NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-08-20

 There is no curfew in Ferguson, Missouri tonight but National Guard troops have been deployed¹ there as authorities try to head off any more violence during protests over the killing² of an unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a police officer. The St. Louis County medical examiner confirms that Brown was shot several times in the head and chest. Similar finding came from Dr. Michael M. Baden, a pathologist hired by the Brown's family. He says Brown was shot at least six times.

All of these *venchive wounds were survivable except for the one on the top of the head and one through the brain.

The Attorney General Eric Holder³ says he's putting the full weight of the Justice Department into investigating the killing of Brown. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports Holder will travel to the area later this week to confer with investigators⁴ and community leaders.

The Attorney General plans to meet with FBI agents and civil rights investigators. They're looking into the actions of a Ferguson police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown. Eric Holder asks for patience as the civil right probe advances and he criticizes the selective release of sensitive information about the victim by local authorities. Holder says he is committed to preserving the integrity of the federal investigation⁶ in order to restore trust between police and protesters, not just in Ferguson, but beyond. Carrie Johnson, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

A temporary truce⁷ between Israel and Palestinian militants⁸ has been extended for 24 hours. For now fighting in Gaza has not resumed. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports the UN is calling for a more durable⁹ and lasting¹⁰ cease-fire.

UN Middle East Envoy¹¹ Robert Serry tells the Security Council that the world can't leave Gaza in the condition that was before the latest outbreak of fighting.

Gaza urgently needs houses, hospitals and schools, not rockets, tunnels and conflict. We expect Hamas and all other factions¹² to act responsibly in this regard and refrain from any actions that run counter to this agenda.

Israel Ambassador says, as he put it, for once, he agrees with the UN envoy. But the Ambassador didn't respond to other parts of the UN message that Israel and the Palestinians need to reach a durable solution that allows construction material and supplies to be brought into Gaza. Michele Kelemen, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

President Obama says Iraqi and Kurdish military forces with the help of US air strikes have retaken control of a strategically important dam near Mosul.

If that dam was breached¹³, it could have proven catastrophic, with floods that would have threatened the lives of thousands of civilians¹⁴ and endanger our embassy compound in Baghdad.

Obama is calling on Iraqi leaders to complete formation of a unity⁵ government.

 

 

Stocks were higher on Wall Street today. The Dow Industrials closed up 175 points to 16,838. The NASDAQ composite was up 43. The S&P 500 index rose 16 points.

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

Ukraine's government says dozens of civilians trying to flee the war-torn eastern part of that country were killed today when their convoy¹⁵ was shelled. Ukraine is blaming pro-Russian rebels for the attack, but they have denied any responsibility. A spokesman for Ukraine's military says the convoy was flying white flags and was clearly marked as civilians.

 

 

New York's Metropolitan¹⁶ Opera has reached tentative contract agreement with the unions representing its orchestra and chorus. Jeff London reports the deal, which must still be ratified¹⁷ for the * file, was announced by the federal mediators who call the talks difficult and highly complex. 

Both sides had braced¹⁸ for a work stoppage which could have delay the MET season opening in September but with less than an hour to go before contract expired at midnight. A reprieve¹⁹ was announced. Alan Gordon, President of the Union that represents the MET singers and dancers, said he was glad the company agreed to extend talks but added,

Both sides *are tremendously fell apart on the guts²⁰ of the contract. That's gonna be difficult to close that gap.

Talks are said to resume today and go through the weekend. For NPR news, I am Jeff London, in New York.

 

 

The UN's Chief Nuclear Inspector²¹ says Iran is finally beginning to answer questions about suspicions the country has worked secretly to develop nuclear weapons, but he declined to say whether he was satisfied with the answers so far. The IAEA investigation into Iran's nuclear program has made little progress since it began seven years ago. The US and other western nations believe Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons' capability²².

1 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 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。

7 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。

8 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

9 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。

10 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

11 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。

12 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

13 breached   

攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
• Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。

14 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

15 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

16 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

17 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

18 braced   

adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• They braced up the old house with balks of timber. 他们用梁木加固旧房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The house has a wooden frame which is braced with brick. 这幢房子是木结构的砖瓦房。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

20 guts   

v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠

参考例句：

• I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
• Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

22 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。