NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2015-09-23

 US authorities confirm Russia is escalating¹ its military presence in Syria. NPR's TB reports Moscow is attempting to prop² up the Assad regime against the expansion of the self-declared IS. A US official says the added planes include an air-to-ground attack aircraft known as a flying tank. Those planes come on top of four Russian planes that arrived last week together with other four attack helicopters. Officials say there are now hundreds of Russian personnel on the ground at a new base at the Mediterranean³ coast. Captain JD, a Pentagon spokesman, said Russian support to the Syrian regime is counterproductive. The US says Assad has lost the trust of his citizens and wants to see a new government formed. Russia is expected to target the self-proclaimed IS just like the US-led coalition⁵. But US officials fear the Russians will also attack American-traind * rebels that US hopes to be a part of the new government. TB, NPR news, Washington.

Concerned about Russia's intensions in the mid-east region, the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu went to Russia today and spoke⁴ directly with president Vladimir Putin. NPR's EH says the Israeli leader wants assurances there is no quote 'misunderstandings between their respective military.' So first for Israel, there is always the worry that addtitional weapons in the region will reach  H, Israel's enemy to its north. Also Israel's periodic response to rockets to shells that land in Israel from Syria and Israel doesn't want to accidentally wind up in confrontation⁶ with Russian forces or pilots. Netanyahu said he wanted to clarify Israel's policies to Putin. Putin said Russia's main goal is to defend the Syrian state. NPR's EH.

Security preparations are underway ahead of Pope Francis's much-anticipated arrival in the US tomorrow afternoon. NPR's TJ says the visit will take the pontiff to people who are otherwise on the margins⁷ of society. Since becoming Pope in 2013, Francis has shown that he sees himself first as a pastor⁸. He has directed the church to focus on those most in need. During stops in Washington to New York and Philadelphia, Pope Francis will visit the white House, Congress and the UNs. But he will also have lunch with homeless people, meet with immigrants and talk to inmates⁹ at a prison. This will be the first time that he has come to the US. With his outspoken¹⁰ views on immigration, the environment, income inequality, and the death penalty, the Pope could touch on some hot political issues but church leaders say his pastoral mission is likely to be the priority. TJ,NPR news, Washington.

Earlier today the Pope received a musical welcome from school children in eastern Cuba. Thousands clambered got a glimpse of the man who is a key figure in talks that led to normalized relations between Cuba and the US.

Before the close, Dow was up 125 points at 16510. This is NPR news. The mother of two-year-old Bella Bond and her boyfriend appeared in a Boston court charged with accessory to murder and murder respectively. The little girl was found in a trash bag on Boston harbor three months ago. TM of WGBH has more. The arraignment¹¹ for Michael McCarthy and Rachelle Bond for the murder of Bella Bond was intense. It started with a warning from a judge about any outburst. As little Belle¹² Bond's last hours were detailed¹³ by prosecutors¹⁴, a woman yelled out at the couple 'I hope you rotten hell'. She was rushed out by court officers. CB who identified as a neighbor said she came to this hearing for Bella and said she always had a bad feeling about McCarthy. 'He was very scary. I would be totally afraid to see him, very uncomfortable around him. Aways strangle.' Michael McCarthy and Rachelle Bond are due back in on October 20th. For NPR news. I'm TM in Boston.

Crews are making progress against one of California's worst wild fires which has burnt more than 1000 acres and destroyed nearly a dozen homes. That blaze in M county is 30 percent contained. That in two other fires in Northern California have collectively destroyed nearly 1600 homes and killed at least 5 people. Some major retailers¹⁵ are now revealing plans to hire seasonal¹⁶ workers ahead of the holidays with varying changes in hiring level since last year. Macy's says it will recruit about 85000 seasonal workers roughly the same as last year. Kohl's is opening about 69000 temporary positions. And Toy's 'R' Us  says it plans to hire about 40000 workers. Dow was up 125 at 16510. This is NPR news.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

3 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

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 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

8 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

9 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

11 arraignment   

n.提问，传讯，责难

参考例句：

• She was remanded to juvenile detention at her arraignment yesterday. 她昨天被送回了对少年拘留在她的传讯。 来自互联网
• Wyatt asks the desk clerk which courthouse he is being transferred to for arraignment. 他向接待警员询问了马宏将在哪个法庭接受传讯。 来自互联网

12 belle   

n.靓女

参考例句：

• She was the belle of her Sunday School class.在主日学校她是她们班的班花。
• She was the belle of the ball.她是那个舞会中的美女。

13 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

14 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

15 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

16 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。