NPR 2010-02-08

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

 

Police on the scene of today's deadly explosion in Middletown, Connecticut are asking surrounding communities for help. They are bracing¹ for mass casualties that may include at least two deaths and as many as 100 people injured. From member station WNPR, Diane Orson reports.

 

The explosion took place at Kleen Energy Systems, a 620-megawatt gas-fired power plant in an industrial area in Middletown, Connecticut, about 20 miles south of Hartford. The plant was undergoing a test of its power generating systems. Residents as far as 10 miles away mistook the explosion for an earthquake. Smoke was seen for miles. Emergency crews are searching for survivors² amid the rubble³. Victims are being airlifted to local hospitals. For NPR News, I'm Diane Orson in New Haven⁴.

 

Mid-Atlantic States are starting to assess damage from the snowstorm that one newspaper has called a historic mess. Communities were hit with anywhere from one to three feet of snow this weekend. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people lost electricity and are getting messages like this when they call their utility company. “We do expect this to be a multiple-day event and ask customers to plan accordingly.” An audio recording⁵ from Pepco to residents in Washington, D.C. and parts of Maryland.

 

The candidate, once marked by critics as the Kremlin's puppet, may be the winner in Ukraine's presidential election. Exit polls show Viktor Yanukovych defeating Yulia Tymoshenko. If confirmed, the Yanukovych victory would be a major comeback since the tumultuous Orange Revolution in 2004, when Ukrainians took to the streets, demanding fair elections. NPR's David Greene has more.

 

Many Ukrainians like Viktor Kostin say they remember standing⁶ in Kiev's Independence Square five years ago, fighting for democracy. But it's been five years of disappointment, the 70-year-old said. The leaders who took over in 2004, he said, promised to fight corruption⁷ but never did. Still, Kostin is willing to grant more time to one Orange Revolution leader, the current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She's lost much of her popularity over five years, and she's in a tough campaign against former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. He's tapped into the frustrations⁸ of many Ukrainians, who feel the democratic revolution in 2004 hasn't made their lives better. Yanukovych grew up in the Ukraine's Russian-speaking east. He's vowed⁹ to sign a law protecting the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. David Greene, NPR News, Kiev.

 

Today, NASA postponed¹⁰ space shuttle Endeavour's lift-off from Florida until tomorrow. The launch was called off this morning after a band of low clouds moved into the Cape¹¹ Canaveral area. Endeavour is going to deliver parts for another room on the International Space Station, the last major construction job for the orbiting outpost. Only five more shuttle missions remained.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Treasury¹² Secretary Timothy Geithner says the US government “will never lose its credit rating even though the deficit¹³ keeps climbing”. Geithner told ABC today that he thinks international investors¹⁴ will keep buying US bonds because they are safe. But Moody's Investors Service recently warned that the government’s credit rating is at risk. The US debt limit has topped 14 trillion dollars.

 

In Japan, there are reports that Toyota will recall its Prius Hybrid¹⁵ because of brake trouble. NPR's Louisa Lim has this from Tokyo.

 

This would be a new blow for the world's biggest automaker which is already struggling with the recall of more than eight million cars for faulty gas pedals and floor mats. Japanese media say 170,000 3rd Generation Prius cars will be recalled here for software fix. Drivers have complained of a momentary¹⁶ delay while braking. Media say five complaints alleged¹⁷ this led to crashes. In the US, dealers¹⁸ say they've been told a Prius repair plan will be announced early next week. Kyodo News agency reports the fix can be made at dealerships in under one hour. The Prius has been a symbol of Toyota's technological¹⁹ prowess, so any flaws are deeply embarrassing. Toyota's President Akio Toyoda apologized on Friday, but Japan's press have criticized his response as slow and insincere. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Tokyo.

 

An earthquake struck several small islands off Japan's southern coast today, briefly²⁰ triggering tsunami²¹ warning, but there have been no reports of injuries.

 

Updating our story of the hour. In Connecticut, there has been a deadly explosion at an energy plant in Middletown. Associated Press reporting now that fewer than 50 people have been hurt.

 

This is NPR.
 

1 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。

2 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

3 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

4 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 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。

8 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

9 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

10 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。

11 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

12 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

13 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

14 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

15 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。

16 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

17 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

18 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

19 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

20 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

21 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。