NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2013-12-31

 The constitutionality of the National Security Agency’s phone data collection program appears bound for the Supreme¹ Court after two federal judges offered conflicting opinions on the program. And NPR’s Nathan Rott reports more information on the NSA surveillance activities is trickling² out. 

 

The latest comes from German news magazine that says NSA has a team of lead hackers³ who intercept⁴ computer delivers and “get the ungettable”. The magazine bases story on documents leaked by former government contractor⁵ Edward Snowden. Appearing on CBS’s Face the Nation, former CIA and NSA director Michael Hayden says Snowden’s leaks have made the NSA “infinitely weaker”. He then defended one surveillance program in question. 

 

Our history as a people demanded what we be alarmed, what we be concerned about this. But our concerns should be governed on the facts of the case and not the emotion of the case.

 

And the fact, he says, is that the phone data collected by NSA is hardly touched and only used when there is a reasonable suspension that is associated with terrorism. Nathan Rott, NPR News.

 

In Russia, South City of Volgograd a suicide bomber⁶ detonated an explosive at a busy train station today, killing⁷ at least 16 people. The bomber struck as millions of Russians are traveling to celebrate the New Year. This is the second suicide bombing in Volgograd in two months. No one is claimed responsibility but the attack comes several months after Chechnya separatist leader called for new attacks on civilian⁸ targets.

 

Iranian officials meet in Geneva tomorrow with the negotiators from the US, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. As Teri Schultz reports they will try to advance the landmark⁹ deal to Iran made in November to scale back its nuclear programs. 

 

Though Iran agreed in last month to suspend its most sensitive nuclear activities for six months and exchange for some relief in western sanctions, technical talks on practical details “are moving slowly”. This will be the third meeting between the experts from the so-called P5+1 nations and Iran focus on setting up a framework and timeline for implementing¹⁰ the deal hopes to eventually lead to a longer term accord.  One round was suspended by the Iranian side because the US blacklisted 19 Iranian companies and individuals during the negotiations¹¹. Teheran said that violated the spirit of agreement. Negotiators will discuss Monday when the deal will take affect and how to verify whether Iran has stopped the activities before sanctions are lifted. For NPR News, I am Teri Schultz in Brussels.

 

Libya is defending the brief detention¹² Friday of four US military personal. The Libyan government says the Americans were stopped after part of their convey sped through a checkpoint in western Libya and were taken into custody¹³ when they were found being carrying weapons. They were released several hours later. The US says the Americans were apparently¹⁴ scoping out potential evacuation routes for US diplomats¹⁵ in Tripoli to use. 

 

This is NPR.

 

Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is hospitalized in critical condition after a skiing accident in the French Alps. Hospital officials in Grenoble say Schumacher arrived in a coma¹⁶ after sustaining a serious head trauma¹⁷ and underwent a brain surgery. 

 

Flu activity is increasing across this country especially in the South-Central US. NPR’s Jim Hawk¹⁸ reports federal health officials now report widespread activity in ten states. 

 

In its latest weekly report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the cases of influenza¹⁹ are now turned the widespread in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming and Alaska. This is an increase from just four states reporting widespread activity the week before. 23 more states are reporting regional flu outbreaks. Only the southwestern US has managed to escape the worst of this year’s flu season so far. The predominate strain people are suffering from as the H1N1 virus which is actually good news because this year’s flu vaccine²⁰ protest against it. Jim Hawk, NPR News. 

 

In New York City’s Time Square in New Year’s Eve Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will leave the final 60-second countdown to 2014.  The Bronx native will push the ceremonial button starting to descend²¹ the giant crystal ball. Tim Tomkins is one of the coordinators of the event. 

 

You know there are sometimes when we go with the most significant person in pop culture but there are other times when we pick someone who is inspirational and aspirational²² because that matches some the deeper themes of New Year’s Eve as well.

 

Once again organizers are expected a million people to crowd into the Time Square for the traditional New Year’s Eve celebration. 

1 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。

2 trickling   

n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
• The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

4 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

5 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。

6 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 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。

9 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

10 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

13 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。

14 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

15 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 coma   

n.昏迷，昏迷状态

参考例句：

• The patient rallied from the coma.病人从昏迷中苏醒过来。
• She went into a coma after swallowing a whole bottle of sleeping pills.她吃了一整瓶安眠药后就昏迷过去了。

17 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

18 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

19 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

20 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

21 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

22 aspirational   

志同的，有抱负的

参考例句：

• Most of the images that bombard us all are aspirational. 轰击的图像，我们都期望最大。
• Analysts said self-help and aspirational reading could explain India's high figures. 分析师们指出，自助读书、热爱读书是印度人均读书时间超过别的国家的主要原因。