NPR 2010-08-02

The Netherlands officially ended its combat mission in Afghanistan today, the first NATO country to bring troops home from an increasingly unpopular war. Brigadier General Josef Blotz is a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force. He says other nations will fill the gap left by the Dutch troops.

"We will make sure that following a very thorough joint¹ planning between the Dutch and a couple of countries coming in and of course the Afghan partners, there will be a seamless transition over the next months."

The Netherlands had nearly 2,000 troops in Afghanistan. During the mission, 24 were killed.

A minibus of civilians² struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan today. Six people were killed. The explosion occurred in Kandahar province, where US and NATO forces are increasing operations against the Taliban.

Rescue efforts are under way in Pakistan to save tens of thousands of people trapped by floods. Hundreds have died. The estimates range from 700 to 1,100. Floodwaters are beginning to recede³, but the BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports there's now concern more rain will fall in the coming days.

Vast areas of northwest Pakistan remain submerged. The army says 30,000 troops are now involved in relief operations. But with around a million people estimated to have been affected⁴, there are of course many who've yet to receive help. Thousands have seen their homes and businesses entirely⁵ washed away by the violent torrents⁶ caused by the heaviest rains in Pakistan's history, and bodies of those who drowned are being recovered all the time.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool reporting.

Russia doesn't have enough water. Record-high temperatures and a drought have combined to trigger wildfires, which have killed at least 28 people. Jessica Gallaher reports from Moscow the fires are now approaching Russia's foremost nuclear research center.

Russia is experiencing the hottest weather in at least 130 years, with temperatures hovering⁷ near the century mark. According to Emergency Ministry⁸ officials, nearly 800 fires are burning out of control in an area of about 500 square miles. Officials say firefighters are having problems containing the blazes due to the high temperatures and shifting winds. State television footage showed entire villages burned to the ground and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Russian news agencies also say that the country's federal nuclear center, where researchers designed the first Soviet⁹ atomic and hydrogen bombs, is also in danger of being engulfed¹⁰ in flames. Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called the fires 'a natural disaster', and Patriarch Kirill has asked people to pray for rain. For NPR News, I'm Jessica Gallaher in Moscow.

Firefighters in Southern California have a wildfire that's been burning in the high desert north of Los Angeles, 87% contained. It's been burning since Thursday in the city of Palmdale. Officials hope to have it completely surrounded sometime tomorrow.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Today is the one-year anniversary of the death of former Filipino President Corazon Aquino. Commemorations culminated¹¹ in a memorial Mass at a Catholic university, where the people power movement began in 1986. From Manila, Simone Orendain has more.

A close friend of the Aquino family, Bishop¹² Socrates Villegas, presided over the Mass at De La Salle University in Metro¹³ Manila. He peppered his sermon with the reminder¹⁴ of how quickly time flies, especially in the months between her death and her son's rise to the presidency¹⁵.

"Her memory is a sterling¹⁶ lesson of detachment from power and prestige."

Villegas then advised her son, President Benigno Aquino III, to remain equally detached. In a snap election in 1986, then dictator Ferdinand Marcos claimed to have won over Corazon Aquino. A group pushing for free elections tallied¹⁷ the votes at De La Salle, declared her the winner and a mass protest that started at the university ended when Marcos was toppled. For NPR News, I'm Simone Orendain in Manila.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today she's not nervous at all the Democrats¹⁸ will lose the House in the midterm elections. She told ABC she's feeling confident, but not taking anything for granted. For many voters, the election may be a referendum on President Obama. He told CBS he thinks he's accomplished¹⁹ a lot in the last 18 months.

"Preventing the country sinking into a Great Depression, stabilizing²⁰ the financial markets, saving the US auto²¹ industry, oh, and by the way, passing health care. I'd say that's a pretty good track record."

But the president said he'd given himself a grade of 'incomplete' because the economy has yet to rebound²².

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.

 

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 recede   

vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进

参考例句：

• The colleges would recede in importance.大学的重要性会降低。
• He saw that the dirty water had begun to recede.他发现那污浊的水开始往下退了。

4 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。

5 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 torrents   

n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断

参考例句：

• The torrents scoured out a channel down the hill side. 急流沿着山腰冲刷出一条水沟。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Sudden rainstorms would bring the mountain torrents rushing down. 突然的暴雨会使山洪暴发。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

10 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 culminated   

v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• a gun battle which culminated in the death of two police officers 一场造成两名警察死亡的枪战
• The gala culminated in a firework display. 晚会以大放烟火告终。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

13 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

14 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

16 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

17 tallied   

v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• The girl tallied them with her eyes for a moment. 新娘用目光把这些化妆品清点了一下。 来自教父部分
• His account of the accident tallied with hers. 他对事故的陈述和她的相吻合。 来自辞典例句

18 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

20 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

21 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

22 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。