NPR 2010-01-07

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Barbara Klein.

 

The man accused of the deadly shooting at Washington's Holocaust¹ Museum in June has died. 89-year-old James von Brunn died today at the federal prison in North Carolina. The self-declared white supremacist was waiting trial for killing² a museum security guard.

 

President Obama has announced a 250-million-dollar public-private plan to recruit more math and science teachers. The President says he wants American students to lead the world in those fields within the next decade.

 

Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut says he is ending his nearly 40-year career in Congress, leaving Senate Democrats³ with four seats to defend in November so far. NPR's Giles Snyder reports.

 

Dodd's decision to not seek reelection marks a turnaround from just last week when he said he was committed to running for a sixth term. But at his Connecticut home, he said it was his moment to step aside. "That in the long sweep of American history, there are moments for each elected public official to step aside and let someone else step up. " Dodd is the chairman of the Senate Banking⁵ Committee. He's been a major player in both of financial and healthcare overhauls⁶. Bit he acknowledged that he is in the toughest political shape of his career. He's embattling questions about his financial industry connections, and trailed his Republican opponent in the polls. And he said it's been a tough year personally with the deaths of a sister and Ted⁴ Kennedy and his battle against prostate cancer. Giles Snyder, NPR News, Washington.

 

Forecasters warn unusually cold weather across much of the US is likely to continue through the weekend. In the south, farmers are working to protect their crops from freezing. In Atlanta, the cold weather has forced authorities to shut down a major interstate used by hundreds of thousands of people every day because of ice. Meanwhile, across Georgia the cold has led to a large increase in the number of house fires. Josephine Bennett of Georgia Public Broadcasting has that story.

 

In the last five days, firefighters in the Macon area have responded to six major house fires. No lives have been lost, but 30 people no longer have a place to live. All of the fires were started by people trying to stay warm using space heaters. Ryan Logan is with the Red Cross. He says they've seen a 200 percent increase in the number of fires this year. "They have to take whatever measures they can in order to heat their home and do it without maybe the conveniences of typical heat resources, electricity or natural gas. " Logan says there is also an increase in the number of people affected⁷ by the fires as many extended families have consolidated⁸ and are now living under one roof. For NPR News, I'm Josephine Bennett in Macon, Georgia.

 

An hour before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up 17 points. The NASDAQ is down three. The S&P is up two.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Two jobs reports out today show the labor⁹ market continues to improve. ADP National Employment says 84, 000 private-sector¹⁰ jobs were lost last month, but that's compared to a 145, 000 lost in November. And a survey by consulting firm Challenger Gray & Christmas says plans for layoffs¹¹ fell last month to the lowest level in two years. The US service sector grew last month, but not enough to boost hiring. The Institute for Supply Management says its service index rose to just over 50, anything over 50 signals growth. Economists¹² monitor the index because those jobs make up more than 80% of non-farm jobs.

 

One of the nation's best-known abstract artists has died at his home in Port Clyde, Maine. Kenneth Noland was 85 years old. From Maine Public Radio, Susan Sharon reports.

 

A veteran of World War II, Kenneth Noland used the G. I. bill to study art at Black Mountain College in his native North Carolina. Noland was fascinated with color and shapes. Instead of using landscapes or people as his subjects, Noland distinguished¹³ himself with a series of studies of concentric rings or bull's-eyes, and asymmetrical¹⁴ diamonds stripes and other forms. He once told the New York Times that in the best color painting, structure is nowhere evident or nowhere self-revealing. Noland was influenced by artists such as French painter and sculptor¹⁵ Henri Matisse, and American abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler. His works are displayed in US galleries and throughout the world. For NPR News, I'm Susan Sharon in Louis, Maine.

 

And I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News in Washington.
 

1 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

2 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。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

5 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

6 overhauls   

v.彻底检查( overhaul的第三人称单数 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• The plant overhauls 8 locomotive, manufactures and repairs 100 train vehicles annually. 年机车解体大修8部，修、制各类型铁路车辆百余辆。 来自互联网
• The wind turbine generator overhauls what is the standard flow? 风机检修的的标准流程是什么？ 来自互联网

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 consolidated   

a.联合的

参考例句：

• With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country's leading director. 他新执导的影片巩固了他作为全国最佳导演的地位。
• Those two banks have consolidated and formed a single large bank. 那两家银行已合并成一家大银行。

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 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

11 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

12 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》

13 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

14 asymmetrical   

adj.不均匀的，不对称的

参考例句：

• Most people's faces are asymmetrical.多数人的脸并不对称。
• Folds may be gentle and symmetrical,or sharp and asymmetrical.褶皱可以是平缓而对称的，也可以是陡峭而非对称的。

15 sculptor   

n.雕刻家，雕刻家

参考例句：

• A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
• The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。