NPR 2009-02-19

President Barack Obama unveiled his 75-billion-dollar plan aimed at dealing¹ with the nation's foreclosure crisis today. Traveling to Arizona, the president said while the plan will not save every home, it could help as many as nine million people remain in their homes and prevent even more from going to foreclosure. "We're not just helping² homeowners at risk of falling over the edge, we are preventing their neighbors from being pulled over that edge too, as defaults and foreclosures contribute to sinking home values, and failing local businesses, and lost jobs." President chose Arizona to unveil the plan because it is one of the states that has been hardest hit by the housing crisis. Among other things, the administration's plan would seek to provide incentives³ for lenders to cut mortgage payments for homeowners on the brink⁴ of foreclosure, and also provide more money for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddi Mac to back stop refinancing of problem loans.

Construction of new homes dropped to a record low last month. Builders saw slowdowns in all areas of the country. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports.

Construction of new homes and apartments dropped nearly 17% in January. The slowdown was most evident in the northeast where building activity plunged⁵ nearly 43%. It was down 29% in the Midwest and nearly 13% in the South. Housing starts dropped more than 6% in the West to the slowest pace since 1966. The numbers from the Commerce Department reflect the country's deepening economic recession and rising foreclosures in states such as California, Arizona, Nevada and Florida. In addition, applications for building permits dropped nearly 5% last month also to a record low. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she wants to further develop a partnership⁶ with Indonesia. She's visiting Jakarta on a weeklong swing through Asia. NPR's Michele Kelemen has more.

Indonesia is the world's most populous⁷ Muslim state and Clinton says it was no accident that she came here on her first trip aboard as Secretary of State. "As I travel around the world over the next years, um, I will be saying to people: if you want to know whether Islam, democracy, modernity and women's rights can coexist, go to Indonesia." She was speaking at a dinner with members of Indonesian civil society and joked that the one question she keeps getting is when President Obama will pay a visit. He spent part of his childhood here. Clinton also said that US hopes to send Peace Corps⁸ volunteers back to Indonesia soon and is upgrading relations with the regional organization based here, ASEAN. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Jakarta.

British officials say all 18 people aboard a civilian⁹ helicopter that went down in the North Sea have been rescued. Britain's Maritime¹⁰ and Coastguard Agency said the chopper ditched as it was heading to an offshore¹¹ oil platform, 120 miles east of the Scottish city of Aberdeen.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained three points. The NASDAQ lost two points.

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Attorney General Eric Holder¹² will be making a trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba next week. The visit is part of Obama administration effort to shut down the detention¹³ facility within a year. Holder told reporters today he will travel on Monday to the military base where he hopes to get a firsthand look at the facility, as well as talk to Guantanamo officials about detention and interrogation techniques. Meanwhile US Appeals Court today reversed a ruling that would have transferred seven detainees at the site while there is no evidence the men plotted or fought against US. Military says the detainees have ties to a militant¹⁴ group that has demanded separation from China.

Police chief in the embattled Mexican border city of Juarez across from El Paso, Texas has been assassinated¹⁵. He is the third police chief to be gunned down there in 13 months. NPR's Jason Beaubien has that story.

Municipal police chief Sacramento Perez Serrano was riding in a military pickup¹⁶ truck when gunmen in three other vehicles opened fire. Police said they found more than a hundred bullet casings from high caliber¹⁷ weapons at the scene. Chief Perez Sarrano and three of his bodyguards¹⁸ were killed, according to a municipal spokesman, before they even had a chance to defend themselves. Perez Sarrano was an army captain who'd been brought from southern Mexico to head Juarez Police after his two predecessors¹⁹ were also ambushed²⁰ and killed. Juarez is the epicenter of drug war that claimed more than 5, 000 lives nationwide in 2008. The local newspaper El Diario reports that with this current assassination²¹, 16 cops and soldiers have been killed in Juarez since the beginning of the year. Jason Beaubien, NPR News, Mexico City.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber is the latest auto²² industry affiliated²³ company to announce job cuts. The Akron, Ohio based company says it will eliminate nearly 5, 000 jobs. Goodyear recently reported losses of 330 million dollars in the fourth quarter.

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 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。

3 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

4 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

5 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。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

8 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。

9 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

10 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

11 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。

12 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

13 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

14 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

15 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

16 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

17 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

18 bodyguards   

n.保镖，卫士，警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks came to Jim's office accompanied—like always—by his two bodyguards. 和往常一样，在两名保镖的陪同下，布鲁克斯去吉姆的办公室。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Three of his bodyguards were injured in the attack. 在这次袭击事件中，他有3名保镖受了伤。 来自辞典例句

19 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

22 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

23 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。