NPR 2011-04-24

Rebels in Libya are claiming a victory today after government troops were forced from the port city of Misrata. The last large city held by rebels in western Libya had been under government siege for nearly two months. Hundreds of civilians¹ have died. The US launched its first Predator² drone strike in Libya today. The Pentagon disclosed the attack occurred but did not provide details.

Syrian forces fired on funeral processions today being held for pro-democracy activists³ killed during a bloody⁴ crackdown yesterday. Human rights groups estimate more than 100 Syrians have been killed in two days of violence. NPR's Deborah Amos reports from Beirut.

President Barack Obama said the use of force against peaceful protests was outrageous⁵. It's the strongest language yet. Condemnations also came from France, Britain and the United Nations. The death toll⁶ is the highest since the protests began, according to anti-government activists, but Syrian state television challenged the numbers and charged that reports on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are lies. The state news agency claims armed groups are to blame and showed photographs of the weapons, cameras and bottles of blood used to fake deaths. It's a battle between the state-controlled media and hundreds of protesters who record the attacks. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

There are reports the president of Yemen has agreed to resign after two months of protests against his 32-year rule. Under a plan proposed by Gulf⁷ Arab mediators, Ali Abdullah Saleh would step down within 30 days and hand power to his vice⁸ president, would call for new elections in exchange of being given immunity⁹ from prosecution¹⁰.

The main airport in St. Louis is closed today after an apparent tornado¹¹ hit last night. Officials hope to reopen it tomorrow. Several people were injured by flying glass. Curran Hennessey was on a plane ready to take off when the tornado struck. He described the damage on NBC's Today Show.

"You can see debris¹² everywhere. I mean the vehicles that they used to move luggage throughout the airport from an airplane to different airplanes were completely overturned and thrown around like toy cars."

The same storm also destroyed dozens of homes and knocked out electricity to thousands of customers.

President Obama is urging the country invest more in renewable energy sources as a way to combat higher gasoline prices. In his weekly address, the president also said cars in the US are becoming more fuel-efficient.

"Thanks to an historic agreement we secured with all the major auto¹³ companies, we're raising the fuel economy of cars and trucks in America, using hybrid¹⁴ technology and other advances. As a result, if you buy a new car in the next few years, the better gas mileage¹⁵ is going to save you about $3,000 at the pump."

In the weekly Republican address, Senator Mike Johanns focused on job creation. He urged the government cut regulations that he says discourage small businesses from hiring more workers.

This is NPR News.

US military officials said today two American soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday. The statement said the soldiers died during an operation in the southern part of the country but did not provide details. The Associated Press says at least 4,450 US military personnel have died in Iraq since the war began eight years ago.

A judge in Dearborn, Michigan sent Pastor¹⁶ Terry Jones to jail briefly¹⁷ last night amid concerns that a protest planned by the church leader could turn violent. WDET's Quinn Klinefelter reports Jones had scheduled a rally in front of a mosque¹⁸ to criticize what he calls "radical¹⁹ elements of Islam."

Jones planned a rally in front of the largest Islamic Center of America mosque, but officials in Dearborn said the rally could trigger the kind of violent backlashes seen when Jones burned a copy of the Koran. Jones argued his group had threatened no one and forbidding his rally violated his right to free speech, a position backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and a friend-of-the-court brief. After a short jury trial, the court determined²⁰ Jones' rally could cause a breach²¹ of peace. He was ordered not to protest in the vicinity of the mosque for three years and pay a one dollar so-called "peace" bond. Jones refused to pay and was jailed briefly before the bond was posted on his behalf. For NPR News, I'm Quinn Klinefelter in Detroit.

Police in Mount Pleasant, Michigan are looking for thieves who specialize in the houses of worship. The local newspaper, The Morning Sun, reports at least seven churches have been hit by thieves this month, losing computers and other office equipment and even cash from Sunday collection plates.

1 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

2 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

3 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》

4 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

5 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

6 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

7 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。

8 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。

9 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

10 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

11 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

12 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

13 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

14 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

15 mileage   

n.里程，英里数；好处，利润

参考例句：

• He doesn't think there's any mileage in that type of advertising.他认为做那种广告毫无效益。
• What mileage has your car done?你的汽车跑了多少英里？

16 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

17 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

18 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

19 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

20 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

21 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。