NPR 2008-12-29

Israel says it will not halt its air offensive in the Gaza Strip until rocket attacks into southern Israel have been neutralized¹. Israel's UN ambassador Gabriela Shalev says Hamas left Israel with no choice but to take military action to stop the attacks that have been occurring since a ceasefire ended. "We had no choice but to go on a military operation and the only party to blame is the Hamas. " But Hamas is accusing Israel of triggering new violence in Gaza.

Israeli air attacks today struck at a central prison and a network of smuggling² tunnels. Crowds of people in Gaza eager to escape the conflict pushed through a border wall into Egypt as guards there tried to push them back.

Iran's supreme³ leader's calling on Muslims around the world to defend Palestinians in the Gaza Strip against Israeli attacks. Iran does not recognize the Israeli state. Roxana Saberi reports from Tehran.

Iran state-run television is reporting that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said all Muslims must defend what he called the defenseless people of Gaza in any way possible. He said whoever is killed in this defense⁴ will be considered a martyr⁵. Khamenei criticized what he called the silence of some Arab leaders toward the deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip. He also declared Monday a day of public mourning. Several protests were held in Teheran on Sunday including one by Iranian lawmakers chanting death to Israel. Teheran is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian Hamas. But it says it gives the group only moral and financial support, not weapons. For NPR News, I'm Roxana Saberi in Tehran.

Areas in the Midwest are bracing⁶ for flooding today and tornado⁷ watches have been posted in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. Winds gusting⁸ to 60 miles an hour downed power lines in Michigan today, knocking out electricity to more than 300, 000 homes and businesses. NPR's Cheryl Corley has more.

Warmer temperatures after a week of heavy snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures in the Midwest cause the National Weather Service to post flood warnings in sections of several Midwestern states. Meteorologist Charles Mart says even though the ground has been able to absorb much of the snow and rain runoff, it's still a time to be cautious near rivers. He says there are signs and barricades¹⁰ in place in many areas where there is a chance for trouble. "Obeys the signs; they're there for a reason. The emergency managers have been out; they've been checking the roads. So if there is barricade⁹ out just turn around and find an alternate route." The Weather Service says there are still strong winds and blowing snow in some areas of Michigan and winter storm warnings continue for central and northern Idaho and western Montana along with flood warnings on the coast of Oregon. Cheryl Corley, NPR News.

The lieutenant¹¹ governor of Illinois says he thinks state lawmakers will impeach¹² and remove Governor Rod Blagojevich from office within two months. Blagojevich is facing federal corruption¹³ charges. He insists he's innocent.

This is NPR News from Washington.

A truck bomber¹⁴ in Afghanistan today targeted grade school children who were attending their final day of classes for the year. The SUV swerved¹⁵ toward the children before exploding, killing¹⁶ 14 of them and two other people. More than 50 people were wounded. Afghanistan's president as well as UN officials strongly condemned¹⁷ the attack.

A suicide bombing outside a polling station in Pakistan killed at least 30 people today, several of them children. Authorities say the bomber pretended to need help with his car drawing a crowd to the vehicle and then he detonated the blast.

The military officers who seized power in Guinea are saying that all generals from the former regime are being demoted. The country's new military leader has yet to convince the international community that the take-over was the best way forward for the country. More from NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton.

Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has won over many Guineans with his pledges to eradicate¹⁸ corruption and chart a better future for the mineral-rich but impoverished¹⁹ West African nation. He warned that anyone caught looting the public purse would be punished with those who misappropriated state assets judged before the people. Guinea's new military leader also told those present from civil society, politics, the unions and the clergy²⁰ that he was open to their best ideas. After regional and international condemnation²¹ of the coup²², Camara's charm offensive will be reserved for foreign diplomats²³ Tuesday at a meeting postponed²⁴ from Saturday. The president of neighboring Senegal has urged the world to recognize Guinea's new regime, saying the soldiers deserve support. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Dakar.

1 neutralized   

v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• Acidity in soil can be neutralized by spreading lime on it. 土壤的酸性可以通过在它上面撒石灰来中和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This strategy effectively neutralized what the Conservatives had hoped would be a vote-winner. 这一策略有效地冲淡了保守党希望在选举中获胜的心态。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 martyr   

n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲

参考例句：

• The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
• The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。

6 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

7 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

8 gusting   

（风）猛刮（gust的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Then the treacherous North Atlantic struck, with hail, rain, lightning and gusting wind. 这时，气候变幻莫测的北大西洋出现了冰雹、大雨、闪电和狂风。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
• Jeff: Sometimes, the partiality and miscarriage of justice are dis-gusting too. 杰夫： 有时，裁判的不公平和误判也真是令人讨厌的一件事情。

9 barricade   

n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住

参考例句：

• The soldiers make a barricade across the road.士兵在路上设路障。
• It is difficult to break through a steel barricade.冲破钢铁障碍很难。

10 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

11 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

12 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

13 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

14 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

15 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 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。

17 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

18 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

19 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

21 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

22 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

23 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。