NPR 2012-03-09

 The US House has overwhelmingly passed a jobs bill. It contains a collection of six measures to help small businesses. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports the legislation drew rare bipartisan support.

 

It's called the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act or JOBS Act. It's a collection of bills that had been supported already. They streamline¹ regulations, make it easier for startups to raise money and less expensive for them to go public. The idea is to spur small businesses and job growth. The president backs the plan, which is spearheaded by House Republicans. House Democrats² criticized the package as falling short of the jobs legislation the president proposed in September. Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to take up its own separate jobs bill next week. Sonari Glinton, NPR News, the Capitol.

 

Greece is just about an hour way from finding out whether it has enough investor³ support to slash⁴ the equivalent of 140 billion dollars off its debt. The deadline is fast approaching for private creditors⁵ to swap⁶ their Greek bonds for new ones worth much less. Greek officials say that so far participation⁷ has surpassed 75%. The swap is a crucial part of Greece's second international bailout. The BBC's economic correspondent Andrew Walker explains what could happen if the whole thing falls through.

 

The consequences of that would be that it has a big bond repayment⁸ due of 14 billion euro on the 20th of March. If they didn't get this sorted out, which is a condition for the next bailout that has already been agreed with the eurozone countries, then we would be looking at either a disruptive default on that big repayment or the eurozone countries having to dig even deeper into their own pockets to find additional support for Greece. And that particularly in countries like Germany would be extraordinarily⁹ difficult. 

 

The BBC's Andrew Walker.

 

Earth is getting hit by one of the strongest solar storms [slip] in years. So far though, it's been weaker than predicted. The geomagnetic storm surging from the sun has not severely¹⁰ affected¹¹ satellite and power grids¹². Jeffery Hughes with Boston University Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling said earlier that the storm was likely to disrupt some airline flights.

 

“As radiation in space is significantly elevated, my guess is that a number of polar flights from this country to China or places like that will be canceled today because of communication blackouts.”

 

While speaking of, it has caused some communications problems in the polar regions. The solar storm [slip] is likely to create a Northern Lights effect over a large portion of the Northern US.

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 66 points at 12,904, up more than 0.5%; NASDAQ up more than 1% now, it's at 2,968; and the S&P 500 climbing 12, it's at 1,365.

 

This is NPR News.

 

It’ll likely be years before airline passengers get a break on air fares. NPR's Dave Mattingly says that's the view of the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

Airline passengers are expected to fly nearly twice as many as miles over the next 20 years. But the FAA says air fares will likely remain high, perhaps for another decade. An FAA analysis says it could be that long before there’s growing competition in the airline industry. The short term suggests more mergers¹³ and consolidation¹⁴. Last month, a half dozen airlines including Delta¹⁵, Southwest and United raised fares for many medium and long-haul flights. The reason, costlier¹⁶ jet fuel. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

 

A study published in the online journal Injury Prevention finds an increase in Army suicides. Details from NPR's Alix Spiegel.

 

Researchers from the US Army Public Health Command found suicides among US Army personnel nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008. To do the study, the researchers collected records about Army suicides dating back to 1977. They found that between 1977 and 2003 suicide rates among soldiers were fairly stable, had even dropped a bit. But after 2004, there was the sharp increase. The authors write that an analysis of historical trends suggested 25% to 50% of the suicides that happened in 2008 might be related to the military commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Alix Spiegel, NPR News, Washington.

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 65 points at 12,903 in trading of two billion shares; NASDAQ up more than 30 at 2,967.

 

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

2 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》

3 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

4 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

5 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 repayment   

n.偿还，偿还款；报酬

参考例句：

• I am entitled to a repayment for the damaged goods.我有权利索取货物损坏赔偿金。
• The tax authorities have been harrying her for repayment.税务局一直在催她补交税款。

9 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

10 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

11 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。

12 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

13 mergers   

n.（两个公司的）合并( merger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Mergers fall into three categories: horizontal, vertical, and conglomerate. 合并分为以下三种：横向合并，纵向合并和混合合并。 来自辞典例句
• Many recent mergers are concentrated within specific industries, particularly in retailing, airlines and communications. 现代许多合并企业集中进行某些特定业务，在零售业、民航和通讯业中更是如此。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

14 consolidation   

n.合并,巩固

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• The state ensures the consolidation and growth of the state economy. 国家保障国营经济的巩固和发展。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法

15 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

16 costlier   

adj.昂贵的( costly的比较级 )；代价高的；引起困难的；造成损失的

参考例句：

• Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather. 鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。 来自互联网
• Disagreements among creditors can be costlier still. 债权人之间的分歧会加大重组的费用。 来自互联网