NPR 2011-07-11

Ahead of the resumption of budget talks at the White House late this afternoon, top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell is suggesting Congress is virtually certain to raise the nation’s debt limit in time for an August 2nd deadline. McConnell spoke¹ on "Fox News Sunday."

"Nobody is talking about not raising the debt ceiling. I haven't heard that discussed by anybody."

"Some are."

"Not in the Congress."

On ABC's "This Week," the new chief of the International Monetary² Fund, Christine Lagarde, said the consequence of a US default would be profound.

"Well, I can't imagine for a second that the United States would default. But, clearly, this issue of the debt ceiling has to be resolved, as, otherwise, there would be a hike in interest rates. There would be, you know, a much heavier burden to be borne by, you know, all the US taxpayers³ at the end of the day."

Treasury⁴ Secretary Timothy Geithner is warning without an official increase in the debt ceiling, credit rating agencies could downgrade US debt.

Joint⁵ Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen is in China for a four-day visit. As NPR's Louisa Lim reports, Mullen gave a nod toward China's growing influence by referring to China and the US as the two "Pacific powers."

It was the first trip to China in four years by a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen emphasized that the US was not seeking to contain China and would hold talks from a posture⁶ of mutual⁷ respect. He said he was concerned that disputes in the South China Sea could flare⁸ up into conflict.

"The worry, among others that I have, is that the ongoing⁹ incidents could spark a miscalculation and an outbreak that no one anticipated, and we should seek to avoid that under all circumstances."

He emphasized that the US is committed to maintaining its military presence in Asia. Mullen will meet China's military leadership tomorrow, then tour Chinese army bases. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Beijing.

Syria's vice¹⁰ president made an unusual move today, saluting¹¹ Syrians who died in anti-government protests. NPR's Deborah Amos explains.

The government has been moving towards recognizing the role of the protesters on the streets of Syria. For the longest time, they only acknowledged army or security forces who were killed. Now, they are saying this meeting has taken place because so many Syrians sacrificed their blood on the streets of the cities of the country, and this is a recognition by the government that the protest movement has moved the country, has put them under enormous pressure to begin talking about reforms. But there is a credibility gap with the national dialog because the internal opposition¹² recognized figures who have been longtime government critics boycotted¹³ the meeting. They said they would not talk to the government until the crackdown against the protesters stopped.

NPR's Deborah Amos in Beirut.

This is NPR News in Washington.

There was heavy rioting this weekend in the small Northern Ireland town of Ballyclare. Larry Miller¹⁴ reports the riots were sparked by Protestant loyalists angry that police took down their flags.

Police said the flags were sectarian and illegal. Some, but not all, were associated with Protestant paramilitary groups. When they were removed in the afternoon, 150 people left their homes to protest and block roads. By midnight, tension turned into violence and police came under attack. Gasoline bombs and rocks were thrown; six police were injured; five of them were in a police van when a hijacked¹⁵ bus plowed¹⁶ into it. Police responded by firing plastic bullets and using water cannons¹⁷. The Ballyclare disturbance¹⁸ sparked trouble in other nearby areas, where cars and trucks were hijacked and set on fire. From NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

The US women's soccer team is advancing in the World Cup after a dramatic victory over one of the tournament favorites Brazil. The US now moves on to the semifinals.

It's a girl for soccer star David and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. The Beckhams married in 1999 and have three sons; the oldest is 11. No name for the baby girl yet. At age 32, Actress Kate Hudson has given birth to her second child a boy. Both mothers and babies are well.

At the box office this weekend, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is still No.1 with 47 million dollars in US ticket sales this weekend.

"We are not alone after all, are we?"

"No sir. We're not alone."

After "Transformers," "Horrible Bosses" and "Zookeeper."

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

4 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

5 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。

6 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

9 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

10 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。

11 saluting   

v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• 'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢，先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎，马上就和她攀谈起来了，连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句

12 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。

13 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。

14 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

15 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。

16 plowed   

v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过

参考例句：

• They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
• He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句

17 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。