NPR 2010-08-25

Sales of previously¹ occupied homes are down sharply by 27 percent in July to the lowest level since 1995. Those figures come from the National Association of Realtors. NPR's Paul Brown reports some analysts² think sales and prices could go still lower.

Home sales are down; prices are down; and there are still plenty of problem mortgages. Economist³ William Wheaton of MIT points out that inventories⁴ of unsold homes are higher than during the housing bubble. He doesn't expect a big improvement until the mortgage situation reaches better balance.

"I think what we have to do is figure out a way of getting all these mortgages that in some sense were ridiculous when they were originated in the last five years back down to some reasonable amount."

Wheaton says one idea is for lenders to rewrite mortgages at more realistic amounts in exchange for a share in gains if home prices improve. The lead economist with the National Association of Realtors says the market needs a dose of confidence but predicts it won't get that if unemployment remains⁵ high. Paul Brown, NPR News.

And we're seeing an effect on US stocks. Dow’s down 138 points at 10,036. NASDAQ down 36 at 2,124.

The Obama administration says it is exploring all options to restore federal funding for embryonic⁶ stem cell research. As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, the administration's effort(s) to boost research funding have been blocked by a federal judge.

The judge ruled the government cannot legally bankroll embryonic stem cell research because that research necessarily involve the destruction of human embryoes. White House spokesman Bill Burton says the administration is still reviewing the judge's order. But he says President Obama has not given up on the promise of embryonic stem cells to treat diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes⁷.

"This is important lifesaving—potentially lifesaving research that can have an impact on millions of Americans and people all around the world."

Burton suggests the judge's strict interpretation⁸ of the law would have prohibited even though more limited research funding that was allowed during the Bush administration. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Recovery from floods in Pakistan could take years. That grim assessment⁹ today from President Asif Ali Zardari, who's faced with rebuilding a country while also trying to stave off rising Taliban threats. Nearly a month after the floods struck, hundreds of thousands of people in southern Sindh province are still in danger. NPR's Julie McCarthy has more.

The Sindh province, the southernmost to be hit in this flood, is now one devastating¹⁰ scene after the next. Nearly four million affected¹¹ and two million have been displaced. Camps have been set up. Some are orderly; many are not. There are many complaints about the lack of clean water, the lack of food and the lack of proper shelter. NPR's Julie McCarthy reporting.

This is NPR News.

In Chile, cheers from family members as they heard the voice of miners who've been trapped underground for 19 days. Rescuers are trying to dig an escape tunnel, meanwhile, to get the 33 miners out, but they warn it could take months.

Former President Jimmy Carter's traveling to North Korea to negotiate the release of an American in prison there. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao has more on the 31-year-old prisoner.

Aijalon Gomes knew little about the Korean Peninsula two years ago when he arrived in the South Korean capital. During his time teaching English, he started to understand more about the two Koreas and about the stark¹² differences between them. Ji Chul-ho, a North Korean refugee, says he talked a lot about religion with Gomes. Ji says he told Gomes about how ignorant he was of Christianity because in North Korea, he points out, people know the word but cannot talk about it for feared individuals could be put in a prison camp. Friends and former students speculate that Gomes went to North Korea to try and improve the lives of North Koreans. Gomes is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence for trespassing¹³ into the North. For NPR News, I'm Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.

Chinese authorities are reporting at least 42 death(s) from today's plane crash in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. Local media say dozens of people were injured.        

There are now fewer than 50,000 American troops in Iraq in line with President Obama's desire for the end of this month. The US mission will shift September 1st from a combat role to one of advising and assisting Iraqi security forces.

 

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 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。

3 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

4 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

7 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

8 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

9 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

10 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

12 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

13 trespassing   

[法]非法入侵

参考例句：

• He told me I was trespassing on private land. 他说我在擅闯私人土地。
• Don't come trespassing on my land again. 别再闯入我的地界了。