NPR 2009-08-16

A suicide bomber¹ triggered a powerful blast outside NATO headquarters in Afghanistan's capital today. At least seven people were killed and nearly 100 others were injured. The Taliban is claiming responsibility for the attack. NPR's Jackie Northam reports from Kabul.

Senior Afghan police officials say the suicide bomber, carrying some 600 pounds of explosives in his car, managed to pass three checkpoints leading up to NATO headquarters. Afghan security officials finally stopped the vehicle at the main NATO gate, that's when the bomb was detonated. Among the injured are small children who normally sell gum and other treats to Westerners going in and out of the military headquarters. A Taliban spokesman told Reuters news agency that the target had been the US embassy, located next to NATO headquarters. There have been an increasing number of attacks in the past few months here in Kabul. This is the most serious one since February and comes just five days before Afghanistan's presidential election. Security in Kabul and most other parts of the country has increased over the past few weeks. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Kabul.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling on Iran to release several Americans who've been detained or have gone missing there in recent months. Her statement came days after an American graduate student who was held in Iran returned to Los Angeles. NPR's Allison Keyes has the story.

Clinton says Iran should immediately release Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakhsh and let him leave Iran to continue his academic pursuits. Clinton also calls on Iran's government to grant diplomatic access to the three American hikers detained last month and asks they be released without further delay. The hikers have said they entered Iran by mistake while hiking to Iraq. Clinton also says that US remains² concerned about Robert Levinson, a retired³ FBI agent missing since March of 2007. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

President Obama says it's time, in his words, to lower our voices and listen to one another about differences over health care overhaul⁴. "I know there's been a lot of attention paid to some of the town hall meetings that are going on around the country, especially those where tempers have flared⁵. You know how TV loves a ruckus. But what you haven't seen-because it's not as exciting – are the many constructive⁶ meetings going on all over the country where Americans are airing their hopes and concerns about this very important issue." Mr. Obama speaking in his weekly radio and Internet address today.

The president leaves another town hall meeting on health care this evening in about an hour in Grand Junction⁷, Colorado. Mr. Obama and his family spent today visiting Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming where they made a stop at Old Faithful to watch the geyser erupt....Tomorrow the first family will visit the Grand Canyon⁸ in Arizona.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia has met with the top military ruler in Myanmar and was also allowed to confer with opposition⁹ leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Webb says Myanmar's rulers have agreed to release an American, who was sentenced to hard labor¹⁰ there. NPR's Michael Sullivan reports from Bangkok.

Senator Webb met with Myanmar's reclusive Senior General Than Shwe in Myanmar's jungle capital Naypyitaw, and came away from that meeting with the release of the American John Yettaw, who was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for swimming to the home of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and staying there for two nights in May. Suu Kyi received a term of 18-month house arrest. She has spent 14 of the past 20 years in detention¹¹. Senator Webb was also able to meet with Suu Kyi for more than an hour today. A statement released by his office says that meeting was an opportunity for Webb to convey his deep respect for the sacrifices that she has made on behalf of democracy. The statement also says Senator Webb asked Myanmar's generals to release Suu Kyi. The Senator will be bringing John Yettaw out of Myanmar to Bangkok on Sunday. Michael Sullivan, NPR News.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling a stubborn wildfire in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. The blaze has charred¹² more than 6,800 acres of land so far. And about 2,400 residents of the area are under mandatory¹³ evacuation orders. Cal. Fire Spokesman John Buchanan says hot gusty¹⁴ winds are just part of the challenge facing fire crews. "Not only the winds but it’s the terrain¹⁵. There are some really steep terrains¹⁶ here. In some places, it is almost like 200 feet straight down from the road. So, just hiking down and getting handcarts and stuff down there is just treacherous¹⁷. Buchanan says the blaze is about 30% contained.

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 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。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

5 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

6 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

7 junction   

n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站

参考例句：

• There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
• You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。

8 canyon   

n.峡谷，溪谷

参考例句：

• The Grand Canyon in the USA is 1900 metres deep.美国的大峡谷1900米深。
• The canyon is famous for producing echoes.这个峡谷以回声而闻名。

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 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

11 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

12 charred   

v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦

参考例句：

• the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
• The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

14 gusty   

adj.起大风的

参考例句：

• Weather forecasts predict more hot weather,gusty winds and lightning strikes.天气预报预测高温、大风和雷电天气将继续。
• Why was Candlestick Park so windy and gusty? 埃德尔斯蒂克公园里为什么会有那么多的强劲阵风？

15 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

16 terrains   

n.地形( terrain的名词复数 )；地面；地域；地带

参考例句：

• Scientists call these pieces exotic or suspect terrains. 科学家们把这些小陆块叫外来或嫌疑地块。 来自辞典例句
• In the western of China are intricate terrains and many hilly regions. 我国西部地区地势复杂，多丘陵。 来自互联网

17 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。