美国国家电台 NPR 2012-09-18

 Tunisia is on edge three days after extremists attacked the American embassy in Tunis. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley is in the Tunisian capital and reports that riot police surrounded a mosque¹ where a firebrand cleric was preaching today.    

 

Hundreds of fervent² Islamists chanted slogans and shock their fists on the stairs and veranda³ of Tunisia's al-Fateh mosque. While equipped riot police waited tensely several hundreds feet away.  Inside was a Salafist leader wanted by police over the clashes at the U.S. embassy that killed four people and wounded 46. Many onlookers⁴ in the crowd said they supported Islamic law being imposed in Tunisia. 

 

We are all for Sharia. Islam is the solution for Arab countries and for everyone else too, says this group of men. The  men say those who attacked the American embassy were justified⁵ because the anti-Muslim film was a provocation⁶ financed by the U.S. government and the Jews. Analysts⁷ say Tunisia's moderate Islamist government is having an increasingly difficult time reining⁸ in the seemingly growing number of religious extremists. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Tunis.

 

On the campaign trail today in Cincinnati, President Obama announced a new World Trade Organization case against China. The move comes amid election year barbs⁹ about U.S.-China trade policy and whether the U.S. has done enough to protect American workers. NPR's Scott Horsley has more. 

 

President Obama is challenging Chinese subsidies¹⁰ that he says put U.S. auto-parts makers¹¹ at a competitive disadvantage. That's a potent¹² message in Ohio where more than 50,000 people work in the auto-parts industry.

 

These are subsidies that directly harm working men and women on the assembly lines in Ohio and Michigan and across the Midwast. 

 

Republican challenger Mitt¹³ Romney has accused the administration of not being tough enough with China. Romney dismissed this latest White House enforcement action as too little, too late. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Cincinnati.

 

Week-two of a Chicago teachers strike fights, parents still scrambling¹⁴ to make child care arrangements at the city of Chicago turning to the courts. Despite a tetative contract offered last week, teachers have decided¹⁵ to stay on strike. Teachers Union President Karen Lewis explained the problem.

 

The closing of 200 schools, that's what the big elephant in the room is with our members. That's where they are, they are concerned about this city's decision on some level to close schools. 

 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is seeking a court order to force teachers back to class. Three-hundred and fifty-thousand Chicago students have not yet been to school this school year.

 

On Wall Street at this hour, the Dow was down 44 points at 13,550; the NASDAQ down 10.

 

This is NPR. 

 

Police have arrested more than 100 Occupy Wall Street protesters as they took to the financial district in Lower Manhattan today.

 

Today is the first anniversary of the movements launched and events were planned in several cities. In the U.S., the movement lost steam last year when authorities cracked down on protest camps. 

 

The U.S. Speedskating Federation¹⁶ will address allegations that coaches have physically¹⁷ abused athletes. NPR's Howard Berkes reports 19 current and former short track skaters have signed complaints.

 

An attorney for the skaters says two were in the process of filing a police report in Utah where US Speedskating is based and where the athletes train. Five of those filing complained with the Speedskating Federation and the U.S. Olympic Committee, or Olympic medallist. Nine others are hoping to make the next Olympic team, but the skaters say they have been forced to abandon official training, given the abusive behavior of coaches. Head short track coach Jae Su Chun was suspended Sunday after admitted in a statement that he'd pushed a skater. Chun denies hitting or otherwise abusing athletes. U.S. Speedskating says Chun remained on administrative¹⁸ leave until an investigation¹⁹ is finished. Howard Berkes, NPR News, Salt Lake City.

 

Britain's Prince William and Catherine,the Duchess of Cambridge, initiated²⁰ legal action against a French magazine for publishing new shots of the former Kate Middleton. Paparazzi snapped the pictures as the couple vacationed at a private French chateaux. The magazine is controlled by former Italian Primer Minister Berlusconi's publishing company whose Italian gossip magazine has now also published them. 

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 fervent   

adj.热的，热烈的，热情的

参考例句：

• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
• Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

3 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

4 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

5 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

6 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 reining   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的现在分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• "That's a fine bevy, Ma'm,'said Gerald gallantly, reining his horse alongside the carriage. "太太！好一窝漂亮的云雀呀！" 杰拉尔德殷勤地说，一面让自己的马告近塔尔顿的马车。
• I was a temperamental genius in need of reining in by stabler personalities. 我是个需要由更稳重的人降服住的神经质的天才。

9 barbs   

n.（箭头、鱼钩等的）倒钩( barb的名词复数 )；带刺的话；毕露的锋芒；钩状毛

参考例句：

• She slung barbs at me. 她说了些讥刺我的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I would no longer uncomplainingly accept their barbs or allow their unaccountable power to go unchallenged. 我不会再毫无怨言地洗耳恭听他们带刺的话，或让他们的不负责任的权力不受到挑战。 来自辞典例句

10 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

13 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。

14 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

17 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

18 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

19 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。

20 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。