would be heard but there are no reports of damage or injuries.

3. There's still no word on when power will be restored in New York's borough² of Queens. Up to 20, 000 customers, including homes and apartment buildings, are without power. That blackout is now in its sixth day.

4. And it looks like the Tour de France will be won by another American. Floyd Landis has regained³ the overall lead by finishing third in today's time trial. Spain's Oscar Pereiro has dropped to second overall, just 59 seconds behind Landis

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. heartland: n-count
Journalists use heartland to refer to the area or region where a particular set of activities or beliefs is most significant.

2. siren: n-count
A siren is a warning device which makes a long, loud noisy.

3. borough: n-count
A borough is a town or a district of within a large town, which has its own council.

4. time trial: n-count
A competitive event in which participants are timed, as in covering a set distance, often used to select qualifiers for another event.