NPR 2008-10-13

Stock futures¹ in the US are moving higher this evening in advance of the opening of Asian markets. Investors² will be assessing the latest government moves to deal with the global financial crisis. At a summit in Paris today, leaders of the 15 nations that use the euro currency have agreed to guarantee loans between banks through next year, and to take ownership stakes in distressed³ banks. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was invited to join the meeting although Britain does not use the euro. He expressed confidence that the actions taken will help stabilize⁴ the markets and free up credit. "I think you'll see over the next few days and indeed over the next few weeks, the effect of the coordinated⁵ action we've agreed. The most precious asset of all is confidence, and it's something that has been lost in recent weeks, and it's now, in my view, by the action taken by the American government and now by European governments together is something that we will restore through coordinated intervention⁶."

And in Washington, the World Bank's policy-setting committee pledged to protect poor nations and developing economies from being devastated⁷ by the financial crisis. Also today the Federal Reserve has approved Wells Fargo's 12-billion-dollar acquisition of Wachovia Corporation. Citigroup dropped its effort to acquire Wachovia's banking⁸ operations last week.

China's Communist Party has agreed on an important package of reforms which could reshape that country's economic structure. NPR's Louisa Lim reports from Shanghai.

The country's top leaders ended a four-day conclave⁹ by agreeing it would push ahead with major rural reforms. They vowed¹⁰ to double the incomes of China's 700 million farmers by 2020, who earn less than a third as much as city dwellers¹¹. No details have yet been given on how this would happen. Before the meeting, state media had said the committee would consider whether farmers should be given more power to transfer or lease their land. China's seeking to stimulate¹² consumption domestically to counter the global economic slowdown, which is reducing international demand for Chinese products. A commentary in XinHua News Agency said the global credit crisis might be a blessing¹³ in disguise for China as it aims to modify its economic structure. Louisa Lim, NPR News, Shanghai.

The presidential candidates are preparing for their final debate Wednesday night on Long Island in New York. So they left the campaigning today to their running mates. GOP vice¹⁴ presidential nominee¹⁵ Sarah Palin told supporters in Ohio that she knows voters there are angry. "With serious reforms to change Washington, John McCain is gonna turn your anger into action." And Democratic nominee Joe Biden spoke¹⁶ to a boisterous¹⁷ rally in his childhood hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. "In 23 days, nothing less than our prosperity and our security is on the ballot¹⁸." Biden was joined at the rally by former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Clinton also has roots in Scranton.

This is NPR News from Washington.

The financial crisis has produced one benefit for consumers, sharply lower gasoline prices. Gas prices have plummeted¹⁹ 35 cents a gallon over just the past two weeks, down to a national average of $3.31 a gallon for regular. Industry analyst²⁰ Trilby Lundberg: "This is mostly much lower crude oil prices which have occurred because (of) the world demand that was punched by high price and also lower US gasoline demand." Lundberg says she expects prices to stay at this level or fall even further in the weeks ahead. The drop in prices at the pump was the largest two-week decline ever recorded in the 58-year history of the Lundberg Survey.

A formal speaker of Iran's parliament who is a leading reformist says he is running in the country's presidential election. He will challenge incumbent²¹ Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who's widely expected to seek a second term. Roxana Saberi reports from Tehran.

Irani media are reporting that Mehdi Karroubi has decided²² to run after a lot of what he called "negotiations²³ and consultations²⁴". Karroubi is a moderate cleric and former parliamentary speaker. He came in third place in Iran's last presidential election in 2005. Karroubi has criticized President Ahmadinejad for his handling of the economy and for needlessly antagonizing the West. But Ahmadinejad has often won the backing of Iran's highest authority Supreme²⁵ Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The presidential election is set for June 12th, 2009. It is not yet clear if Iran's previous reformist President Mohammad Khatami will run. For NPR News, I'm Roxana Saberi in Teheran.

The remnants of Hurricane Norbert have moved into the US, dumping moderate amounts of rain over waterlogged West Texas, so far though no major flooding has been reported.

1 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

4 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

5 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

7 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。

8 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。

9 conclave   

n.秘密会议，红衣主教团

参考例句：

• Signore,I ask and I prey,that you break this conclave.各位阁下，我请求，并祈祷，你们能停止这次秘密会议。
• I met my partner at that conclave and my life moved into a huge shift.我就是在那次大会上遇到了我的伴侣的，而我的生活就转向了一个巨大的改变。

10 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

11 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

13 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

14 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

15 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

16 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。

17 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。

18 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

19 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

21 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

22 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

23 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

24 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

25 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。