NPR 2010-01-27

From NPR News in Washington, I’m Giles Snyder.

The uncertainty¹ surrounding the fate of General Motor's Saab brand is over. GM says the Dutch carmaker Spyker is buying Saab. Details of the deal are unclear, but the purchase price is reported to be $400 million, 74 million of which is in cash with the rest in deferred² shares. The deal was a lifeline for Saab which has lost money for years under GM ownership and was slated³ to be liquidated⁴.

Ford⁵ Motor Company says it’s investing nearly $400 million on its assembly plant in Chicago to produce the next generation of its Explorer SUV. NPR’s Cheryl Corley reports.

Ford plans to have its latest version of its Explorer SUV on the assembly line by the end of the year. It’s shifting production to Chicago from a plant in Louisville, Kentucky, in which Ford is retooling⁶ to build small cars. Chicago workers already built the Ford Taurus and Lincoln Sedans. Company President Mark Fields told excited workers who had gathered for the announcement that adding the Ford Explorer would create another 1, 200 jobs.

"So 1, 200 new jobs, nearly doubling our workforce⁷, more production over the standing⁸ facility, you think it’s a good day for you? Yeah!"

Ford says Illinois tax incentives⁹ helped make the case to build the new Explorer in Chicago. Ford says the new SUV will be 25% more fuel-efficient and will have inflatable seat belts designed to provide additional protection for rear-seat passengers. Cheryl Corley, NPR News, Chicago.

The Senate has rejected a plan aimed at tackling the federal deficit¹⁰. A proposal, to set up a bipartisan task force, did not get the needed 60 votes. Earlier today, Congressional economists¹¹ predicated a more than 1. 3-trillion-dollar deficit this year as the economy recovered slowly. During a State of the Union Address tomorrow, President Obama is expected to propose a three-year freeze on some domestic spending programs in an effort to tame the deficit.

More details are emerging following the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines flight yesterday morning. Today, Lebanese officials said the crash could be due to the pilots' failure to follow orders from the control tower. Dan Duncan has more from Beirut.

The control tower of Beirut International Airport lost contact with the ill-fated Flight 409 just four minutes after takeoff. Now, a Lebanese investigation¹² is revealing that in that short time, the tower instructed the plane to change its course so as to avoid a bad patch of the storm. Today, Lebanon's transport minister said that warning was not heeded¹³ by the plane’s pilots, adding professional negligence¹⁴ to the numerous possible causes of the tragedy. The chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines says these comments were premature¹⁵ and that the black box, once found, would provide more definitive¹⁶ answers. No survivors¹⁷ have been recovered from the crash and bodies are still being pulled from the rift¹⁸ waters, some three kilometers off the Lebanese coast. For NPR News, I’m Dan Duncan in Beirut.

Stocks are in positive territory this afternoon. On Wall Street, the Dow is up 59 points at 2, 256.

You’re listening to NPR News.

After several days of winter storms, the Upper Midwest is slowly returning to normal today. Crews from several states are coming to the Dakotas to help restore power. South Dakota Public Broadcasting's Gary Ellenbolt reports.

At the storm's peak, more than 7, 000 rural electric customers in the Dakotas were without power. Strong winds and ice brought down more than 6, 000 poles. Crews from as far away as Kansas and Colorado are being brought in to restore power. South Dakota Emergency Management Director Kristi Turman says there should be a lot of progress made today.

"Because of the visibility issues for the last two days, we have not been able to move a lot of asset into the impacted area. We are continuing to provide support to power restoration effort and also sheltering effort."

Three counties in the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota are without water after a rural system failed / Monday. State officials and the South Dakota National Guard are helping¹⁹ with relief efforts. For NPR News, I’m Gary Ellenbolt in Vermillion, South Dakota.

The Los Angeles City Council has given final approval to an ordinance²⁰ to rein²¹ in medical marijuana dispensaries. The ordinance passed today puts a cap on the number of dispensaries at 70, effectively forcing hundreds to shut down. But more than 100 could be grandfathered in. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will have to approve the measure. It will probably be at least 45 days before it takes effect.

The Transportation Department is announcing an immediate²² ban on text messaging by truck and bus drivers while they are driving. The ban applies to drivers of interstate buses and trucks over 10, 000 pounds. It’s part of a Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s campaign against texting and cellphone use while driving.

I’m Giles Snyder, NPR News.
 

 

 

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

3 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。

4 liquidated   

v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 )；清除（某人）；清偿；变卖

参考例句：

• All his supporters were expelled, exiled, or liquidated. 他的支持者全都被驱逐、流放或消灭了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That can be liquidated at market value any time. 那可按市价随时得到偿付。 来自辞典例句

5 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

6 retooling   

v.（给…）更换工具， （给…）更换机械设备( retool的现在分词 )；改组，革新

参考例句：

• The factory is retooling to start making the new line of cars. 工厂正在重新装备以便开始制造新系列车型。 来自辞典例句
• Among her suggestions: retooling factories to focus on rebuilding America's transportation system. 她的建议包括围绕重新建设美国交通系统这个重心来重组汽车工业。 来自互联网

7 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

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 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

11 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

15 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

16 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

17 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

18 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

19 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。

20 ordinance   

n.法令；条令；条例

参考例句：

• The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
• The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。

21 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

22 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。