NPR 2010-06-01

Fury in the streets of Istanbul, Turkey where hundreds tried to storm the Israeli Consulate¹ today. It was a similar scene in Greece and parts of the Arab World reacting to Israel's deadly attack this morning on an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza. At least nine people died in the clash; dozens more were wounded. NPR's Linda Gradstein is covering events from Jerusalem. She says the Turkish flagship carrying hundreds of international activists² and thousands of tons of aid for Gaza has been dragged into an Israeli port along with five other ships.

Sixteen hours after Israeli troops first boarded the Mavi Marmara, it was towed into Israel's Ashdod Port. The 600 activists onboard will be given a choice between deportation³ and an Israeli jail. Israeli officials continue to insist that the activists sparked the violence by attacking the soldiers with iron bars and knives when they boarded the ship in international waters. The activists say the soldiers opened fire first. The incident has become a diplomatic nightmare for Israel. The Turkish prime minister accused Israel of "state terrorism", and there have been anti-Israel demonstrations⁴ in cities around the world. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a trip to the US and is passing up a meeting with President Obama to return to Israel and try to handle the diplomatic fallout. For NPR News, I'm Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on the Israeli attack. Earlier today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a full investigation⁵.

A lone⁶ bugler⁷ plays "taps" as dignitaries and fallen service members' families stood silently at Arlington National Cemetery⁹. Vice⁸ President Joe Biden later wreathed at the Tombs of the Unknowns. NPR's Paul Brown reports one thread running through the many Memorial Day commemorations in Washington, appreciation¹⁰ for sacrifice in the name of freedom and security.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint¹¹ Chiefs of Staff, says the real meaning of Memorial Day should be remembered among the holiday barbecues and one-day sales at stores. At Arlington National Cemetery, Mullen says this day is about honoring people who gave their all.

"Our treasured keepsakes will be the lives we celebrate."

And that's just the reason Vietnam veteran Joe Ingino gives for coming from Long Island to D.C. at the Vietnam veterans memorial every Memorial Day.

"I'm down here to remember my brothers and sisters that were on that war. I owe a lot to my friends on that war."

Ingino says his best moments at the memorial are when people come up to him and say 'thank you'. Paul Brown, NPR News, Washington.

The American troops' station thousands of miles away in Afghanistan also paid tribute this Memorial Day.

From Washington, this is NPR News.

The next US-Russian crew to go to the International Space Station is confirmed for their mission. The Russian commander says they were fully¹² prepared even though they initially¹³ flunked¹⁴ one of their tests. From Moscow, Peter Van Dyk has the story.

Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and NASA astronauts Doug Wheelock and Shannon Walker passed a series of rigorous tests last week on a replica¹⁵ of the Soyuz spaceship that will ferry them to and from the International Space Station and on the mockup of the Russian segment of the orbiter. Yurchikhin admitted they had to take an equipment test twice. The mission commander took responsibility for the failure and said it had showed the crew's team spirit. They're due to blast off from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan on June 16 and will spend 164 days in orbit. Yurchikhin said the mission mascot¹⁶ would be a toy dog that had served him well on two previous flights. For NPR News, I'm Peter Van Dyk in Moscow.

China is banning courts from considering evidence obtained through torture and threats, and Beijing says any evidence gathered under duress¹⁷ will be thrown out in death penalty cases under appeal. The new regulations on torture are the most specific yet on what is admissible in Chinese court.

Facebook is up and running in Pakistan again. A local court lifted its ban today on the social networking website, provided there's no access to material that the government deems blasphemous¹⁸. Facebook was blocked two weeks ago after carrying a competition to draw Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

There're reports of an attack in eastern Pakistan today. Authorities say two gunmen attacked a hospital in the eastern part of the country, killing¹⁹ several people.

I'm Lakshmi Singh. NPR News, Washington.
 

1 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

4 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。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

7 bugler   

喇叭手； 号兵； 吹鼓手； 司号员

参考例句：

• The general ordered the bugler to sound the retreat. 将军命令号手吹号收兵。
• There was nothing faded about the bugler under the cap. 帽子下面那个号手可一点也不是褪色的。

8 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。

9 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

10 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

11 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

12 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

13 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

14 flunked   

v.( flunk的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）（考试、某学科的成绩等）不及格；评定（某人）不及格；（因不及格而） 退学

参考例句：

• I flunked math in second grade. 我二年级时数学不及格。
• He flunked out (of college) last year. 他去年（从大学）退学了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

16 mascot   

n.福神，吉祥的东西

参考例句：

• The football team's mascot is a goat.足球队的吉祥物是山羊。
• We had a panda as our mascot.我们把熊猫作为吉详物。

17 duress   

n.胁迫

参考例句：

• He claimed that he signed the confession under duress.他说他是被迫在认罪书上签字的。
• These unequal treaties were made under duress.这些不平等条约是在强迫下签订的。

18 blasphemous   

adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的

参考例句：

• The book was declared blasphemous and all copies ordered to be burnt.这本书被断定为亵渎神明之作，命令全数焚毀。
• The people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.满屋的人都对他那侮慢的语言感到愤慨。

19 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。