NPR 2010-04-19

Poland mourns the death of a president. Lech Kaczynski and his wife were laid to rest today more than a week after they were killed in a plane crash in Russia. They were among 95 people who died. Many of the others were also members of Poland’s political elite¹. NPR’s Eric Westervelt has more on today’s elaborate state funeral in Krakow.

 

Polish citizens filled the streets and the square in and around St. Mary’s Basilica. Speakers and video screens allowed people to follow the Catholic funeral Mass. Many prayed and sang along with the choir².

 

Camilla Konoushka was one of the estimated 150,000 who turned out. “I wanted to be here to document this historic event for my family,” she said, “and to pay my respects to the president.” The bodies of the first couple were then carried by military Humvee in a slow funeral procession across Krakow’s Old Town and up the Wawel Hill, the historic Polish fortress³ 1,000-year-old cathedral overlooking the Vistula River. The couple was buried inside the cathedral alongside Polish nobility and some of the nation’s most revered⁴ figures. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Krakow.

 

Many world leaders including President Obama could not attend the state funeral because of widespread flight disruptions in Europe due to spreading ash from a volcanic⁵ eruption⁶ in Iceland and this marks day four of such flight disruptions. There has been a massive worldwide domino effect including in Africa. NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

 

Regional air hubs in Africa are dealing⁷ with flight cancellations to and from Europe and juggling⁸ thousands of stranded⁹ passengers at airports and hotels all over the continent. African exporters who airfreight fruit, vegetables and cut flowers to European supermarkets predict the loss of millions of dollars worth of perishable¹⁰ produce with more to come if the dust cloud lingers. Kenyan blooms account for about 1/3 of cut flower imports into the European Union. That could spell serious problems for some of the world’s most vulnerable economies. African tourism is another sector¹¹ hard hit by the Icelandic volcano eruptions¹². Botswana’s Okavango Delta¹³, Kenya, Senegal and other tourist destinations that were expecting spring visitors are now contemplating¹⁴ empty hotel beds. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Accra.

 

Thailand’s military is threatening to punish anti-government protesters who march in Bangkok’s main shopping district breaking an emergency government decree, also raises fears of more deadly violence. The army’s responding to demonstrators’ threats yesterday to make the area their “final battleground” in their campaign to oust¹⁵ Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva. The “Red Shirts” made up of mainly rural and poor residents have been staging protests in the capital since mid-March.

 

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Queen Rania who’s been a driving force for better education in Jordan is now extending a program to disadvantaged Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem. Dale Gavlak has more from Jordan.

 

Over the past two years, Rania’s Madrasati (My School) initiative has revitalized nearly 300 schools and stepped up tech, health and business know-how¹⁶ to 110,000 impoverished¹⁷ students throughout Jordan. With Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, she unveiled to reporters a similar program for some 94,000 poor Palestinian students in East Jerusalem. Many whose schools come under Jordan’s Religious Affairs Ministry¹⁸. She said the program will redress¹⁹ rising drop-out rates and out-of-school children by giving students skills to become successful learners to enable them to complete their education. For NPR News, I’m Dale Gavlak in Amman.

 

A presidential candidate seeking broad autonomy for Turkish Cypriots is declaring victory in today’s election. Dervis Eroglu told supporters at a rally that he will pursue negotiations²⁰ to reunify the divided island, but some fear the hardliner may torpedo²¹ peace talks and jeopardize²² Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European Union.

 

Bad weather could keep space shuttle Discovery in orbit an extra day. The crew is scheduled to return to Florida tomorrow morning, but the landing may be delayed because of possible rain. Discovery is returning home from delivering spare parts and supplies to the International Space Station. It was in space for about two weeks. The shuttle mission is among the last from NASA. The space agency plans to retire its shuttle fleet later this year.

 

1 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。

2 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

3 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

4 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

5 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

6 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

9 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

10 perishable   

adj.（尤指食物）易腐的，易坏的

参考例句：

• Many fresh foods are highly perishable.许多新鲜食物都极易腐败。
• Fruits are perishable in transit.水果在运送时容易腐烂。

11 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。

12 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

13 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

14 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

15 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

16 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

17 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 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。

19 redress   

n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除

参考例句：

• He did all that he possibly could to redress the wrongs.他尽了一切努力革除弊端。
• Any man deserves redress if he has been injured unfairly.任何人若蒙受不公平的损害都应获得赔偿。

20 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。

21 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

22 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。