NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-08-07

 A US general was killed today when a man believed to be an Afghan soldier opened fire at a military base there.The victim's been identified as Major General Harold Greene described as a top US trainer.His family has been notified.Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed the assailant fired into a group of international soldiers.Many were seriously wounded,others received only minor¹ injuries.The assailant was killed.Officials say the man dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire at a base west of the Afghan capital Kabul.Approximately 15 people were wounded,half of them Americans,also among the wounded a German brigadier general.

 

 

At Russia's request,the United Nations Security Council is scheduling an emergency meeting.They mean to discuss the humanitarian² situation in Ukraine where fighting has now reached the main rebel stronghold Donetsk.Pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces were said to be exchanging rocket fire in neighbourhoods on the edge of that city with fears that its spread inward can further escalate³ the rapidly involving humanitarian crisis.

 

 

The White House says the currrent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip should pave the way for talks to seek a long-term truce⁴.NPR's Craig Windham has more.White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the situation in Gaza remains⁵ volatile⁶ but the ceasefire presents an opportunity.We have noted⁷ for some time that an immediate⁸ ceasefire was critical to bringing about the kind of calm in which negotiations⁹ could occur.Earnest says the US wants to help achieve a durable¹⁰ solution for the long-term.Israel and the Palestinians had delegations¹¹ in Cairo.Egyptian mediators are said to shuttle between the two sides in an effort to negotiate an end to the crisis in Gaza.Craig Windham NPR news Washington.

 

 

Shares of Target closed down more than 4 percent today as the retailer¹² reported another financial hit related to last December's data breach¹³.Matt Sepic of Minnesota Public Radio reports the news comes just before a new CEO takes over.Target says it expects cost related to a holiday cash register hacking¹⁴ to reach 148 million dollars for the second quarter for a total of 235 million.Target is also reporting losses from paying off some old debt.With its release of bad financial news,retail consultant¹⁵ Carol Spieckerman says the company is leaving a clean slate¹⁶ for Brian Cornell who starts as CEO next week.It's very important for Target in light of these numbers to show that they're bringing in them some one,that they have a plan,and that they're going to turn the ship around.Among the decisions that the former Pepsico executive will face is what to do about Target's Canadian stores which have lost more than 1 billion dollars since they opened last year.For NPR news I'm Matt Sepic in the Minneapolis.

 

 

The Dow downed on Wall Street.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 139 points to end the session at 16,429.The Nasdaq closed down 31 points to 43.52.The Standard&Poor's 500 dropped 18 points to 19.20.

 

 

You're listening to NPR news in Washington.

 

 

According to a report by the Associated Press,the size of the US government terrorist watchlist has roughly doubled in recent years.AP says the database put together by the National Counter-terrorism Center now totals roughly 1.1 million people,125000 of whom are US citizens or legal permanent residents.Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment or TIDE for short is a huge classified database of people known to be terrorists,or suspected of having inticed terrorism.

 

 

There are two ebola victims receiving treatment at the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.58-year-old Nancy Writebol was flown into the US from Liberia.XX reports Writbol was in Liberia while working as a personnel director for the international Christian¹⁷ Mission.SIM president Bruce Johnson says Writebol usually handles administrative¹⁸ work.SIM is partnering with Samaritan's Purse to run a hospital in Liberia.He says Writebol was pitching in where they were treating ebola patients.At the center,she was helping¹⁹ to spray down the individuals came out in the hazmat-like suits,but again what she do was within the protocols²⁰ that was ?.She did not have direct contact with patients.Speaking at the news conference,Johnson said the Centers for Disease Control is conducting a full review of those protocols.Officials are still trying to determine how the Americans became infected.For NPR news,I'm XX in Atlanta.

 

 

Scientists say they've discovered a manmade dead zone in the Gulf²¹ of Mexico.The area in ocean which lacks sufficient oxygen levels to support marine²² life is said to encompass²³ roughly 5000 square miles that's about the size of the state of Connecticut.Scientists have blamed a variety of factors but say the main cause is excessive nutrients²⁴ run off from farms along the Mississippi River which champions the Gulf of Mexico.Scientists say there are hundreds of so-called dead zones worldwide.

1 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

4 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

5 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。

6 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

11 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

12 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

13 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。

14 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

15 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

16 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

17 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

20 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

21 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。

22 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

23 encompass   

vt.围绕，包围；包含，包括；完成

参考例句：

• The course will encompass physics,chemistry and biology.课程将包括物理、化学和生物学。
• The project will encompass rural and underdeveloped areas in China.这项工程将覆盖中国的农村和不发达地区。

24 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》