NPR 2009-03-17

The White House appears to be sharing the outrage¹ of many average citizens over how insurance giant American International Group has apparently² used some of the billions in federal bailout money it received. Amid reports that AIG, which has received roughly 170 billion dollars in government money, is paying 165 million dollars in executive bonuses, there's been a firestorm of public outrage. The president vowed³ he will use every legal avenue to try to prevent the company from paying out bonuses. AIG, which also revealed that it has paid banks and other firms some 90 billion dollars, has said it's contractually obligated to pay bonuses to its executives and includes those who are part of the division where the company's financial crisis originated.

The White House has rejected South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's request to use part of his state's share of stimulus⁴ money to pay down South Carolina's debt. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.

Sanford, a Republican, has frequently criticized the stimulus, saying it will lead to higher taxes and debt. He's spoken out against the part of the stimulus package that aims to expand state unemployment benefits. And last week he requested an exemption⁶ to use some 700 million dollars slated⁷ for schools and other government services to pay down the state's debt. But White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said in a letter to Sanford that the federal stimulus law does not allow for such an exemption. The governor has said he would reject some of the stimulus money if he can't get flexibility⁸ in how to spend it. The South Carolina Legislature could vote to overrule Sanford's decision. Brian Naylor, NPR News, Washington.

US military is reporting today that an American jet shot down an unmanned Iranian surveillance aircraft last month over Iraqi territory. According to a statement released today, the incident took place last month some 60 miles northeast of Baghdad. US officials say they tracked the unmanned plane for more than an hour before it was shot down.

Defense¹⁰ Secretary Robert Gates will skip a NATO summit next month in order to stay in Washington and work on the defense budget. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly reports.

The NATO summit is planned for early April in Strasbourg, France and Kehl, Germany. It's time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the alliance. The gathering¹¹ is also expected to provide a forum¹² for President Obama to lay out his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan and try to win the backing of NATO allies for his plans there. Secretary Gates was expected to go, instead he'll stay put in Washington in order to focus on what Pentagon Spokesman Brian Whitman calls "one of the most challenging budget reviews in years." Whitman denied any other reason for the change of plans and noted¹³ the US will be well represented at the summit with both President Obama and National Security Advisor¹⁴ James Jones planning to attend. Mary Louise Kelly, NPR News, Washington.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 7 points to close at 7,216. The NASDAQ dropped 27 points. The S&P 500 closed down 2 points today.

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Mexico says it plans to boost tariffs¹⁵ on roughly 90 US-made products. That follows the announcement last week from the US it will cancel a pilot program that allows some Mexican trucks to transport goods within the US. The Mexican Economy Department in announcing the sanction cited the fact US decision violates a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement that was supposed to have opened the cross-border trucking years ago. Mexican government did not name the products that will be affected¹⁶ or specify¹⁷ how much such tariffs will go up.

The world's biggest oil exporting nation Saudi Arabia says crude oil prices are too low. A Saudi energy minister spoke⁵ at a conference in Switzerland. From Geneva, Alex Helmick reports.

Less than a year ago, crude oil prices soared to more than $140 a barrel. Now in the midst of an economic crisis the prices have plummeted¹⁸ to around $40 a barrel. And ministers from oil producing nations say the future of their economies and the global economy depends on higher prices. Ali al-Naimi is Saudi Arabia's Petroleum¹⁹ Minister. "You need between $60 and $70 or $60 and $75 to allow marginal producers to continue producing ethanols, tar⁹ sands, heavy oils what alike." Al-Naimi says his country will continue to keep oil production below the international quota²⁰ because, he says, there is not enough global demand. For NPR News, I'm Alex Helmick in Geneva.

Output from the nation's mines and factories tumbled for the forth²¹ straight month in February. The government says factories were running at just 67.4 percent of capacity. That's their lowest level on records going back to 1948.

1 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

7 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

8 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

9 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

11 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

12 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

13 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。

14 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

15 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

16 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。

17 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

18 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

20 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

21 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。