NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2015-05-07

 The marine¹ general who oversaw² much of the withdrawal³ of U.S. forces from Afghanistan is President Obama’s pick to be the next chairman of the Joint⁴ Chiefs of Staff. As NPR’s David Welna explains, General Joseph Dunford is expected to win swift confirmation⁵ as the nation’s top military officer. 

In announcing his next top military advisor⁶, President Obama said he both knows General Joe Dunford and trusts him.

“Under his steady hand, we’ve achieved key milestones⁷ including the transition to Afghan responsibility for security, historic Afghan elections and the drawdown of U.S. forces.”

If confirmed, Dunford will succeed General Martin Dempsey as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retired⁸ General James Mattis says Dunford will likely speak his mind just as Dempsey has. 

“We have, you know, one fighting Irishman following another fighting Irishman so that there will be some continuity, Dempsey to Dunford.”   

Top Senate Republicans praised Dunford’s appointment, indicating an easy confirmation. David Welna, NPR News, Washington.

 

Secretary of State John Kerry has become the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Somalia as the U.S. seeks to end a 20-year diplomatic break with the country. During an unannounced three-hour visit inside the perimeter⁹ of Mogadishu’s airport surrounded by seven-foot walls of sandbags, Kerry met with the Somali president, the prime minister and provincial¹⁰ leaders. In a video address to the Somali people, Kerry said he’d seen positive changes during his visit to their country, including efforts to deal with the extremist group al-Shabaab and piracy¹¹.

“Somali forces have pushed al-Shabaab out of major population centers. A determined¹² international effort has put virtually all of Somalia’s pirates out of business.”

U.S. and other Western nations have poured aid into Somalia in an effort to help reconstruction¹³ and prevent it from sliding back into the hands of wild extremists, who continue to use Somalia to launch attacks into neighboring states. 

 

The city of Los Angeles is suing Wealth Fargo Bank, saying it has victimized California customers with illegal banking¹⁴ tactics. NPR’s Nathan Rott reports a civil complaint is seeking relief for customers statewide.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer alleges¹⁵ that Wealth Fargo Bank employees were encouraged to do whatever it takes to meet high sales goals. The result was practices like employees opening accounts for customers without their permission, giving them bogus fees and then non-refunding fees charged for unwanted services. Wealth Fargo has blamed the problem on a few rogue¹⁶ employees and says those individuals have been disciplined and fired. The city’s lawsuit¹⁷ contends that the banking giant’s efforts were few and that it did not inform customers of its practices. The suit seeks a court order to stop the alleged¹⁸ wrongdoing, penalties up to $2,500 for every violation¹⁹ and a restitution²⁰ for every customer harmed. Nathan Rott, NPR News. 

 

The nation’s trade gap jumped to its highest level in more than six years in March. The Commerce Department says the trade gap rose to $51.4bn. 

 

On Wall Street the Dow was down 142 points today. 

 

You are listening to NPR.

 

The other man from Hope has officially jumped into the presidential race today. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee announcing in his hometown he will be a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination²¹. Hope is also the birthplace of former President Bill Clinton. Huckabee is the third major GOP presidential contender to jump into the race. 

 

More farms in Iowa have been struck by a disease that has killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year. As NPR’s Dan Charles reports, it’s the largest outbreak of bird flu the U.S. has ever seen. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says bird flu has been found at two more farms—one raising turkeys, one chickens. Both flocks will be destroyed in an effort to keep the virus from spreading. In total 23 million birds have been lost during this outbreak, mostly in Minnesota and Iowa. The Harvey Milk Company says it is laying off more than 200 workers at the turkey plant in Minnesota because there are fewer turkeys to process. Farmers have been hoping that warmer temperatures will slow the outbreak because heat kills the virus. But So far there is no sign of that happening. Public health experts say the disease appears to pose almost no risk to people. Dan Charles, NPR News. 

 

Authorities are crediting a UPS driver was saving the life of a man who apparently²² jumped into the at times treacherous²³ Rock River in Illinois. According to the Rockford Register Star, 40-year-old Jeff Hermansen saw the man struggling in the water, parked his truck along a river bank, and then swam 15 yards to rescue him, pulling him to shore. Police and firefighters say the river can be treacherous due to fast currency that is very cold at this time of year. Hermansen declined treatment. He had a set of dry clothes brought to him and continued on his UPS route. 

1 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。

2 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 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。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

10 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

11 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

13 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

14 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。

15 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

16 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

17 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。

18 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

19 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。

20 restitution   

n.赔偿；恢复原状

参考例句：

• It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。
• The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

21 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

22 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

23 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。