NPR 2010-02-25

From NPR News in Washington, I’m Korva Coleman.

 

The president and CEO of automaker Toyota has apologized for safety problems on his company’s vehicles. “I’m deeply sorry for any accident that Toyota drivers have experienced.” Akio Toyoda says the company’s priorities became confused and that safety was not Toyota’s leading goal. “For the past few years, been expanding its business rapidly. Quite frankly¹, I fear the pace at which we have grown may have been too quick.” Toyota is recalling well over eight million vehicles for brake and sudden acceleration² problems as well as for troubles with gas pedals.

 

Federal prosecutors³ have charged a former New Orleans police lieutenant⁴ with covering up possible police misconduct. The case involves the shootings of civilians⁵ on a bridge in the chaotic⁶ days after Hurricane Katrina. NPR’s John Burnett reports.

 

Federal charges unsealed on Wednesday accuse former Lt. Michael Lohman of obstructing⁷ justice when he and other unnamed individuals filed false statements on a police report. The incident involved a shooting on the Danziger Bridge in East New Orleans on September 4th, 2005. Two people were killed, including a 40-year-old mentally disabled man shot in the back and four others were injured. The police and the civilians each claim the others opened fire unprovoked. The federal charges state that Lohman went to the scene of the shooting after the gunfire, saw the civilians had no weapons and then provided false and misleading information to ensure the police shootings would be justified⁸ and the officers would not be prosecuted⁹. Seven police officers have been charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings. John Burnett, NPR News.

 

For the first time, a top Russian official is suggesting that Russia may delay selling a weapon system to Iran for fear of destabilizing the Middle East. We have more from NPR’s David Greene in Moscow.

 

Russia signed a contract more than two years ago to supply Iran with so-called S-300 defense¹⁰ missiles. The US and Israel have been angry about the sale as the missiles in theory could help Iran ward¹¹ off a preemptive attack on its nuclear sites. Russia has insisted it will honor the contract and deliver the weapons and that there was just a delay due to last-minute technical problems. But now, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is sending a different message. He was asked specifically about the weapon sale at a press conference and Lavrov responded, saying Russia won’t take any action leading to the destabilization of a region. Meanwhile, the US has also been hoping to get Russian support for tough new sanctions against Iran. For now, the Foreign Ministry¹² says Russia won’t support any move that would isolate¹³ Iran politically or economically. David Greene, NPR News, Moscow.

 

A Colorado man suspected of shooting two middle school students yesterday will have to pay one million dollars in bail¹⁴ if he wants to leave jail. Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood was accused of shooting the children in a school parking lot.

 

On Wall Street, the Dow was up 67 points.

 

You’re listening to NPR News.

 

Nigeria’s vice¹⁵ president is continuing to run the affairs of state despite the overnight return of the ailing¹⁶ president after a long absence. NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

 

A statement from the president. He gave the first official confirmation¹⁷ that Nigeria’s President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was back. The announcement said his health was greatly improved, but he would continue to recuperate¹⁸ after three months in hospital in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan is to press on as acting¹⁹ president. The decision has averted²⁰ the kind of feverish²¹ political tension and speculation²² during the prolonged absence of the president which plunged²³ Nigeria into a constitutional crisis. However, questions remain about the long-term health of Yar'Adua and whether he will have the strength to resume the onerous²⁴ duties of president. The issue has divided Nigeria’s political elite²⁵ and the people of Africa’s most populous²⁶ nation. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Accra.

 

Vice President Dick Cheney is back home a few days after suffering a heart attack. He was hospitalized Monday after complaining of chest pain. Doctors later determined²⁷ the heart attack was mild. Cheney has experienced heart trouble for much of his life including several prior heart attacks and procedures to help keep him healthy.

 

The chairman of Federal Reserve says it will be a while before interest rates go up again. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling a House panel low rates are necessary to help the US economy recover from the devastating²⁸ recession. In testimony²⁹ today, Bernanke said the number of people who don’t have jobs or are losing their homes will take some time to return to normal. The Fed sets certain interest rates and these affect other rates, such as for mortgages and for car loans.

 

I’m Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.
 

1 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

2 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

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 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

7 obstructing   

阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• You can't park here, you're obstructing my driveway. 你不能在这里停车，你挡住了我家的车道。
• He was charged for obstructing the highway. 他因阻碍交通而受控告。

8 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

9 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

11 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

14 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

15 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

16 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

17 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

18 recuperate   

v.恢复

参考例句：

• Stay in the hospital for a few more days to recuperate.再住院几天，好好地恢复。
• He went to the country to recuperate.他去乡下养病去了。

19 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

20 averted   

防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。
• Thanks to her skilful handling of the affair, the problem was averted. 多亏她对事情处理得巧妙，才避免了麻烦。

21 feverish   

adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的

参考例句：

• He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
• They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。

22 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

23 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

24 onerous   

adj.繁重的

参考例句：

• My household duties were not particularly onerous.我的家务活并不繁重。
• This obligation sometimes proves onerous.这一义务有时被证明是艰巨的。

25 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

26 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

27 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

28 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

29 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。