美联社新闻一分钟 2005-11-15

（单词翻译）

1. As he embarks² on an 8-day trip to Asia, President Bush is expected to take a parting shot at critics of the war in Iraq.

2. An assault by US and Iraqi troops trying to keep insurgents³ from crossing from Syria into Iraq reportedly kills 50 insurgents.

3. The US military says it detained and later released an Iraqi last year, who had the same name as one of three suicide bombers⁴ in Jordan.

4. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Middle East makes a quick side trip to Jordan to offer condolences for the victims of the Amman bombings.

5. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stung by ballot⁵ defeats back home kicks off a Far East tour to promote California businesses

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. embark¹
1 embark embarks embarking⁶ embarked⁷
If you embark on something new, difficult, or exciting, you start doing it.
He's embarking on a new career as a writer.
The government embarked on a programme of radical⁸ economic reform.
VB

2. parting shot
parting shot parting shots
If someone makes a parting shot, they make an unpleasant or forceful remark at the end of a conversation, and then leave so that no-one has the chance to reply.
He turned to face her for his parting shot. `You're one coldhearted woman, you know that?'
N-COUNT

3. kick off
2 kick off kicks off; kicking off; kicked off
If an event, game, series, or discussion kicks off, or is kicked off, it begins.
The shows kick off on October 24th.
The Mayor kicked off the party.
We kicked off with a slap-up dinner.
PHR-V-ERG