CNN Marketplace 2006-02-22

President Bush continues his road trip promoting new energy initiatives to cut down on American's dependence¹ on oil. Automobile² Magazine's Jean Jennings says current hybrid³ vehicles are just the first step in reducing energy use.

What we are going for is absolute zero emissions⁴ and a sustainable resource. What we want is solar-powered hydrogen or some other way to create hydrogen to then use in your car. Jennings says General Motors is leading the way in that technology.

Some significant gains for the world's largest retailer⁵. The Wal-Mart's profit jumps 13% and sales rise 9% in the fourth quarter. Fiscal⁶ 2007 profit that was seen just shy of analysts⁷' views. The company opened 69 new stores in January that was a monthly record. CNN's Jane King.

A new survey shows there are shortages of qualified⁸ workers not only here in the U.S. but all over the world. One of those careers showing shortages is its sales and according to manpower CEO and President Jeffrey Jeerers that shortage shows that companies around the world are looking to grow.

Clearly what we are seeing is that companies want some growth in their organizations, when they need the right people selling their products and, you know, I can't find them and it's, really was a little bit of a, of a surprise to me. Other job shortages include engineers and nurses.

And the next time you've got a craving⁹ for some smothered¹⁰ and covered hash browns, you can get some with your credit card, reports CNN's John Lawrence.

All company-owned Waffle Houses will soon be accepting credit cards, "We've always been cash-based, but put everybody carrying credit cards and less cash, you know, we saw need for us to go in that direction offer ", spokeswoman Charnae Knight¹¹ says aside from that nothing else will be different,” the price is not gonna change, the food will be the same, we try to stay consistent with everything that we do, that one of the benefits as coming to waffle houses, you know every time you come in ,you get the same experience every time. " There are nearly 1,600 Waffle Houses in the United States". John Lawrence, CNN.


WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
energy initiatives :能源激励措施
zero emissions :零排放(常指污染物),
waffle houses :Waffle House is a restaurant chain, iconic in the modern culture of the U.S. Southern states.
hashbrowns :薯饼

1 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 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。

6 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

9 craving   

n.渴望,热望

参考例句：

• a craving for chocolate 非常想吃巧克力
• She skipped normal meals to satisfy her craving for chocolate and crisps. 她不吃正餐，以便满足自己吃巧克力和炸薯片的渴望。

10 smothered   

（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制

参考例句：

• He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
• The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

11 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。