NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-03-22

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

 

　　There will be no government shutdown next week. Today, the House approved a continuing resolution by a vote of 318:109 that keeps federal agencies funded to September 30th. The measure, which has already won Senate approval, heads to President Obama to be signed into law. Shortly before approving the stopgap spending bill, the GOP-led House greenlighted a budget plan championed by Republican Congressman¹ Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. NPR's Tamara Keith reports the Budget Committee chairman's plan passed by a comfortable margin² of 221:207 largely along party lines.

 

　　Congressman Paul Ryan says his budget is starkly³ different from the plan offered by Senate Democrats⁵.

 

　　This budget is constructive⁶. It reveals each side's priorities. It clarifies the divide that exists between us. We want a balanced budget. They don't.

 

　　All but ten House Republicans supported it and not a single Democrat⁴. Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen encouraged his colleagues to vote no.

 

　　This is an uncompromising, ideological⁷ approach to our budget issues.

 

　　Debate continues in the Senate on its budget. A vote is expected some time this week or maybe weekend. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the Capitol.

 

　　President Obama is warning hostile neighbors in the Middle East that Israel isn't going anywhere. But as NPR's Scott Horsley reports Obama also told audience of young Israelis, their ultimate security depends on making peace with the Palestinians.

 

　　President Obama acknowledged not everyone in Israel or the United States still believes in the long-stalled peace process. But he is urging the Israeli public not to give up on negotiation⁸ with their Palestinian neighbors. It's a kind of frank advice. He says friends should expect from one another. And to demonstrate his friendship, he vowed⁹ the United States will stand behind Israel, saying in Hebrew, you are not alone.

 

　　So long as there is a United States of America,  ah-tem lo lah-vahd.

 

　　Obama got less enthusiastic welcome in the West Bank where many Palestinians believe the U.S. has tilted¹⁰ too far in Israel's direction. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Jerusalem.

 

　　In Iran, a crowd cheers as heard on Iran media during a speech by Iranian Supreme¹¹ Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on this first day of Persian calendar year.

 

　　Many spoke¹² of security threats posed by Israel and pledged his country would destroy Israeli cities Tel Aviv and Haifa if Iran's nuclear infrastructure¹³ came under attack.

 

　　Tension is escalating¹⁴ in Cyprus where banks are closed to at least tomorrow as the government considers a plan to secure an international bailout. People are racing¹⁵ to ATMs withdrawing what they can amid worries about the fate of Cypriot banks.

 

　　Before the close on Wall Street, Dow was down 91 points at 14,421.

 

　　This is NPR News.

 

　　The enthronement has taken place in Britain of the new archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual head of the Anglicans, NPR's Philip Reeves says the archbishop was formally sworn in at a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral.

 

　　Some 2,000 guests, including royals and religious leaders watched as in line with tradition. Archbishop Justin Welby knocked with a staff three times on the medieval cathedral's west door, entered and joined the ceremony enthroning him as the church of England's top cleric and spiritual leader of some 77 million Anglicans worldwide. For the first time in history, a senior female cleric played a leading in the ritual. Divisions within the church of allowing women bishops¹⁶ is one of several vexed¹⁷ issues confronting archbishop Welby. As he begins his work, Welby who's 57 and a former oil industry executive received many messages of good will, including one from newly elected Pope Francis. Philip Reeves, NPR News, London.

 

　　Colorado is the latest state to approve civil unions. Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bill into law today, seven years after voters ban same-sex marriage in the state. House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, the first gay lawmaker to serve as the state's speaker, hailed the measure as a symbolic¹⁸ step. The law takes effect, May 1st.

 

　　Underscoring continued gains in the housing sector¹⁹ in this country, the National Association of Realtor says sales of existing homes increase 0.8% last month, to seasonally²⁰ adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million. That's the highest sales pace since late 2009, when a home tax credit bolstered²¹ U.S. sales.

 

　　I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.

1 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

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 starkly   

adj. 变硬了的,完全的 adv. 完全,实在,简直

参考例句：

• The city of Befast remains starkly divided between Catholics and Protestants. 贝尔法斯特市完全被处在天主教徒和新教徒的纷争之中。
• The black rocks stood out starkly against the sky. 那些黑色的岩石在天空衬托下十分显眼。

4 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。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

7 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。

8 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

9 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

10 tilted   

v. 倾斜的

参考例句：

• Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

15 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

16 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

17 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

19 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。

20 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

21 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句