NPR 2008-08-21

Russia is proposing a Security Council resolution to endorse¹ the peace plan that France mediated² between Russia and Georgia. The Security Council has been one place for debating the conflict but there is little agreement on what, if anything, it can do. NPR's Michele Kelemen has more.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin says what you'll see in the draft resolution is a word for word, comma to comma rendition of the six principles that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on last week. He called on the Security Council to endorse it. But U. S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said that Russia is seeking a rubber stamp to its own interpretation³ of the agreement. Yesterday, the Russians said they would not accept a different draft resolution that called on Russian and Georgian troops to pull back and reiterated⁴ international support for Georgia's territorial⁵ integrity. The U. S. and others say that language has to be in any resolution passed by the Security Council. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

Authorities say 153 people are dead following the crash of a Spanair jet that swerved⁶ off a runway and caught fire during take-off at Madrid's airport today. The flight was bound for Canary Islands off the West African coast. The crash comes during the height of Europe's summer vacation season. A Spanish newspaper reported the plane was reportedly delayed for an hour due to technical problems. Nineteen people are said to have survived the crash.

Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio has died following a sudden brain aneurysm. Doctors in Cleveland say Tubbs died shortly after 6 pm ET today. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.

Tubbs Jones was hospitalized Tuesday night after she collapsed⁸ while driving. Doctors say she suffered a brain hemorrhage when an aneurysm burst in an inaccessible⁹ part of her brain. She was 58 years old. The Cleveland Democrat⁷ was the first African American woman to represent Ohio in Congress. She became the chairwoman of the House Ethics¹⁰ Committee when the Democrats¹¹ took control of Congress in 2007, and also had a seat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Tubbs Jones, a former municipal judge, was first elected to Congress in 1998, and was expected to easily win a sixth term this fall. She had been active in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and later threw her support to Barack Obama. She would have been a super-delegate at the Democratic National Convention. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, the Capitol.

Campaigning in New Mexico today, John McCain defended some of the recent comments he has made about his Democratic rival Barack Obama. McCain said Obama's position on the U. S. military operation in Iraq raises questions not about his patriotism¹² but about his suitability to be president. "He said I'm questioning his patriotism. Let me be very clear. I am not questioning his patriotism. I am questioning his judgment¹³. " McCain again repeated a previous charge Obama would rather forfeit¹⁴ than win the war in Iraq.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up nearly 69 points.

This is NPR.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to see their share prices driven lower today. Amid growing concerns, the government may have to institute some type of bailout plan. The move depending on how it is carried out could make the mortgage finance companies' stocks virtually worthless. Fannie Mae's Chief Executive Daniel Mudd again sought to reassure¹⁵ investors¹⁶ no bailout is imminent¹⁷ even as shares of both Fannie and Freddie fell to 18-year lows. Executives from Freddie Mac were reportedly to meet with Treasury¹⁸ Department officials. Treasury Department has confirmed it is in touch with the agencies but gave few specifics.

The man who caused the deadliest U. S. train crash in nine years has been sentenced in Los Angeles. Hettie Lynne Hurtes of member station KPCC has details.

Juan Alvarez was sentenced to 11 consecutive¹⁹ life terms following his conviction earlier this summer. The 29-year-old Alvarez was found guilty in June of killing²⁰ 11 and injuring more than 180 others after causing a Metrolink derailment three years ago. Alvarez testified that he meant to commit suicide by parking his SUV on the tracks, but changed his mind and couldn't get the vehicle off the tracks. The oncoming Metrolink train derailed after ploughing into the Jeep Cherokee, then crashed into a northbound train at the Glendale Los Angeles line. Prosecutors²¹ claimed the former construction worker and father of two intended to cause a catastrophe²² to get his estranged²³ wife's attention. For NPR News, I'm Hettie Lynne Hurtes in Los Angeles.

Crude oil futures²⁴ ended the session slightly higher today. The near-month contract for benchmark grade crude oil was up 45 cents a barrel ending the session at $114.98 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

1 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。

2 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

3 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

4 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

5 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

6 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

9 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

10 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

11 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》

12 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

13 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

14 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

15 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

16 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

17 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

18 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。

19 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

20 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

21 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。

22 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

23 estranged   

adj.疏远的，分离的

参考例句：

• He became estranged from his family after the argument.那场争吵后他便与家人疏远了。
• The argument estranged him from his brother.争吵使他同他的兄弟之间的关系疏远了。

24 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。