NPR 2011-04-18

Thousands of Syrian protesters are taking to the streets a day after the Syrian president promised the country's oppressive emergency law would be lifted. NPR's Deborah Amos in Cairo reports the Internet has been blocked in some protest sites.

Syrian activists¹ called for peaceful protests within hours of the concession² by President Bashar al-Assad, and thousands rallied on this national holiday in Syria. In a television address, the president also promised more political reforms. Lifting the emergency law has been a demand of the movement represented by Facebook groups. It's a sign that the street movement wants to keep up the pressure. According to reports posted on the Internet, protesters were attacked, beaten by regime supporters in the southern town of Sweida. But for the most part, the army and the security police appeared to have withdrawn³ from protest sites. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Cairo.

At the Vatican this Palm Sunday, Pope Benedict marked the start of the Holy Week. NPR's Sylvia Poggili reports that in his sermon to thousands in St. Peter's Square, the Pope warned technology cannot replace God.

The wide avenue leading to St. Peter's Square was lined with olive trees and bronze statues depicting⁴ the key events of the last week of the life of Jesus before he was crucified. Pope Benedict's sermon focused on man's relationship with God and how it can be threatened by technology. From the beginning, men and women have been filled with a desire to be like God, and this is as true today as ever, Benedict said, to attain⁵ the heights of God by their own powers. While great advances in technology have improved life for man, the Pope added they have also increased possibilities for evil, and recent natural disasters are a reminder⁶, if any are needed, that mankind is not all powerful. Large crowds of pilgrims have been arriving for Holy Week, and even bigger crowds are expected for May 1st, when Benedict will be edifying⁷ his predecessor⁸, Pope John Paul II. Syvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

It's a big problem that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Now, the government is out with new rules giving air traffic controllers an extra hour off between shifts so they don't snooze on the job. They're also requiring more managers on duty during overnight hours. The moves come after another controller was caught sleeping on the job yesterday. Former air traffic controller Paul Hernandez says it's easy for controllers to doze⁹ off.

"You're just siting still, watching the radar¹⁰, or watching the tower outside and be kind of bored. And when a person is bored, he's gonna fall asleep."

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says under no circumstances, will controllers be paid to take naps. That's exactly what sleep experts say would make a difference.

Emergency crews in North Carolina are searching for more victims of this weekend's devastating¹¹ storms, where there were at least 60 tornado¹² touchdowns. Three more deaths were discovered today in North Carolina. So far, 23 people are confirmed dead in that state.

This is NPR News.

Officials in Mexico continued to try to identify more than 140 corpses¹³ found in drug cartel killing¹⁴ fields throughout the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas. From Mexico, James Blears reports only two of the corpses have been identified so far.

In spite of spending the equivalent of more than $50 billion in combating the drug war, which is now in its fifth year, the Mexican government hasn't yet invested in the national DNA¹⁵ database. Of the corpses identified, one was that of a Guatemalan man still recognizable, the other was a Mexican who had his name tattooed¹⁶ on his back. As the rest in morgues in the state capital Matamoros, DNA provided by frantic¹⁷ relatives of more than 5,000 missing people nationwide will have to be individually matched to the bodies. Forensic¹⁸ experts estimate the Tamaulipas killing fields could eventually reveal a thousand bodies or more. For NPR News, I'm James Bears in Mexico City.

Global finance ministers and central bankers wrapped up three days of talks last night in Washington with pledges to cooperate more on averting¹⁹ another global financial meltdown. World Bank President Robert Zoellick is calling the surge in food prices the biggest threat to the world's poor, with 44 million more people being pushed into poverty over the last year due to higher prices.

"Of particular concern is food prices. This is the biggest threat today to the world's poor, where we risk losing a generation. We are one shock away from a full-grown crisis."

The IMF managing director says it's going to be critical for all nations to guard against complacency especially in the face of higher food and oil prices. The finance leaders did not say how they would change domestic policies to help steer²⁰ the global economy in the right direction.

1 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》

2 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

3 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

4 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

5 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

6 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

7 edifying   

adj.有教训意味的，教训性的，有益的v.开导，启发( edify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Young students are advised to read edifying books to improve their mind. 建议青年学生们读一些陶冶性情的书籍，以提高自己的心智。 来自辞典例句
• This edifying spectacle was the final event of the Governor's ball. 这个有启发性的表演便是省长的舞会的最后一个节目了。 来自辞典例句

8 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

9 doze   

v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐

参考例句：

• He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。
• While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。

10 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

11 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

12 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。

13 corpses   

n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

14 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。

15 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

16 tattooed   

v.刺青，文身( tattoo的过去式和过去分词 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• He had tattooed his wife's name on his upper arm. 他把妻子的名字刺在上臂上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sailor had a heart tattooed on his arm. 那水兵在手臂上刺上一颗心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

18 forensic   

adj.法庭的，雄辩的

参考例句：

• The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
• The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后，法官于10时30分宣布休庭。

19 averting   

防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• The margin of time for averting crisis was melting away. 可以用来消弥这一危机的些许时光正在逝去。
• These results underscore the value of rescue medications in averting psychotic relapse. 这些结果显示了救护性治疗对避免精神病复发的价值。

20 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。