NPR 2009-08-21

The Obama administration has confirmed plans to bring an end to the popular "Cash for Clunkers" program. In a statement, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says there's enough money to continue accepting submissions¹ until the deadline this Monday evening. Auto² dealers³ have sold almost half a million vehicles under the program, but some complained they've yet to be reimbursed⁴ by the government. President Obama is urging patience.

If we were just sending out checks where applications were incomplete and so on, first of all, we'd be breaking the law because there're statutes⁵ set up in terms of how this is supposed to go, and secondly⁶, there'd probably be some story. You'd be asking me about scandals where there were a whole bunch of checks of taxpayer⁷ money being wasted, going out to people who hadn't actually bought cars." Mr. Obama was speaking on the syndicated Radio program today. Both GM and Chrysler are helping⁸ dealers with cash advances while they wait for government checks.

Despite generally positive jobs data, first-time jobless claims in the US are edging back up. That's according to the Labor⁹ Department. Last week 15,000 more people filed initial claims than the previous week. NPR's Frank Langfitt reports.

Most economists¹⁰ think that even when the recession ends, the job market will remain lousy for some time. The new weekly unemployment numbers seemed to reinforce that notion. After dipping to 524,000 in mid-June, first-time claims had rebounded¹¹ to 576,000 by last week. Overall, the labor market is shrinking at a slower rate than earlier in the recession, but with consumer demands still low, most businesses are reluctant to start hiring. Consumer spending drives about 70% of the US economy. Analysts¹² worry that if the labor market remains¹³ weak, people won’t have enough money to spend and help kick the economy back into gear. Frank Langfitt, NPR News, Washington.

In Afghanistan, votes are being counted from today's presidential and provincial¹⁴ council elections. Turnout was lower than expected in large part over security concerns. NPR's Jackie Northam reports from Kabul.

There was sporadic¹⁵ rocket and mortar¹⁶ attacks in several areas of Afghanistan as voters headed to the polls. Turnout was light in many areas. Election officials predict less than half the eligible¹⁷ voters cast a ballot¹⁸ because many people were too worried or afraid of an attack. That's particularly true in the east and the south of the country. This is the political stronghold of President Hamid Karzai, and a low turnout in the south could have an impact on the outcome of the elections. Meanwhile, there was a strong turnout in many parts of the north, which could help Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Karzai's main challenger. This could increase the chances of a run-off election if neither candidate wins more than 50%. Election officials say it will take two weeks to see the result of the vote. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Kabul.

On Wall Street, Wall Street was up for a third straight day today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 70 points at 9,350.

This is NPR.

The only man convicted in the Lockerbie bombing has returned home to Libya after being released today from a prison in Scotland. The Scottish government released Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi because he has prostate cancer and / is not expected to live much longer. The decision to release him has outraged¹⁹ relatives of the 270 people killed in the 1988 bombing, a Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. President Obama warned Libya today not to give him a hero's welcome but thousands were on hand when he arrived in Tripoli.

Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress has pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and will be sentenced to two years in prison. NPR's Mike Pesca has more.

Plaxico Burress was in plenty of trouble last November after he shot himself in the thigh²⁰ with an unregistered handgun in a New York City nightclub. First it was the wound, which wasn't life-threatening but was serious enough to make him miss the rest of the season. Then there was the money. The incident allowed the Giants to void the 35 million-dollar-contract the former Super Bowl hero had signed just a couple of months before the shooting. Now Burress will be going to prison after pleading to a lesser²¹ charge than the one he was indicted²² for earlier this month. Facing three and a half years in prison on a possession charge, Burress admitted to attempted possession of a firearm and will serve at least 20 months even with time off for good behavior. He may face an additional suspension from the NFL should he wish to return to his once impressive football career. Mike Pesca, NPR News, New York.

Jamaican track star Usain Bolt has set another record at the World Championships. His victory in the 200 meters in Berlin today adds to the gold medal run he made in the 100. The defending champion, American Tyson Gay, was out with an injury.

1 submissions   

n.提交( submission的名词复数 )；屈从；归顺；向法官或陪审团提出的意见或论据

参考例句：

• The deadline for submissions to the competition will be Easter 1994. 递交参赛申请的截止时间为1994年的复活节。 来自辞典例句
• Section 556(d) allows the agency to substitute written submissions for oral direct testimony in rulemaking. 第五百五十六条第（四）款准允行政机关在规则制定中用书面提交材料替代口头的直接证言。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

2 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。

3 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

4 reimbursed   

v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the firm's business will be reimbursed. 由公司业务产生的开销都可以报销。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Employees are reimbursed for any legal fees incurred when they relocate. 员工调往异地工作时，他们可以报销由此产生的所有法律服务费用。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

7 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

8 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。

9 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。

10 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。

12 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。

13 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。

14 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

15 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

16 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

17 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

18 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。

19 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

20 thigh   

n.大腿；股骨

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。
• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。

21 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

22 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。