NPR 2010-10-19

The Justice Department is suing Michigan Blue Across Blue Shield for allegedly using practices that drive up health care costs. NPR's Carrie Johnson says it could be the first of many antitrust suits.

Antitrust enforcers at the Justice Department say Blue Across Blue Shield of Michigan includes language in its contracts with health care providers that raise costs for hospitals. Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney says the "most-favored nation" language means that competitors can't negotiate better rates. Blue Cross denies the allegations. The insurance company says its netotiated discounts helped millions of people in Michigan. Varney says the Justice Department is prepared to challenge other companies in the US that may be violating antitrust laws. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

Authorities in Carlsbad, California are investigating a crash involving former NFL linebacker Junior Seau. The 12-time Pro¹ Bowler² is hospitalized with minor³ injuries after his SUV went off a cliff, plunging⁴ 30 feet to a beach. Seau had just been released from jail after a domestic violence arrest.

Iran has joined the high-level talks in Rome aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports the talks do not deal with the contentious⁵ issue of Tehran's nuclear development program.

US special envoy⁶ for Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said the meeting is restricted to Afghanistan. It does not affect other issues regarding Iran. Citing Iran's long border with Afghanistan and its problems with drugs and immigrants coming over the border, Holbrooke said Tehran has a role to play in the peaceful settlement of the situation. The Iranian envoy Mohammad Ali Qanezadeh described the meeting as "fruitful" and said Iran believes in a "regional" solution supported by the international community. In reference to the possibility of negotiations⁷ with Taliban representatives, Holbrooke stressed the condition set forth⁸ by coalition⁹ forces and the Afghan government that the insurgents¹⁰ lay down arms, renounce¹¹ Al-Qaeda, enter the political process and respect the constitution including minority rights. The envoy said "we are not going to win this war by purely¹² military means". Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Four men caught in an FBI sting last year have been convicted of conspiring¹³ to blow up New York City synagogues and shoot down military planes. A federal court jury had deliberated eight days.

The future was on display in the White House State Dining Room today. President Obama checked out exhibits and welcomed student winners of math and science competitions.

"It's in these pursuits that talents are discovered, and passions are lit and the future scientists, engineers, inventors, entrepreneurs are born."

The displays included a steering¹⁴ wheel to prevent texting while driving and stronger bike helmets.

Near the close on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrials up 76 points, NASDAQ up 11, and the S&P 500 was up eight points. This is NPR.

The federal judge who declared the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for gays unconstitutional is hearing arguements on whether to enforce the policy during the government's appeal. President Obama says Congress and not the court should get rid of the policy.

There are rising expectations in financial markets that the Federal Reserve will inject more money into the economy. And Steve Beckner of Market News International says the latest economic numbers underscore those hopes.

Output by the nation's factories, mines and utilities is down 0.2% for September. A rise of 0.2% in the Federal Reserve's industrial production index was expected. Capacity utilization¹⁵, the rate at which plants operate, is also down. The economic signs are not all bad. The National Association of Home Builders' housing market index is up three points in October to its highest level since June. Fed policymakers meet in two weeks to decide whether or not to try to stimulate¹⁶ the economy through quantitative¹⁷ easing, buying bonds with newly created money to cut already low long-term interest rates. Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Dennis Lockhart says he is leaning in favor of that, but says the decision is not clear-cut. For NPR News, I'm Steve Beckner.

If you are on Facebook and use any of ten popular applications, your personal information may have been transmitted to advertising¹⁸ and Internet tracking companies. The Wall Street Journal says the breach¹⁹ also includes people who set all of their information to private. Facebook is moving to fix the problem and disable those applications. Most apps are made by independent software companies.
 

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

4 plunging   

adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• War broke out again, plunging the people into misery and suffering. 战祸复发，生灵涂炭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He is plunging into an abyss of despair. 他陷入了绝望的深渊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

11 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

12 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

13 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

14 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

15 utilization   

n.利用，效用

参考例句：

• Computer has found an increasingly wide utilization in all fields.电子计算机已越来越广泛地在各个领域得到应用。
• Modern forms of agricultural utilization,have completely refuted this assumption.现代农业利用形式，完全驳倒了这种想象。

16 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

17 quantitative   

adj.数量的，定量的

参考例句：

• He said it was only a quantitative difference.他说这仅仅是数量上的差别。
• We need to do some quantitative analysis of the drugs.我们对药物要进行定量分析。

18 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

19 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。