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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke said today he thinks the US economy has begun growing again though the Fed Chairman also said the overall economy is likely to still feel weak for some time. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, Bernanke said that would include little in the wave of jobs growth anytime soon.
Many people will still find that their job security and their employment status is not what they wish it was, so that's a challenge for us and all policy makers1 going forward.
US economy has lost an estimated 6.9 million jobs since the start of the current recession in December of 2007.
Meanwhile the US economy is showing some other signs of its continuing demand that the Commerce Department today reported retail2 sales were stronger than expected. NPR's Chris Arnold reports.
The Cash for Clunkers program gave a big boost to car sales, but Americans were also opening their wallets to buy at least somewhat food and beverages3, books and electronics. That helps the economy. Still are some unwelcome news that gasoline prices jumped up 23% in August. Brian Bethune is an economist4 at Global Insight.
This is kind of a situation where these see the glass half full or half empty and really what we’re seeing is the pickup5 in the global economy, which is very positive because it's helping6 to drive export higher, however, at the same time it is putting up great pressure on crude oil prices.
Gas prices are still down at 30% from a year ago. And Bethune says when you take out volatile7 food and energy prices, the prices of most goods in the US are not rising very quickly. So he's not worried about inflation. Chris Arnold, NPR News.
Nine American Airlines employees were among more than 20 people arrested on drug smuggling8 charges in San Juan Puerto Rico today. NPR's Adam Hochberg reports.
Prosecutors9 say the nine members of American Airlines ground crew helped smuggle10 thousands of kilograms of cocaine11 into the United States over the past decade. According to Federal officials, the drugs originated in South America and the Caribbean and ended up in Florida, New Jersey12 and other places on the US mainland. The alleged13 leader of the smuggling ring is an Airline employee. Several of those charged are baggage handlers. The Associated Press reports the drug enforcement agents and Puerto Rican police swarmed14 the airport making arrests. One alleged member of the drug ring was apprehended15 in Miami. A spokesman for American Airlines said the company is working with investigators16 and condemned17 the employees’ alleged action. But the company also noted18 that the nine people arrested make up a tiny fraction of its workforce19. Adam Hochberg, NPR News.
Discussion is taking place on the House Floor today what is shaving up to be a partisan20 debate over a resolution that would formally criticize South Carolina Republican Congressman21 Joe Wilson, whose outburst during President Obama's speech on healthcare last week. Wilson has apologized to the President in a phone call but some Democrats22 have said that's not enough, calling for an apology on the House Floor.
On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 56 points. The NASDAQ gained ten points today.
This is NPR.
There were reports of mortar23 firing in Baghdad's Green Zone today. The blast which was said to have included at least four mortar rounds coincides with the visit to the heavily fortified24 region by Vice-President Joe Biden. Officials say the shells were fired from across the Tigris River with no immediate25 word on casualties or damage. Biden arrived in Baghdad early today as the White House seeks to show it remains26 focused on Iraq War despite recent pullbacks and an increasing focus on the war in Afghanistan. Vice-President’s trip comes as the nation's top military officer told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee today more troops will probably need to go to Afghanistan.
UN Refugee Agency is giving this year’s Nansen Refugee Award to late Senator Edward Kennedy in recognition of his achievements as a lifelong advocate on behalf of the world's most vulnerable people. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.
UN refugee spokeswoman Melissa Fleming says the awards committee made its decision in June and informed Senator Kennedy who welcomed the prize. Even after his death, she says his work on behalf of refugees will be remembered.
Senator Kennedy stood out as a champion for those who suddenly found themselves with no voice and no rights. Year after year, conflict after conflict, he put the plight27 of refugees on the agenda and drove through policies that saved and shaped countless28 lives.
The award carries with it a 100,000-dollar prize to be donated to a refugee cause. Fleming says the prize will be awarded to a member of Kennedy's family on October 28th in Washington. For NPR News, I'm Lisa Schlein in Geneva.
Crude oil futures29 rose $2.07 a barrel to end the session at $70.93 a barrel in New York.
![收听单词发音](/images/play.gif)
1
makers
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n.制造者,制造商(maker的复数形式) | |
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2
retail
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v./n.零售;adv.以零售价格 | |
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beverages
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n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 ) | |
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4
economist
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n.经济学家,经济专家,节俭的人 | |
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pickup
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n.拾起,获得 | |
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helping
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n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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volatile
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adj.反复无常的,挥发性的,稍纵即逝的,脾气火爆的;n.挥发性物质 | |
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smuggling
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n.走私 | |
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prosecutors
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检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 ); 告发人; 起诉人; 公诉人 | |
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smuggle
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vt.私运;vi.走私 | |
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cocaine
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n.可卡因,古柯碱(用作局部麻醉剂) | |
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jersey
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n.运动衫 | |
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alleged
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a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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swarmed
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密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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15
apprehended
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逮捕,拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 ); 理解 | |
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investigators
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n.调查者,审查者( investigator的名词复数 ) | |
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condemned
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adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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noted
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adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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workforce
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n.劳动大军,劳动力 | |
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partisan
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adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒 | |
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Congressman
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n.(美)国会议员 | |
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democrats
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n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 ) | |
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23
mortar
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n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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24
fortified
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adj. 加强的 | |
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25
immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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remains
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n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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plight
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n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定 | |
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countless
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adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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futures
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n.期货,期货交易 | |
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