NPR 2008-08-20

The United Nations Security Council is holding emergency consultations¹ on the conflict between Russia and the former Soviet² Republic of Georgia. The move comes amid reports that Russia has taken its first tentative steps toward pulling its forces out of the region as outlined under a peace accord, while at the same time parading a group of blindfolded³ and bound Georgian prisoners and reportedly seizing four US Humvees. A small Russian column did leave the city of Gori. A Russian officer said they were headed for South Ossetia, the disputed province at the center of the conflict between the two sides.

NATO foreign ministers meanwhile met in Brussels today. NPR's Mike Shuster was there and said that while the ministers agreed there will not be business as usual with Russia.

There is a NATO-Russia council that has been involved in consultations between the alliance and Russia for some years, and for the time being, they're going to stop meeting in the NATO-Russia council. That may mean what no business as usual amounts to. NPR's Mike Shuster reporting from Brussels.

Barack Obama addressed the annual convention of the VFW in Florida today. He defended himself against John McCain's attacks made in the same venue⁴ yesterday. More from NPR's Mara Liasson.

Obama accused McCain of using a typical laundry list of political attacks including the suggestion that Obama puts personal ambition before country. "I have never suggested and never will, that Senator McCain picks his positions on national security based on politics or personal ambition. I've not suggested it because I believe that he genuinely wants to serve America's national interests. Now it is time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same. " Obama criticized McCain for being wrong about the Iraq War and pointed⁵ out that the Iraqi government favors his 16-month timeline for withdrawing combat troops. He said the central front in the war on terror was Afghanistan, and that as commander-in-chief, his first priority would be to take out the terrorists and finish the job against the Taliban. Mara Liasson, NPR News.

A Texas judge has removed a 14-year-old wife of Warren Jeffs from her parents' custody⁶. NPR's Wade⁷ Goodwyn reports.

At the hearing before Judge Barbara Walther, the state produced photos of the girl embracing and kissing Warren Jeffs at their alleged⁸ wedding in 2006 when the girl was aged⁹ 12. She is the daughter of Merril and Barbara Jessop. Merril Jessop is one of the most powerful leaders in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and oversees¹⁰ the Yearning¹¹ for Zion Ranch¹² in Eldorado, Texas. The girl's mother Barbara Jessop refused to answer questions on the stand, asserting her right not to incriminate herself. Judge Walther ruled the evidence of her wedding was "uncontroverted", and barred Jessop from contacting his daughter. Warren Jeffs has already been convicted of accomplice¹³ to rape¹⁴ in Utah, and is facing charges in Arizona. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 130 points today.

This is NPR.

Tropical Storm Fay lost some of its punch today after making landfall in southwest Florida and moving inland. While the storm never became a hurricane, forecasters say it has mysteriously strengthened again, even as it moves over land bringing heavy rains and high winds. While there were downed trees and power outages, there were no reports of major damage. Still flooding remains¹⁵ a concern as the storm heads up the Florida Peninsula. Forecasters continue to follow Fay, still not sure which direction it will take either north or possibly veering¹⁶ to the west.

What killed tens of millions of people in the 1918 flu pandemic may not have been flu viruses. That's according to a new study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases which blames different agents: bacteria. NPR's Joanne Silberner reports.

The bacteria infected the lungs once the flu virus had weakened them. That's according to National Institute of Allergy¹⁷ and Infectious Diseases researchers. They studied preserved lung tissue from 58 soldiers infected by the flu who died in 1918 and 1919. They found tissue changes that are the hallmarks of bacteria, not viruses, as well as destruction of cells that normally protect lungs from bacteria. And they studied 1918 case reports where doctors themselves said they suspected a second infection. One doctor said then that the flu "condemns¹⁸", but secondary infections "execute". The new research suggests that with the availability of effective treatments for bacterial¹⁹ infections, a modern day pandemic might not be so deadly. Joanne Silberner, NPR News.

Crude Oil Futures²⁰ ended the session up $1.66 a barrel to settle at $114.53 a barrel in New York.

1 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

3 blindfolded   

v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗

参考例句：

• The hostages were tied up and blindfolded. 人质被捆绑起来并蒙上了眼睛。
• They were each blindfolded with big red handkerchiefs. 他们每个人的眼睛都被一块红色大手巾蒙住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 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。

7 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

8 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

9 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。

10 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

11 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

12 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

13 accomplice   

n.从犯，帮凶，同谋

参考例句：

• She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
• He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。

14 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

15 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

16 veering   

n.改变的；犹豫的；顺时针方向转向；特指使船尾转向上风来改变航向v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的现在分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• Anyone veering too close to the convoys risks being shot. 任何人改变方向，过于接近车队就有遭枪击的风险。 来自互联网
• The little boat kept veering from its course in such a turbulent river. 小船在这湍急的河中总是改变方向。 来自互联网

17 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

18 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

20 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。