NPR 2009-12-09

The Senate has defeated an effort to add a stronger abortion¹ ban to its health care overhaul². NPR's Julie Rovner has more.

By a 54-45 vote, Senators who support abortion rights turned back the efforts of those who oppose abortion to include in the bill the same language added during House consideration of the health measure. Nebraska Democrat³ Ben Nelson said the amendment⁴ simply tracks current policy, which prevents federal funding of abortion. "Taxpayers⁵ shouldn’t be required to pay for people’s abortions⁶. It’s just that simple.” But opponents said the bill already banned federal abortion funding and that Nelson’s amendment would also restrict the types of policies women can buy using their own money. The vote doesn’t end the controversy⁷, however. The abortion language could be revisited in a package of amendments⁸ needed to win the 60 votes necessary to get the bill to a final Senate vote. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

President Obama today outlined broad brush strokes of his administration's plan to get people back to work. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, the president laid out a series of initiatives ranging from new road, highway and bridge projects to deeper tax cuts for small businesses to tax incentives⁹ to encourage people to make their homes more energy-efficient. Mr. Obama said while there have been signs of progress, he noted¹⁰ that there are 7 million fewer Americans with jobs than there were at the start of the current recession. The unemployment rate in November did come down, but only slightly falling from 10. 2% to 10%.

The top general in Afghanistan says he believes the US will absolutely be successful in the war effort there. General Stanley McChrystal testified today on Capitol Hill. More from NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly.

General McChrystal offered several reasons why he believes the troops he commands will succeed in Afghanistan. He argued that most Afghans do not support the insurgency¹¹ and that the US has already begun to show progress in helping¹² Afghans themselves establish a more effective security. McChrystal says the president’s new strategy reflects "a realistic and effective approach." "The mission is not only important, it is also achievable. We can and will accomplish this mission.” Still, McChrystal cautioned the enemy is "complex and resilient" and he said the next 18 months will be decisive. Mary Louise Kelly, NPR News, Washington.

Some disappointing earnings¹³ numbers from a number of large companies weighed on Wall Street today. Giant 3M, a Dow industrial company announced that it expects its 2009 earnings to come in well below Wall Street expectations. The maker¹⁴ of everything from Post-It notes to Scotch¹⁵ tape aslo issued a cautious outlook for next year. Also announcing lower November sales numbers was fast-food giant McDonald’s.

On Wall Street today, the Dow fell 104 points to close at 10,285. That was a decline of 1%. The NASDAQ lost 16 points. The S&P 500 fell 11 points today.

This is NPR.

The head of the United Nations climate panel speaking at the global summit in Copenhagen said today a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by rich nations would be a pretty good result. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said US reduction offer of 3% below 1999 levels makes it hard, however, to reach more ambitious cuts by 2020 for industrialized nations. President Obama is expected to arrive at Copenhagen for the close of the summit. China has led calls by developing countries for deeper emissions¹⁶ cuts.

Vatican is denying rumors¹⁷ that Pope Benedict's health is poor following the announcement that on Christmas Eve he will celebrate the evening Mass two hours earlier than usual. NPR’s Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.

This year, the Pope is breaking with tradition and will celebrate Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 p. m. instead of midnight. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said there is no cause to worry about the Pope’s health. The decision was taken to ensure that the 82-year-old Benedict will not be too tired to deliver the traditional papal message to the city and the world on Christmas Day. Benedict's predecessor¹⁸ John Paul II never altered the midnight schedule even when he was very frail¹⁹. Vatican officials say the decision was made two months in advance to allow TV networks worldwide to change their schedules. Benedict’s health has been generally good since he was elected to the papacy in 2005. This past summer, however, while on vacation in northern Italy, he slipped and broke his wrist. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Crude oil futures²⁰ fell $1. 31 a barrel to close at $72.62 a barrel in New York.

I’m Jack²¹ Speer, NPR News in Washington.

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 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。

3 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。

4 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

5 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

6 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

9 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

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 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

16 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

17 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

19 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

20 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。

21 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。