NPR 2009-10-31

One day after a rosy¹ outlook sent stocks up more than 2%, Wall Street took it all back in lump sum today. Worries over a weak report on consumer spending last month as well as an end-of-month selling bout² caused investors³ to pull back. Britt Beemer is a retail⁴ expert with America's Research Group. He said today consumers still appeared to have doubts about whether an economic recovery is actually taking hold.

 

Everybody wants the recession to end. The problem is no one has told the consumer yet. We find that consumers are extremely pessimistic about the future.

 

Government reported this morning consumer spending fell a half percent in September while personal incomes also declined. Many economists⁵ worry if consumers do sharply rein⁶ in their spending in the months ahead, any recovery could stall.

 

The White House has released new figures today, crediting the administration's economic stimulus⁷ program was saving or creating nearly 650,000 jobs. Figures are based on reports from more than 130,000 recipients⁸ of stimulus money including school districts able to save jobs as a result of money funneled⁹ to the states. The administration says it remains¹⁰ on track to achieve the goal of 3.5 million jobs over two years.

 

President Obama has announced he will overturn a 22-year-old travel and immigration ban against people with HIV early next year. In an order to be finalized¹¹ Monday, the president said today it's completion of a process begun during the previous administration.

 

"Congress and President Bush began this process last year and they ought to be commended for it. We are finishing the job. It's a step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment. It's a step that will keep families together and it's a step that will save lives."

 

US is currently one of a dozen countries that bar entry to travelers with visas or anyone seeking a green card based on their HIV status.

 

British Oil Company BP is being hit with a record fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for continued violations¹² at a facility hit by fatal explosion in 2005. From Larry Miller¹³ reports from London. BP is contesting the allegations.

 

The 87-million-dollar fine imposed on BP is the biggest in OSHA's history. An explosion 4 years ago at BP's Texas City refinery¹⁴ killed 15 and injured 180. The oil company was fined 23 million dollars then and entered into an agreement to bring the facility up to safe standards. After a 6-month inspection¹⁵ to ensure BP complied, OSHA said it's committed hundreds of new violations, which, Labor¹⁶ Secretary Hild Solis said, could lead to another catastrophe¹⁷. In a statement, BP said, it formally contests all the citations¹⁸, alleged¹⁹ violations and penalties. BP says it’s in full compliance²⁰ and insists its safety improvement at Texas City have been among the most strenuous²¹ and comprehensive ever in the refining industry. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

 

On Wall Street the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged²² 249 points, ending the week at 9,712. For the week, the Dow lost more than 2.5%.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Investigators²³ are continuing their search off the California coast near San Diego for 9 people missing after a Coast Guard C1-30 is believed to have collided with a Marine²⁴ Corps²⁵ Super Cobra helicopter overnight. Coast Guard officials have been searching in the brief fields some 50 miles off the coast, but have been unable to find any of the victims. Pentagon spokesman did say, however, it is likely all 9 people were killed. The Coast Guard plane was on a nighttime search for a missing boater while the marine corps helicopter was on a training mission.

 

The daughter of Martin Luther King Junior will be the new head of the Civil Rights Organization that her famous father co-founded and its first female president. The Southern Christian²⁶ Leadership Conference announced today it chose Bernice King at its Atlanta headquarters. Elda Eisa from member station WABE was there.

 

Interim²⁷ SCLC President Byron Clay unsealed the results of Thursday's ballot²⁸ before a roomful of reporters. The board voted 23 to 15 for King with one no vote. Clay then called King to congratulate her.

 

"You have been elected as the new president and CEO of the greatest organization in the world, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference."

 

King accepted it. The SCLC was critical to the passage of the voting rights and civil rights acts but in recent years has floundered. It's been troubled by financial problems and internal fighting and has struggled recently to define its mission. King will be the third in her family to head the organization after her father and older brother Martin Luther King the third. For NPR News, I'm Elda Eisa from Atlanta.

 

Crude oil futures²⁹ prices are ending the week lower. Crude futures fell $2.87 a barrel today to end the session at $77 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

 

1 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

2 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

3 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

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

7 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

8 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 funneled   

漏斗状的

参考例句：

• The crowd funneled through the hall. 群众从走廊中鱼贯而过。
• The large crowd funneled out of the gates after the football match. 足球赛后大群人从各个门中涌出。

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 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 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。

13 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

14 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

15 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

16 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。

17 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。

18 citations   

n.引用( citation的名词复数 )；引证；引文；表扬

参考例句：

• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Some dictionary writers use citations to show what words mean. 有些辞典的编纂者用引文作例证以解释词义。 来自辞典例句

19 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

20 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

21 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

22 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

23 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

25 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

26 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

27 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

28 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

29 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。