NPR 2009-01-27

President Barack Obama took several steps today aimed at boosting auto¹ fuel efficiency and curbing² greenhouse gases. Environmentalists say the moves represent a clean break with the Bush Administration. NPR's Scott Horsley has more.

President Obama opened the door for California and other states to adopt stricter standards on tailpipe emissions³, a move that the Bush Administration had blocked in 2007. He also called for a quick implementation⁴ of higher fuel economy standard set by Congress that year. Mr. Obama called the moves "the first steps towards a cleaner planet and increased energy independence". "Increasing fuel efficiency in our cars and trucks is one of the most important steps that we can take to break our cycle of dependence⁵ on foreign oil. It will also help spark the innovation needed to ensure that our auto industry keeps pace with competitors around the world. " Domestic automakers have resisted California's push for tougher tailpipe emissions but Mr. Obama argues making more fuel-efficient cars is in the companies' long-term economic interest. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House.

The US companies announced another 40, 000 layoffs⁷ today, everything from 20, 000 jobs as being eliminated by giant heavy equipment maker⁶ Caterpillar⁸, to 8, 000 job cuts at Sprint⁹ Nextel to another 7, 000 job cuts at Home Depot¹⁰. And analysts¹¹ say the jobs cutting may not be over. President Barack Obama mentioned the layoffs today, remarks as he called on Congress to move to approve his 825-billion-dollar economic stimulus¹² package. President said they "are not just numbers on a page but men and women whose families have been disrupted and whose dreams have been put on hold".

General Motors announced today it will eliminate 2, 000 jobs at plants in Michigan and Ohio. Detroit Public Radio's Jerome Vaughn reports.

GM says it will cut production down to a single shift at its plants in Delta¹³ Township, Michigan and Lordstown, Ohio. The Delta Township plant produces the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn¹⁴ Outlook crossover vehicles; about 1,200 jobs will be lost there. 800 jobs will be eliminated at the Lordstown plant where GM builds the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5. The company says the actions are part of ongoing¹⁵ efforts to keep vehicle production in line with shrinking consumer demand. GM sales fell 31 percent last month compared with December 2007. The job cuts are scheduled to take effect in late March or early April. GM says several other assembly plants will also be idle for short periods of time as part of production cutbacks. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Vaughn in Detroit.

The Senate has begun debate on the nomination¹⁶ of Timothy Geithner to be the nation's next Treasury¹⁷ Secretary with a vote expected this evening. Geithner is expected to win confirmation¹⁸ handily, notwithstanding some lawmakers' misgivings¹⁹ over his failure to pay taxes he owed earlier in the decade. Senate said today it's expected Geithner has as many as 65 votes in support of his nomination, a simple majority of 51 Senate votes is needed.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 38 points. The NASDAQ was up 12 points.

This is NPR.

Pharmaceutical²⁰ giant Pfizer announced today that it's buying rival Wyeth Pharmaceuticals²¹ in a deal valued at 68 billion dollars. The merger²² combines Pfizer, the maker of such blockbuster drugs as Lipitor and Viagra, with Madison, New Jersey-based Wyeth, the maker of the world's top-selling vaccines²³. The move by Pfizer is part of an effort to diversify²⁴ ahead of the expiration²⁵ of patent rights for its cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor which currently accounts for about a quarter of the company's revenues. With the move to acquire Wyeth, Pfizer says it will cut 8,000 jobs.

European Union foreign ministers have pushed off a decision on whether EU states will take in Guantanamo detainees. As Teri Schultz reports, they say there are many legal issues to be sorted out before they can even determine whether a joint²⁶ response to the Obama initiative is possible.

The 27 foreign ministers are unanimously pleased with the early Obama administration decision to close down Guantanamo within a year, but unity²⁷ stops there as many countries don't want to take in former detainees of asked. Some can't because of legal barriers and others think that EU should leave it to states themselves to decide. External Affairs Commissioner²⁸ Benita Ferrero-Waldner says well individual states have the right to decide. "We would like to see some sort of EU platform for a common response. This was a first discussion. This is a very sensitive and delicate measure and we will have to come back to this question. " Justice ministers must also be consulted, says current EU President and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, who discourages anyone from expecting a quick answer. For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz.

Crude oil futures²⁹ prices fell today. Light, sweet crude for March delivery was down 74 cents a barrel ending the session at $45.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

5 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

6 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

7 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

8 caterpillar   

n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫

参考例句：

• A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
• A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

9 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

10 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

13 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

14 Saturn   

n.农神，土星

参考例句：

• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings.天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。
• These comparisons suggested that Saturn is made of lighter materials.这些比较告诉我们，土星由较轻的物质构成。

15 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

16 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。

17 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

18 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

19 misgivings   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧

参考例句：

• I had grave misgivings about making the trip. 对于这次旅行我有过极大的顾虑。
• Don't be overtaken by misgivings and fear. Just go full stream ahead! 不要瞻前顾后， 畏首畏尾。甩开膀子干吧！ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

21 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。

23 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

24 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

25 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

26 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

27 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

28 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。

29 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。