NPR 2008-07-25

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says Europe needs to help the United States stabilize¹ Afghanistan. Obama’s in Berlin where he gave a speech to tens of thousands of people. He says no country can solve challenges like terrorism alone.  "I recognize the enormous difficulties in Afghanistan. But my country and yours have a stake in seeing that NATO's first mission beyond Europe's borders is a success. For the people of Afghanistan, and for our shared security, the work must be done."  Republican presidential candidate John McCain is campaigning at Ohio. He's criticized Obama for shortsightedness on foreign policy. This week, he's been discussing economic policy and soaring oil costs. He’d hoped to visit an oil platform in the Gulf² of Mexico to underscore his support for offshore³ oil drilling. The visit was canceled after Hurricane Dolly blew through the area.

Iraqi officials say its(a) female suicide bomber⁴ has killed at least seven people and wounded twenty more. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Baghdad.

The female attacker bombed a checkpoint in Baqubah, northeast of Baghdad. The checkpoint was run by members of the Sunni Awakening⁵ Council. They are former insurgents⁷ who’ve turned against al-Qaeda in Iraq, and are paid by the American military. Among the council members who were killed in the suicide attack was a prominent leader of one of the former Sunni insurgent⁶ groups called “the 1920s Revolution Brigade”.  Al-Qaeda in Iraq has increasingly resorted to female suicide bombers⁸, including in Baqubah, which remains⁹ among the most dangerous places in Iraq. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Baghdad.

Voting rights advocates have filed suit in New Mexico, challenging a state voter registration¹⁰ law. They claim it will prevent thousands of people from signing up to vote in November. New Mexico is expected to be a crucial state in the upcoming presidential election. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

The law enacted¹¹ after the 2004 Election imposes restrictions¹² on groups that conduct voter registration drives within the state. It requires all volunteers working for such groups to sign up with the state, and to pick up blank registration forms themselves at local election offices. Completed forms need to be turned in within 48 hours. Advocacy groups say these steps are overly restrictive, and will hamper¹³ the ability of outside groups to sign up voters. The measures were enacted at a time when state leaders were concerned about voter fraud and falsified registrations¹⁴. However, voting rights advocates say there is little, if any, evidence of fraud, and that the restrictions will hurt low-income, minority and disabled residents who are the primary target of registration drives. Pam Fessler, NPR News, Washington.

The National Security Agency is investigating three members of a ballistic missile crew who reportedly fell asleep on the job. The trio had  possession of secret launch codes, although the agency says none were compromised.

On Wall Street, the Dow lost 283 points today.

This is NPR.

Republicans in the House of Representatives used the procedural method today to block the release of oil from the National Stockpile. Democrats¹⁵ say the release of about 70 million barrels of oil would immediately affect the gas prices. The 70 million barrels are about a three-day supply for the nation's oil needs. There have been similar releases in the past with corresponding price drops, but there was a hitch¹⁶: if the legislation passed, Republicans would have been able to introduce a bill on offshore drilling.

Two associates of former NBA referee¹⁷ Tim Donaghy have been sentenced to jail terms for their roles in a gambling¹⁸ scandal. NPR's Mike Pesca reports.

James Battista, who identifies himself as a professional gambler, and Thomas Martino, who like Battista was a high school classmate of Tim Donaghy, were sentenced to jail  terms of 15 months and one year respectively by a federal judge in Brooklyn. Battista placed bets based on Donaghy's inside information; Martino paid the referee. In court filings, the former ref argues that he was pressured into providing tips by Battista, who dangled¹⁹ the threat of exposure over Donaghy's head. When the gambling ring was exposed, Donaghy was the first to cooperate with authorities. His admission included the fact that he wagered²⁰ on games he officiated. Still, when he’s sentenced next week, Donaghy faces a maximum of 33 months in jail, more time than his fellow conspirators²¹ combined. Mike Pesca, NPR News, New York.

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Hurricane Dolly to a tropical depression with top winds of about 35 miles per hour. Forecasters expect the storm will break up tomorrow. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared 15 Texas counties as disaster areas.

1 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

4 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

5 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

6 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

7 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

8 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

11 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

12 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

13 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

14 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

15 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》

16 hitch   

v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉

参考例句：

• They had an eighty-mile journey and decided to hitch hike.他们要走80英里的路程，最后决定搭便车。
• All the candidates are able to answer the questions without any hitch.所有报考者都能对答如流。

17 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

18 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

19 dangled   

悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• Gold charms dangled from her bracelet. 她的手镯上挂着许多金饰物。
• It's the biggest financial incentive ever dangled before British footballers. 这是历来对英国足球运动员的最大经济诱惑。

20 wagered   

v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保

参考例句：

• She always wagered on an outsider. 她总是把赌注押在不大可能获胜的马上。
• They wagered on the flesh, but knowing they were to lose. 他们把赌注下在肉体上，心里却明白必输无疑。 来自互联网

21 conspirators   

n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conspirators took no part in the fighting which ensued. 密谋者没有参加随后发生的战斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The French conspirators were forced to escape very hurriedly. 法国同谋者被迫匆促逃亡。 来自辞典例句