NPR 2012-12-09

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

 

　　A United Nations Climate Change Conference today agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol¹. The 1997 treaty that limits the greenhouse gas emissions² of some wealthier nations. It was due to expire this year. The BBC's Peter Nettleship reports.

 

　　It only came after 12 days of tough haggling³. It only covers 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, because several more countires opted⁴ out. And it is still only a temporary fix aimed at paving the way for a much wider and more comprehensive treaty to be negotiated and adopted by 2015. But it is a legally binding⁵ pact⁶. It extends the Kyoto Protocol on climate change to the year 2020. So it must be seen as a significant step forward on what's always been a long and tortuous⁷ path towards combating global warming. The BBC's Peter Nettleship.

 

　　The U.S. never joined the Kyoto Protocol because it doesn't include fast growing developing nations, such as China.

 

　　Tens of thousands of people gathered at a rally in the Gaza Strip today to listen to the leader of Hamas. Khaled Meshaal is marking his first trip to Gaza. NPR's Philip Reeves says that he might mark the occasion with an uncompromising speech.

 

　　A vast crowd of Palestinians flourishing bright-green Hamas flags turned out to listen to Meshaal at a rally officially celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Islamist organization. Meshaal’s often portrayed⁸ as pragmatist, not least because his openly stated that Hamas would accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, though without recognizing Israel. There was no sign of that pragmatism today. Meshaal arrived on stage with a theatrical⁹ flourish, stepping out of a door cutting to a giant plastic rocket intended to symbolize¹⁰ the rockets fired from Gaza at Tel Aviv, even Jerusalem during last month's hostilities¹¹. To cheers, he delivered a speech littered with hardline rhetoric¹² vowing¹³ never to recognize Israel, nor to drop the claim to all the land of the Jewish state. Philip Reeves, NPR News, Gaza.

 

　　The Greek Finance Ministry¹⁴ says it has completed a bond buyback scheme that will help the country lighten its huge debt load. Joanna Kakissis reports this will clear the way for more bailout loans for Greece.

 

　　Eurozone leaders told the Greeks to buy back more than $ 40 billion in government bonds that reduced values. By taking the bonds off the market, at 30% to 40% of their maturities¹⁵, Greece's supposed to reduce its debt load by nearly $26 billion. It's part of a complex plan by the country's lenders who include the European Union and the International Monetary¹⁶ Fund to cut debt to less than 110% of GDP by 2022. The deadline for the buyback ended late Friday. Finance Ministry sources say that the participation¹⁷ by Greek banks and hedge funds was high enough to declare the effort a success. For NPR News, I'm Joanna Kakissis.

 

　　This is NPR News from Washington.

 

　　Egypt's military today warned of disastrous¹⁸ consequences if there is no solution to the country's political crisis. The statement did not mention President Mohamed Morsi who gave himself broad powers last month and declared his decisions are beyond judicial¹⁹ review. This has prompted large street demonstrations²⁰.

 

　　College football's most prestigious²¹ individual award, the Heisman Trophy²² will go to one of three candidates tonight. The finalists are two seniors Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein and Notre Dame²³ linebacker Manti Te'o and a freshman²⁴ Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. NPR's Tom Bowman reports the winner could represent a Heisman first.

 

　　The Heisman Trophy has never gone to a freshman, nor to a true defensive²⁵ player. That changes tonight according to the near unanimous predictions that this is a two-player race between Manti Te'o, the leader of undefeated Notre Dame's dominant²⁶ defense²⁷ and the brash young freshman Johnny Manziel, nickname Johnny Football. ESPN ranked Manziel only the 78th best quarterback in his senior high school class but numerologists like his chances to win this 78th Heisman Trophy. College football experts point to different numbers to make the case that Manziel is the nation's best player, including his record 4,600 total yards gained, rushing and passing in the nation's toughest conference, the ACC. Tom Goldman, NPR News.

 

　　There is no sign the National Hockey League labor²⁸ dispute will be settled any time soon. Representatives of both the owners and the players had expressed optimism during negotiations²⁹ this week, but the talks have ended without an agreement or even a plan when they are going to meet again.

 

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

1 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

2 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

3 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

4 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

5 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

6 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

7 tortuous   

adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的

参考例句：

• We have travelled a tortuous road.我们走过了曲折的道路。
• They walked through the tortuous streets of the old city.他们步行穿过老城区中心弯弯曲曲的街道。

8 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

10 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

11 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

12 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

13 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

14 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 maturities   

n.成熟（maturity的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Maturities of commercial paper range from three days to nine months. 商业票据的期限从3天到9个月不等。 来自互联网
• German federal government bonds issued with maturities of up to 30 years. 指期限可长达30年的德国联邦政府债券。 来自互联网

16 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。

17 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

18 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

19 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

20 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。

21 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

22 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

23 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

24 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

25 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

26 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

27 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。

28 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。

29 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。