NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-07-20

 President Obama has spoken to world leaders about the possible need for more sanctions against Russia if it fails to take steps to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine. President's remarks come after the downing of a Malaysia air jet with 298 people onboard over eastern Ukraine. The White House president said it appears the jet was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and he called for immediate¹ ceasefire to allow experts to examine the wreckage². However, NPR's Corey Flintoff in Moscow says that may not happen right away.

 

The paramilitary leaders have actually been talking about a two or three-day ceasefire just to facilitate this investigation³. But there are reports of fighting today within earshot of (the) where the wreckage was, I mean, people were hearing missiles and so forth⁴, it's going off in the background. So it doesn't sound like there is going to at least right now, there is going to be an opportunity for people to get in there safely and conduct kind of investigation. That's going to satisfy world opinions.

 

So far it's not clear who shot down the jet, though the president says the missile came from eastern Ukraine in an area held by pro-Russia separatists. 

 

The death toll⁵ is rising as Israel continues its ground incursion into Gaza. According to Gaza health officials, more than 30 Palestinians have died since the offensive began yesterday, taking the Palestinian death toll to more than 280. Israel says it's going to great lengths to avoid civilian⁶ casualties. The White House said the president defended Israel's right to defend itself but also said he hopes the country honors that pledge.

 

We are hopeful that Israel will continue to approach this process in a way that minimises civilian casualties and that all of us are working hard to return to the cease-fire that was reached in November 2012.

 

Israel says it's seeking to halt rocket attacks aimed at cities and destroy the network of Hamas tunnels into Israel. 

 

US Supreme⁷ Court has issued an emergency stay blocking full spousal benefits for same-sex married couples in Utah. NPR's Howard Berkes reports the benefits were set to take effect Monday.

 

The Supreme Court's stay means that more than 1,000  married gay couples in Utah won't be able to participate as spouses⁸, in adoption⁹ proceedings¹⁰, child custody¹¹ cases and other legal matters until appeals are resolved. The same-sex couples were married during a 17-day period between court decisions. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals became the first federal appeals court in the country, to strike down a state banning gay marriage. That was Utah's law, and state officials say they will now appeal directly to the Supreme Court justices. Utah pleaded for clarity and finality  on gay marriage, before being forced to recognise full spousal benefits for married gay couples. Howard Berkes, NPR News, Salt Lake city.

 

Business research group, the Conference Board, says the index of leading economic indicators¹² rose 0.3% in June that was slightly below analysts¹³ estimates. 

 

On Wall Street today, the Dow was up 123 points to close at 17,100.

 

This is NPR.

 

Known for their white cowboy hats and silver stars, the nearly 200-year-old Texas Rangers¹⁵ law enforcement group now has its first female lieutenant¹⁶. Wende Wakeman, who started with Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol trooper in 1998, has been a Ranger¹⁴ since 2008 with her new appointment on August 1st becomes the highest ranking woman in Texas Ranger history. It's only been since 1993 women were even allowed into the Rangers after an order signed by Governor Ann Richards. Created in 1823, the Texas Rangers is (are 口误) the oldest law enforcement body in North America. 

 

German Chancellor¹⁷ Angela Merkel says she is still counting on a close partnership¹⁸ between her country and the US, despite the escalating¹⁹ spying scandal in Germany. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Berlin the chancellor also wants answers from the Obama administration about US spying practices. 

 

Merkel told a news conference that she's pursuing "sensible talks with the US to help heal the rift²⁰ over American spying on German's soil". Her remarks came a week after she ordered the departure of the CIA station chief in Berlin, following revelations that at least two German government workers had received money to spy for the US. The chancellor's comments suggest she's still trying for a no-spy agreement, although Washington has dismissed the prospect²¹. Merkel also said Germany will not grant former NSA contractor²² Edward Snowden asylum²³. German lawmakers investigating US spying here want to interview Snowden. Although he has refused to talk unless they bring him to Germany. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Berlin.

 

Crude Oil Futures²⁴ closed lower today. The price of oil was down six cents a barrel to end the session at $103.13 a barrel in the New York Mercantile Exchange. 

 

I'm Jack²⁵ Speer, NPR News, in Washington.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

3 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。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

9 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

10 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

11 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

12 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

13 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。

14 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

15 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

16 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

17 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

18 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

19 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

20 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

21 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

22 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

23 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

24 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

25 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。