NPR 2011-08-01

 From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

 

The top Republican in the Senate reports progress in negotiations¹ between Congress and the White House on raising the debt limit. Mitch McConnell tells CNN he hopes to present a plan to his fellow Republicans soon. 

 

"We're still working on the parameters² of it. We're very, very close to being able to recommend, I am to my members, that this is something they ought be able to support."

 

In a separate interview with CNN, Democratic Senator Charles Schumer says there's still no deal that many issues remain unresolved, but there are hopeful signs.

 

"Default is far less of a possibility now than it was even a day ago because the leaders are talking and talking in a constructive³ way to come up with a solution that would avoid default, but there are lots of things that are not filled in and many more discussions to go."

 

On "Meet the Press" White House advisor⁴ David Plouffe says today is critical to get an agreement in place. There is a general agreement he says on a plan that would cut the deficit⁵ in two stages with the trickier⁶ issues of entitlements and tax reform left for the second round of negotiations.

 

Activists⁷ and Western diplomats⁸ say at least 100 people were killed in Syria during a new military crackdown against anti-government protests. NPR's Deborah Amos reports from Beirut.

 

The Syrian army shelled neighborhoods on the outskirts⁹ of the city, and tanks rolled over makeshift barricades¹⁰ on the way into Hama, said residents reached by phone. With sustained fire clearly heard in the background, residents described an assault that began before dawn. Casualties quickly overwhelmed the hospitals. An army offensive in eastern Syria also intensified¹¹ against army deserters, say activists, in the town of Deiral-Zour. In Damascus, thousands have been detained in the past two days. The stepped-up assaults came a day before the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, when the opposition¹² plans to step up protests against President Bashar al-Assad. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

 

The president of Yemen is calling for an end to anti-government protests during the Holy month of Ramadan, which begins tomorrow. For six months, protesters have been calling for the president to step down. 

 

Protests are increasing in Israel over the high cost of living. Sheera Frenkel reports from Tel Aviv.

 

More than 150,000 Israelis took to the streets Saturday night in what the Israeli press called the largest domestic protest in the country's history. The protesters said they were spurred to action by high housing costs. Many of them chanted "the people demand social justice" and suggested the government subsidize housing projects for young couples and students. The protest started two weeks ago, when activists pitched tents along one of Tel Aviv's priciest avenues. Other groups have since joined the protest, including Israel's labor¹³ federation¹⁴ and doctors protesting poor working conditions in hospitals. For NPR News, I'm Sheera Frenkel in Tel Aviv. 

 

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

 

A boating accident in Moscow is heightening concerns about lacked safety rules in Russia. A crowded motorboat slammed into a barge¹⁵ in the Moscow River early this morning. Officials say nine people were killed, including the captain. There were a total of 16 people on the boat which had a maximum capacity of 12. It struck a docked barge before daylight and quickly sank. The survivors¹⁶ managed to swim to safety or rescued. The Moscow River runs past the Kremlin and has been a popular route for barges¹⁷ and tour boats.

 

There's a new requirement to getting a driving license¹⁸ in Britain. As Larry Miller¹⁹ reports, motorists now must say whether they will agree to donate their organs.

 

Twenty nine percent of British registered to donate their organs after death, and the government hopes the number will double by making everyone face the question when they renew their driving license or get one for the first time. While critics say this is the first step to compulsory²⁰ organ donation, it's welcomed by the National Health Service. Eight thousand people are on its waiting list, and it says 1,000 die each year due to a lack of available organs. The previous government proposed allowing hospitals to remove organs from the dead patients without consent, but backed down after opponents said it would take away patients' rights over their bodies. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London. 

 

Wildlife experts are concerned that the drought in Texas is killing²¹ this year's oyster²² harvest. The dry conditions make the waters in Galveston Bay saltier than usual; good conditions for disease and predators²³. They say many of the oysters²⁴ now being taken from the bay are dead. Meanwhile, the problem in Louisiana, Mississippi is too much water. Floods have affected²⁵ harvest there. Oysters are a 270-million industry in the Gulf²⁶ Coast.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

3 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

4 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 trickier   

adj.狡猾的( tricky的比较级 )；（形势、工作等）复杂的；机警的；微妙的

参考例句：

• This is the general rule, but some cases are trickier than others. 以上是一般规则，但某些案例会比别的案例更为棘手。 来自互联网
• The lower the numbers go, the trickier the problems get. 武器的数量越低，问题就越复杂。 来自互联网

7 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》

8 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

10 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

11 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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。

14 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

15 barge   

n.平底载货船，驳船

参考例句：

• The barge was loaded up with coal.那艘驳船装上了煤。
• Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times more than carrying them by barge.通过铁路运货的成本比驳船运货成本高出近3倍。

16 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

17 barges   

驳船( barge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The tug is towing three barges. 那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
• There were plenty of barges dropping down with the tide. 有不少驳船顺流而下。

18 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

19 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。

20 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

21 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。

22 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

23 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 oysters   

牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。
• She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。

25 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

26 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。