NPR 2008-11-07

President Bush is promising¹ a smooth transition for the administration of President-elect Barack Obama. Mr. Bush said it would include briefings on issues ranging from national security to the economy and a planned trip to the White House Monday where the two men will hold their first substantive² talks. Speaking at a White House press conference today, Mr. Bush said it is important the president-elect be able to, in his words, hit the ground running over the next 75 days.

"In coming weeks we will ask administration officials to brief the Obama team on ongoing³ policy issues ranging from the financial markets to the war in Iraq. "

In a statement, Mr. Obama thanked President Bush for reaching out in the spirit of bipartisanship and it also was confirmed by the president-elect to be his chosen Illinois representative Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. Emanuel was a political and policy aide in the Clinton White House.

In one of the last states to be decided⁴ in the presidential race, NPR is projecting Barack Obama has narrowly won North Carolina. NPR's Adam Hochberg has more.

President-elect Obama's margin⁵ of victory in North Carolina is less than 0. 5%, but that is another bid of history in his campaign. He becomes the first Democrat⁶ to carry North Carolina since Jimmy Carter and the first to carry both North Carolina and neighboring Virginia since Lyndon Johnson. Much of Senator Obama's strength came in North Carolina's fast growing cities and suburbs, especially around Rolley. But he ran stronger in rural areas than Democrats⁷ typically do and dominated the African-American vote. Mr. Obama also had a nine-point advantage among people who voted early, compared to senator McCain's seven-point advantage on the Election Day. Adam Hochberg, NPR News, Chapel⁸ Hill, North Carolina.

The Bank of England delivered a surprising 1. 5 percent point cut in interest rates today and the European Central Bank cut its rate by half of a percentage point. NPR's Rob Gifford reports from London.

Most analysts⁹ have predicted only a half-point reduction, but it seems the Bank of England judged the economic outlook had worsened sufficiently¹⁰ in recent months for even more drastic action. The 1. 5 percent cut, the largest rate cut since 1981, brings UK interest rates down to 3%, their lowest in more than 50 years, though still substantially higher than US rates. The British cut made the reduction of rates by the European Central Bank, or ECB, looked timid in comparison. Though analysts say Britain is likely to be hit harder by the current economic downturn. A half percentage point cut by the ECB reflects the Eurozone deteriorating¹¹ economic outlook as the recently established Euro currency faces its first ever recession. Rob Gifford, NPR News, London.

US retailers¹² had their worst October on record as consumers hit by the global credit crisis stayed away from stores in droves. The International Council of Shopping Center says sales at stores open for at least one year plunged¹³ 0. 9% last month compared to a year ago.

On Wall Street, the Dow was down 443 points. The NASDAQ lost 72 points today. This is NPR.

Philadelphia's mayor says tough economic times are going to mean some difficult choices for the city. Mayor Michael Nutter¹⁴ announced today that along with cutting more than 800 jobs and trimming salaries for some administrators¹⁵, the city also plans to close libraries and swimming pools and suspend planned tax cuts. Nutter said the moves are necessary to deal with what could eventually become a one-billion-dollar budget shortfall. Philadelphia is facing a 108-million-dollar deficit¹⁶ this year which is expected to get much worse in coming years.

Federal prosecutors¹⁷ in New York have announced that they will not bring criminal charges against Eliot Spitzer, the former governor of New York who left office in disgrace eight months ago after it was discovered he had been a client of prostitutes. NPR's Margot Adler reports.

In recent months, four people have pleaded guilty to running the call-girl operation that ultimately brought Eliot Spitzer down. But Manhattan US Attorney Michael Garcia said that investigators¹⁸ found no evidence that Spitzer or his office used public or campaign funds to pay for the prostitutes. And Federal prosecutors typically do not prosecute¹⁹ people for simply being clients. Garcia noted²⁰ that Spitzer had taken responsibility for his conduct and said the public interest would not be further advanced by filing criminal charges. The former governor issued a statement expressing relief and remorse²¹. Spitzer said he resigned his position as governor because "I recognize that my conduct was unworthy of an elected official, I once again apologize for my actions. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

Tropical Storm Paloma, the 16th named storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season is picking up strength as it heads towards the Cayman Islands in Cuba, currently Paloma at some 200 miles south of Grand Cayman with top winds of 65 miles an hour.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

11 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

12 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

13 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

14 nutter   

n.疯子

参考例句：

• Don't call him nutter because it is such a bad term.别叫他“疯子”，这不是个好词。
• But it's awfully ruthless and cold-blooded for a nutter from the other side.但是对那边的疯子们来说，却也实在太冷血无情了。

15 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

16 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

17 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

18 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

20 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

21 remorse   

n.痛恨，悔恨，自责

参考例句：

• She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。
• He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。