NPR 2009-4-26

The World Health Organization is closely monitoring the swine flu outbreaks in Mexico and the US, saying they have pandemic potential. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are now 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in the US: seven in California, two in Texas and two / reported today in Kansas. In addition, New York City's health commissioner¹ Doctor Thomas Frieden says eight students at a high school in Queens probably have swine flu. 

Last evening before kids went home, and in one local doctor's office we were able to obtain specimens² from nine students at the school. We sent those to our public health laboratory. Today, we are confirming that that laboratory has identified those specimens, eight of those nine specimens, has probable human swine influenza³.

Frieden says further tests are being done to see if the students definitely have the new type of swine flu that's being blamed for at least 20 deaths and hundreds of illnesses in Mexico. Authorities there have stepped up efforts to halt the spread of the disease. Jennifer Schmidt reports from Mexico City.

Mexico City has been virtually shut down the public events this weekend. The government has canceled more than 550 cultural and sporting events including a rock concert at the national auditorium⁴. Museum has been shuttered and residents are being warned to stay away from restaurants, bars and movie theaters. The government says people who do venture out onto the streets should wear surgical⁵ masks, which are being handed out for free in the city's subways.  Meanwhile, parents are awaiting word on when schools may reopen. On Friday, all of the city's 30, 000 public and private schools were shut indefinitely. In one bright note, two major soccer matches scheduled for Sunday are still on. But the matches will be played in empty stadiums. Fans will not be allowed to watch except on TV. For NPR News, I am Jennifer Schmidt in Mexico City.

Member nations of the International Monetary⁶ Fund are pledging to bolster⁷ banks and to take steps to restore economic growth and the World Bank says it will provide poor countries with more than 55 billion dollars for public works projects. The announcements came as the bank and the IMF held the spring meeting in Washington. On the streets near the meeting site, protestors clashed with police. As NPR's Allison Keyes reports.

"Go down the World Bank! Go down the IMF!"

Windows were smashed at two banks and some cars parked nearby were spray-painted before a rally this morning. Marching demonstrators tried to block two intersections⁸ including one near the hotels where delegates are thought to be staying. Some carried signs reading "capitalism⁹ do not resuscitate¹⁰". Others tried to surge through the police line surrounding them. Police push the demonstrators back onto the sidewalk and some ended up on the ground after trying to march onto a street police were blocking. Protestors accused the IMF of contributing to the worldwide economic downturn and of creating policies that hurt people in impoverished¹¹ countries.

This is NPR News from Washington.

In Pakistan top civilian¹² and military leaders are uniting against charges that the government has not done enough to halt the resurgent Taliban, which in recent weeks has pressed closer to the capital. From Islamabad NPR's Julie McCarthy reports.

In the most direct declaration yet on the Taliban's spread, army chief General Ashfaq Kayani issued a strongly-worded statement, dispelling¹³ doubts about military's capacity and willingness to combat the Taliban. US officials have pressed Pakistan for more forceful action against the Islamic extremists who pose a growing threat to the stability of this nuclear armed state. But Kayani said victory against the militants¹⁴ "will be achieved at all costs". Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani meanwhile, said that the government will not compromise its authority or allow militants to establish a parallel authority through force. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari will have the chance to explain to an anxious Obama administration how his government plans to do that when he sits down for talks at the White House in two weeks. Julie McCarthy, NPR News, Islamabad.

The National Football League Draft is under way in New York City. The Detroit Lions used the top pick to take Georgia quarterback Mat Stafford. The New York Jets got the other top-ranked quarterback, Mark Sanchez of Southern Cal by trading with Cleveland to get the fifth overall pick. The second pick was Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith who went to the St Louis Rams¹⁵. Kansas City Chiefs chose LSU defensive¹⁶ end Tyson Jackson and Seattle with the No.4 pick took Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry¹⁷.

Tony Award winning actress Bea Arthur has died at her home in Los Angeles. She was 86. Arthur starred in the hit TV shows “Maude” and “The Golden Girls”.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

5 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

6 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

7 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句

9 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。

10 resuscitate   

v.使复活，使苏醒

参考例句：

• A policeman and then a paramedic tried to resuscitate her.一名警察和一位护理人员先后试图救活她。
• As instructed by Rinpoche,we got the doctors to resuscitate him.遵照仁波切的指示，我们找来医生帮他进行急救。

11 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 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。

13 dispelling   

v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He succeeded in dispelling our suspicious and won our confidence. 他终于消除了我们的怀疑，得到了我们的信任。 来自辞典例句
• Truth is a torch, which can pierce the mist without dispelling it. 真理是一个火炬，不用驱散大雾，其火炬即能透过。 来自互联网

14 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。

15 rams   

n.公羊( ram的名词复数 )；(R-)白羊（星）座；夯；攻城槌v.夯实（土等）( ram的第三人称单数 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• A couple of rams are butting at each other. 两只羊正在用角互相抵触。 来自辞典例句
• More than anything the rams helped to break what should have been on interminable marriage. 那些牡羊比任何东西都更严重地加速了他们那本该天长地久的婚姻的破裂。 来自辞典例句

16 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

17 curry   

n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革

参考例句：

• Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
• Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。