NPR 2008-04-25

The Senate has unanimously passed a bill, making it illegal for employers and health insurers to discriminate¹ based on a person's genetic² make-up. NPR's Julie Rovner has more.

 This was the third time the Senate has passed so-called “genetic non-discrimination legislation”, but the first time it's done so after the House has passed a companion measure. The bill still needs one last vote in the House because the Senate made some small changes. But then it's on to President Bush who will sign it, ending a 13-year quest by scientists who say the protections are needed to encourage patients to take advantage of advances in genetic medicine. Massachusetts Democrat³ Edward Kennedy is one of the bill's sponsors. "It means that people whose genetic profiles put them at  risk of cancer and other serious conditions can get tested and seek treatment, without fear of losing their privacy, their jobs, or their health insurance. " Final House action is expected next week. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

 Following her big win in Pennsylvania's primary this week, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is reaping the rewards. That includes a major cash infusion⁵ that was desperately⁶ needed by her campaign. The Clinton camp says in the 24 hours after her convincing win in Pennsylvania, roughly ten million dollars flowed into the New York Senator's campaign coffers. Clinton had reported having just over nine million in cash on hand at the end of last month with ten million dollars in debts. Clinton is in North Carolina today ahead of that state's primary May 6th. Her rival Barack Obama is off the campaign trail, spending the day in Chicago.

 Republican presidential candidate John McCain today criticized the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. The comments come as McCain toured the Lower Ninth Ward⁴ in New Orleans. NPR's Jeff Brady reports.

 McCain saw a few houses that had been rebuilt right next to empty houses that still had spray-painted Xes made by rescue workers just after the storm in August, 2005. "Never again, never again will we experience such mishandling of a natural disaster and the suffering that ensued from it. That will never happen again. " McCain said if he'd been president, he'd flown to the nearest air force base to direct the recovery, but he stopped short of criticizing President Bush directly. McCain's walk to the Lower Ninth Ward was part of a tour this week to largely Democratic communities that have fallen on hard economic times. A campaign spokeswoman says McCain hopes to burnish⁷ his economic credentials⁸ and show that he is a Republican who cares about those in need. Jeff Brady, NPR News, New Orleans.

 Hamburger giant Wendy's announced today it's agreed to be acquired by the parent company of Arby's. Triarc Companies, owned by billionaire investor⁹ Nelson Peltz, will pay roughly 2. 3 billion dollars in stock to acquire Wendy's. Wendy's put itself up for sale last June under pressure from Peltz who already owned ten percent of the company.

 On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 85 points today to close at 12, 848. This is NPR News.

 President Bush said he remains¹⁰ optimistic a Mideast peace agreement can be reached before he leaves office. The president meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he is confident the respective sides can agree on the definition of a Palestinian state. Today's White House meeting comes as Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have made little progress toward reaching a peace accord. The administration has acknowledged talks that began five months ago have gotten bogged¹¹ down.

 In Dallas, the Federal Aviation Administration announced today it's again trying to stop FAA managers in Texas from covering up events where airplanes flew too close to one another. From Dallas, NPR's Wade¹² Goodwyn reports.

 By the FAA's own admission, its air traffic control operation at DFW International Airport has turned into a hotbed of managerial misconduct. That, in turn, has spurred three separate DFW air traffic controllers to become whistle-blowers, trying to make the FAA do the right thing. Thursday, the FAA announced it is removing its top two ranking managers in Dallas for repeatedly covering up safety violations¹³. This is the second time in three years that the FAA has been forced to intervene in Dallas. The FAA conceded that its efforts in 2005 to stop its managers from covering up instances of aircraft flying too close together had failed. Acting¹⁴ FAA Administrator¹⁵ Bobby Sturgell told a news conference "we are not going to stand for this. " Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

 As many as a dozen homes were damaged in storms that tore through an area near Fort Worth, Texas. There were also several unconfirmed reports of tornado¹⁶ touchdowns. Officials say the homes in an area about 12 miles south of Fort Worth sustained roof damage. No major injuries were reported as a result of the storms.

1 discriminate   

v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待

参考例句：

• You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
• They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 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。

4 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

5 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 burnish   

v.磨光；使光滑

参考例句：

• Many people,fearful for their jobs,are trying to burnish their contacts at other firms.许多人因为担心自己的工作，正在努力抹去和其他公司接触的痕迹。
• I burnish joyful sparks from my sorrows.我从伤痛里擦亮喜悦的火花。

8 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

9 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 bogged   

adj.陷于泥沼的v.（使）陷入泥沼， （使）陷入困境( bog的过去式和过去分词 )；妨碍，阻碍

参考例句：

• The professor bogged down in the middle of his speech. 教授的演讲只说了一半便讲不下去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The tractor is bogged down in the mud. 拖拉机陷入了泥沼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

13 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

14 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

15 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

16 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。