NPR 2012-05-13

 President Barack Obama is honoring the nation’s top police officers. At Rose Garden ceremony at the White House, the President praised the winners of a National Police Association Award for officers who showed courage and in the line of duty.

"We will be forever in debt to those who wear the badge, to men and women with deep sense of duty and willingness to serve and sacrifice on our behalf.”

He also says they represent the quite courage found in officers across the nation.

 

 

Mitt¹ Romney discussed his own family and offered a defense² of Christianity in a commencement speech at Liberty University in Virginia. He said there is no greater force for good in the nation than Christian³ conscience and action. The presumptive Republican presidential candidate barely mentioned his Mormon faith. * sustained applause when he said marriage is relationship between one man and one woman.

 

 

A group of veteran civil rights leaders have written an open letter, embracing President Obama’s support for same sex marriage. But NPR’s Alison Keyes tells us the issue remains⁴ divisive for the black community and the rest of the nation.

The letter signed by NAACP chairman Emeritus(名誉退休者) Julian Bond and civil rights icon⁵ Reverend Joseph Lowery among others says they concur(同意) with Mr. Obama’s view because ‘we can’t fight to gain right for some and not for all.’ But some African American faith leaders, such as Reverend Michael Waters of Dallas, Texas, the median in the black community believe as he does that the same sex marriage undermines marriage. Waters told NPR’s Tell Me More, “I do not find President Obama’s stance(立场) on marriage to be same sex marriage to be compatible with Christian teaching, tradition and authority.” A new gallop⁶ poll finds that 39% of Americans say the President’s support of same sex marriage will affect their votes. Alison Keyes, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

Turkey’s Foreign Minister says two journalists captured in * Syria for ten months had been released by Damascus. NPR’s Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul that Iran negotiated the pairs’ release.

The two detained journalist were flown to Tehran according to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, adding that Ankara is sending a plane to bring them back to Turkey. The reporter and photographer went missing in northern Italy province in early March. And their families were not permitted to speak with them until last week. Turkey relied on Tehran’s help to win the journalist freedom because Ankara’s own relations with Syria have soured. Since Turkey condemned⁷ the Syrian regime’s crackdown undecent that began more a year ago. Iran remains Syria’s most important ally in the region. Peter Kenyon, NRP news, Istanbul.

 

 

A former Rome police officer has been sentenced to two years in prison for inappropriately touching⁸ a 17 year old student. Marcus McReynolds pleaded guilty Friday the charges are making false statements violating his oath of office and misdemeanor sexual battery. McReynolds is fired from the department. He must undergo counseling and pay a $3,000 fine.

 

 

This is NPR news.

 

 

Boston University is mourning the deaths of three of its students. The school will hold a candle light visual this evening for the students, they were killed in New Zealand, when their minivan crashed during a weekend trip. At least five other students from the university were injured in the accident early Saturday, including one who is in critical condition.

 

 

Facebook is updating its privacy policy just days before its initial public offering. As NPR’s Steve Hen reports the move will allow Facebook * to use information that connects about its 900 million users to target ads across the internet.

Facebook at Friday was updating its privacy policy in response to an investigation⁹ by the Irish Data Protection Authority last year. Facebook’s European headquarters are based in Ireland. And officials there had asked Facebook to become more transparent¹⁰. But the changes will get Facebook more freedom to use information that connects about its users to target and sell ads on other websites, something the social network hasn’t done before. The company also gives itself more * room how long it will store the data it collects, previously¹¹ it said it would only keep information for only 180 days, now it will keep data about its users for ‘as long as necessary’. Steve Hen, NPR news, Silicon¹² Valley.

 

 

Attacks carried out by Afghan police have killed three NATO troops in Afghanistan today while a fourth died of nine battle related injuries. All four members the US led military coalition¹³ died in Southern Afghanistan where much of the fighting has been concentrated. NATO provide no other details about the death. So far this month, 18 NATO service members have been killed in Afghanistan.

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 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。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

6 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

11 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

12 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

13 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。