NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-06-22

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

 

　　President Obama has called on Senate to move swiftly to confirm his nominee¹ to lead the FBI. NPR’s Carrie Johnson reports the White House reached across the aisle² to select Republican Jim Comey for the important job.

 

　　The president says Comey spent nearly two decades in top posts at the Justice Department.

 

　　“He has been relentless³ whether it’s standing⁴ up for consumers against corporate⁵ fraud or bringing terrorists to justice.”

 

　　Comey also stood up to people in the George W. Bush White House over an electronic surveillance program of questionable⁶ legality. If confirmed by the US Senate, Comey would replace current FBI Director Robert Muller who Comey says has a legendary⁷ reputation in law enforcement circles.

 

　　“I don't know whether I can fill those shoes, but I know that however I do I will be standing truly on the shoulders of a giant.”

 

　　Lawmakers need to confirm a new FBI director before Muller leaves in early September. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

 

　　The US Senate’s expected to vote Monday on a border security agreement that would pave the way for passage of the sweeping⁸ immigration bill by the end of that week. The deal doubles border patrols and adds hundreds of miles of fencing.

 

　　Wildfires are forcing hundreds of people from their homes across the parched⁹ southern Rockies. NPR’s Kirk Siegler reports crews are up against another day of hot, windy weather with no reprieve¹⁰ in sight.

 

　　One of the largest and most concerning wildfires right now is actually a complex of two lightning-caused blazes that ignited in remote southwest Colorado. Hot, windy weather along with scores of dry, dead trees due to an insect outbreak helped the fires double in size in 24 hours. Undocumented and unprecedented¹¹, according to one wildfire behavior official. And one of the blazes reportedly came with a quarter mile of a ski area, and authorities say there's a chance they won't be able to save the nearby town of South Fork, Colorado. Meantime, an Arizona crews are continuing to battle fierce winds as they struggle to contain a large blaze that forced evacuations near the town of Prescott, about 100 miles north of Phoenix¹². Kirk Siegler, NPR News.

 

　　People across Singapore are enduring an unprecedented level of smog, a result of massive forest fires in Indonesia. Resident M.J. Davis says she’s taking extra precaution against the elevated pollution affecting multiple countries.

 

　　“I’m walking around with a face mask and wearing it in house and wearing it to walk my dog and wearing it to go grocery shopping, wearing in taxis, but there are definitely a lot of kind of local and older folks here who are not, who you see sitting outside a coffee shop, still without a mask, having a cigarette.”

 

　　Authorities say a lot of fires are caused by farmers who conduct illegal burns or people who recklessly discard still-lit cigarettes. Singapore's environment minister flew to Jakarta today to talk about measures the region could take to reduce forest fires.

 

　　Before the closing bell, Dow was up 43 at 14,801. This is NPR News.

 

　　A lawyer who reviewed claims from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf¹³ of Mexico is resigning. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports the resignation comes after oil giant BP called for an outside inquiry¹⁴ into alleged¹⁵ misconduct.

 

　　The attorney is accused of receiving a share of settlement payments from oil spill cases he once referred to a New Orleans law firm. BP says only an independent investigation¹⁶ will ensure the integrity of the claim's process. The company is already suing over the way claims are being paid in its multi-billion-dollar settlement reached last year with private oil spill victims. BP argues Administrator¹⁷ Patrick Juneau isn't sticking to the terms of the deal and is paying for fictitious¹⁸ losses. BP originally estimated the settlement would cost about 7.8 billion dollars, but has since warned investors¹⁹ the price tag will be higher. Juneau has already paid out more than $2.5 billion. Debbie Elliott, NRR News.

 

　　Prosecutors²⁰ in George Zimmerman's murder trial in central Florida can argue that the neighborhood watch volunteer profile Trayvon Martin based on clothing or age. But today Judge Debra Nelson ruled that the prosecution²¹ cannot use race as a factor. Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Latino, shot and killed Martin, an African-American teenager, more than a year ago. The defendant²² maintains it was self-defense. The prosecution argues the 17-year-old was not armed and not a threat.

 

　　The government reportedly is moving toward easing restrictions²³ on the use of electronic devices during take-off and landing. An advisory²⁴ committee has until September now to deliver proposals to the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

　　Before the close, Dow was up 41 at 14,700. This is NPR.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

3 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

4 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。

5 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。

6 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

7 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 parched   

adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干

参考例句：

• Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
• The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

10 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

11 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

12 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

13 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

14 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

15 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

16 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。

17 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

18 fictitious   

adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的

参考例句：

• She invented a fictitious boyfriend to put him off.她虚构出一个男朋友来拒绝他。
• The story my mother told me when I was young is fictitious.小时候妈妈对我讲的那个故事是虚构的。

19 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

20 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。

21 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

22 defendant   

n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的

参考例句：

• The judge rejected a bribe from the defendant's family.法官拒收被告家属的贿赂。
• The defendant was borne down by the weight of evidence.有力的证据使被告认输了。

23 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

24 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。