美联社新闻一分钟 2006-12-16

（单词翻译）

1. Small size of hope for South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson. His spokesman says Johnson responded to his wife and held her hand. Johnson is recovering from brain surgery. If his illness proves fatal, power in the Senate could revert¹ to the Republicans.

2. Searchers looking for three lost climbers in Oregon will use a helicopter to help them. They found a note from the three men at a ranger² station listing the supplies they took with them up Mount Hood³. Rescue team members say the supplies could help them survive blizzard⁴ conditions.

3. A new twist in the Duke lacrosse rape⁵ scandal. The stripper who claims she was raped⁶ is pregnant and judges ordered a paternity test to see if any of the three players accused in the crime is the father of the child. The alleged⁷ rape happened in March. All the players say they are innocent.

4. America is better off having had Donald Rumsfeld as Defense⁸ Secretary. That's the praise from President Bush at Rumsfeld's resignation ceremony. He stepped down last month the day after Democrats⁹ won control of Congress.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. ranger: n-count
A ranger is a person whose job is to look after a forest or a park.

2. blizzard: n-count
A blizzard is a very bad snowstorm with strong winds.

3. twist: n-count
A twist in something is an unexpected and significant development.

4. paternity: n-uncount
Paternity is the state or fact of being the father of a particular child. (FORMAL)