NPR 2011-03-10

Long-time Washington Post political analyst¹ David Broder dies at the age of 81. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports he helped bring the paper to prominence² during the Watergate era.

David Broder was lauded³ for spotting political trends early and asking tough questions even of politicians he had admired. He won the Pulitzer for his Watergate coverage⁴ explaining the impact of the scandal. The post's former executive editor Ben Bradlee says Broder was his first hire because he was simply the best political reporter of the time with the best-informed contacts from the precinct level up. Bradlee says Broder was also well liked by colleagues.

"And he was just a wonderful mixture of being serious and having a good sense of humor, and he's so hardworking. He worked all day every day."

David Broder died of complications from diabetes⁵. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

The White House is supporting federal funding for NPR, whose financial support is under debate on Capitol Hill. Spokesman Jay Carney says funding had received bipartisan support in the past and that support for public broadcasting should continue. This comment's come as NPR faces public outcry over statements made by a former executive who made disparaging⁶ comments about conservatives and said he believed NPR could do without federal funding in the long term. Today, NPR announced that President and CEO Vivian Schiller had resigned.

The White House says there will be no imminent⁷ decision on whether the US should get more involved in the uprising against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The president's top security advisors⁸ are meeting to talk about the actions they've already taken, such as imposing⁹ sanctions. It's uncertain if the US allies will move ahead with a no-fly zone over Libya that would keep warplanes from pounding sites held by the opposition¹⁰. Libyan rebels have said that while they can take on ground troops, they are outmanned by air and need international help. One of the hot zones is Ras Lanuf for NPR's Peter Kenyon reports people appear to be holding their ground.

The morale¹¹ still seemed tired in the determination to fight strong. There's a more serious attitude here. Now, it seems that this may become a battleground in the coming days. It's not clear. It could go on with air strikes as well. The tactics of the opposition and government forces haven't been entirely¹² clear so far. It has been entirely an air campaign here in Ras Lanuf.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reporting.

The death penalty is abolished in Illinois. Within the past hour, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn did away with capital punishment and commuted¹³ the death sentences of 15 inmates¹⁴ to life in prison. This is the second time an Illinois governor has cleared death row. About ten years ago, Republican George Ryan abolished capital punishment in the state over concerns an innocent person might be executed.

The latest on Wall Street: Dow is up ten points at 12,225; NASDAQ down 14 at 2,752.

This is NPR.

The space shuttle Discovery is back on Earth after its final mission. NPR's Russell Lewis reports the shuttle made a safe midday landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Moments before it landed, Discovery thundered across the Florida Peninsula, sending twin sonic booms below, announcing its arrival and its final journey home. It's the 39th and last mission for Discovery, what NASA calls, the most flown spacecraft in history. NASA commentator¹⁵ Josh Byerly welcomed the ship back as it rolled down a runway on a windy day.

"And to the ship that has led the way time and time again, we say, 'Farewell, Discovery!'"

With Discovery's return and now retirement¹⁶, NASA has just two more scheduled flights: Endeavour next month and Atlantis in June before the 30-year space shuttle program ends. Russell Lewis, NPR News at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Parts of the Southern US are recovering from a string of apparent tornadoes¹⁸. Stawood Far of member station WRKF tells us three twisters were reported in southeastern Louisiana this morning.

The National Weather Service and local authorities report three tornadoes in mostly rural areas between Baton¹⁹ Rouge²⁰ and New Orleans. Two of the twisters cost property damage, and one injured a woman. A cold front stretches from the Gulf²¹ Coast, north to the Central Ohio Valley. It's moving east. Storm, flood and tornado¹⁷ watches are posted from Louisiana to Florida. Flooding is also possible in New England as the system has forecast to bring heavy rain to already saturated²² areas. Rain gives way to snow as the band of precipitation reaches the Great Lakes. For NPR News, I'm Saiward Pharr in Baton Rouge.

Tornadoes reported in southeastern Alabama, where authorities say three people were injured.

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

3 lauded   

v.称赞，赞美( laud的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They lauded the former president as a hero. 他们颂扬前总统为英雄。 来自辞典例句
• The nervy feats of the mountaineers were lauded. 登山者有勇气的壮举受到赞美。 来自辞典例句

4 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

5 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

6 disparaging   

adj.轻蔑的，毁谤的v.轻视( disparage的现在分词 )；贬低；批评；非难

参考例句：

• Halliday's comments grew daily more and more sparklingly disagreeable and disparaging. 一天天过去，哈里代的评论越来越肆无忌惮，越来越讨人嫌，越来越阴损了。 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡
• Even with favorable items they would usually add some disparaging comments. 即使对好消息，他们也往往要加上几句诋毁的评语。 来自互联网

7 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

8 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

9 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

10 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。

11 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

13 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

14 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

16 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

17 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。

18 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

19 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

20 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

21 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。

22 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液