NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-01-13

　　From NPR news in Washington, I am I'm Korva Coleman.

 

　　There has been a French military intervention¹ in two African countries within the past 24 hours. NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports French forces launched an air strike against Islamist militants² in Mali. And in a separate operation, commanders attacked Islamist base in Somalia in an apparent unsuccessful bid to rescue a French hostage. “The French defense³ minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a news conference that two French commanders died trying to free a French intelligence officer code-named Denis Allex. He was kidnapped by al-Qaida-linked al Shabaab militants in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. Paris reports that the French hostage was likely killed by his keepers during the commander raid. Al Shabaab claims the Frenchman is still alive. Across the continent in west Africa, French forces are going to action in Mali at the government request to trying to drive back rebels Islamist who occupied the north and was pushing southwards. Paris says a French commander was killed during overnight air strike on a rebel command center in central Mali. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR news, Dakar.”

 

　　The federal government says the flu season got started early this year. It has wide spread in 47 states and it reached academic level. New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency for his state. There are about 20,000 flu cases reported there. Officials with the centers for disease control and prevention are urging people who have not gotten the flu shot to get vaccinated⁴.

 

　　Californians are bundling up with sweaters and gloves and stocking up on firewood as they breathe for several nights of very unseasonable freezing temperatures. Daniel Kersten reports even the state’s southern beaches are filling the chill. There was frost on beaches in San Diego Saturday morning. And zoo keeper turned up the heater for chimpanzees. Up north, Big Sur, on the central coast just feeling daytime highs almost 20 degrees below Boston’s, even that desert oasis⁵ Palm Springs is facing the possibility of night time freezing temps. In the San Joaquin Valley, the heart of California's citrus production, farmers are running wind machine and water to protect their fruit. Temperatures are expected to fall to the 20s in some inland bellies⁶ overnight. On the bright side, sunny skies are forecast in the daytime. For NPR news, I am Daniel Kersten in Los Angeles.

 

　　A co-founder of the social media website Reddit has died. Aaron Swartz was found in New York on Friday. The New York medical examiner’s office says the 26-years-old apparently⁷ took his own life. Swartz had been accused of stealing content from scientific journals from MIT. His computer fraud trial was to start next month. Swartz also help lead the effort to start legislation against international censorship as a team helped create RSS, a way to easily distribute computer content. This is NPR.

 

　　The White House dashed the hopes of the Star War’s fans with an official rejection⁸ of a petition signed by more than 45,000 to build a Death Star. However, NPR’s Allison Keyes tells us the administration does consider the power of the force. “In an earring⁹ echo of Star War’s hero Obi-Wan Kenobi’s masterful use of force to destruct.” “These are on the joy you are looking for.” “A White House advisor¹⁰ told fans despite the administration’s support for a strong national defense, a death star isn’t on the horizon. Not only does it cost too much and underestimated $850-quadrillion, advisor Paul Shawcross it makes no sense to spend tax payer dollars on something which could be destroyed by one man starship. Shawcross did suggest to those who sign if they if pursuit careers on science and technology, “the force will be with us”.” Allison Keyes, NPR news, Washington.

 

　　The Syrians government says its troops have taken a strategic sub on the outskirts¹¹ of the Capital Damascus, it was held by rebels. The government’s claimed that it captured the suburb come after the rebels announced they have seized a key air base in the northwestern part of the country. Syrian activists¹² say fighting died down a little this week because of snow and thunderstorms but it has been clear today.

 

　　Air pollution in China’s capital Beijing is so bad, the government is telling people not to go outside. Beijing is always polluted, but air qualities readings are exceptional bad for a second day today. China has had trouble with air pollution because it is rapidly building and industrializing its business and relies heavily on the coal for power. I am Korva Coleman, NPR news, in Washington.

1 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。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 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。

4 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

5 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

6 bellies   

n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• starving children with huge distended bellies 鼓着浮肿肚子的挨饿儿童

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

9 earring   

n.耳环，耳饰

参考例句：

• How long have you worn that earring?你戴那个耳环多久了？
• I have an earring but can't find its companion.我现在只有一只耳环,找不到另一只了。

10 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

11 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

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》