CNN Marketplace 2006-03-21

As more and more of us begin to use health savings¹ accounts, there is a new website that’s coming online which will let you check to see how much a medical procedure truly costs. HealthGrades Incorporated Vice² President Scott Shapiro says lots of people have been asking for this type of service.

Scott Shapira: “It's not the health plans money any more, very often with high deductible plans people are spend(ing) their own money first, and so they have a heightened interest in finding not only a high quality healthcare provider, but one that is reasonably tight-priced as well.”

This site has cost from everything for cataract³ surgery to gastric⁴ bypass operations.

More competition for Apple's iPod and Sony's PSP, Microsoft says it's working on a handheld gaming device that will also play music and movies. The software giant’s new device will probably not hit the market for at least a year or possibly two, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The major airlines appear(appears) to be taking a hint from discount carriers by taking away some standards and according to CNN’s Alina Cho, they’ve been charging for more traditional forms of ticket purchases.

Alina Cho: When you call and ticket by phone, uh it's a ten dollar extra charge and then when you do it at the airport, they charge you 15 dollars more. So there really are real benefits. And the airlines say that what that allows them to do is divert their workers so that they can deal with more complicated issues.
Part of the cuts from the six big airlines include no pillows, headphones or food.

Home furniture and craft stores are making some moves of their own.

Jane King: Wall Street Journal reports Michael’s Craft Stores is exploring a sale. The retailer⁵ could command up to five and a half billion dollars. And William-Sonoma’s net income is up more than 6 percent in the recent quarter. The retailer also initiated⁶ a dividend⁷ of 10 cents a share. Jane King CNN, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Phillips Electronics is recalling eleven thousand eight hundred plasma⁸ TVs due to faulty capacitors which can spark. The ambient light TVs were sold in the US from June 2005 to January 2006.
With CNN Radio Market Place, I'm Michelle Wright.

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WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
deductible :A clause in an insurance policy that exempts⁹ the insurer from paying an initial specified¹⁰ amount in the event that the insured sustains a loss.
plasma TV: 等离子电视

1 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 cataract   

n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障

参考例句：

• He is an elderly gentleman who had had a cataract operation.他是一位曾经动过白内障手术的老人。
• The way is blocked by the tall cataract.高悬的大瀑布挡住了去路。

4 gastric   

adj.胃的

参考例句：

• Miners are a high risk group for certain types of gastric cancer.矿工是极易患某几种胃癌的高风险人群。
• That was how I got my gastric trouble.我的胃病就是这么得的。

5 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

6 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

7 dividend   

n.红利，股息；回报，效益

参考例句：

• The company was forced to pass its dividend.该公司被迫到期不分红。
• The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 per cent.第一季度的股息增长了近 4%。

8 plasma   

n.血浆，细胞质，乳清

参考例句：

• Keep some blood plasma back for the serious cases.留一些血浆给重病号。
• The plasma is the liquid portion of blood that is free of cells .血浆是血液的液体部分，不包含各种细胞。

9 exempts   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• This privilege, however, exempts only predecisional documents. 然而，此特权只免除那些文件在作出决定之前的披露责任。
• Function effectiveness: After then special-purpose, exempts the flushing formula. 功能效用：便后专用，免冲洗配方。

10 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。