NPR 2008-10-12

Treasury¹ Secretary Henry Paulson is briefing representatives of the so called G-20 including the world's richest nations and the largest developing nations on the steps being taken by the US and other countries to restore confidence in the global financial system. Earlier today President Bush met with the top financial officials from the G7 nations. "The United States has a special role to play in leading the response to this crisis. That's why I convened² this morning's meeting here at the White House, and that is why our government will continue using all the tools at our disposal to resolve this crisis." After Mr Bush's remarks, the International Monetary³ Fund's Policy Setting Committee meeting in Washington strongly endorsed⁴ the steps outlined by the US and the six other major industrialized nations to unfreeze credit markets and shore up banks and other financial institutions. Egypt's Finance Minister Boutros Ghali is head of the IMF panel. "There is a resolve in the international community that this crisis will be resolved that no tools will be spared to address its ramification⁶." Boutros Ghali says nations must coordinate⁷ their efforts and they must be prepared for bold action to address the crisis.

The Bush administration has removed North Korea from the US list of countries that sponsor terrorism. The move came after North Korean leaders agreed to resume disabling a plutonium plant and to allow some inspections⁸ of known nuclear facilities. NPR's Korva Coleman reports.

 North Korea has agreed to several other provisions, most importantly leaders will disable their main nuclear power plant and let international inspectors⁹ check the work. State Department spokesman Sean Mccormack says the deal satisfies the Bush administration. "Every element of verification that we sought is included in this package." The agreement is provisional. That means if North Korea doesn't keep its word, it will go back on the US list of countries that sponsor terrorism and that means sanctions such as a block in economic and other aid. Korva Coleman, NPR News, Washington.

 GOP presidential nominee¹¹ John McCain was campaigning in Iowa today, a state where polls show him trailing. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

John McCain held a mid-day rally in Davenport, Iowa, telling supporters his weak standing¹² in the polls there just means they'll have to work harder in the last weeks before the election. McCain acknowledged that Americans are angry about the state of the economy, adding he has the skills to turn things around. "Who is ready to lead? You. In a time of trouble and danger for our country, who would put our country first? You." A pastor¹³ who delivered the invocation at the rally offered a prayer for McCain's victory, saying otherwise, millions of Hindus, Buddhists¹⁴ and Muslims praying for Barack Obama will think "their God is bigger". McCain was not present when the pastor spoke¹⁰. Scott Horsley, NPR News.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Democratic congressional leaders are considering calling lawmakers back to Washington after the election for a lame-duck session to take up a second economic stimulus¹⁵ bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said a 150-billion-dollar plan is needed, one that would include an extension of unemployment benefits and money for food stamps as well as possible tax rebates¹⁶.

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has made a televised appeal for people to take up arms against anti-government rebels in eastern part of that country. His comments come as the UN secretary general urged both sides to negotiate to avoid a war. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

Congo's President Joseph Kabila urged his compatriots to mobilize behind the army to preserve peace and unity⁵ in their country. The appeal came as the dissident General Laurent Nkunda pledged to take his rebellion in the east across the entire Democratic Republic of Congo. Relief workers say more than 100,000 people have already fled the fighting. Conflicts between the rebels and the military flared¹⁷ again in August despite a much heralded¹⁸, but fragile peace deal signed in January. Congo is locked in a war of words with neighboring Rwanda which it has accused of sending in troops to back Nkunda and the rebels. The Rwandans deny the claim. Congo and Rwanda regularly trade accusations¹⁹ that each supports the other's proxy²⁰ militia²¹ groups. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Dakar.

Parts of South Texas are bracing²² for the arrival of the remnants of Hurricane Norbert. The storm slammed into Mexico's Baja California peninsula today, and is expected to make a second landfall in northern Mexico tonight.

In College football, top ranked Oklahoma was upset by the fifth ranked Texas Longhorns today, 45-35.

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

3 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 ramification   

n.分枝，分派，衍生物

参考例句：

• Public relation of police is a ramification of modern public relations.警察公共关系是现代公共关系的衍生物。
• An apple tree,after going through a long time ramification and sprouting,finally fruited.一棵苹果树经过漫长的分枝抽叶终于结果了。

7 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

8 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

14 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

15 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

16 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

17 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

18 heralded   

v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The singing of the birds heralded in the day. 鸟鸣报晓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

20 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

21 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

22 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。