NPR 2012-02-02

 Indiana is just one signature away from becoming the country's 23rd right-to-work state. Governor Mitch Daniels is expected to sign off on the legislation today after the state Senate approved it. Indiana Public Broadcasting's Brandon Smith reports from Indianapolis the measure's moving forward despite a big fight from the unions.

 

More than 100 union protesters are still gathered out on the sidewalks, holding up their signs, opposing the right-to-work legislation that passed through the state Senate here a little more than an hour ago. It will be signed by the governor a little later today, and it will immediately become effective once he does that. For contracts, union contracts between employers and employees, unions will no longer be able to charge non-union members fees for representation. So the services that non-union members receive like labor¹ grievance², variable representation, collective bargaining, that sort of thing, they will no longer be required to pay anything to the union.

 

Brandon Smith reporting on a dispute that had raised fears of disruptions to festivities ahead of this Sunday's Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

 

With apparently³ little progress in stabilizing⁴ the housing sector⁵, President Obama says he's trying something new. Today in Northern Virginia, the president announced a plan to give homeowners with privately⁶ held mortgages a chance to save an average of 3,000 dollars a year by taking advantage of record-low interest rates with government help.

 

"What this plan will do is help millions of responsible homeowners who make their payments on time, but find themselves trapped under falling home values or wrapped up in red tape."

 

But Republican critics may chuck it all up to "been there, done that." House Speaker John Boehner.

 

"We've done this at least four times, where there's some new government program to help homeowners who have trouble with their mortgages. None of these programs have worked, and I don't know why anyone would think that this next idea is going to work."

 

The White House is putting the spotlight⁷ on housing as the Republican presidential candidates campaign in Nevada, the next state up on the election's calendar. Nevada and Florida, which held its primary yesterday, have both faced record foreclosures.

 

The Commerce Department finds construction spending rose 1.5% in December, maintaining a five-month-long trend of gains. A key manufacturing index shows US factories raised output in January by the most in seven months. 

 

And new signs today that Greece is closer to securing a deal to tackle its debt. Greece and the IMF said today negotiations⁸ are likely to conclude within days.

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 125 points, nearly 1%, at 12,758;NASDAQ up more than 1% at 2,851; S&P 500 up 1%.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Chrysler is celebrating its first annual net income in 15 years, thanks to higher sales of new vehicles including jeeps. The US automaker says that it earned 183 million dollars last year and about-faced really from the more than 600-million-dollar loss suffered the year before, and Chrysler says it expects a more lucrative⁹ 2012. Italy's Fiat¹⁰ is a majority owner in Chrysler. Ford¹¹, meanwhile, reports a January boost from small cars and SUVs. However, General Motors’ sales fell.

 

Russia says it's ready to block a proposed United Nations resolution on Syria. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports top Russian diplomats¹² say they will veto any resolution that does not rule out foreign military intervention¹³ in the crisis-torn nation.

 

Anna Hazare promises a new round of non-violent protests if India's parliament doesn't pass the legislation creating a watchdog agency that could investigate corruption¹⁴ in the government. Hazare, a 74-year-old crusader who patterned himself on Mahatma Gandhi, has been able to muster¹⁵ big demonstrations¹⁶ against government corruption in the past year. His campaign has had special resonance¹⁷ for India's middle class, which resents having to pay bribes¹⁸ to get government services. Parliament is scheduled to adjourn¹⁹ its winter session next week, but Hazare says he'll call for sit-ins and other actions if the session doesn't finish its work on the legislation. Corey Flintoff, NPR News.

 

The Taliban denied reports today that it plans to directly negotiate with the Afghan government to end the more than decade-old war. Meanwhile, a leaked NATO report is suggesting insurgents²⁰ are confident they will regain²¹ control when international troops leave.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 grievance   

n.怨愤，气恼，委屈

参考例句：

• He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。
• He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

7 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

8 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。

9 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

10 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

11 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

12 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 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。

15 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

16 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

17 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

18 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

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。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

19 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

20 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

21 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。