NPR 2011-02-10

Labor¹ groups are on strike in Egypt, further complicating² the government's attempts to end a more than two-week-old revolt against long-time President Hosni Mubarak. He is still resisting demands to resign immediately. The US and other allies have called for an orderly transition of power. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today given a lack of steps taken by Mubarak and others, the uprising's no surprise.

"The process for his transition does not appear to be in line with the people of Egypt. We believe that more has to be done and I think, more importantly, the people of Egypt think more have [has] to be done."

The revolt inspired similar demonstrations³ in other countries in recent weeks, including Jordan. NPR's Philip Reeves reports the king of Jordan has sworn in a new government.

King Abdullah dismissed the government last week in the hope of calming his discontented subjects, who were emboldened⁴ by the mass protests in Egypt. Now, a new cabinet's been sworn in, led by the new Prime Minister Marouf Bahkit. Bahkit is from Jordan's powerful security establishment. He's a former army general, who's been prime minister before. He's been talking about political reforms and easing censorship, and he's invited the Muslim brotherhood⁵ to join his government, an offer they rejected, but winning over the public won't be easy. Jordan's seen a wave of demonstrations and also the publication of an unusual protest letter from representatives of Jordan's powerful and usually loyal tribes, criticizing the new government and Jordan's Queen Rania. Philip Reeves, NPR News, Amman.

First-term Virginia Democratic Senator Jim Webb says he will not seek re-election next year. NPR's David Welna reports Webb's announcement today makes him the third member of the Senate's Democratic majority to opt⁷ out of another run for office.

Senator Webb announced his decision to leave the Senate at the end of his term in his typically brusk style. Without elaborating, he said he had decided⁸ to return to the private sector⁹ where he said he'd spent most of his professional life. Before narrowly defeating Republican incumbent¹⁰ George Allen in 2006, Webb himself had been a Republican and served as Ronald Ragan's Secretary of the Navy. He was also a decorated Marine¹¹ and Vietnam veteran and a successful novelist. Webb's greatest accomplishment¹² in the Senate may have been achieving the biggest expansion of the GI Bill since the World War II. With both North Dakota Democrat⁶ Kent Conrad and Connecticut Independent Joe Lieberman also retiring, Webb’s departure leaves an even greater challenge to Senate Democrats¹³ to hold on to their 53-seat majority. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

The Midwestern and Southern US are getting another heavy dose of winter, with some areas barely recovering from the last wintery blast. The National Weather Service says some of the heaviest snowfall in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas is affecting areas that were hit by a blizzard¹⁴ just last week.

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down nearly 30 points at 12,204. This is NPR.

The Chief Defense¹⁵ Council in the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor says recent Wikileaks revelations partly account for the delayed submission¹⁶ of his final summary, which the judges rejected. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports Taylor and his lawyer have boycotted¹⁷ court proceedings¹⁸ with closing arguments adjourned¹⁹ until Friday.

Taylor's defense lawyer Courtney Griffiths says Wikileaks cables shed more light on an international conspiracy²⁰ against Liberia's ex-president.

"Charles Taylor said from the outside that this prosecution²¹ was motivated by pressures from the United States and United Kingdom."

Taylor faces war crimes charges for masterminding the brutal²² rebellion in neighboring Sierra Leone. His laywer says a Wikileaks cable purportedly²³ written by the American ambassador in Liberia and published in December shows that the US has an interest in keeping Taylor out of West Africa.

"And one way in which they seem to do that is by his conviction, the imposition of a lengthy²⁴ sentence. And if neither those occur, then they will intend to put him on trial again in the States."

Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Abidjan.

In Pakistan, the prime minster has accepted the resignation of the Federal Cabinet in a bid to reduce its size and promote fiscal²⁵ discipline. The move is in line with calls by the opposition²⁶ to trim government spending amid an economic crisis.

A spokesman for Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords says the congresswoman has spoken for the first time since she was critically wounded in an attempted assassination²⁷ in Tucson last month. The spokesman says Giffords is working very hard and it is certainly paying off.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

3 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。

4 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 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。

10 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

12 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

13 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》

14 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

15 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。

16 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

17 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

18 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

19 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

20 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

21 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

22 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。

23 purportedly   

adv.据称

参考例句：

• This is purportedly the oldest tree in the world. 据称这是世界上最古老的一棵树。 来自互联网
• Mayor Oh Se-Hoon launched the campaign last year, purportedly to improve efficiency. 据悉，首尔市市长吴世勋于去年提出了这项旨在提高工作效率的计划。 来自互联网

24 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

25 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

26 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

27 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。