NPR 2011-04-01

A barrage¹ of questions today for Defense² Secretary Robert Gates and Joint³ Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen. They were grilled⁴ extensively on Libya by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. As NPR's David Welna reports, both Pentagon officials sought to betray the US intervention⁵ in Libya as necessary but limited.

Defense Secretary Gates faced questions about news reports that President Obama has authorized⁶ CIA operatives to gather intelligence in Libya, but Gates steered⁷ clear of confirming those reports.

"I can't speak to any CIA activities, but I will tell you that the president has been quite clear that in terms of the United States military, there will be no boots on the ground."

And Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen said only about a quarter of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's military capacity has been destroyed.

"Nobody is underestimating the scope of the challenge before us. Gaddafi still possesses superior military capability⁸ to those of the forces arrayed against him."

Both officials said any arms sent to those rebel forces should come from other nations. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

Outside the Capitol today, Tea Party protesters are unhappy that four months after the November election, they feel their calls for widespread budget cutting are being ignored. The protest by Tea Party activists⁹ comes as Democrats¹⁰ and Republicans remain unable to agree on a GOP promise to put in place significant spending cuts. The back-and-forth between lawmakers comes as the government faces another possible shutdown deadline a week from today. Indiana Republican Mike Pence is in the camp and says, "Let it happen."

"If liberals in the Senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal¹¹ discipline and reform, I say, 'Shut it down.'"

The dissatisfaction on the part of the Tea Party representatives comes as House Speaker John Boehner or leader John Boehner continues to negotiate with Democrats, acknowledging that, like it or not, a budget compromise is on the horizon.

Justice Department has launched an investigation¹² into Seattle's Police Department. Federal civil rights lawyers say they'll look for evidence of excessive force and discrimination. NPR's Carrie Johnson has that story.

Tom Perez, who leads the Civil Rights Division at Justice, announced a comprehensive investigation. He says lawyers will study whether the Seattle police engaged in a "pattern or practice" of discrimination against minorities. They'll also ask whether police officers used too much force in their encounters with people on the streets. The US Attorney in Seattle Jenny Durkan says it's not a "gotcha" investigation. The probe in Seattle is one of many the Justice Department has launched over the past two years into metropolitan¹³ police departments. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

General Motors' former financial arm Ally Financial is preparing to launch an Initial Public Offering. The company says it could raise up to $100 million.

On the final trading day of the month, stocks moved around without a whole lot of direction. The Dow was down 30 points; the NASDAQ gained four points today.

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A Food and Drug Administration advisory¹⁴ panel said today the current scientific data does not show that artificial food dyes cause hyperactivity in children. As NPR's April Fulton reports, the committee rejected arguments by consumer health groups, who say there is a link.

An FDA analysis released last week said that studies conducted over the last 35 years failed to show a link between artificial food coloring and hyperactivity in most kids. And after two days of reviewing those studies, its advisory committee largely agreed. Michael Jacobson from the Center for Science in the Public Interest said he wasn't giving up.

"We'll certainly continue to urge food manufacturers and restaurants to stop using dyes."

Jacobson's group has sought a ban on artificial food dyes or at least a warning label. The committee voted against, including a warning label, 8-6. The committee did call for more research on food dyes. The FDA usually follows the advice of its advisory committees. April Fulton, NPR News, Silver Spring, Maryland.

Contrary to all the late-night talk show jokes about a snake taking a bicycle taxi to Times Square or otherwise moving around the Big Apple, a highly venomous Egyptian cobra who escaped from her enclosure at the Bronx Zoo is now back in custody¹⁵. The 24-inch-long snake found coiled up in a dark corner of the zoo's Reptile¹⁶ House, just 200 feet from where it had gone missing. Jim Breheny is the zoo's director.

"So she was found in a non-public off exhibit area, which is what we expected, and right now she's resting comfortably and secure in the Reptile House."

Zoo officials quickly closed the Reptile House last Friday after the snake was found to be missing. Some New Yorkers even sent fake Twitter updates, pretending to be from the snake.

1 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

2 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。

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 grilled   

adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。
• He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

7 steered   

v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
• The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

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 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

14 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

15 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

16 reptile   

n.爬行动物；两栖动物

参考例句：

• The frog is not a true reptile.青蛙并非真正的爬行动物。
• So you should not be surprised to see someone keep a reptile as a pet.所以，你不必惊奇有人养了一只爬行动物作为宠物。