NPR 2011-09-24

 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has applied¹ for full membership of the United Nations, winning broad applause in the halls of the General Assembly today. Israel's prime minister, though, says that's not the way to peace, as NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

 

Abbas proudly held up his letter asking for UN membership, even though the US has threatened to veto and Israel says it's just an attempt to avoid peace negotiations². Speaking through an interpreter, Abbas told the world body years of peace talks have failed to bring Palestinians closer to anti-Israel's occupation.

 

"This is a moment of truth. Our people are waiting to hear the answer of the world. Will it allow Israel to continue the last occupation in the world?"

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back, pointing out that Israel did pull out of Gaza and now faces missile attacks from the militant³ group Hamas. He called on Palestinians to negotiate for their state and recognize Israel’s security needs. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the United Nations.

 

Top executives from a California company at the center of the debate over the Obama administration's push to create green jobs have declined to testify before Congress. Lawmakers are investigating the more than a half-million-dollar loan the now-bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra received. NPR's Giles Snyder reports the two Solyndra executives invoked⁴ their Fifth Amendment⁵ rights.

 

Lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee didn’t give much information out of Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison.

 

"I have been advised by my council that it's the better course for me to assert my constitutional right to decline to answer questions under the Fifth Amendment."

 

The company's Chief Financial Officer Bill Stover also declined to testify much to the frustration⁶ of lawmakers from both parties. Lawmakers are looking into whether the Obama administration may have violated the law when Solyndra's loan was restructured back in February. Giles Snyder, NPR News, Washington.

 

President Obama’s working to undo⁷ parts of No Child Left Behind, the law considered a signature legacy⁸ of President George W. Bush's administration. Mr. Obama has announced a plan that would allow states to do away with the approaching 2014 deadline for states to show all children are proficient⁹ in reading and math provided the states meet certain conditions also aimed at better preparing students for the world post-graduation.

 

"We can't let another generation of young people fall behind because we didn't have the courage to recognize what doesn't work, admit it and replace it with something that does."

 

The president took aim at Congress, saying he’s stepping in only because lawmakers have not worked hard enough to improve the law which had passed with strong bipartisan backing. Today criticism of President Obama's plan was coming from both Republicans and Democrats¹⁰.

 

Before the close on Wall Street, Dow was up 37 points at 10,771. 

 

This is NPR News.

 

Actress, singer, songwriter Vesta Williams has been found dead of unknown causes. NPR's Allison Keyes tells us she was best-known for her powerful vocals¹¹ and a string of R&B hits in the 1980s.

 

The singer known simply as Vesta had one warper¹² of a voice. (Imagination. I thought it would have been real…) She had her biggest hit with 1989's "Congratulations." The Ohio-born entertainer was found dead Thursday night at an El Segundo, California hotel room. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office says prescription¹³ drug bottles were found in the room. But there were no signs of foul¹⁴ play. Vesta worked with musicians ranging from Sting to Chaka Khan, appeared in the 1993 film "Posse" and played Jackée Harry's best friend in the sitcom¹⁵ "Sister Sister." Vesta Williams was 53 years old. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

 

Italy's appeals trial of American Amanda Knox is in closing arguments, with the former student hoping overview¹⁶ of DNA¹⁷ evidence will help overturn her murder conviction. Knox and her former boyfriend were serving 26 years and 25 years in jail respectively for the 2007 death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. The prosecution¹⁸ is expected to wrap up its arguments tomorrow.

 

The Vatican says Pope Benedict’s been deeply shaken by the suffering of clerical sexual abuse survivors¹⁹ with whom he met today in Germany. His meeting was part of a four-day tour that the Vatican hopes will help restore people's faith in the Catholic Church in Germany.

 

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.

1 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 invoked   

v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• It is unlikely that libel laws will be invoked. 不大可能诉诸诽谤法。
• She had invoked the law in her own defence. 她援引法律为自己辩护。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

6 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

7 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

8 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

9 proficient   

adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家

参考例句：

• She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。
• I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。

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 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

12 warper   

n.整经机，整经工

参考例句：

• This paper emphatically introduced the reformation scheme of cone angle setting mechanism on warper. 重点介绍了整经机上圆锥角调节机构的改进方案。 来自互联网
• The section warper and batch warper have 15 poctent technical and core technical. 公司具有40多年的机械制造经验，属省高新技术企业，产品通过国家级鉴定验收。 来自互联网

13 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

14 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

15 sitcom   

n.情景喜剧，（广播、电视的）系列幽默剧

参考例句：

• This sitcom is produced in cooperation with Hong Kong TV.这部连续剧是同香港电视台联合制作的。
• I heard that a new sitcom is coming out next season.我听说下一季会推出一个新的情境喜剧。

16 overview   

n.概观，概述

参考例句：

• The opening chapter gives a brief historical overview of transport.第一章是运输史的简要回顾。
• The seminar aims to provide an overview on new media publishing.研讨会旨在综览新兴的媒体出版。

17 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

18 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。

19 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者