NPR 2012-03-18

 Rick Santorum and Mitt¹ Romney are doing a lot of traveling this weekend. One day after Santorum wrapped up his visit to Puerto Rico, Romney arrived on the island ahead of tomorrow's primary there. NPR's David Welna reports from San Juan that Romney has the back in the Republican establishment.

 

Mitt Romney is hoping the endorsement² of Puerto Rico's governor and its top Republican legislative³ leaders will help him get at least 50% of the votes here tomorrow. If that happens, he would win all 20 of the delegates up for grabs. At a rally here last night, Romney tried to pump up support.

 

“I asked one thing on Sunday. Please go vote and get your friends to vote. Together we will make sure we keep America the strongest nation on the Earth, the hope of the world. I love this nation. I love the people of America.”

 

While Puerto Ricans are US citizens whose primary votes help determine who runs for president, in November they will not be able to actually vote for president. David Welna, NPR News, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

Rick Santorum campaigned in Missouri this morning for today's caucuses⁴. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is now cutting short his visit to Puerto Rico, and he’s heading to Illinois, where Republicans vote in their primary next Tuesday.

 

Utah's governor has vetoed the controversial abstinence-only sex education bill passed in the recent session of the state's legislature. Dan Bammes from member station KUER reports the governor could be taking a substantial political risk.

 

Governor Gary Herbert announced the veto one day after Utah's Republican caucuses picked convention delegates. They could vote him out of office even before he gets to a primary. But his spokesperson, Allyson Isom, says the governor's office received more than 8,000 letters and e-mails, most of them demanding a veto.

 

“It's individually and uniquely crafted and often very heartfelt from parents, from educators, from those who care about Utah's kids and public policy.”

 

HB363 would have kept Utah's public schools from teaching any method but abstinence for avoiding pregnancy⁵ and sexually transmitted diseases. For NPR News, I'm Dan Bammers in Salt Lake City.

 

In Washington state, neighbors of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales are describing him as a kindhearted father. Military officials have identified Bales as the suspect in the killings⁶ of 16 Afghan civilians⁷ last week. Bales is now being held in a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

 

Two car bombs have hit intelligence and security buildings in the Syrian capital of Damascus. State television in Syria says at least 27 people have been killed and more than 100 others wounded. The violence is in the latest in a series of attacks against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Government forces have been waging a bloody⁸ crackdown against the now year-old uprising in the country. 

 

Meanwhile, officials in Iraq are warning Iran not to ship weapons to Syria by crossing Iraq's borders or through its airspace. Iran denies the charges.

 

This is NPR’s News.

 

German authorities say John Demjanjuk is dead. Demjanjuk was convicted last year of being a Nazi⁹ death camp guard. Demjanjuk was deported¹⁰ in 2009 and stripped of his US citizenship¹¹. The retired¹² autoworker was 91 years old. 

 

It looks as though North Korea is ready to flex¹³ its muscles a bit under its new leader. North Korea's space committee says it will launch a satellite next month on the same type of rocket used for long-range missiles. Officials in the US and Japan are warning North Korea that such a launch will violate the ban on nuclear and missile testing. 

 

It’s Saint Patrick’s Day, and cities across the nation are celebrating with parades. NPR's Allison Keyes takes us to a few places where the sea of green is blending.

 

The thousands along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue for the 251st annual parade are soaking up the bagpipes¹⁴, the kilts and the joy of the day. Brenda Johnson came from Connecticut, telling New York 1 News.

 

“I have been here once before a long long time ago. I don't remember it being as crowded. But this is awesome¹⁵. I’m so glad to be here and a part of it.”

 

The streets of Hampton [and] Savannah as well for the Stout’s largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Green-clad perimeter¹⁶ dashing from the sidelines [inaudible] on soldiers as they march by. And in Chicago, for the 57th annual parade there, the river is dyed as traditional color green. Allison Keyes, NPR News. 

 

Also in Chicago, the prime minister from Ireland is visiting the city. He’s the guest in today's Saint Patrick's Day parade, and President Obama celebrated¹⁷ Saint Patrick's Day with a pint¹⁸ of Guinness at an Irish bar on Capitol Hill today. Mr. Obama took his motorcade to the Dubliner Restaurant & Pub, a well-known watering hole for lawmakers and staffers in DC. 

 

I'm Jim Howard, NPR News in Washington.

1 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

2 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

3 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

4 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

5 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

6 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

9 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

10 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

14 bagpipes   

n.风笛；风笛( bagpipe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Yes, and I'm also learning to play the bagpipes. 是的，我也想学习吹风笛。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Mr. Vinegar took the bagpipes and the piper led the cow away. 于是醋溜先生拿过了风笛，风笛手牵走了奶牛。 来自互联网

15 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

16 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

17 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

18 pint   

n.品脱

参考例句：

• I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
• In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前，花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。