NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-03-06

　　From NPR News in Washington, I’m Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　The Dow Jones Industrial Average has scaled record intra-day high. At last glance, we see the Dow up 134, nearly one percent at 14,262. It exceeded levels last seen in October, 2007 and has gained nearly nine percents so far this year. Investors¹ are encouraged in part by growth in the U.S. service sector². Last month, it grew at its fastest pace in a year. The market’s rally is also driven by the Federal Reserve’s monetary³ easing policies and not to be ignored as the rebound⁴ in housing. NPR’s Dave Mattingly reports home prices rose sharply in January.

 

　　Home prices rose nearly 10 percent as compared to January of last year. The largest gains were seen in Arizona and Nevada. Among big cities, the sharpest jumps were in Phoenix⁵ and Los Angeles. Molly Boesel is a senior economist⁶ at CoreLogic.

 

　　“In the west, it’s mostly the institutional investors coming in and grouping up to start properties and increasing the prices in the distressed⁷ area which is pushing up prices in those cities.”

 

　　Boesel says home prices should continue rising this year as buyer-demand increases and inventories⁸ remain tight. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

 

　　Days after across-the-board spending cut took effect, the country’s top military commander in the Middle East says the forces stand ready to take action despite budget uncertainties⁹.

 

　　“If the president orders us into action, I have what it takes to make it the enemy’s longest day and their worst day.”

 

　　General James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee today. He also told the panel he envisions about 20,000 troops remaining in Afghanistan after a 2014 withdrawal¹⁰ deadline.

 

　　At the United Nations, the U.S. has circulated a draft U.S.-China sanctions resolution in response to North Korea’s third and most powerful nuclear test February 12, which was a violation¹¹ of U.N. measures. Linda Fasulo reports U.S. ambassador Susan Rice told reporters that the draft measure would impede¹² North Korea’s ability to further develop its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

 

　　Rice said that for the first time the proposed sanctions will target illicit¹³ actions by North Korea’s diplomats¹⁴, banking¹⁵ relations and illicit transfers of bulk cash. New travelling restrictions¹⁶ would be imposed on key officials. The U.S. ambassador described the proposed U.S.-China-backed measure as exceptionally strong and aimed at getting North Korea to comply with its international obligations.

 

　　“The resolution table today will take the U.S. sanctions imposed on North Korea to the next level.”

 

　　Meanwhile, China’s envoy¹⁷ said it was necessary to send a strong signal to Pyongyang over its nuclear test. Diplomats expect a vote to come this week. For NPR News, I’m Linda Fasulo in New York.

 

　　Dow is up 136 at 14, 265. This is NPR.

 

　　Another massive snowstorm is sweeping¹⁸ across the nation’s mid-section causing a new round of headaches for residents, especially those who had planned to travel today. The pain is being felt this hour in the Chicago area where the city could get its biggest snowfall since 2011. Airlines have cancelled about 1,000 flights in and out of the city. They are anticipating more. From member station WBEZ in Chicago, Lauren Chooljian has the latest.

 

　　Meteorologist say the city could see four-to-eight inches of snowfall by tonight. The last time there was a day of heavy snowfall here was in February, 2011, a day many Chicagoans remember well as snowpocalypse or snowmageddon.

 

　　“Dozens of cars stranded¹⁹.”

 

　　“Firefighters travelled on 50 snowmobiles to help stranded drivers.”

 

　　“This is like a winter hurricane.”

 

　　But meteorologist David Beachler from the National Weather Service says not to worry.

 

　　“That was a very robust²⁰ and very dynamic blizzard²¹ event. This is gonna be more of a traditional winter storm that’s bringing heavy snowfall to the area.”

 

　　For NPR News, I’m Lauren Chooljian in Chicago.

 

　　The storm is projected to move east tomorrow over the Ohio valley into the Mid-Atlantic States. The Washington D.C. area could see its worst storm yet this season.

 

　　The Vatican is awaiting the arrival of five more cardinals²² before it sets the date for a conclave²³ to elect a new pope. Benedict XVI resigned last month as head of the Roman Catholic Church, the first time that had happened in 600 years.

 

　　U.S. stocks are up with the Dow gaining 136 at nearly one percent at 14,264. Nasdaq up more than one percent at 3,218. And the S&P 500 up nearly one percent at 1,540.

 

　　This is NPR.

1 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

5 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

6 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。

7 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

8 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

9 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

10 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

11 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

12 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

13 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

14 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

16 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

17 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

18 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

19 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

20 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

21 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

22 cardinals   

红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数

参考例句：

• cardinals in scarlet robes 身披红袍的枢机主教
• A conclave of cardinals was held to elect the new Pope. 红衣主教团举行了秘密会议来选举新教皇。

23 conclave   

n.秘密会议，红衣主教团

参考例句：

• Signore,I ask and I prey,that you break this conclave.各位阁下，我请求，并祈祷，你们能停止这次秘密会议。
• I met my partner at that conclave and my life moved into a huge shift.我就是在那次大会上遇到了我的伴侣的，而我的生活就转向了一个巨大的改变。