NPR 2012-03-02

 The Senate's Democratic majority is blocking the GOP's bid to roll back President Obama's policy on contraception insurance coverage¹. The vote came down a day along party lines 51:48. It killed an amendment² that would have allowed employers and insurers to opt³ out of coverage on moral or religious grounds. Senator Patty Murray of Washington state says the vote is significant.

 

“We defeated an amendment that would have historically taken away something that women in this country have counted on for decades, and that's the ability to make their own healthcare choices in the privacy of their homes.”

 

But Republicans say the policy violates the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom by forcing insurers and employers to pay for coverage even if their faiths forbid the use of contraceptives.

 

Authorities in Syria are granting Red Cross workers permission to enter the Baba Amr neighborhood in the city of Homs tomorrow, now that rebel forces are at the besieged⁴ area. NPR's Craig Windham reports the Syrian government is also indicating it may allow a daily two-hour ceasefire, so relief groups can deliver supplies to residents of areas that have been under attack by Syrian troops.

 

It's been weeks since relief workers have had access to the Baba Amr neighborhood. Hicham Hassan, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, says two types of assistance will be provided.

 

“The first is food, blankets, milk for babies and medical assistance, and the second is emergency medical evacuations for those who need to be evacuated⁵.”

 

Hassan says he's hopeful the daily ceasefires will begin soon.

 

“We have positive indications from the Syrian authorities for the first time.”

 

Hassan says the need for help in Syria is urgent and the humanitarian⁶ situation there is worsening. Craig Windham, NPR News.

 

In the US, business fact or factories growing at a slower pace than many analysts⁷ had hoped. As NPR's Chris Arnold reports, that is according to the latest numbers on economy out today from the so-called ISM Index.

 

Manufacturers are making more products than they were a month ago. Many reading over 50 indicates growth, and this latest reading was 52.5. But most analysts expected it's be about 55.

 

“It was a little disappointing for sure. But I think we have to take it into contact.”

 

That's Bob Costello, the chief economist⁸ at the American Trucking Associations. He says the overall trend is definitely in the right direction.

 

“I’m still optimistic about the economy going forward. You know, it's not gonna be the previous year we’ve ever seen. But I don't think we’re at a significant risk of going back into recession or going backwards⁹ at this point.”

 

Costello says trucks around the country are hauling about 5% more products and other freight than they were six months ago. Chris Arnold, NPR News.

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 57 points at 13,009; NASDAQ up 28 at 2,995.

 

You’re listening to NPR News.

 

Drivers are paying 11% more to fill up their tanks than they did just over a month ago. Gas prices now cost an average of $3.74 for a gallon of regular. It's much higher in several states including Hawaii, California and New York. The cost of gas rose as oil price has surged 9% this year so far. Part of the increase is due to concern that the global dispute over Iran's nuclear program could lead to supply disruptions. 

 

Some controversial experiments on bird-flu virus are going to get another look by a committee that advises the US government. NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce reports that the panel had previously¹⁰ recommended keeping some aspects of that research secret.

 

The two government-funded experiments showed what genetic¹¹ changes could make bird-flu contagious¹² between ferrets. The concern is that these lab-altered flu viruses could also potentially spread in the air between people. A committee called the National Science Advisory¹³ Board for Biosecurity recently said the full details of these studies should not be made public, because the information could be misused¹⁴ by someone who wanted to create a dangerous new flu. But now an official says the committee will be asked to look at new data and a clarification of earlier findings. This information was shared with an advisory panel convened¹⁵ by the World Health Organization two weeks ago. It recommended publishing the work. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News.

 

Twelve deaths and hundreds of injuries reported in three Midwestern states after a powerful storm spawned¹⁶ a string of tornadoes¹⁷ and left a trail of destruction from Kansas to Kentucky. Half of those killed were in Harrisburg, Illinois.

 

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

2 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

3 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

4 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

5 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

9 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

10 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

11 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

12 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

13 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

14 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

16 spawned   

（鱼、蛙等）大量产（卵）( spawn的过去式和过去分词 )； 大量生产

参考例句：

• The band's album spawned a string of hit singles. 这支乐队的专辑繁衍出一连串走红的单曲唱片。
• The computer industry has spawned a lot of new companies. 由于电脑工业的发展，许多新公司纷纷成立。

17 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网