NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-01-07

　　From NPR News in Washington, I’m Nora Raum.

 

　　Syria’s president has struck a defiant¹ tone in a rare speech to his country. NPR’s Kelly McEvers reports the address disappointed those who had expected a meaningful offer to end Syria’s conflict.

 

　　Syrian President Bashar al-Assad spoke² to a crowded opera house in the capital Damascus. As he spoke, supporters rose to their feet, pumped their fists in the air and shouted his name. Assad said the uprising that started in Syria nearly two years ago was not a revolution, but merely the work of terrorists funded by countries trying to bring Syria down. This is the same message his regime has delivered throughout the conflict. Assad offered some political reforms, but said there was no legitimate³ opposition⁴ to work with. He said any peace plans, such as those by the UN-Arab League envoy⁵ Lakhdar Brahimi, were not necessary, and Syria can handle its problems on its own. The speech comes as some analysts⁶ had hoped Assad would offer a few concessions⁷ and try to work with the opposition to bring an end to the violence. Kelly McEvers, NPR News, Antakya, Turkey.

 

　　Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell today ruled out raising tax revenues as part of dealing⁸ with the budget deficits⁹. He said the legislation that allowed higher income tax rates on wealthier Americans is done. He says the tax issue is finished. McConnell was interviewed this morning on ABC’s “This Week.” On Fox News Sunday Congressman¹⁰ Chris Van Hollen disagreed. The Maryland Democrat¹¹ said Congress must consider raising more revenue as well as cutting spending to reduce deficits.

 

　　“If Mitch McConnel is gonna draw that line in the sand, it’s gonna be a recipe for more gridlock.”

 

　　And on CBS’s “Face the Nation” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Congress should examine the tax code to close loopholes to raise more revenue.

 

　　Negotiations¹² between Congress and the White House on budget matters may be further complicated by the fact that Treasury¹³ Secretary Timothy Geithner will be leaving office by the end of the month. Steve Beckner of Market News International has more.

 

　　Although an eleventh-hour deal raising taxes on upper-income Americans has temporarily averted¹⁴ the so-called “fiscal¹⁵ cliff,” there are thorny¹⁶ problems yet to be resolved on government spending and the debt ceiling. But Geithner, who played a central role in battling the financial crisis and who has been President Obama’s point man on fiscal policy for four years, won’t be there to handle negotiations with Congress this time. He has said he will leave Treasury in a matter of weeks. That will force the president to nominate a replacement¹⁷ for Senate confirmation¹⁸ at a very awkward time in the budgetary process. For NPR News, I’m Steve Beckner.

 

　　Royal Dutch Shell says its grounded drill rig is ready to be towed off the rocks where it’s been stranded¹⁹ since New Year’s Eve. Officials say they are waiting for the right weather and time conditions. The barge²⁰ is carrying 150,000 gallons of diesel²¹ fuel.

 

　　This is NPR News from Washington.

 

　　Australian emergency workers are searching dozens of burned-out homes and cars on the island of Tasmania, where more than 40 wildfires continue to burn. The blazes started Thursday during a heat wave and were strengthened by powerful winds. Police in Tasmania say about 80 buildings have been destroyed in one town alone.

 

　　There are two wild-card games remaining as part of the NFL’s post-season schedule. NPR’s Mike Pesca has this preview.

 

　　The Baltimore Ravens²² host the surprising Indianapolis Colts, the team that finished this season with an 11-5 record after winning only two games last year. The Colts are led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. Opposing him will be Ray Lewis, one of the greatest and most inspirational defensive²³ players in NFL history. Lewis, after missing much of the season with a triceps tear, announced he will retire after the Ravens lose their next game or win the Super Bowl. In the NFC, the Redskins and Seahawks play in Washington. Two rookie quarterbacks face each other. Both Washington’s Robert Griffin III and Seattle’s Russell Wilson are adept²⁴ at passing and rushing. The winner travels to Atlanta next week. Mike Pesca, NPR News.

 

　　In the first game, the Baltimore Ravens are leading the Indianapolis Colts 10 to 6 in the third quarter.

 

　　There is an agreement to bring back professional hockey. The heads of the National Hockey League and the players’ union emerged this morning from an all-night session to say they have a deal. The players’ share of hockey-related income will drop from 57% to 50%. They've agreed on a new pension plan. No details were provided. It’s not clear when the games will resume. Officials say they hope to salvage²⁵ this season with 48 or 50 games.

 

　　I’m Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.

1 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

10 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

11 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 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。

13 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

14 averted   

防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。
• Thanks to her skilful handling of the affair, the problem was averted. 多亏她对事情处理得巧妙，才避免了麻烦。

15 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

16 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

17 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

18 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

19 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

20 barge   

n.平底载货船，驳船

参考例句：

• The barge was loaded up with coal.那艘驳船装上了煤。
• Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times more than carrying them by barge.通过铁路运货的成本比驳船运货成本高出近3倍。

21 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

22 ravens   

n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wheresoever the carcase is,there will the ravens be gathered together. 哪里有死尸，哪里就有乌鸦麇集。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A couple of ravens croaked above our boat. 两只乌鸦在我们小船的上空嘎嘎叫着。 来自辞典例句

23 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

24 adept   

adj.老练的，精通的

参考例句：

• When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
• He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

25 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。