NPR 2011-11-09

 The office of Italy's president says Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is pledging to resign after parliament approves economic reforms to stem Italy's debt burden. President Giorgio Napolitano said he met with Berlusconi after the prime minister lost his parliamentary majority during a budget vote earlier today. Greece, another country at the center of Europe's sweeping¹ financial woes² reportedly is close to agreeing on a new power-sharing government to pull the country back from the brink³ of default. Earlier, officials suggested Greeks would find out today who would succeed Prime Minister George Papandreou, who has said he would step aside.

 

Pennsylvania is the latest stop in President Obama's "We Can't Wait" campaign. He was in the Philadelphia area today. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports the president is taking steps to hold Head Start programs more accountable.

 

The president began his trip by visiting a Head Start classroom. He then told an audience that this new rule will make underperforming Head Start programs re-compete to keep getting federal grant money. He says it's part of a broader plan to improve America's educational system.

 

"It's an economic imperative⁴. Our future depends on it. And people understand this outside of Washington, which is why we've been able to work with Democratic and Republican governors on our efforts to strengthen education from cradle to career."

 

President Obama has been issuing a flurry of executive orders. He says if lawmakers won't act on his jobs plan, he'll do what he can without congressional support. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, the White House.

 

Republican presidential candidate Hermen Cain is firing back against the latest woman who accused him of sexual harassment⁵. Advisers⁶ issued a news release today asking “who is Sharon Bialek?” They say the woman has a long and troubled history from the courts to personal finances. Yesterday, Bialek became the fourth woman to allege⁷ sexual misconduct, but she was the first to actually speak out to reporters. And earlier today, Karen Kraushaar allowed NPR to release her name. Until now, she was known only as woman A, one of two employees who settled claims of sexual harassment against Cain more than a decade ago.

 

The architect of Arizona's controversial anti-illegal immigration law faces a recall election today. Peter O'Dowd reports from member station KJZZ that Russell Pearce is in a close race to save his seat.

 

Pearce is the Senate president, and he was the star of state politics in 2010 after his landmark⁸ legislation known as Fb1070 put the national spotlight⁹ on Arizona. The group that led the recall effort against Pearce hasn't really attacked his stance on immigration. Instead, critics say Pearce should have spent more time dedicated¹⁰ to other issues that matter to Arizona like jobs and education. Pearce's Republican challenger is a charter school executive named Jerry Lewis. A local poll shows the two candidates in a tight race for Pearce's conservative district.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Former heavyweight champion Smokin Joe Frazier is dead at the age of 67. He lost a brief battle with liver cancer. NPR's Trina Williams reports Frazier's career will forever be linked with Muhammad Ali.

 

"The winner had won a unanimous decision and still heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Frazier."

 

1971, Madison Square Garden, and Frazier hands Ali his first defeat. The matchup was built as "the Fight of the Century." Frazier's friend and Ali's former business manager Gene¹¹ Kilroy says Frazier was at his best that night.

 

"They were so focused and determined¹² to win. See pride courage when Joe was gonna accept defeat."

 

Ali and Frazier would meet two more times including for the Thrilla in Manila. The first fight, however, would be the only victory for Frazier. He also had memorable¹³ fights with George Foreman, to whom he lost the heavyweight title. He retired¹⁴ in early 80s. The legend owned a boxing gym in Philadelphia, hoping to train the next generation of fighters. Trina Williams, NPR News.

 

The White House can add another legal victory to its defense¹⁵ of President Obama's landmark health care law. Today, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the law as constitutional, which helps set up a fight in the US Supreme¹⁶ Court. Today, federal appellate judges agreed to dismiss a Christian¹⁷ legal group suit that argued the part of the law requiring all Americans to have health care insurance was unconstitutional.

 

More jobs are being advertised, and with millions still out of work, there's heavy competition for each opening. Labor¹⁸ Department found 3.35 million private and government jobs were posted in September.

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up more than 60 points.

 

This is NPR News.

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

3 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

4 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

5 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

6 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

7 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

8 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

9 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

10 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

11 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

13 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

14 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

15 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。

16 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。

17 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

18 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。