NPR 2010-05-18

The Supreme¹ Court says young people under the age of 18 may not be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole unless they're guilty of homicide. Five of the nine justices agreed such sentences violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority says states must give juveniles² who receive long sentences, in his words, a realistic opportunity to obtain release before the end of that term.

BP executives say the mile-long tube down to a ruptured³ pipe could eventually capture about half of the oil gushing⁴ into the Gulf⁵ of Mexico. But right now, it's drawing off only about 1,000 barrels a day. BP's Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles says the company is preparing to try a new approach.

"Later this week, hopefully before the end of the week, we'll make our next attempt to actually stop the flow, and that's going to be this option we're referring to as top kill."

Suttles on NBC's "Today Show" referring to a method in which workers will try to pump thick drilling mud into the wellhead at higher pressure than the oil that's coming out. The plan is to inject as much as 40 barrels of the mud a minute into the well to try to plug it up.

An NPR News investigation⁶ is finding there were persistent⁷ problems with the airflow system at the coal mine in West Virginia before a deadly explosion there last month. NPR's Howard Berkes reports that system is designed to prevent explosions.

Ten miners and managers who had worked at Upper Big Branch spoke⁸ with NPR, and all but one said ventilation was a problem for months, and mine managers struggled to fix it. Improper⁹ airflow allows explosive methane¹⁰ gas and coal dust to accumulate, and they're believed to be factors in the blast that killed 29 mine workers. One mine foreman told NPR more senior managers wouldn't fix the ventilation problems and threatened him with dismissal as he demanded more air. One miner told NPR that managers didn't have a clue about ventilating the mine. An official at mine owner Massey Energy blames the airflow problems on changes mandated¹¹ by federal mine safety officials. The FBI is looking into ventilation and possible tampering¹² with methane monitors as part of its criminal investigation, according to miners questioned by federal agents. Howard Berkes, NPR News.

Iran says it has a deal to ship some of its nuclear fuel to Turkey. The agreement, brokered¹³ by Turkey and Brazil, is similar to one worked out with the West last fall but which fell apart when Iran backed out. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the administration is skeptical¹⁴.

"The words and the deeds of the leadership in Iran have rarely coincided. While shipping¹⁵ out the low-enriched uranium would represent some progress, we still have concerns about the overall thrust of the nuclear program."

Gibbs speaking to reporters at the White House this afternoon.

Stocks have moved into positive territory after being down most of the day. Analysts¹⁶ say a rebound¹⁷ in telecommunications and consumer stocks is leading the way. The Dow currently up 13 points.

This is NPR.

The State Department says one American was a passenger on a plane that has crashed in northern Afghanistan with 44 people aboard. There's been no word yet on casualties because poor weather is hampering¹⁸ efforts by rescuers to find the plane.

The largest manufacturer of defective¹⁹ Chinese drywall says it's reached a settlement with a major home builder. NPR's Greg Allen reports the deal may provide a road map for resolving a problem that affects thousands of homeowners in 37 states.

A half billion tons of drywall was imported from China between 2004 and 2007. Tests show much of it emits sulphides that corrode²⁰ wires, plumbing²¹ and air conditioning coils. Last month, a federal judge in New Orleans ordered Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin to pay a Louisiana couple 164,000 dollars to remove and replace the drywall in their home, setting the repair bill at $81 per square foot. Knauf said today it's reached an agreement with Atlanta-based Beazer over the costs of repairing Florida homes it built with the toxic²² drywall. Knauf also is in settlement talks with other builders. In court testimony²³, Beazer says the cost of removing and replacing drywall and damaged wiring totals around $100,000 per house. A consulting firm has estimated the total costs nationwide are between 15 and 25 billion dollars. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami.

A new report prepared for a Senate committee concludes that the huge shortfall in social security funding could be eliminated with modest changes to payroll²⁴ taxes and benefits. But the chairman of the panel acknowledges even those small tweaks, as he called them, could be politically risky²⁵ for lawmakers, changes such as small increases in social security payroll taxes. The report says the social security system faces a 5.3-trillion-dollar shortfall over the next 75 years

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 juveniles   

n.青少年( juvenile的名词复数 )；扮演少年角色的演员；未成年人

参考例句：

• Do you think that punishment for violent crimes should be the same for juveniles and adults? 你对暴力犯罪的惩罚对于青少年和成人应一样吗？ 来自生活英语口语25天快训
• Juveniles Should we not exactly in need of such strength and conviction? 少年的我们难道不正是需要这种力量和信念吗？ 来自互联网

3 ruptured   

v.（使）破裂( rupture的过去式和过去分词 )；（使体内组织等）断裂；使（友好关系）破裂；使绝交

参考例句：

• They reported that the pipeline had ruptured. 他们报告说管道已经破裂了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wall through Berlin was finally ruptured, prefiguring the reunification of Germany. 柏林墙终于倒塌了，预示着德国的重新统一。 来自辞典例句

4 gushing   

adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
• The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 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。

7 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

8 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。

9 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

10 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

11 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

12 tampering   

v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• Two policemen were accused of tampering with the evidence. 有两名警察被控篡改证据。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As Harry London had forecast, Brookside's D-day caught many meter-tampering offenders. 正如哈里·伦敦预见到的那样，布鲁克赛德的D日行动抓住了不少非法改装仪表的人。 来自辞典例句

13 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

14 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

15 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

16 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

17 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

18 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

19 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

20 corrode   

v.使腐蚀，侵蚀，破害；v.腐蚀，被侵蚀

参考例句：

• The tools will corrode with rust if never used.这些工具如长期不用会长铁锈而损坏。
• It will pollute people's aesthetic taste and corrode social spirit.它污染人们的审美趣味，腐蚀社会精神。

21 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

23 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

24 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

25 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。