NPR 2012-07-23

 Residents of the Colorado city of Aurora¹ are coming to gather to grieve for those killed in the deadly rampage at a theater on Friday. President Obama will visit with families of the victims and faith leaders will lead an evening vigil. Colorado Public Radio's Megan Verlee reports the attack has people in Aurora reeling?. A make shift memorial has grown up near the site of Friday's attack, piled with flowers and Teddy Bears as people stop by to mourn the victims. Cindy Acree represents Aurora and the state legislature and says the community is coming together. 

 

We've got to maintain this hopeful spirit. But it's going to take a lot of faith and a lot of public support to help families heal from this. 

 

Shooting suspect James Holmes has his first court appearance Monday morning where he'll be represented by a public defender². Prosecutors³ have until Thursday morning to file charges against him. For NPR News, I'm Megan Verlee in Denver, Colorado. 

 

Meanwhile the University of Colorado says it is investigating whether Holmes who was a former student obtained deadly material through the school that was used in booby traps in his apartment. Bomb experts spent Saturday removing explosive material from his building. Aurora Police Chief Dan Oats says authorities are preparing for this week's court appearances by collecting as much evidence as they can about Holmes' recent actions.

 

We are focusing on how he got the materials that he got there were used in the shooting, that were used in the apartment. We are focusing on anyone who knew him and statements he may have made. 

 

Aurora police chief Dan Oats.

 

Violence has continued in Syria's two largest cities, Damasks and Aleppo, which until about a week ago, had been relatively⁴ peaceful. The BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut hundreds of people have fled from their homes in both places.

 

Reports from activists⁵ in Aleppo said there were more clashes during the night between the rebel Free Syrian Army and government forces. They said a building in the /cipher dowland/ district collapsed⁶ under attack fire. And they reported a big explosion of the officer's club after clashes around its parameter⁷. /dowland/ Damasks meanwhile state television showed government troops back in control of the /kabun/ quarter on the northeast side of the capital after an attack involving heavy artillery⁸, tanks and helicopters. 

 

The BBC's Jim Muir reporting.

 

Penn State University removed a statue of the late football coach Joe Paterno from in front of the football stadium today. The university’s decision comes in the wake of a scathing⁹ report that blamed Paterno and three formal Penn State officials for failing to stop sexual predator¹⁰ and former coach Jerry Sandusky from attacking children. The athletic¹¹ conference, the NCAA disclosed it will announce Monday what kind of sanctions Penn State could face for the abuse scandal.  

 

You're listening to NPR News.

 

The winner of this year's British Open Golf turned Ernie Els. He began the final round today 6 shots behind the leader Adam Scott who failed to capitalize on his lead from yesterday. 

 

Great Britain has its first winner of the tour de France bicycling race. Bradley Wiggins claimed the winner's yellow jersey¹² as cyclists ended their grueling 3 week race in Paris today.

 

The International Olympic Committee has rejected calls to mark the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre¹³ at the opening ceremonies of this summer Olympic Games in London. NPR's Howard Berkes reports instead there will be a private commemoration on the date of the actual anniversary. 

 

International Olympic committee president Jacques Rogge says the ceremony remembering the 11 Israelis killed by Palestinian terrorists in Munich will be held in September on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. On Friday President Obama joined the families of the victims and calling for a moment of silence at London's opening ceremony next week. But Rogge again said no.

 

We feel that the opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic¹⁴ incident. 

 

Actually the opening ceremony in Vancouver 2 years ago paused to remember the /Gorgia Lucia/ athlete killed during training and 2002 Salt Lake city Olympics began with commemoration of the 09/11 attacks. Howard Berkes, NPR News, London.

 

Thousands of Spaniards watch? Madrid this weekend to protest spending cuts by the Spanish government. The government says the reductions are needed because Spain might have to ask Europe for a bail¹⁵ out if things get worse. This week struggling Spanish banks were promised billions of dollars in European aid.

 

I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.

1 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

2 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

3 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。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 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》

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 parameter   

n.参数，参量

参考例句：

• It is the parameter of distribution.这就是分布参数。
• One parameter which always comes into play is the national economy.国民经济是一个经常起作用的参量。

8 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

9 scathing   

adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词)

参考例句：

• a scathing attack on the new management 针对新的管理层的猛烈抨击
• Her speech was a scathing indictment of the government's record on crime. 她的演讲强烈指责了政府在犯罪问题上的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

12 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

13 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

14 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

15 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。