NPR 2010-05-02

President Obama plans to get a close-up look at the oil clean-up in the Gulf¹ of Mexico. The White House says the president plans to head south tomorrow, but aides are not saying exactly where or what time Mr.Obama plans to arrive. The news came as President Obama was arriving in Detroit to give a commencement speech at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor².

Protests against Arizona's new immigration law are underway in cities across the US. People are angry that police officers in Arizona are being required to question someone suspected of being in the country illegally about their immigration status. NPR's Carrie Kahn is in downtown Los Angeles where tens of thousands of people have come out and where, she says, the mood is mixed.

There is a lot of anger and upset people in the crowd. When you talk to them individually, they definitely are passionate³ about the reasons why they came out here and are upset about the new law in Arizona. But people actully very festive⁴ atmosphere that there're a lot of children out here, a lot of families. I talked to a grandfather who came out with his grandson because he wanted him to see what a protest rally was like and showed solidarity⁵ and support for Latinos and  immigrants in the United States. So it is a family affair, but there are a lot of angry messages.

NPR's Carrie Kahn in Los Angeles.

May Day rallies in Greece have turned violent into demonstrations⁶ against the country's new austerity measures. The government says more cuts are vital to the country's economic survival. Greece is negotiating with the European Union and the International Monetary⁷ Fund this weekend on a multi-billion-dollar bailout package to tackle Greece's debt crisis.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration says people should stop using liquid Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl for children and infants, but NPR's Allison Keyes tells us the FDA calls the potential for serious medical problems remote.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare after consulting with the FDA announced a voluntary recall yesterday, saying the products involved may not meet required quality standards. That means some of the products included in the recall may have a higher concentration of active ingredient than specified⁸. Others may contain inactive ingredients that may not meet internal testing requirements. And others may contain tiny particles. The FDA says as a precaution, parents and caregivers shouldn't give the medicine to their children. It also advises against giving kids the adult version to the products. If an adult has already given a child one of the recalled products and the child exhibits unexpected symptoms, the FDA recommends contacting a healthcare professional. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

Another Brazilian rancher's convicted of planning the murder of an American nun⁹ Dorothy Stang, a staunch supporter of the Amazon and poor farmers. Today, a court sentenced Regivaldo Galvao to 30 years in prison. He was the last of five defendants¹⁰ to stand trial in the case.

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Bolivia is taking sweeping¹¹ action in its energy sector¹². Today, government forces seized control of at least three more electricity companies giving Bolivia 80% control of power generation in the South American country. President Evo Morales announced the move today three years after he nationalized Bolivia's natural gas industry.

China is ordering schools across the nation to step up security. A series of brutal¹³ attacks at several Chinese schools this week injured 49 children and NPR's Louisa Lim reports they've left China shaken to the core.

Police and security guards are now patrolling the Taixing city People's Hospital one day after parents of the injured children staged a protest. They chanted "We want the truth" and demanded to see their children after rumors¹⁴ circulated that the government had covered up the deaths of some of those attacked. The city government tried to calm fears. It sent text messages to residents, asserting that no children had died and imploring¹⁵ citizens to trust the government. Education Minister Hao Ping has set up a 22-member task force focused on increasing school security. In Beijing, armed police will patrol schools when they go back to class on Tuesday after the May Day break. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Shanghai.

Clean-up is underway in a small community in central Arkansas after a tornado¹⁶ tore through the region last night. At least one woman was killed when the twister hit her home in the town of Scotland, about 80 miles north of Little Rock.

The Somali capital is a site of a second deadly attack on a mosque¹⁷ this week. Authorities say at least 30 worshipers were killed, scores more were wounded in two explosions. The mosque is often used by the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabaab for speeches. A senior member was among the injured.
 

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 arbor   

n.凉亭；树木

参考例句：

• They sat in the arbor and chatted over tea.他们坐在凉亭里，边喝茶边聊天。
• You may have heard of Arbor Day at school.你可能在学校里听过植树节。

3 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

4 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

5 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

8 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

9 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

10 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

11 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

12 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。

13 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

14 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 imploring   

恳求的，哀求的

参考例句：

• Those calm, strange eyes could see her imploring face. 那平静的，没有表情的眼睛还能看得到她的乞怜求情的面容。
• She gave him an imploring look. 她以哀求的眼神看着他。

16 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

17 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。