美国国家电台 NPR 2012-08-22

 The fallout from Missouri Congressman¹ Todd Akin²'s comments on women and rape³ are shaping up to be a political standoff between him and the Republican leadership. The GOP is pressuring Akin to drop out of the Senate race against incumbent⁴ Democrat⁵ Claire McCaskill, but the New York Times reports Republicans are conceding. They no longer think that will be possible by tonight's deadline. Akin seems to determine to survive the scandal, telling former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on his radio show today he's staying in the race.

 

“I guess my question is: Is there a matter of some justice here that I misspoke one word in one sentence in one day? And all of a sudden, overnight, everybody decides, ‘Well, Akin can't possibly win.’ Well, you know, I don't agree with that.”

 

During a TV interview over the weekend, Akin said pregnancies⁶ were rare from "legitimate⁷ rape." He has since apologized, including in a TV advertisement. He said he used "the wrong words in the wrong way."

 

Presumptive GOP presidential nominee⁸ Mitt⁹ Romney makes a whistle stop in Texas tonight. The Lone¹⁰ Star State isn't a campaign battleground, but it is ripe for contributions. From San Antonio, Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies reports.

 

Romney's trip to West Texas isn't a move to boost his support with voters, but it's a chance to pass the ten gallon hat and gather big contributions for his presidential campaign. The former Massachusetts governor is going to the reddest part of this solid Republican state, Midland, known as George W. Bush's childhood home and as a major petroleum¹¹ producer. Romney will appear at three fundraising events in Midland. And he's planning to talk business policy with aerial, oil and gas industry professionals. They say they're grateful Romney is taking time to come listen to them. They believe a Romney White House would be friendlier to the oil industry than the current administration. For NPR News, I'm David Martin Davies in San Antonio.

 

Meanwhile, President Obama campaigned earlier today in Ohio.

 

Activists¹² say a major explosion has killed at least 18 people in the Syrian capital Damascus. And fighting continues elsewhere, including in the commercial center of Aleppo. Rasha Elass reports from Beirut that two foreign journalists have been killed in Aleppo.

 

It was before dawn when a loud explosion rocked an affluent¹³ part of Mezzeh, a neighborhood in southern Damascus. Residents there say they're still hearing fire sirens and gunshots. The target of the attack is not yet clear. Activists say in another neighborhood several bodies were found with signs of torture on them. The activists say that some of the dead were kidnapped a few days ago by regime thugs. Violence continued in Aleppo, where one Turkish and one Japanese journalists who were both embedded¹⁴ with rebels were killed during clashes with Syrian forces. For NPR News, I'm Rasha Elass in Beirut.

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 67 points at 13,205; NASDAQ down 14 at 3,062; S&P 500 off five.

 

This is NPR.

 

Russia is warning the US against taking unilateral action against Syria a day after President Obama said he would reconsider military involvement if Syria uses chemical or biological weapons. The West had been opposed to military involvement. Moscow and Beijing have blocked UN Security Council efforts that would leave open the possibility of foreign intervention¹⁵. The West is considering the option of enforcing a no-fly zone over northern Syria, where rebels control a lot of territory along the Turkish border.

 

Back in the US, despite the sluggish¹⁶ economy and high gasoline prices, NPR's Giles Snyder tells us Americans are expected to hit the road the Labor¹⁷ Day weekend in greater numbers than last year.

 

The travel group AAA says it expects some 33 million Americans to either drive or fly over the holiday weekend. That's up nearly 3% from a year ago, and AAA expects the largest number of Labor Day travelers since 2008. AAA National spokeswoman Cynthia Brough says most travelers will stick with their cars.

 

“Gas prices today are 22 cents less than they were from the April peak. And while they are more than this time last year, travelers have absorbed those gas prices into their budget, and they are staying loyal to their holiday travel.”

 

The AAA forecast is based on a survey of 50,000 American households. Giles Snyder, NPR News, Washington.

 

US stocks trading lower with the Dow off 62 points at last glance, it's at 13,210 in trading of two billion shares. NASDAQ down 13, and the S&P 500 is off five points.

1 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

2 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

3 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

4 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

7 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

10 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

11 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

14 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

15 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

16 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

17 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。