NPR 2009-11-14

From NPR News in Washington, I m Craig Windham.

 

Attorney General Eric Holder¹ says the self-proclaimed mastermind of the September 11th attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and 4 co-defendants will be tried in a federal court in New York city, not far from Ground Zero. Holder says although the cases will be handled by civilian² prosecutors³, the standards of justice applied⁴ will be stringent⁵.

“We will prosecute⁶ these cases vigorously. These were extraordinary crimes and so we will seek maximum penalties.”

But the decision to move the trial to New York is being criticized by some Republican lawmakers including Virginia Congressman⁸ Frank Wolf.

“I think he should have been tried at least on a military base, before a military commission. But I think he should have been tried outside of the country, because I think once you bring him in, once he touches down on United State's soil, nobody knows where that takes you.”

 Wolf says Mohammed will have more rights in federal court than American military personnel who face trail in the military court system.

 

President Obama says he will make his decision soon about whether to send additional US troops to Afghanistan. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports Mr. Obama is pledging to spell out the reasons for the choices he will make.

 

President Obama has met no fewer than eight times with military and diplomatic advisors⁹, trying to find a way forward in Afghanistan. He says he is closing in on a decision about whether to send more troops to the region. But before putting young people in harm's way, he says he wants to make sure doing so would make the US safer. “I recognized that there have been critics of the process. They tend not to be folks who, uh, I think are directly involved in what's happening in Afghanistan.” The president spoke¹⁰ after a meeting with Japan's Prime Minister. Japan this week pledged 5 billion dollars in civilian aid to Afghanistan. Scott Horsley, NPR News, with the president in Tokyo.

 

Army Psychiatrist¹¹ Nadal Hasan who's accused in the deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood¹², Texas may be paralyzed from waist down. NPR s Wade¹³ Goodwyn has more.

 

Major Hasan's Lawyer John Galligan told the Associated Press Friday that his client says he has no feeling in his legs and the doctors say the condition may be permanent. Hasan was shot multiple times by Fort Hood police officers last Thursday as Hasan allegedly went on a killing¹⁴ spree at the Soldier Readiness Medical Center. The psychiatrist was charged with 13 counts of pre-meditated murder and faces the death penalty. Wade Goodwyn NPR News, Killeen, Texas.

 

Utility crews in Virginia were clearing fallen tree limbs today in an effort to restore power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. The electricity was knocked out by the remnants of tropical storm Ida which have triggered flooding today along the East Coast.

 

Just before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up 75 points at 10, 273.

 

This is NPR News from Washington.

 

The US trade deficit¹⁵ increased more than expected in September, up to 36.5 billion dollars in part because of rising oil prices. The gap between the value of exports and imports jumped 18%.

 

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered the makers⁷ of caffeinated alcoholic¹⁶ beverages¹⁸ to prove the products are safe. FDA Deputy Commissioner¹⁹ Dr. Joshua Sharfstein says the agency has received complaints that the beverages can cause risky²⁰ behavior and injury. The concern they are expressing is that the caffeine, uh, stimulates²¹ people to drink more.  Sharfstein says if the beverage¹⁷ firms do not make a convincing case, the products could be banned.

 

Two computer programmers have been charged with helping²² Bernard Madoff cover up his massive investment scam for years. NPR’s Adam Hochberg has that story.

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges²³ the pair provided technical expertise²⁴ to Madoff, helping the firm produce thousands of pages of false trading records and other documents. Prosecutors said they helped cover up the investment schemes for 15 years and sometimes were paid to keep quiet. Madoff was sentenced this summer to 150 years in prison for spearheading the operation. Madoff's assistant and his accountant have also pleaded guilty to crimes in connection with the scheme. Adam Hochberg, NPR News.

 

The world's largest cruise ship arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida today, sounding its horn as it entered Port Everglades from its maiden²⁵ trans-Atlantic voyage. The Oasis²⁶ of the Seas is 5 times larger than the Titanic²⁷ was. It has 16 decks and can accommodate 6, 300 passengers. The vessel²⁸ will begin its first cruise in early December.

 

I am Craig Windham, NPR News in Washington.

1 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

2 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。

3 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。

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

6 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

7 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

12 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

13 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。

14 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。

15 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

16 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

17 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

18 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

19 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。

20 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

21 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

22 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

23 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

24 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

25 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

26 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

27 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

28 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。