NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-02-23

The White House says pre a dead aimed to ending the bloodshed in Ukraine. The proposal which requires Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych to agree to languish¹ some powers and bring opposition² into the government. White House press secretary Jay Carney during a briefing said everyone benefits under the plan. 

“It’s in Russia’s interests for the violence ending Ukraine and it’s in the interests of the United State and our European friends and of course, most important, the Ukraine people. We welcome the cessation of violence and we welcome the agreement is to be reached.”

Over some government protestors boot opposition leaders to take the street today in Kiev Independence Square to explain the deal.They say Viktor Yanukovych needs to go immediately, and they threaten renew violence if he doesn’t step down this weekend. 

 

President Obama will not let go a minimum wage issue. The president met with Democratic governors todays and spoke⁴ the need to raise the minimum wage. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports from the White House. 

President Obama promised to keep pushing the increase of the federal minimum wage, which now stands at $7.25 an hour. 21 states already have higher minimums and at least half dozen governors are pushing increases of their own. Obama sees it as a winning issue for Democrats⁵. He notes the hiking minimum wage enjoys broad supports among Democrats, independent and even Republicans. 

“People, I think, instinctually understand that part of what this country should be about is if you're working hard and taking responsibility that you can get ahead and that you can look after your family.”

Earlier this week, Congressional forecast predicted raising the federal minimum to $10.10 an hour will lease some 900,000 people out of poverty, but it will also cost estimated half a million jobs. Scott Horsley, NPR News, The White House. 

 

California state senator Ron Calderon and his brother Tom a former state senator have been indicted⁶ on public corruption⁷ charges by the US Attorney Office. The pair are part of a powerful political family which connection throughout southern California. NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates reports. 

A Democrat³ who represents the Los Angeles suburb of D-Montebello, Ron Calderon is charged with accepting bribes⁸ just supported legislation that allow medical fraud by a former executive at a specific hospital in Long Beach. The hospital specializes in its spine⁹ surgeries that often paid for by works compensation funds. Calderon is charged with voting to keep the law that allowed the hospital to manipulate insurance companies for tremendous profits. he was also caught in a FBI sting when agents posed an independent video representative sought tax advantages. Older brother Tom Calderon is also charged with money laundry and conspiracy¹⁰. The Calderon indictments¹¹ come after a-year-long investigation¹² into local corruption. Both brothers deny all charges. Karen Grigsby Bates, NPR News. 

 

Stocks posed a moderate decline to end the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average down 29 points, to 16,103; the NASDAQ close down 4 points. 

 

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Canada managed just squeeze past the US today in the men's hockey semi-final. The Canadian squad¹³ defeated the US 1-0, moving on the gold medal run Sunday against Sweden. US was apart now have to be contended for the shot of the bronze medal when it faces Finland. After today's game, winning Canadian Jamie Benn scored a long goal. Team captain Sidney Crosby says his team defended the squad did his job. 

"We're able to take away a lot of offends and just play to the ending, not set back, but make sure that we're told and generate thing down all."

Canadian men's hockey team is now in the position to win would-be 3 gold medals in 4 Olympics. 

 

Now under Sochi, Russia was the first doping cases of the 214 winter games were reported. NPR's Sam Sanders says one case involves a German athlete who tested positive for stimulant¹⁴. 

Germany Olympic Committee says they were told Thursday at which one of Olympians had tested positive. they were notified by the International Olympic Committee. according to the German Ski Federation¹⁵, a second test took on the athlete also came by positive. Also today, a bobsledder from Italy was kicked out of the game for doping. The International Olympic Committee says it planned to carry out more than 2,400 drug tests in Sochi, a record for Olympic, at a 57% increase from 2010 Winter Games. If medalists test positive for a ban substance, their won will be revoked¹⁶. A few weeks ago, a Russian biocory was drawn¹⁷ from the games before he even start it after she failed the drug test. Sam Sanders, NPR News, Sochi. 

 

When it comes to people who use telephones on the airplanes, the government appears to be divided. On the one hand is the federal communication commission, which looks the issue is not appeared to leave the uses of telephones in flights will interfere¹⁸ with airplane electronics; while with another agency, the department of transportation is signaling it wants keep the ban in place. 

1 languish   

vi.变得衰弱无力，失去活力，（植物等）凋萎

参考例句：

• Without the founder's drive and direction,the company gradually languished.没有了创始人的斗志与指引，公司逐渐走向没落。
• New products languish on the drawing board.新产品在计划阶段即告失败。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 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。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

9 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

10 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

11 indictments   

n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告

参考例句：

• A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 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 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

14 stimulant   

n.刺激物，兴奋剂

参考例句：

• It is used in medicine for its stimulant quality.由于它有兴奋剂的特性而被应用于医学。
• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。

15 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

16 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

17 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

18 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。