NPR 2011-06-09

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

For the first time this year, economic recovery has actually slowed across several US regions. A Federal Reserve survey points to a slowdown in four of its twelve bank regions in April and May compared with the start of 2011, part of the reason [that] consumers spending less and pricier gas.

A big win for storeowners today. The Senate voted 54 to 45 to allow the Fed to limit the fees merchants have to pay banks each time a customer swipes a debit¹ card. David French of the National Retail² Federation³ says debit and credit card fees benefit bankers at the expense of consumers.

"The average American family pays an extra 427 dollars a year because of swipe fees regardless of whether they shop with a debit card or with cash or with a check. It's embedded⁴ in the cost of everything they purchase."

The Fed wants to cap fees at 12 cents per transaction compared with the current average of 44 cents. It takes effect next month. Banks warn they will have to raise other fees.

Thousands of people in eastern Arizona are evacuating⁵, and residents in neighboring Luna, New Mexico are preparing to do the same, with the more than 600-square-mile wildfire raging on the border. It's still reported to be burning out of control. Fire information officer Jim Whittington says no one can say for sure if any part of that Wallow blaze is contained.

"We want to be really, really certain, very high confidence, that nothing is gonna challenge that line, and there aren't any places on this fire right now, given the weather we're having and given the fire we have ever seen, for we can say that we're really confident."

The fire has destroyed several structures, but no official word yet on serious injuries.

Prosecution⁶'s closing arguments are under way in Chicago in the federal corruption⁷ retrial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. NPR's David Schaper reports the prosecution was expected to start shortly.

The former Democratic governor's charged with 20 counts, including fraud, attempted extortion and conspiracy⁸ to commit bribery⁹. Prosecutors¹⁰ alleged¹¹ Blagojevich tried to shake down executives for huge campaign contributions, and that he tried to sell or trade the US Senate seat vacated by President Obama for a top job or campaign cash. Blagojevich's first trial last summer ended with him convicted of only lying to the FBI and a hung jury on the rest of the charges. So this time around, prosecutors simplified their case, and in their closing arguments, they're expected to go through each charge one by one and try to show the jury how the evidence they presented proves Blagojevich committed each of those crimes. Blagojevich's defense¹² team will argue the former governor's innocence¹³ once the prosecution finishes. David Schaper, NPR News, Chicago.

Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down more than 20 points at 12,048; NASDAQ had lost 26 points, or nearly 1%; it's at 2,675.

From Washington, this is NPR News.

NASA's inspector¹⁴ general is out with a report saying the space agency's upcoming Mars mission faces significant hurdles¹⁵ that jeopardize¹⁶ its launch planned for this November. NPR's Joe Palca reports the mission is already running two years behind schedule.

The mission is called Curiosity. It's a six-wheel rover, but bigger than the one currently on Mars. It was supposed to launch in 2009, but late delivery of some key pieces of hardware forced the postponement¹⁷. The delay was expensive, and the cost of the mission has grown from 1.6 to 2.5 billion dollars. The inspector general's report suggests that even that amount may not be adequate. In addition, the report warns that there are still numerous unresolved technical problems involving both rover hardware and software and time to resolve them before a launch is dwindling¹⁸. In a teleconference responding to the report, the mission manager said he was confident that there was time and money enough to launch the mission on time. Joe Palca, NPR News.

The National Weather Service says some satellites and power grids¹⁹ on Earth may be slightly affected²⁰ by a solar flare²¹ from the sun. NASA says its cameras have captured snapshots of a flare and large cloud that appear to span nearly half the surface of the sun. A news release states solar energy from the event is likely to deliver "a glancing blow" to this planet's magnetic field today or tomorrow, but no lasting²² damage expected.

The public's getting a first-time glimpse of the torch that will symbolize²³ the 2012 London Olympics. The golden aluminum²⁴ tube was unveiled today. It bears a mesh²⁵ containing 8,000 holes that represent the number of runners who will carry the torch over 70 days across Britain.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.

1 debit   

n.借方，借项，记人借方的款项

参考例句：

• To whom shall I debit this sum?此款应记入谁的账户的借方？
• We undercharge Mr.Smith and have to send him a debit note for the extra amount.我们少收了史密斯先生的钱，只得给他寄去一张借条所要欠款。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

4 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

5 evacuating   

撤离，疏散( evacuate的现在分词 )； 排空（胃肠），排泄（粪便）； （从危险的地方）撤出，搬出，撤空

参考例句：

• The solution is degassed by alternately freezing, evacuating and thawing. 通过交替的冻结、抽空和溶化来使溶液除气。
• Are we evacuating these potential targets? 能够在这些目标地域内进行疏散吗？

6 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。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

9 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

10 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

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 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

14 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

15 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

16 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

17 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

18 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

19 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

20 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。

21 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

22 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

23 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

24 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

25 mesh   

n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络

参考例句：

• Their characters just don't mesh.他们的性格就是合不来。
• This is the net having half inch mesh.这是有半英寸网眼的网。