NPR边听边练64:美参议院通过法案帮助飓风受灾地区

 　　以下段落是摘自新闻里的一些重要信息,并不是一个段落的听写。空内信息可在本新闻中全部找到,大家可以根据这些信息复述新闻。

　　一、泛听建议：

　　1、完整听一遍，掌握大意。

　　2、继续听，特别注意关键信息。遇到相似的词，写下来。

　　3、复述新闻。

　　More than two months after Superstorm Sandy devastated² parts of the Northeast, the Senate _1_ a $9.7 billion bill, providing aid to storm victims. The bill cleared the House earlier today. New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer says there is no question that the passage of the measure was long overdue³.

　　在2个多月前，超级飓风桑迪摧毁了东北部的部分地区,参议院对此已经通过了一项97亿美元的法案以为风暴的受害者们提供援助。该法案今天早些时候在众议院通过。而纽约民主党参议员查克?舒默表示毫无疑问,这项法案的通过确有些姗姗来迟。

　　We really had no choice but to pass this provision, because the federal government is obligated to reimburse⁴ when people have floods if they have paid in their flood insurance. So while this bill is important, it's something we _2_ to do, and we should not have parades down the street because this bill has passed. A vote on another $51 billion in recovery aid _3_ later this month.

　　除了通过这项法案我们真的别无选择,因为果人们已经购买洪水保险，而且当人们遭遇洪水联邦政府有义务赔偿。因此这个法案相当重要,这是我们几乎应尽义务去做的,我们不应该在街上游行,该法案已经通过。另一项510亿美元的恢复援助法案有望在本月晚些时候通过。

　　The Food and Drug Administration is releasing _4_ regulations today for farms that grow fruits and vegetables as well as food processors.As NPR's Dan Charles reports the regulations _5_ the works for two years.In 2010, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization⁵ Act.

　　今天美国食品和药物管理局针对种植水果和蔬菜农场以及食品处理者们发布了一系列规定。正如NPR新闻的丹?查尔斯报道的那样，这些条例已经实施了2年。早在2010年,国会就通过了《食品安全现代化法案》。

　　It gave the FDA more power to regulate operations at large vegetable farms, such as the farm in Colorado that sold contaminatedcantaloupes in 2011. Thirty-three people died from _6_ them. The new draft regulations call for practices that many private companies _7_ already.

　　它给美国食品和药物管理局更多的权力来规范大型蔬菜农场的操作,比如科罗拉多农场在2011年出售污染的哈密瓜。33人在食用后致死。而新条例草案呼吁许多私人公司已经进行的实践。

　　They try to block every possible way that harmful bacteria might get on fresh food from stray animals _8_ in fields to farm workers notwashing their hands. Congress exempted⁶ the smallest farms from these regulations, but many small farmers still worry that they will in fact have to follow them raising their costs. Farmers and consumers now have four months to study the rules and propose changes. Dan Charles, NPR News.

　　他们试图阻止每一种可能的方式, 有害细菌可能在新鲜食物中，从流浪动物留下的粪便，田野里的农场工人不洗手等等。最小的农场免除国会的这些规定,但许多小农民仍然担心他们将实际上遵循这些规定因而提高自身的成本。农民和消费者现在有4个月的时间来研究规则并提出相关改革。NPR新闻，丹?查尔斯报道。

　　词汇解析：

　　1.devastate¹ v.毁坏；使荒芜

　　They intended to devastate the town at one stroke.

　　他们企图一举摧毁全城。

　　2.reimburse v.偿还；报销

　　I was reimbursed⁷ in full.

　　我已得到全部补偿。

　　3.parade n.游行；检阅

　　People wore historical costumes for the parade.

　　人们穿著古装参加游行。

　　4.administration n.实施；管理；行政

　　He is responsible for the administration of justice.

　　他负责赏罚。

　　5.contaminate v.弄脏；污染

　　All over the world, oil spills regularly contaminate coasts.

　　在世界各地，油溢出物经常污染着海岸。

　　6、draft regulations法律草案

　　The draft regulations also require that clients be videotaped while they open new accounts.

　　条例草案还要求客户在开户时要对其进行录像。

　　1、has passed 2、were almost obligated 3、is expected 4、a set of proposed

　　5、have been in 6、eating 7、are doing 8、leaving droppings

1 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

2 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

3 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

4 reimburse   

v.补偿，付还

参考例句：

• We'll reimburse you for your travelling expenses.我们将付还你旅费。
• The funds are supposed to reimburse policyholders in the event of insurer failure.这项基金将在保险公司不能偿付的情况下对投保人进行赔付。

5 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

6 exempted   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
• Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。

7 reimbursed   

v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the firm's business will be reimbursed. 由公司业务产生的开销都可以报销。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Employees are reimbursed for any legal fees incurred when they relocate. 员工调往异地工作时，他们可以报销由此产生的所有法律服务费用。 来自《简明英汉词典》