NPR 2008-06-05

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama tried to woo Jewish voters today, saying he will do everything in his power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and he will be a strong ally of Israel. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Obama used his speech to the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC to try to reassure² Jewish voters he won't negotiate with Hamas unless it recognizes Israel, and he won’t go unlikely to diplomatic negotiations³ with Iran. "As president of the United States, I would be willing to lead tough and principled diplomacy⁵ with the appropriate Iranian leaders at a time and place of my choosing, if and only if, it can advance the interests of the United States. That is my position. I want it to be absolutely clear. " He said the danger from Iran is grave and real, and he will do everything to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He stressed the word "everything". He was trying to counter criticism from Republican candidate John McCain who spoke⁶ to AIPAC earlier this week. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

A day after Barack Obama obtained the necessary delegates to obtain the Democratic nomination⁷ for president, the federal jury in Chicago has convicted one of Obama's earliest supporters and contributors on political corruption⁸ charges. From Chicago, NPR's David Schaper reports.

The federal jury found Chicago real estate developer and Democratic political fund-raiser Tony Rezko guilty on most of the charges against him, including fraud, attempted bribery⁹ and money laundrying. Federal prosecutors¹⁰ alleged¹¹ that Rezko had used his position on two state financial boards to shake down contractors¹² wanting to do business with those boards for campaign contributions and cash kickbacks¹³. The jury reached guilty verdicts on 16 of the 24 counts against Rezko, but acquitted¹⁴ him of some of the most serious charges including attempted extortion. While Rezko's long relationship with Obama has been national news, his corruption trial was related to his close relationship with Illinois Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich. Several others connected to the Blagojevich administration and indicted¹⁵ on corruption charges pleaded guilty and testified against Rezko, but the governor has not been charged with any wrongdoing. David Schaper, NPR News, Chicago.

California's highest court has refused to stay until the November election its ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Conservative religious groups and others opposed to the court ruling had sought to have it put on hold, pending¹⁶ the outcome of an initiative that will go on the ballot¹⁷ in November that would essentially¹⁸ override¹⁹ the court's decision. California Supreme²⁰ Court, in a recent ruling, upheld the right of gays and lesbians to marry.

Despite escalating²¹ food and energy prices, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke said today he doesn't see a return to 1970s-style inflation. Bernanke made his remarks in a speech to graduates at Harvard where he earned his bachelor's degree. The Fed chairman noted²² during that decade, the US economy was suffering from a combination of slow growth and inflation.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 12 points, closing at 12, 390.

This is NPR News.

Internet portal company Yahoo is the latest online site to reach a deal with network giant CBS to stream its television shows. CBS says under terms of the agreement reached with the Yahoo! TV, it will run ads before streaming CBS shows at no cost to viewers. With the announcement, Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo becomes the largest member of CBS's online distribution partnership²³.

Every incumbent²⁴ member of Congress in New Mexico quit to run for retiring Republican Senator Pete Domenici’s seat yesterday. Now, voters will choose between two very different candidates in November: a conservative Republican or a liberal Democrat¹. NPR's Ted⁴ Robbins has more.

New Mexico is already expected to be a battleground state in the presidential election. It could also affect the balance of power in the Senate. After 36 years in office, Republican Senator Pete Domenici is retiring after being diagnosed with a brain disease. He will be replaced by either Congressman²⁵ Tom Udall, considered a progressive Democrat who opposes the war in Iraq, he won his party's primary uncontested; or by conservative Republican Congressman Steve Pearce who supports the war. In a nasty campaign, Pearce narrowly beat Congresswoman Heather Wilson, 51 to 49 percent. Early polls showed the Democrat Udall with a lead in the general election. Ted Robbins, NPR News.

The Mars Phoenix²⁶ Lander has begun its long-awaited exploration of the planet's north pole with scientists watching as the long-arm spacecraft dug up soil samples. Over the next several days, the Lander is scheduled to dump small samples of Martian soil into a tiny oven where they will be baked and studied. Phoenix touched down ten days ago as part of a three-month mission.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

3 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。

4 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

10 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。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 kickbacks   

n.激烈反应( kickback的名词复数 )；佣金，回扣

参考例句：

• Everyone at City Hall is receiving kickbacks. It's the only way to get anything done there. 市政府里的每个人都收回扣，在那里只有送红包，事情才办得成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• G raft or kickbacks paid to officials or law enforcem ent authorities. 暗中付给官员或执法人员的回扣。 来自互联网

14 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

15 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

16 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

17 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

18 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

19 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

20 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。

21 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

22 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

23 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。

24 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

25 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

26 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。