NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-02-01

　　From NPR News in Washington, I’m Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　Chuck Hagel is being forced to explain some controversial votes and statements on a number of issues, including Iraq, Israel and Iran, as he seeks confirmation¹ as secretary of defense². On Capitol Hill today, the former two-term Republican senator encountered resistance from GOP critics on the Senate Armed Service Committee, who have called Hagel anti-Israel. But Democratic Chairman Karl Levin explained why Hagel should be embraced as the first enlisted³ man to serve as secretary of defense.

 

　　"It would be a positive message for our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in harm’s way around the world to know that one of their own holds the highest office in the Department of Defense, and that he has their backs."

 

　　Hagel is a decorated Vietnam War veteran.

 

　　The Senate is expected to vote today on legislation to suspend enforcement of the debt ceiling for three months. The bill would allow the Treasury⁴ to borrow enough money to pay the government’s bills at least through mid-May. The Republican-led House passed the measure last week.

 

　　The New York Times says Chinese hackers⁵ repeatedly penetrated⁶ its computer systems over the past four months. NPR’s Louisa Lim reports the attacks appear to be part of a broad campaign against American media.

 

　　In late October, the Times reported that the family members of China’s Premier⁷ Wen Jiabao had accumulated assets of at least 2.7 billion dollars. That very day, unusual activity was noticed on the Times’ computer network. The Times says the hackers broke into e-mail accounts of two of its journalists and stole passwords belonging to others. The Times says Bloomberg News was also targeted by hackers after it reported on the family fortune of another Chinese leader. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Beijing.

 

　　According to published reports, New Jersey⁸ Democratic Senator Bob Menendez this month personally repaid nearly 59,000 dollars for two trips to the Dominican Republic aboard a private jet. NPR’s S.V. Date reports the jet is owned by a Florida eye doctor under investigation⁹ by the FBI.

 

　　Menendez’s office on Wednesday has said his trips have been reported appropriately and paid for. That came hours after the FBI searched the West Palm Beach offices of Salomon Melgen, a friend of Menendez and a major political donor¹⁰. But Menendez’s chief of staff Dan O'Brien later told NBC News that a search of records have found that one flight in 2010 had been paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee which Menendez chaired at the time. Two other flights that year had not been paid for until earlier this month, when Menendez wrote a check for $58,500. The eye doctor Melgen has faced tax lien¹¹ from the IRS. S.V. Date, NPR News.

 

　　At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 22 points at 13,888, NASDAQ up three at 3,145, S&P 500 about a point at 1,501.

 

　　You’re listening to NPR News.

 

　　Consumer spending and incomes rose last month in the US. NPR’s Dave Mattingly reports economists¹³ are viewing the latest numbers with caution.

 

　　Incomes rose more than 2.5%, the sharpest jump in eight years. Much of that was corporate¹⁴ bonuses and dividends¹⁵ paid ahead of higher tax rates in the New Year. Consumer spending increased slightly in December, but at a slower pace than in November. And Chief economist¹² Scott Brown at Raymond James & Associates says those higher taxes will be a drag on the economy.

 

　　"You got an increase in payroll¹⁶ taxes, which is gonna be a real restrain on the consumer spending in the first half of this year."

 

　　It’s that spending by consumers which accounts for more than 2/3 of economic growth. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

 

　　Communities from the South through the Northeastern US still reeling from tornadoes¹⁷, floods and power outages. More than 100,000 homes and businesses in Connecticut, Rohde Island and upstate New York lost electricity in the latest severe storms, and many homes are damaged or destroyed at Adairsville, Georgia. The storms are blamed in at least two deaths.

 

　　Iran and Syria are threatening retaliation¹⁸ for a rare Israeli air strike inside Syrian territory near the capital Damascus. In a letter quoted on Syrian state television, the foreign ministry¹⁹ tells the UN "Syria holds Israel and those were protecting it in the Security Council responsible for the results of the attack," also says it confirms its right to defend its land.

 

　　At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 35 points at 13,876, NASDAQ up slightly at 3,143.

 

　　This is NPR.

1 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。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 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。

5 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

6 penetrated   

adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
• They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

7 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

8 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。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

11 lien   

n.扣押权，留置权

参考例句：

• A lien is a type of security over property.留置是一种财产担保。
• The court granted me a lien on my debtor's property.法庭授予我对我债务人财产的留置权。

12 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

13 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

15 dividends   

红利( dividend的名词复数 )； 股息； 被除数； （足球彩票的）彩金

参考例句：

• Nothing pays richer dividends than magnanimity. 没有什么比宽宏大量更能得到厚报。
• Their decision five years ago to computerise the company is now paying dividends. 五年前他们作出的使公司电脑化的决定现在正产生出效益。

16 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

17 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

18 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。