NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-05-05

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman.

 

　　Seven American troops died in Afghanistan today. Five U.S. troops were killed when they were hit by a roadside bomb. Two more U.S. services members were killed when a soldier with the Afghan National Army shot them to death. It's been a deadly week in Afghanistan for U.S. service members. According to the Associated Press, 21 Americans have died in air crashes and in today's bombing and shooting incidents.

 

　　Activists¹ in Syria are reporting another massacre² in a town along Syria's coast. NPR's Susannah George reports they say the violence has left more than 60 people dead.

 

　　A video uploaded by activists shows the bodies of dead children line in a pile. Some partially³ covered by bloodstain blankets. Activists say pro-regime militiamen stormed Baniyas torturing and then executing civilians⁴. State TV says government forces are working to clear the area of terrorists. That's the term uses to describe Syria's armed opposition⁵. This comes after another alleged⁶ massacre Friday in nearby al-Baida. Syria's Mediterranean⁷ coast is the home of the country Alawite minority. That's the minority to which President Barsha al-Assad belongs. But this recent violence has been occurring in  majority Sunni towns and neighborhoods, raising fears of increased sectarianism in the Syrian crisis . Susannah George, NPR News, Beirut.

 

　　Searchers in Kyrgyzstan have the bodies of two American crew members aboard a crashed U.S. military plane. The plane went down yesterday in rugged⁸ mountains about 100 miles east of an airbase the U.S. runs in Kyrgyzstan. It's used to support American military operations in Afghanistan. There is no word on the cause of the crash. There are reports from people in the Kyrgyz's countryside who said they heard the plane exploded in the air.

 

　　The incoming president of the National Rifle Association is calling on members to dig in for a long fight over gun rights. NPR's Allison Keyes tells us James Porter assumes the group's top job on Monday.

 

　　The Alabama attorney told organizers that the Houston Texas based convention, they are of the front line of what he called a culture war that goes beyond the gun rights. CEO Wayne LaPierre echoed other speakers, blasting the Obama administration.

 

　　Even before he was sworn into office, before his inauguration⁹, the president launched an all-out historic attack, a siege against our rights.

 

　　LaPierre told the crowd the state of the organization is stronger than ever and has a record 5 million members. Speakers and attendees gloded over the NRA's recent victory over President Obama's push for gun control measures and that a bit of a U.S. Senate bill after December's mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Allison Keyes, NPR News.

 

　　The fierce wildfire burning in Southern California has scourged¹⁰ at least 43 square miles. The spring's fire is about 50 miles west of Los Angeles. It has damaged at least 15 buildings. It's now threatening some 4,000 homes.

 

　　You are listening to NPR News from Washington.

 

　　New York's Metropolitan¹¹ Museum says it will return  2,000-year-old stone statues to Cambodia. The Cambodian government says they were looted. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Jakarta, the archaeologically¹² rich countries like Cambodia are becoming more sertive about reclaiming¹⁴ lost antiquities¹⁵.

 

　　There was plenty of evidence to convince the Met that the statues were looted. For example, there the statue's basis where witnesses saw them standing¹⁶ intact as recently as the 1970s. The ** statues are part of group of nine princes in a scene from the Hindu epic¹⁷ the Mahabharata, they are from a temple at Koh Ker, the former capital of the Khmer Empire which had been lost in the jungles since it was abandoned in the tenth century. The Met's decision may put pressure on the auction¹⁸ house Sotheby, from which Cambodia is trying to reclaim¹³ two other statues from the same group. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Jakarta.

 

　　The crew of a solar plane has completed the first leg of cross country trip.The solar impulse took off from a airfield¹⁹ outside San Francisco yesterday and landed in Phenix early today. The plane's creators are trying to make it cross the U.S. without using conventional fuel. The plane gets its power from some 12,000 photovoltaic cells  that cover its gigantic wings and keep the batteries charged. It's got just one pilot and its top speed is about 40 miles per hour.

 

　　The 139 Kentucky Derby takes place this evening. Post time is 6:24 pm eastern. The race track at Churchill Downs has already held the $1 million Kentucky Oaks race which is for 3-year-old fillies. Longshot horse, Princess of Sylmar was the winner, paying $76.60 on a bid.

 

　　This is NPR.

1 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》

2 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！

3 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 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。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

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。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

8 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

9 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

10 scourged   

鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 )； 惩罚，压迫

参考例句：

• He was scourged by the memory of his misdeeds. 他对以往的胡作非为的回忆使得他精神上受惩罚。
• Captain White scourged his crew without mercy. 船长怀特无情地鞭挞船员。

11 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

12 archaeologically   

archaeology（考古学）的变形

参考例句：

• An archaeologically valuable ancient tomb was unearthed in the underlying soil of this corn field. 这片玉米地下伏土层中出土了一个有考古价值的古墓。
• The first chapter researchs archaeologically the formation and characters of English common law. 第一章对英国普通法的形成、特征和美国对英国普通法的继受进行了考古研究。

13 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

14 reclaiming   

v.开拓( reclaim的现在分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救

参考例句：

• People here are reclaiming land from the sea. 这儿的人们正在填海拓地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• How could such a man need reclaiming? 这么一个了不起的人怎么还需要别人拯救呢？ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

15 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

17 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

18 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

19 airfield   

n.飞机场

参考例句：

• The foreign guests were motored from the airfield to the hotel.用车把外宾从机场送到旅馆。
• The airfield was seized by enemy troops.机场被敌军占领。