NPR 2012-06-07

 Democratic leaders are playing down Republican Governor Scott Walker's ability to survive yesterday's recall elections in Wisconsin. The Tea Party supported conservative defeated Democrat¹ Tom Barrett by a larger margin² than win the main faced-off in the 2010 gubernatorial race. NPR's Ron Elving says Republicans are expected to try to capitalize on Walker's victory. 

A great deal is going to be red into the selection from around the country, particularly, of course by supporters of Scott Walker. They'll say that this means the state of Wisconsin can, will be won by Mitt³ Romney in November. Despite polls showing President Obama is still ahead in the state but that can change between now and then. And a lot of confidence is going to come out of this victory for Republicans.  NPR's Ron Elving.

 

 

The House Ethic⁴ Committee is allowing a long-running case against Congresswomen Maxine Waters to move forward. The California lawmaker, senior member of the House Financial Services Committee is under investigations⁵ for allegedly trying to wreck⁶ money to a bank where her husband is a shareholder⁷. Waters denies wrongdoing.

 

 

Twelve jurors and an alternate have been selected for Jerry Sandusky's trial on child sex abuse charges. The remaining alternates are expected to be finalized⁹ this afternoon. NPR's Joel Rose gives us a glimpse into some of the jurors deciding the former Penn State coach's fate.

The first day of juror selection showed how big a role Penn State University plays in surrounding community. The jurors selected include a rising senior at Penn State, retired¹⁰ professor of  Soil Science who spent 37 years at the university, and a woman who has been a football season ticket holder⁸ since the 1970s. Lawyers on both sides say they are confident the jurors picked so far can be fair. Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach at Penn State, denies charges that he abused ten boys over 15 years. The trial is expected to begin next week. Joel Rose, NPR News.

 

 

Defense¹¹ Secretary Leon Panetta tells New Delhi audience that India and the US are natural partners. He is urging India to step up its defense relationship with the US and become part of his new Asia-Pacific strategy. NPR's Larry Abramson reports that India's loyalties¹² are complicated.

Panetta said the two countries were fell apart during the cold war. Over the past decade, he said US-India military ties have gotten much closer.

But for this relationship to truly provide security for this region and for the world, we need to deepen our defense and our security cooperation.

Panetta said he had had productive talks with India's top officials during his visit, but he didn't name any new commitments for future military cooperation. India has been relocked into a buy by US restrictions¹³ on the transfer of sophisticated military technology. Panetta said he would ask his deputy Ash Carter to work on smoothing out the transfer process. Larry Abramson, NPR News, New Delhi.

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

Voters in two major California cities have approved cuts to retirement¹⁴ benefits for city employees. Steve Julian of member station KPCC says the decision was overwhelming.

Supporters of bill in San Diego and San Jose called it a mandate¹⁵ that may lead  to similar ballot¹⁶ issues elsewhere in the country, where cities struggle with mounting pension obligations. In San Diego, 2/3 of voters approve Proposition B. Even more voters passed measure in San Jose 7 in 10 got behind it. The message was simple. Pensions for city workers were unaffordable. And more generous that many private companies offering the result, Libraries have to cut back hours, part of holes cannot be filled. The votes are expected to lead to link the challenges by public employee unions. For NPR's News, I'm Steve Julian, in Los Angeles.

 

 

The Honda Fit electric car is leaving its competitors in the dust. Environmental Protection Agency says the sub compact will be able to travel 82 miles on a single charge, outperforming the electric versions of the Ford¹⁷ Focus and Nissan Leaf. The EPA estimates a Fit's annual fuel cost at 500 dollars.

 

 

Kia is recalling more than 20,000 Borrego SUVs because of possibly defective¹⁸ brake pedal mounts that can break during collisions. The vehicles affected¹⁹ are from the 2009 model year. Kia says the recall will begin later this month.

 

 

US stocks gaining ground today, with the Dow up 228 points at 12,356; NASDAQ is up 57 more than 2%; and the S&P 500 up nearly 2% at 1,309.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

3 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。

4 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

5 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

6 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

7 shareholder   

n.股东，股票持有人

参考例句：

• The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
• A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。

8 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

9 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 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。

11 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。

12 loyalties   

n.忠诚( loyalty的名词复数 )；忠心；忠于…感情；要忠于…的强烈感情

参考例句：

• an intricate network of loyalties and relationships 忠诚与义气构成的盘根错节的网络
• Rows with one's in-laws often create divided loyalties. 与姻亲之间的矛盾常常让人两面为难。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

14 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

15 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

16 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

17 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

18 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

19 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。