NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-05-28

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

 

　　A nation still at war, as the president puts it, is paying tribute to fallen service members. President Obama honored the war dead this Memorial Day in ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery¹. NPR’s Craig Windham reports Obama says with the US involvement in Afghanistan winding² down, this country is at a crossroads and most Americans, as he knows, are not directly touched by war.

 

　　The president praised those who’d served in the military for their character and selflessness. He said he’s concerned that their sacrifices are not being fully³ appreciated even though the nation is still at war.

 

　　“Let it be our task, every single one of us, to honor the strength and the resolve and the love these brave Americans felt for each other and for our country.”

 

　　Earlier, the president stood solemnly after placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. And cannon⁴ fire rumbled⁵ across the Rolling Hills of the cemetery with its rows of simple white marble headstones, each decorated with a small American flag. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

 

　　Diplomatic efforts to end the Syrian crisis are unfolding on several levels today. Republican Senator John McCain has made a previously⁶ unannounced visit to Syria to meet with rebels fighting to topple the Assad regime. McCain has been an outspoken⁷ proponent⁸ of providing military aid to Syria’s opposition⁹.

 

　　In Brussels, European Union ministers are debating whether to ease sanctions that would allow the arming of Syrian rebels. Austria’s foreign minister says there’s no deal. Adding to the urgency of the talks, (he) warned that Syrian troops have used chemical weapons on rebels as recently as mid-April. The French paper Le Monde reports its journalists witnessed fighters suffer burning eyes and breathing difficulties during fighting on the outskirts¹⁰ of Damascus.

 

　　The UN Human Rights Council plans to hold another urgent debate on Syria’s long-running civil war. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the US, Turkey and Qatar are requesting a special session in an effort to pressure the warring parties to end the killing¹¹ of civilians¹².

 

　　Officials says negotiations¹³ already have begun on a resolution focusing on the violence in the Syrian town of al-Qusayr. UN Human Rights Commissioner¹⁴ Navi Pillay says she’s very concerned if reports of extreme violence directed at civilians.

 

　　“Hundreds of civilians have been killed or injured, and thousands may remain trapped, by indiscriminate shelling and aerial attacks by government forces in al-Qusayr.”

 

　　The UN council has passed nine previous resolutions on Syria, aimed at ending the waves of killings¹⁵, rapes¹⁶, torture and other abuse. So far none have succeeded in ending these atrocities¹⁷ or bringing any of the perpetrators to justice. For NPR News, I’m Lisa Schlein in Geneva.

 

　　You’re listening to NPR News.

 

　　Colorado’s decision to legalize marijuana apparently¹⁸ has had an unintended consequence, that is, endangering children. NPR’s Rob Stein reports a new study documents a small increase in children accidentally ingesting marijuana since the law changed.

 

　　Researchers in Denver looked at the number of children treated in a children’s hospital emergency room for accidentally ingestion of marijuana before and after Colorado legalized the drug. In the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the researchers report that no children were treated at the ER for that problem before the new law went into effect. But at least 14 children aged¹⁹ 12 or younger were treated for accidental marijuana ingestion since then. Eight of the 14 cases involve medical marijuana. In seven of the cases, children apparently ate food containing marijuana. The researchers say the cases suggest that more precautions need to be taken to prevent children from accidentally ingesting marijuana in states that ease their marijuana laws. Rob Stein, NPR News.

 

　　A fire reportedly broke out aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship as it made its way from Baltimore to the Bahamas. The Associated Press cites the cruise liner saying the fire broke out overnight and was quickly extinguished. No injuries were reported.

 

　　The price of oil fell below $94 a barrel in Europe this day. By early afternoon, benchmark oil for July delivery slipped 56 cents to $93.59. Investors²⁰ concern about global energy demand took profits ahead of big economic data this week from China and the US, which releases May’s employment report tomorrow.

 

　　I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.

1 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

2 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

5 rumbled   

发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋）

参考例句：

• The machine rumbled as it started up. 机器轰鸣着发动起来。
• Things rapidly became calm, though beneath the surface the argument rumbled on. 事情迅速平静下来了，然而，在这种平静的表面背后争论如隆隆雷声，持续不断。

6 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

8 proponent   

n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的

参考例句：

• Stapp became a strong early proponent of automobile seat belts.斯塔普是力主在汽车上采用座椅安全带的早期倡导者。
• Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.哈尔西被认为是进步教育价值观的主要支持者。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

11 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。

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

13 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。

14 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

15 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

16 rapes   

n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸

参考例句：

• The man who had committed several rapes was arrested. 那个犯了多起强奸案的男人被抓起来了。 来自辞典例句
• The incidence of reported rapes rose 0.8 percent. 美国联邦调查局还发布了两份特别报告。 来自互联网

17 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 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。

19 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

20 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