NPR 2010-05-30

Many questions remain about the cause of a huge oil spill in the Gulf¹ of Mexico as federal investigators² completed day six of hearings today outside of New Orleans. NPR's Pam Fessler reports the joint³ inquiry⁴ by the Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service is scheduled to resume in July.

Men, who worked on the doomed⁶ rig, the Deepwater Horizon, told investigators this week about the chaos⁷ that followed the explosion and fire which led to the largest oil spill in US history. They also gave conflicting testimony⁸ about whether there were tensions between managers working for oil giant BP and Transocean, a company that leased the rig to BP. The oil company was planning to shut down the well, and some witnesses indicated there was pressure to complete the job, but others denied safety was ever at risk. Investigators are exploring whether drilling problems prior to the explosion caused the accident and whether confusion over who was in charge hampered⁹ the response. A final report is due in January. Pam Fessler, NPR News, New Orleans.

A BP executive says today the company's latest effort to stop the leaking oil called a "top kill" isn't yet working.

It's Memorial Day weekend, and AAA says 32 million people are folding down tray tables on planes, hopping¹⁰ trains or piling into the car for the holiday. NPR's Allison Keyes tells us most travelers are driving.

AAA says about 28 million people are on the nation's roads this weekend, up 1.6 million from last year, but AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair Jr. says consumers are trying to keep spending down.

"When people travel over the Memorial Day weekend, they go to see friends and family. Probably 80-85% of those who travel do that sort of thing."

Even though there're about 5.4% more people traveling this holiday weekend, they're spending nearly $250 less than last year. Analysts¹¹ blame high unemployment and the shaky economy for consumers' caution, noting that the Commerce Department yesterday reported the lowest consumer spending in seven months. At least drivers are getting a break at the gas pump where the nationwide average is 2.75 a gallon. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

President Obama is reminding Americans Memorial Day is more than family get-togethers and barbecues. The president's using his weekly address to reflect on members of the military who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

"On this day, we honor not just those who've worn this country's uniform, but the men and women who've died in its service, who've laid down their lives in defense¹² of their fellow citizens, who've given their last full measure of devotion to protect the United States of America."

Mr. Obama, who sent thousands of troops into war in Afghanistan, says troops should be honored with words and deeds. Some veteran groups are criticizing the president for planning to go to a holiday service Monday at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery¹³ near Chicago instead of laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. Vice⁵ President Joe Biden will be there instead.

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Protesters angry about Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigrants are calling on Washington to block the legislation. Thousands of demonstrators are marching through Phoenix¹⁴ right now. They plan on ending with the rally outside the State Capitol. Advocates of the law, which is set to take effect July 29th, are also planning a protest for this afternoon.

A new report shows many people with HIV in the US and Canada are still starting treatment too late after the immune system has already been damaged. NPR's Brenda Wilson reports.

Between 1997 and 2007, there was an overall increase in people getting tested for HIV early in the infection, but most HIV patients did not begin treatment before the immune system had been seriously weakened. The CD4 cell count had dropped to 350. That's below the level that scientific guidelines recommend to begin treatment. There were more than 44,000 patients in the study, reported in this month's journal of Clinical Infectious Disease. Survival improves the earlier a person begins HIV treatment, and early treatment also prevents the risk that people will spread HIV. Researchers say the study shows that new strategies to get people tested for HIV earlier are urgently needed. Brenda Wilson, NPR News.

The director and star of the 1969 cult¹⁵ classic Easy Rider has died. Dennis Hopper was 74. A friend of the actor says Hopper died in his Venice, California home from complications of prostate cancer. His career spanned more than 50 years and included Rebel Without a Cause and Apocalypse Now.
 

1 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。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

7 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

8 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。

9 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

10 hopping   

n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The clubs in town are really hopping. 城里的俱乐部真够热闹的。
• I'm hopping over to Paris for the weekend. 我要去巴黎度周末。

11 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。

12 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。

13 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

14 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

15 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。