美国国家电台 NPR 2012-09-01

 President Obama is promising¹ to all ways [always] look out for America's troops echoing that message today at Fort Bliss², Texas. Two years ago, he visited Bliss, today[that/the day] he announced an end to the US combat role in Iraq while(when) he's pledging the same for troops in Afghanistan where he said the US presence will still be felt.

Even as this war ends, we will stay vigilant³, so Afghanistan is never again a source for attacks against America, never again.

The president's remarks come at an especially sensitive time in Afghanistan where attacks on coalition⁴ forces by members of Afghan security are rising.

 

President Obama is expected to tour hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana on Monday. His Republican challenger Mitt⁵ Romney was there today along with fellow Republican governor Bobby Jindul. Hurricane Isaac's survivors⁶ along the Gulf⁷ Coast are spending this day examining what's left of their homes. Neighborhoods are under water in parts of Louisiana and much of the state is still without power. NPR's Greg Allen is monitoring developments from New Orleans. 

Isaac had winds over 70 miles per hour [and salovo>>inside of] southern Louisiana for a day and a half before moving slowly north, bringing flooding to thousands of communities. In Plaquemines Parish, south of New Orleans, water is draining back to the gulf through a breach⁸<bridge> authorities dug yesterday in a levee there. Officials say they made breach levee in several more places. Louisiana's largest power company Entergy says it brought in more than 1,000 outstate workers to help restore power throughout the region. They will be working 16-hour shifts and will place first priority on restoring power to hospitals, police stations and fire stations. In Plaquemines, authorities made a grim discovery last night. A man and woman were found drown[ed] in their home. The first known fatalities⁹ here from the storm. Greg Allen, NPR News, New Orleans.

 

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the nation's unemployment rate is a grave concern and the Fed will do more to help booster the economy if required. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports on Bernanke's speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

With unemployment stuck above 8%, Bernanke describes the US economy as far from satisfactory. He offers no specifics, but says the Fed should not rule out new policies to try to jumpstart the job market. Scott Brown is chief economist¹⁰ at Raymond James Associates.

We've sort of been on this grey area with the economy is recovering, you know, [through full employment, things] will just be great. But the problem is we are not in full employment. We've got a lot of people who are unemployed¹¹. We are going to get these[those] people back to work. 

Brown expects the Fed to announce steps at its September meeting. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 90 points at 13,091; NASDAQ Composite Index gaining 18 points more than 0.5% before the close at 3,067; and the S&P 500 also gaining seven points. This is NPR News.

 

The New Jersey¹² Community is mourning the deaths of two people killed just over 12 hours ago in a mass shooting at a supermarket. Police say a 23-year-old man, an ex-marine left his shift at a Pathmark store in Old Bridge Township and returned a half hour later armed with an AK-47 assault riffle and handgun. They say he opened fire on more than a dozen coworkers killing¹³ two of them before he took his own life. Police are still trying to determine a motive¹⁴. 

 

NASA pays tribute to a giant in space exploration. Hundreds of NASA employees, former astronauts and members of the public gathered at the Kennedy Space Centre to remember Nile Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong died last Saturday at age 82. From member station WMFE, [Methi Petty] reports the Space Center's director paid tribute to the man he called, a personal hero. 

Standing¹⁵ next to a wreath and photo of the Apollo 11 commander in front of a replica¹⁶ of the lunar module¹⁷, Bob Cabana said Armstrong was an astronaut of the highest caliber¹⁸. He said Armstrong never dwelled on his remarkable¹⁹ accomplishments²⁰ or sought the limelight. 

He was a teacher with a passion for aeronautics²¹ and space exploration who wanted to share his knowledge and his experience and he has continued to be a world leader in this area. 

Cabana said Armstrong's small step for man cemented his place in our hearts and history for ever, but it was just the start of a long journey in the continued quest for space exploration. A private memorial service for Armstrong was held in Ohio. For NPR News, I'm [Nethi Petty] at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 bliss   

n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福

参考例句：

• It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
• He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

3 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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

7 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。

8 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

9 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

11 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

12 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

13 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。

14 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

15 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

16 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

17 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

18 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

19 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

20 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。