NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-04-09

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst.

 

　　President Obama will continue his push for a stricter gun controls during a visit to Connecticut today. NPR's Scott Horsley reports it's an effort to keep the pressure on Congress as lawmakers return from their Easter recess³.

 

　　Speaking at the University of Hardford, the President will urge lawmakers to approve what the White House calls common sense measures to prevent gun violence. Connecticut legislature passed its own package of gun control bills last week in response to the Sandy Hook school shooting, in which 20 young children were killed. As he did in Colorado last week, the president will highlight the state's action and urge Washington lawmakers to follow Connecticut's example, despite widespread public support a proposal to require background checks for all gun purchases, remains⁴ in doubt in Congress. A handful of Republicans are promising⁵ a filibuster⁶ and some Democrats⁷ are getting cold feet in the face of strong opposition⁸ from the gun lobby. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House.

 

　　Political leaders around the world are remembering the late Margaret Thatcher⁹, former prime minister of Britain. David Cameron says she was one of the best the Britain has had and White House Secretary Jay Carney praises Thatcher as a champion of liberty and a true friend of the U.S..

 

　　She forged an important and special relationship with her counterpart in President Reagan. And she was an unapologetic supporter of the transatlantic alliance.

 

　　But one of Thatcher's most controversial acts as prime minister was engaging in the Falkland wars with Argentina. NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports the reactions to her death on the islands she defended and the country she fought against have been radically¹⁰ different.

 

　　One islander referred to Margaret Thatcher as our Winston Churchill, for her role in expelling Argentinian forces who invaded the British island territory in 1982. The chairman of the Falkland's eight-member legislative¹¹ assembly, called it a day of great sadness and said a memorial will be held. In Argentina, the leading daily Clarin gloated that Thatcher had ended her days with  senile dementia and "suffered the ravages¹² of too many gin and tonics¹³". Tensions between the United Kingdom and Argentina are again on the rise. President Cristina Kirchner is vocally¹⁴ pushing for her country to assume sovereignty over the Falklands. Though a recent referendum showed overwhelming support for remaining a British territory.  Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, NPR News, Sao Paulo.

 

　　Thatcher will receive a full ceremonial funeral with military honors at  St Paul's Cathedral. She died in London today from a stroke at the age of 87.

 

　　One of the most popular and famous mouseketeers has died. Annette Funicello died today at the age of 70. She suffered for more than decades with multiple sclerosis. Funicello was just 13 when she gained fame on the Mickey Mouse club and later went on to sing on several albums and starred in several movies in the early 1960s with Frankie Avalon.

 

　　Preliminary close on Wall Street positive territory, the Dow up 48; the NASDAQ up 18.

 

　　This is NPR.

 

　　Trial is underway in New Hampshire. The state takes on Exxon Mobile and its lawsuit¹⁵ over the oil giant's use of the gas additive¹⁶ MTBE. Exxon says New Hampshire is looking for money and a scapegoat¹⁷.The state is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars to detect and remediate ground water contaminated with that chemical. It's the longest state trial in New Hampshire history.

 

　　The Joint¹⁸ Commission that credits hospitals is recommending that steps be taken to reduce the number of alarms that go off in patient areas. As NPR's Patti Neighmond reports the commission says all the beeps and buzzing can distract caregivers and endanger patients.

 

　　The Joint Commission points to federal findings that identify more than 560 alarm-related deaths in hospitals. Alarms are found on numerous medical devices. They are intended to alert caregivers of potential problems. But because there are so many, caregivers can actually suffer from what the commission calls noise fatigue¹⁹, where doctors and nurses inadvertently ignore the sounds, even when there is a real patient emergency. And that can delay treatment and harm patients. The commission calls for better management of medical device alarms and recommends hospitals take inventory²⁰ of all alarms, know where there are located and determine whether they are really necessary for patient care. Patti Neighmond, NPR News.

 

　　The country's biggest maker¹ of baby food is facing a lawsuit from environmental groups over the amount of lead in the food. A trial is being held in the California courtroom today on whether Gerber Products, Del Monte Foods, Beech-Nut Nutrition and many other baby food makers² should put warning labels on products sold in California.  But lawyers for the food companies say the amount of lead is below the level that requires a warning.

 

　　I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 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》

3 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 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。

6 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

7 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》

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

10 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

12 ravages   

劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹

参考例句：

• the ravages of war 战争造成的灾难
• It is hard for anyone to escape from the ravages of time. 任何人都很难逃避时间的摧残。

13 tonics   

n.滋补品( tonic的名词复数 )；主音；奎宁水；浊音

参考例句：

• I think you have a prejudice against tonics. 我认你对补药有偏见。 来自互联网
• Two gin and tonics, please. 请来两杯杜松子酒加奎宁水。 来自互联网

14 vocally   

adv. 用声音, 用口头, 藉著声音

参考例句：

• She is not SCREAMER or MOANER - She is VOCALLY APPRECIATIVE. 她并不乱叫或发牢骚，只是用声音表示喜怒。
• The left has been vocally against. 左派力量一直竭力声讨。

15 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

16 additive   

adj.附加的；n.添加剂

参考例句：

• Colour is often an additive in foods.颜料经常是各种食物中的添加物。
• Strict safety tests are carried out on food additives.对食品添加剂进行了严格的安全检测。

17 scapegoat   

n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊

参考例句：

• He has been made a scapegoat for the company's failures.他成了公司倒闭的替罪羊。
• They ask me to join the party so that I'll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.他们想叫我入伙，出了乱子，好让我替他们垫背。

18 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

19 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

20 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。