NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-01-12

 Weaker-than-expected job growth in December is raising questions about whether the economy is as strong as previously¹ thought. As NPR’s Shortage explains lots of economists³ are actually skeptical⁴ of the government’s December unemployment report accurately⁵ reflects what’s happening. 

 

The government survey of employers found just 74,000 jobs were added to the economy in December, that’s far below expectations and far below the trend of the past year. Moody’s analytics chief economist² Mark Zandi thinks the December report is a statistical⁶ aberration⁷. 

 

“That doesn’t represent realities. It’s not consistent with any of the other economic data that we’ve got and(when) we chose of federal economy.”

 

That data includes low first-time claims for unemployment, growing consumer optimism. Survey \is showing businesses anticipate hiring more workers and strengthening housing market. Many economists think December’s job growth number will be revised upward in the coming months. John Nitsdi, NPR News, Washington.

 

The Obama administration has decided⁸ not to renew its contract with one of the major software vendors⁹ behind the failed launch of the new health insurance website. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports the contract with CJI Federal will mend(vi.) next month.

 

CJI Federal was the primary contractor¹⁰ hired to build the insurance website. And hundreds of the company’s employees continue to work on the site even after a different contractor QSSI was put in charge of the project in late October. Despite major improvements since then, there are lingering concerns about the website’s performance, and the administration reportedly is negotiating with a rival firm Excenture to take over from CJI. Excenture built the generally successful California Insurance Exchange. Meanwhile, CJI said in a statement it will continue to perform work for the office that oversees¹¹ the website. The company notes even after the failed rollout, it has been granted nearly 37 million dollars in additional government contracts. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

 

And authorities are launching an investigation¹² into a chemical spill that has resulted in a water use ban in parts of West Virginia. Government issued(issuing) a disaster declaration, after a foaming¹³ agent used in the coal preparation process get its way into the Elk¹⁴ River, affecting water supplies in the areas around Charleston. It’s not clear how dangerous this spill may be. There are 32,000 people were being told to avoid drinking or using the tap water. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.

 

“Duely at the Warzis areas, do not use tap water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, or should your baby.”

 

National Guard had been distributing water to those living in the affected¹⁵ area.

 

Businesses boosted their stockpiles of unsold goods in November though the rise was not [the same as] half of October’s increase the conversed¹⁶ [bumber] reporting today wholesale¹⁷ stockpiles rose by half a percent.

 

A mixed end of the week on Wall Street, the Dow John Industrial Average closed down seven points to 16,437, the NASDUQ was up 18 points today.

 

You’re listening to NPR News in Washington. 

 

Former White House press secretary Lerry Spik, who worked for six years in the Reagan(’s) White House, has died in his native Mississippi. According to an official at the funeral home in Cleveland, Mississippi, Spiks died today in his home and he was buried a short time later at a private memorial service. Spiks became President Reagan’s acting¹⁸ spokesman after Press Secretary James Braidy was wounded during an assassination¹⁹ attempt (in) 1981 which also left the president wounded. Spiks’ most recently work to the US postal²⁰ service, retiring in 2008, there [is] Spiks was 74 years old.

 

Reports of sexual assault are down to US military academies. That’s according to the Pentagon. NPR’s Qwou Lawrence reports two of the three lead academies saw a decrease.

 

The Air Force Academy longed the highest number of sex crimes. But that may indicate that air force cadets feel more confident about telling authorities. Major General Jes Snow leads the Pentagon’s effort against sexual assault. He said a culture of harassment²¹ can lead to rape²².

 

“Sexual assault is a crime and has no place at the academies just as it has no place in our armed forces.”

 

Advocates insist the military must change its justice system to ensure effective punishment of rape in the ranks. Qwou Lawrence, NPR News.

 

Federal government says flu season appears to be ramping²³ up with widespread cases of the flu now being reported in 35 states up from 25 the previous week. A flu expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the agency’s weekly report released today shows [a/it was in the thick/fake] of flu season while officials say that flu season (is) not yet over. It’s still too early to predict was this will be a worse-than-normal year. [That/It is] so far not as high as last year when flu outbreaks started early. The flu generally peaks(vi.) in January or February. 

1 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。

2 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。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

5 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

6 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

7 aberration   

n.离开正路，脱离常规，色差

参考例句：

• The removal of the chromatic aberration is then of primary importance.这时消除色差具有头等重要性。
• Owing to a strange mental aberration he forgot his own name.由于一种莫名的精神错乱，他把自己的名字忘了。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

10 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

11 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 foaming   

adj.布满泡沫的；发泡

参考例句：

• He looked like a madman, foaming at the mouth. 他口吐白沫，看上去像个疯子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is foaming at the mouth about the committee's decision. 他正为委员会的决定大发其火。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 elk   

n.麋鹿

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。
• The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。

15 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。

16 conversed   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 )

参考例句：

• I conversed with her on a certain problem. 我与她讨论某一问题。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She was cheerful and polite, and conversed with me pleasantly. 她十分高兴，也很客气，而且愉快地同我交谈。 来自辞典例句

17 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

18 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

19 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

20 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

21 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。

22 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。

23 ramping   

土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏，闹着玩。
• Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗？