NPR 2008-04-30

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama today sought to further distance himself from comments by his former pastor¹, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Obama calling some of Wright's racially tinged² remarks appalling³. Speaking in North Carolina today, Obama said he strongly disagrees with a number of Wright's positions, including comments that perhaps the US government played a role in the spread of the AIDS virus. He admitted his association with Wright has hurt his campaign. "Obviously, whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed as a consequence of this. I don't think that he showed much concern for me. I don't, more importantly, I don't think he showed much concern for what we're trying to do in this campaign. " Wright added to the controversy⁴ by continuing to defend his remarks at an appearance at the National Press Club yesterday.

 Republican presidential hopeful John McCain called for more competition in the individual insurance market as a way to help control the spiraling cost of healthcare. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

 John McCain wants to overhaul⁵ the nation's healthcare system，so more people buy their own insurance rather than getting it at work or going without. During a campaign visit to a Florida cancer center, McCain said families are in the best position to shop for their own healthcare needs. "Families are informed about medical choices. They are more capable of making their own decisions, less likely to choose the most expensive, and often unnecessary options, and they are more satisfied with their choices. " McCain has proposed tax credits to subsidize the private insurers and letting customers shop for insurance across state lines. Critics say that would be fine for young healthy people, but provide little protection for the sick and elderly. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Tampa.

 At a Rose Garden news conference today, President Bush acknowledged, what he called, "very difficult economic times" and accused Congress of dragging its feet on solutions. NPR's John Ydstie has more.

 President Bush declined to characterize the economy as being in recession. But he said Americans are understandably anxious about issues from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills. On gasoline prices, he offered no new solutions, but repeated his longstanding call for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which Congress has blocked on environmental grounds. "This is a litmus test issue for many in Congresss. Somehow, if you mention ANWR, it means you don't care about the environment. Well, I'm hoping now people, when they say ANWR, it means you don't care about the gasoline prices that people are paying. " Asked about Senator John McCain's proposal for a gas tax holiday between Memorial Day and Labor⁶ Day, Mr. Bush said he was open to discussing any ideas, but declined to endorse⁷ the proposal. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

 On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 39 points today to close at 12, 831. The NASDAQ gained a point. The S&P was down five points.

 This is NPR.

 In Zimbabwe, police have released nearly 200 people who were arrested last week in a raid on opposition⁸ party headquarters. The release has come one month after a vote in the disputed presidential election there. Independent observers have maintained the opposition candidate defeated longtime leader Robert Mugabe, while they also say it appears he did not secure the outright⁹ majority needed to avoid a runoff election. President Bush today called on neighboring countries to exert pressure on Mugabe. Zimbabwe's electoral commission this week finished a recount of 23 disputed parliamentary seat. Though, it’s expected final verification may take several days.

 Federal judge has given the Bush administration until May 15th to decide whether the polar bear deserves a place on the federal endangered species list. The ruling is a victory for activists¹⁰ who sued after the government missed several listing deadlines. NPR's John Nielsen has more.

 Because they are gigantic and because they live on ice sheets that may be shrinking due to climate change, polar bears are widely viewed as a symbol of a threat global warming poses to the world's wildlife. Last fall, federal scientists predicted that two-thirds of the world's polar bears could be gone by the year 2050. US Fish and Wildlife Service has missed several deadlines for deciding if the polar bear should be listed. But in her ruling, US District Judge Claudia Wilken wrote that the Service offered "no specific facts to justify¹¹ these delays". Meanwhile, in Canada, a government panel has ruled that while the polar bear is at risk, it is not in immediate¹² danger of extinction¹³. John Nielsen, NPR News, Washington.

 Crude oil futures¹⁴ ended the day lower today. The near-month contract for benchmark crude was down $3. 12 a barrel to settle at $115. 63 a barrel in New York.

1 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。

2 tinged   

v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• memories tinged with sadness 略带悲伤的往事
• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣

3 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

12 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

13 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

14 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。