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。

　　One provision of the Affordable Care Act that _1_ take effect today has been delayed. It's the requirement that groups affiliated with religious organizations provide contraception as part of their health insurance coverage. The temporary block was issued by Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor. It came after a request for the state by a group of nuns _2_ in a nursing home. In March,the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on a related matter–whether for-profit companies are also _3_ provide contraception in health coverage.

　　原定于今天生效的《平价医疗法》其中一项条款被推迟。这项条款要求，与宗教组织有关的团体要将避孕纳入保险范围。最高法院法官索尼娅·索托马约尔暂时叫停了该条款的生效。法官的裁决依据此前一些在疗养院工作的修女向法院提出的申请。最高法院预计于三月就相关问题展开听证，这些问题涉及是否营利性公司要将避孕纳入保险范围的问题。

　　Today the minimum wage is set to rise in some 13 states, but in some of them, the rise is small. As NPR's Margot Adler reports.

　　今天，将有13个州上调最低工资，但是其中一些州的涨幅很小。NPR新闻的玛戈特·艾德勒将带来报道。

　　In New Jersey, the rise will be by $1 to ($)8.25 an hour. In New York, up 0.75 to $8 an hour and up to $9 by the end of 2015. In Connecticut, the minimum wage will _4_ to ($)8.70. Rhode Island $8 an hour. The federal minimum wage is ($)7.25 and now some 20 states will surpass that. President Obama says he supports raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over two years. A recent article in the New York Times notes that leaders in the Democratic Party believe the minimum wage is an issue that will serve them well politically, not only by pushing for a rise in the federal minimum wage, but _5_ to place state minimum wage proposals on the ballot in states with hotly contested races. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

　　新泽西州的最低工资上调至8.25美元每小时，上涨1美元。纽约州上调至8美元每小时，上涨0.75美元，2015年底纽约州的最低工资将上涨至9美元。康涅狄格州方面，最低工资将上涨至8.70美元。罗得岛州为8美元每小时。联邦最低工资为7.25美元，现在有约20个州的最低工资超过了联邦标准。奥巴马总统表示，他支持在未来两年内将联邦最低工资上涨至10.10美元每小时。《纽约时报》近期的一篇报道指出，民主党领导人认为最低工资能更好地为他们的政治服务，但是不仅仅是推进联邦最低工资上涨，同时还要试图在竞争激烈的州就州最低工资法案进行投票。NPR新闻，玛戈特·艾德勒报道。

　　词汇解析：

　　1. affiliate with

　　医生或律师等专业人士）与…有正式关系；

　　eg. He said he wanted to affiliate with a U.S. firm because he needed 'expert advice and counsel in legal affairs'.

　　他说他因为需要“在法律事务上得到专家的意见和建议”，所以想与一家美国律师事务所建立合作关系。

　　eg. Otherwise, I have definite ability of cooperate and affiliate with other people.

　　具有一定的人际交往能力和较强的团队合作精神。

　　2. be scheduled to do sth.

　　（在时间上）安排；计划做某事；

　　eg. The space shuttle had been scheduled to blast off at 04:38.

　　航天飞机已经预定于凌晨 4 点 38 分发射升空。

　　eg. The delegation is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

　　代表团定于明日到达。

　　参考答案：

　　1、was supposed to 2、working 3、required to

　　4、rise to 5、attempting