CNN 2009-07-26

Afghan troops facing off with Taliban fighters in the city of Khost, this is south of Kabul, a US military base is in that area as well.
Suicide bombers² attacked government buildings including an Afghan military hospital.

"At least one confirmed suicide bomber¹ attacking near an Afghan military hospital in that eastern town of Khost, and there are fears that there are other suicide bombers out on the loose right now, and we are getting reports from the sources that Afghan troops are out in force in the street trying to crack down, trying to maintain security in those streets. Those accounts don t quite match with the what the Associated Press has been reporting, T. J. , quoting the defense³ ministry⁴ spokesman, General Azamin who has described up to three suicide bombers launching a series of attacks on government buildings in that town backed up by , uh, other fighters still using rocket-propelled grenades and , uh, assault rifles as well in that attack. And that fits a pattern we've seen in the past evolving in Afghanistan, increasingly sophisticated attacks where there are waves of fighters, initially⁵ with suicide bombers, who break open the defenses, and they are followed soon after by fighters on the ground with small arms, showing that this insurgency⁶ has definitely involved, evolved from its early days when it was much less competent at trying to mount attacks on some of these pretty well fortified⁷ government buildings. "

We re also talking this morning about the battle for health care reform. President Obama s calls for overhaul⁸ have drawn⁹ really kind of a mixed reaction from the business world. But this morning, the President says small businesses have a lot to gain.
Yeah, we heard from him of his weekly video and web address as always. The President says a White House study shows insurance costs are disproportionally high for small businesses.

"Because they lack the bargaining power that large businesses have and face higher administrative¹⁰ costs per person, small businesses pay up to 18% more for the very same health insurance plans. Costs that eat into their profits and get passed on to their employees.

As a result, small businesses are much less likely to offer health insurance. Those they do tend to have less generous plans. In a recent survey, 1/3 of small businesses reported cutting benefits. Many have dropped coverage¹¹ altogether. And many have shed jobs, or shut their doors entirely¹².

This is unsustainable, it s unacceptable, and it s going to change when I sign health insurance reform into law.

 

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

6 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

7 fortified   

adj. 加强的

参考例句：

• He fortified himself against the cold with a hot drink. 他喝了一杯热饮御寒。
• The enemy drew back into a few fortified points. 敌人收缩到几个据点里。

8 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。

9 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

10 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

11 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。