NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-04-19

 President Obama says 8 million people have now signed up for health insurance on the government’s new exchanges. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports last minute surgeon sigh up is now stretched to two and a half weeks.

March 31st was the official deadline to enroll¹ in insurance coverage² this year but the government allowed anyone who’d begun the process by that date to finish up. So the total now exceeds the original target by a million people. President Obama celebrated³ the milestone⁴ in a White House news conference while taking the law’s Republican critics to task. “They still can bring themselves to admit that the affordable⁵ care was working. They said nobody would sign up. They were wrong about that. They said it would be unaffordable for the country. They were wrong about that.” This week forecasters from the congressional budget office predicted the government’s cost for the law will be lower than previously⁷ expected thanks to slower growth of insurance premiums⁸. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

 

In eastern Ukraine more than a thousand people gathered for a rally to counter the message of separatists who wanted to break away. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports the rally for unity⁹ was a rare expression of optimism as the country x further to a political chaos¹⁰.

Until now most of the big rallies in eastern Ukraine have been demonstrations¹² by pro-Russian separatist groups occupying government buildings. This pharmacist named August says she is part of the silent majority that prefers to keep the country intact. “I mean I’m afraid to go out and speak Ukrainian language and hold my Ukrainian flag, and saying that I’m Ukrainian and I’m proud of it.” At this rally in Donetsk a large public square overflowed¹³ with people waving Ukrainian flags. They sang the national anthem¹⁴ and chanted bless Ukraine. Hundreds of riot police maintained the perimeter¹⁵ around the demonstration¹¹ to ward¹⁶ off trouble makers¹⁷ but there was no violence at all. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Donetsk.

 

Colorado judge is playing a central role in a case that will determine whether gay couples could be barred from marrying by some states including Oklahoma. Three judge panels today heard arguments over Oklahoma’s marriage law a week after considering a nearly identical case in Utah. Sharon Baldwin was a x for the case challenging Oklahoma’s gay marriage ban.

“We believe that we have justice and history on our side. And those are two things that no amount of tradition is going to overcome.” Cases have first reached the appellate court since the supreme¹⁸ court last year struck down the federal defense¹⁹ of marriage act. In today’s hearing, US circuit court judge Jerome Holmes * with a higher court, saying the state cannot define the marriage in whether it will trample²⁰ on constitutional rights.

 

According to a new report by the * congressional budget office, a proposal by senate democrats²¹ to raise the minimum wage to 10.10 an hour will force businesses to spend additional 15 billion dollars on workers’ salaries through 2013.

 

On Wall Street, the Down Jones Industrial Average up 16 points to 16,408. The Nasdaq gain 9 points. You’re listening to NPR.

 

As retailer²² Walmart continues to strive to be all things to all consumers, the company says it’s continued to expand its banking²³ operations. To do money transfer service it says it will cut fees for customers by 50%. The service rolling out later this month will allow customers at the world’s largest retailer transfer up to 900 dollars to and from more than 4000 of its US stores. * in conjunction with money transfer service * money.

 

Fifty years ago today Ford⁶ unveiled the first ever Mustang at the New York World’s Fair. Since then more than 9 million of the cars have been sold. NPR’s Craig Windham reports Ford is marking the occasion by repeating a publicity²⁴ sounded stage back in the sixties.

Mustang was popular even before its debut²⁵ on the strength of TV ads touting²⁶ its features. “You bucket seats, wall to wall carpeting, all vinyl upholsery. Even though Mustang is a dream, its low price is a beautiful reality.” Ford celebrates the 50th anniversary by parking a bright yellow Mustang convertible²⁷ on the observation deck atop the Empire State Building in New York. Ford’s George Samosky told USA Today the only way up is the elevator. “Which meant we had to cut the car in pieces no larger than 36 inches wide.” Six pieces to be exact plus a sort of smaller parts. “And we took it up piece by piece.” Samosky said 50 years ago the Mustang was smaller so it only had to be cut into three pieces plus the windshield. Craig Windham, NPR News.

 

Maybe a bit bigger and colder than earth and it’s a long way off in the cosmos²⁸, but scientists say they have found a planet they believe is the closest match for earth thus far. Known as Kepler 186F, the telescope that found it, the astronomer²⁹ say the planet, with diameter of 8700 miles as an orbit, is in the so called goldilock zone neither too hot or too cold.

 

1 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

2 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。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

5 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 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。

8 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

10 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

11 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

12 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

13 overflowed   

溢出的

参考例句：

• Plates overflowed with party food. 聚会上的食物碟满盘盈。
• A great throng packed out the theater and overflowed into the corridors. 一大群人坐满剧院并且还有人涌到了走廊上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

15 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

16 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

17 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

19 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。

20 trample   

vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯

参考例句：

• Don't trample on the grass. 勿踏草地。
• Don't trample on the flowers when you play in the garden. 在花园里玩耍时,不要踩坏花。

21 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》

22 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

23 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

24 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

25 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

26 touting   

v.兜售( tout的现在分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• He's been touting his novel around publishers for years. 他几年来一直到处找出版商兜售自己的小说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Technology industry leaders are touting cars as a hot area for growth. 科技产业领袖吹捧为增长热点地区的汽车。 来自互联网

27 convertible   

adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车

参考例句：

• The convertible sofa means that the apartment can sleep four.有了这张折叠沙发，公寓里可以睡下4个人。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了。

28 cosmos   

n.宇宙；秩序，和谐

参考例句：

• Our world is but a small part of the cosmos.我们的世界仅仅是宇宙的一小部分而已。
• Is there any other intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos?在宇宙的其他星球上还存在别的有智慧的生物吗？

29 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。