NPR 2010-08-06

Senate lawmakers have confirmed US Solicitor¹ General Elena Kagan to the US Supreme² Court. NPR's Audie Cornish reports the vote was 63-37.

Elena Kagan is the first female solicitor general, and now she'll be one of three women sitting on the United States Supreme Court. Over the last week, Republicans raised questions about what her position is likely to be on gunowners' rights, abortion³ and her lack of judicial⁴ experience. Democrats⁵, such as Senator Chris Dodd, dismissed those concerns.

"And Solicitor General Kagan's impressive list of career accomplishments⁶ and extensive base of legal knowledge will, I believe, hopefully put those unfounded doubts over her experience to rest."

But there was no effort to filibuster⁷ the nominee⁸, and more than enough Republicans crossed party lines to approve her confirmation⁹. Audie Cornish, NPR News, the Capitol.

Police are on the scene of a deadly crash involving dozens of high school students in Gray Summit, Missouri, west of St. Louis. Two school buses carrying members of a high school band, a tractor-trailer and a pickup¹⁰ truck were involved. Corporal Jeff Wilson with Missouri State Highway Patrol says two people died.

"They have, we believe, one fatality¹¹ in the GMC pickup and one fatality in the first bus."

The Associated Press reports the fatality on the bus was a girl. Dozens of other students were taken to the hospital. Most of the injuries are not life-threatening though.

BP has finished pumping cement into its blown-out well in the Gulf¹² of Mexico, according to the federal official who oversees¹³ the effort. NPR's Richard Harris reports the job didn't take long.

National Incident Commander Thad Allen told NPR that BP was moving along with the next steps.

"Well, we basically have the cement in the well right now. A very interesting procedure's going on. It's called 'squeezing'. And then what they do is they put some fluid into the well above the cement, and then they put mud behind it, and then they compress it."

Compressing the cement helps push it into nooks and crannies and helps the curing process. Once the cement is cured, BP can then continue drilling its relief well, which has about 100 feet to go. BP can pump in more cement through the relief well. Richard Harris, NPR News.

The Justice Department is charging 14 people in the US with providing support for the Somali-based terrorist group al-Shabab. Attorney General Eric Holder¹⁴ says the charges reflect a disturbing trend in this country of youth being recruited.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell testifying in the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor recalls getting 'dirty stones' from unidentified men back in 1997, but says she had no idea if they come from Taylor. Campbell was subpoenaed¹⁵ to appear in The Hague where prosecutors¹⁶ say Taylor received rough diamonds in exchange for supporting rebels in Sierra Leone's 11-year civil war.

On Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average down five points at 10,675, NASDAQ down 11 at 2,293, S&P 500 down one at 1,126.

This is NPR.

The Pentagon is demanding that the online whistle-blower Wikileaks return some 15,000 classified documents on the Afghanistan war. We have the latest from NPR's Tom Bowman.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters the website should do the right thing and return thousands of documents. Morrell said the Pentagon is pursuing other options if the website fails to comply, although he declined to answer a question about possible legal action. Last month, Wikileaks released some 91,000 government documents about Afghanistan, spanning 2004 to 2009 and detailing problems with the progress of the war. Top Pentagon officials harshly criticized that release, saying the documents included the names of Afghans who were helping¹⁷ US and allied¹⁸ troops. Officials said those Afghans could face reprisals¹⁹ from the Taliban. Wikileaks says it wants help from the Pentagon in removing names of Afghan sources in any future document releases. Tom Bowman, NPR News, the Pentagon.

A suicide bomber²⁰ strikes a convoy²¹ of NATO and Afghan security forces in northern Afghanistan today, killing²² seven police officers and wounding nearly a dozen. The Associated Press reports that NATO is acknowledging Afghan civilian²³ deaths today as well during fighting between coalition²⁴ forces and the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan.

About half a million people living along a swollen²⁵ river in southern Pakistan are being evacuated²⁶. Many more are still stranded²⁷ in the northwestern region after a recent monsoon²⁸ blocked roads and cut communication lines. US Army helicopters are helping Pakistan conduct relief missions in remote villages of Swat Valley. About 1,600 people have died over the past week.
 

1 solicitor   

n.初级律师，事务律师

参考例句：

• The solicitor's advice gave me food for thought.律师的指点值得我深思。
• The solicitor moved for an adjournment of the case.律师请求将这个案件的诉讼延期。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

4 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 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。

10 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

11 fatality   

n.不幸，灾祸，天命

参考例句：

• She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。
• He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。

12 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。

13 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

14 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

15 subpoenaed   

v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court subpoenaed her to appear as a witness. 法庭传唤她出庭作证。
• The finance director is subpoenaed by prosecution. 财务经理被检查机关传讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 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。

17 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

18 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

19 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

21 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

22 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。

23 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

24 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。

25 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

26 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

27 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。

28 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。