CNN 2010-02-13

First Up: Threat Assessment¹

 

AZUZ: First up, the heads of several U.S. intelligence agencies have the same outlook on the country's security. During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, they said that in the next three to six months, it is certain that there will be an attempted terrorist attack on the U.S. An attempt, though, doesn't mean an actual attack. In fact, the CIA director used the failed, Christmas Day bombing plot as an example. None of the intelligence leaders, which included the FBI director and the director of national intelligence, talked about a specific threat. But they did say that their top concern is al Qaeda, the terrorist group connected to the Christmas Day plot.

 

The hearing also focused on cyber-security; protecting against online attacks. Those are seen as a growing threat, and one that the intelligence community needs to address. The national intelligence director said that the U.S. is not prepared for the kinds of cyber attacks it could face. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the committee holding the hearing, agreed that the country does need to develop an overall, cyber-security strategy.

 

Toyota Recall

 

AZUZ: Ray LaHood, the head of the U.S. Transportation Department, is weighing in on Toyota's recall of millions of vehicles due to a faulty gas pedal. But what Mr. LaHood is saying might be causing some confusion. During a hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday, Secretary LaHood said that anyone who owns one of the cars affected² by the recall should "stop driving it and take it to a dealer³." That scared and frustrated⁴ a lot of owners, and later in the day, LaHood corrected himself.

 

RAY LAHOOD, U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: What I said in there was obviously a misstatement. What I meant to say, and what I thought I said was, if you own one of these cars or if you're in doubt, take it to the dealer and they're going to fix it.

AZUZ: Toyota released a statement thanking Secretary LaHood for clarifying his remarks. They also said, "We want to make sure that our customers understand that this situation is rare and generally does not occur suddenly. If you experience any issues with your accelerator pedal, please contact your dealer without delay. If you are not experiencing any issues with your pedal, we are confident that your vehicle is safe to drive."
 

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》