NPR 2009-10-06

President Obama made another pitch for his health care overhaul¹ plan today, this time to a group of doctors. Speaking to physicians in the White House Rose Garden, the president said that no one has more credibility with the American people on this issue than you do. And he urged those doctors who support healthcare initiative to make their voices heard.

 "If you want to speak out strongly on behalf of the things you care about and what you see each and every day as you are serving patients all across the country, I'm confident we're going to get our health reform passed this year."

 The event gave the White House an additional chance to frame the debate over healthcare as the Senate Committee prepares to approve a health care bill this week. One hundred and fifty supportive doctors representing all 50 states were arrayed just outside the West Wing, all of whom were wearing their white medical coats.

 Vaccinations² against the new H1N1 swine flu are going out to the public beginning today. NPR's Joanne Silberner has more.

 the vaccinations are being distributed by state health agencies. Earlier this week, it will all be the nasal spray variety intended for people between the ages of 2 and 49 years old. Indiana and Tennessee are among the first to get their programs rolling. In Indiana in Marion County, the first lots are going to healthcare providers and emergency management workers. In Tennessee, healthcare workers at Lebanon Medical Century in Memphis and from local health departments are all getting vaccinated³. Federal health officials have asked states to focus on getting the vaccine⁴ to health workers first. Programs for the general public are expected to start as more vaccines⁵ become available in the next several weeks. The injectable form of the vaccine with no opt⁶ for age limit is expected to be available later this week. Joanne Silberner, NPR News.

 Indonesia has called off the search for missing persons five days after a massive earthquake destroyed scores of buildings, hotels, malls and schools. From western Sumatra's valley Doualy Xaykaothao reports.

 The government reopened schools today, but even as school children dressed in their uniforms walked the roads many didn't get back to their courses instead coping with what’s left in their homes and in some cases what’s left at their schools. Electricity is back in parts of Padang city but areas farther out were still without power or running water. In the village of Dourine Dang more than an hour north of the city, 27 year old Fetri Antii who only has one name described her situation. She said all the families in this location have been affected⁷ by this tragedy so no one expects much help from their neighbors but outside help she said is welcome. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Padang City Sumatra.

 On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 112 points, ending the session at 9599; the NASDAQ gained 20 points today.

 This is NPR.

 The United Nations says even though it plans to temporarily close its offices in Pakistan, the agency will continue to provide humanitarian⁸ relief to Pakistani refugees. The announcement of the closure follows a suicide bomb attack that killed five people at the UN Food Agency's Pakistan headquarters. The Taliban is about to carry out new assaults in Pakistan. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said the attack was unjustifiable and a heinous⁹ crime. Militants¹⁰ have carried out a number of attacks in Pakistan in recent years, many targeting foreigners.

 Monday night football features Quarterback Brett Favre and Minnesota Vikings against Favre's former team the Green Bay Packers. Patty Murray with Wisconsin Public Radio has more.

 Green Bay Packer fans are facing a quandary¹¹: who to root for in tonight’s Monday night football game? Will it be the team or former Packer legend Brett Favre now wears a purple Minnesota jersey¹²? Favre was the Packer start quarterback who led the team to 1997 Super Bowl victory. He stayed for 16 seasons before the drama began last year. That's when the team released him and he came out of retirement¹³ to play for the New York Jets. In this year's pre-season he agreed to play for Green Bay's long time rival the Minnesota Vikings. Tonight's game is the first match up between Favre and his former teammates. It'll be played in Minneapolis. For NPR News, I'm Patty Murray in Green Bay.

 Luxury handbag maker¹⁴ Coach is going after Target for bags it says too closely resembles its own and asking the discount retailer¹⁵ to stop selling the bags and also seeking undetermined damages. In a filing in US District Court in Manhattan New York based Coach says the bags in question resemble the company's Ergo bags launched in 2008 and its Signature Patchwork¹⁶ bags.

1 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。

2 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

4 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

5 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

6 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

9 heinous   

adj.可憎的，十恶不赦的

参考例句：

• They admitted to the most heinous crimes.他们承认了极其恶劣的罪行。
• I do not want to meet that heinous person.我不想见那个十恶不赦的人。

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 quandary   

n.困惑，进迟两难之境

参考例句：

• I was in a quandary about whether to go.我当时正犹豫到底去不去。
• I was put in a great quandary.我陷于进退两难的窘境。

12 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

13 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

14 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

15 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

16 patchwork   

n.混杂物；拼缝物

参考例句：

• That proposal is nothing else other than a patchwork.那个建议只是一个大杂烩而已。
• She patched new cloth to the old coat,so It'seemed mere patchwork. 她把新布初到那件旧上衣上，所以那件衣服看上去就象拼凑起来的东西。