NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-08-22

 US Special Forces launched a secret mission in Syria earlier this summer, aiming to rescue a number of Americans being held captives by militants¹, including photo journalist James Foley. But NPR Scott Horsley reports no hostages were found. 

President Obama authorized² the raid once the government had what it thought was sufficient intelligence about where the hostages were being held. US Special Forces were dropped by aircraft inside Syria, but despite a firefight with militants, Foley and the other captives were not located. This week militants released a video tape showing Foley's *brazenly execution in retaliation³ for US airstrikes in Iraq. *Head defiant⁴ President Obama said the US will be vigilant⁵ and relentless⁶ and bringing the killers⁷ to justice.

We keep in our prayers those other Americans who are separated from their families, and we will do everything that we can to protect our people, and the timeless values that we stand for.

US war planes continue to strike targets inside Iraq. Scott Horsley, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

Attorney General Eric Holder⁸ says he has assigned the federal government's most experienced agents and prosecutors⁹ to look into that fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

We have brought up a substantial number of people here, a number of agents, who have done in the canvassing¹⁰ that they did over the past weekend. They continue to follow leads so that we can do a thorough and a fair job, making a determination about what happened on August the 9th.

A local grand jury convene¹¹ today to start looking at evidence. Holder says that, as a black man, he understands why many African Americans mistrust police. Holder says the eyes of the nation and world are watching Ferguson.

 

 

17 billion dollars, that's a record what Bank of America reportedly is said to pay to settle federal and state charges over its role in the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. Officials familiar with the deal gave details to the Associated Press. The settlement is expected to be announced tomorrow at the earliest.

 

 

The consumer financial protection bureau is accusing an auto-finance company of falsely reporting consumer credit information. NPR's NPR's Yuki Nigochi reports that Houston-based First Investors¹² is being fined 2.5 million dollars.

Three years ago, First Investors discovered its computer system was reporting false information to the credit reporting agencies. But, according to the financial protection bureau, it did nothing to stop it. Richard Cordary, the Bureau's Director says that may have affected¹³ tens of thousands of customers.

An error could have made a big difference from whether someone receives a loan, qualifies for low interests rate, and even gets offered a job.

In a statement, First Investors did not admit any wrongdoing. It said the problem affected less than 12% of its accounts. Yuki Nigochi, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

This is NPR news.

 

 

Macy's is paying 650,000 dollars to settle allegations of racial profiling at its flagship store on 34th street in Manhattan. The retailers¹⁴ agreed to adopt new policies, train employees better and investigate customer complaints. Last year, there were several complaints from minority customers, claiming they had been detained by Macy's stores despite not having stolen or attempted to steal any merchandise. 

 

 

Those seeking to marry their same-sex partner in Virginia will have to wait. The Supreme¹⁵ Court has blocked the state from going forward, staying an appeal's court ruling that it struck down a state ban. The Justices are expected to take up at least one gay marriage case in the next term, which begins in October.

 

 

More high school students than ever are now taking the ACT college admissions exam. But as NPR's Claudio Sanchez reports, students' performance remain flat.

Just under two million students, 1.84, took the ACT this past school year. The average score was 21 on a 36-points scale. Barely a tenth of a point above last year's average. The biggest story though seems to be that more and more high school students are taking the 38-dollar exam, which tests kids in English, math, reading and science. One reason for the insurgent¹⁶ test-takers is that more states are picking up the cost. Although this may be a reason for the stagnant¹⁷ scores. Average scores drop when more students are tested. The ACT has aggressively marketed its test by pushing the notion that it encourages more kids to consider college. The ACT is now the most widely used college entrance exam, followed closely by its competitor, the SAT. Claudio Sanchez, NPR news.

 

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

3 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》

4 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。

5 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

6 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。

7 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

8 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

9 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。

10 canvassing   

v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的现在分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查

参考例句：

• He spent the whole month canvassing for votes. 他花了整整一个月四处游说拉选票。
• I'm canvassing for the Conservative Party. 我在为保守党拉选票。 来自辞典例句

11 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

12 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

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

14 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

15 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。

16 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

17 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。