AP News一分钟新闻：科学家将VR应用于恐惧症治疗

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

 TRANSCRIPT

This is AP News Minute.

President Donald Trump says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is anxious to defend himself against accusations he sexually assaulted a woman in high school. Trump says he totally supports his nominee and said he doesn't think the FBI should be involved in investigating the allegation.

Hundreds of people waited in long lines for water and other essentials in Wilmington, North Carolina. The city is still mostly shut off by rising waters days after hurricane Florence hit. Officials say Florence is responsible for at least 34 deaths in the region.

A Russian reconnaissance plane has been downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike, killing all 15 people on board. The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Israel of deliberately using the Russian plane as a cover to dodge Syrian defenses and has threatened to retaliate.

And researchers at the University of Washington are using virtual reality to treat people's phobias. Experts predict that one day people will be able to treat phobias like a fear of heights, fear of spiders at home using VR.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201809/566102.shtml

 VOCABULARY

1. allegation n. allegation (of sth.) (against sb.) | allegation (that …) | allegation (about sb. /sth.) a public statement that is made without giving proof, accusing sb. of doing sth. that is wrong or illegal （无证据的）说法，指控。 accusation 例如：

• Several newspapers made allegations of corruption in the city's police department. 有几家报纸声称该市警察部门腐败。
• allegations of dishonesty against him关于他不诚实的多种说法
• an allegation that he had been dishonest一种关于他不诚实的说法
• to investigate/deny/withdraw an allegation调查 / 否认 / 撤回指控

2. reconnaissance n. the activity of getting information about an area for military purposes, using soldiers, planes, etc. 侦察。例如：

• to make an aerial reconnaissance of the island对这座岛进行空中侦察
• Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted. 花在侦察上的时间是不会白费的。
• a reconnaissance aircraft / mission / satellite侦察飞机 / 任务 / 卫星

3. dodge v. to avoid doing sth., especially in a dishonest way （尤指不诚实地）逃避。例如：He dodged his military service. 他弄虚作假逃避了服兵役。

4. retaliate v. retaliate (against sb. /sth.) | retaliate (by doing sth. / with sth.) to do sth. harmful to sb. because they have harmed you first 报复；反击；复仇。 take revenge 例如：

• to retaliate against an attack对攻击进行还击
• The boy hit his sister, who retaliated by kicking him. 男孩打了他妹妹，妹妹则回敬了他一脚。

5. phobia n. a strong unreasonable fear of sth. 恐怖症，恐惧症（无名的极度恐惧）。例如：He has a phobia about flying. 他对飞行有恐惧症。

 QUESTIONS

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and check the true (ü) or false (û) statements.

 1. President Donald Trump says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is anxious to defend himself against accusations he sexually assaulted a woman in college. 

 2. Trump says he totally supports his nominee and said he does think the FBI should be involved in investigating the allegation.

 3. Officials say Florence is responsible for at most 34 deaths in the region.

 4. A Russian civil aviation plane has been downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike, killing all 15 people on board. 

 5. Experts predict that one day people will be able to treat phobias like a fear of heights, fear of snakes at home using VR.

 KEY 

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and check the true (ü) or false (û) statements.

û 1. President Donald Trump says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is anxious to defend himself against accusations he sexually assaulted a woman in college. President Donald Trump says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is anxious to defend himself against accusations he sexually assaulted a woman in high school. 

û 2. Trump says he totally supports his nominee and said he does think the FBI should be involved in investigating the allegation. Trump says he totally supports his nominee and said he doesn't think the FBI should be involved in investigating the allegation.

û 3. Officials say Florence is responsible for at most 34 deaths in the region. Officials say Florence is responsible for at least 34 deaths in the region.

û 4. A Russian civil aviation plane has been downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike, killing all 15 people on board. A Russian reconnaissance plane has been downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike, killing all 15 people on board. 

û 5. Experts predict that one day people will be able to treat phobias like a fear of heights, fear of snakes at home using VR. Experts predict that one day people will be able to treat phobias like a fear of heights, fear of spiders at home using VR.