NPR 2008-11-03

The presidential candidates are pulling out all the stops to build support in the final two days of the campaign. Bruce Springsteen played at a rally for Democrat¹ Barack Obama in Cleveland this evening. GOP nominee² John McCain was stumping³ in Pennsylvania today and telling crowds that he senses an upset in the making. "My friends, I've been in a lot of campaigns. I know when momentum⁴ is there. This enthusiasm, this kind of welcome, we're gonna win Pennsylvania. " No Republican has won the presidency⁵ without taking Ohio, so McCain is taking nothing for granted there with polls showing a close race. His running mate has been spending much of her time in Ohio this weekend. From member station WKSU, Amanda Rabinowitz reports.

Governor Sarah Palin addressed about 3, 000 supporters in Canton, one of four stops planned in Ohio today. She focused on her and John McCain's commitment to victory in Iraq and limiting the size of government. Palin also hammered Barack Obama on his tax plan and the lack of experience. "For a season, a man can inspire with his words, but for a lifetime, John McCain has inspired us with his heroic deeds. " Monday morning, Palin will hold one final Ohio rally in the traditionally Democratic Cleveland area. For NPR News, I'm Amanda Rabinowitz in Canton, Ohio.

Democratic vice⁶ presidential nominee Joe Biden is urging supporters not to let up. "We cannot rest till every poll in America and every poll in the state is closed. " Biden was speaking at a rally in Gainesville, Florida.

France and Britain are calling for more western aid to help maintain the fragile cease-fire between rebel fighters and government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The conflict there has displaced tens of thousands of civilians⁷. Frank Browning has more on the story.

France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner joined by his British counterpart David Miliband made a special plea for more humanitarian⁸ aid and reinforcement of the 17, 000 UN peacekeeping troops in Congo. Earlier this weekend, the European Union drew up plans for dispatching supplemental EU forces to the area. Tens of thousands of people are living in camps for the displaced. Fears are mounting of possible mass starvation or that civilians could be killed should fighting resume between Congolese government forces and Tutsi-led rebels. For NPR News, I'm Frank Browning.

A United Nations convoy⁹ carrying badly needed relief supplies will head into the rebel-held area of the Democratic Republic of Congo tomorrow. Those trucks will be trying to reach tens of thousands of people who've been displaced by the fighting. So far they have not had any relief supplies there for more than a week now. This is NPR News from Washington.

An aide to Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says Baghdad expects an American response to requested changes in a draft security pact¹⁰ between the US and Iraq as soon as possible after Tuesday's election. That will give the US president-elect a chance to be briefed on the Iraqi proposals. The aide says US officials have indicated that the Bush administration is prepared to accept all of the changes except one which would give greater Iraqi control over American soldiers and contractors¹¹ who commit crimes while off duty.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown is pressing oil-rich Persian Gulf¹² states to contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to the International Monetary¹³ Fund to help countries shaken by the global credit crisis. Brown was in Saudi Arabia today. Larry Miller¹⁴ has more on the story from London.

Prime Minister Brown said it's in the interest of Gulf States to help stop the spread of what he termed "financial contagion¹⁵". Commenting after talks in Riyadh, Brown said he's hopeful Saudi Arabia will contribute to International Monetary Fund efforts for countries at risk of economic meltdown. IMF resources have been strained after giving 30 billion dollars to Iceland, Hungary and Ukraine. The Prime Minister also wants the rich Gulf States to boost their investment in the UK and the rest of Europe. Brown along with his Business and Energy Cabinet Ministers is asking Gulf States to stabilize¹⁶ oil prices at a lower price. He wants them to maintain production levels to avoid spikes¹⁷ such as the record highs experienced this summer. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

Machinist union members at Boeing are prepared to start returning to their jobs tonight. An eight-week strike against the aerospace¹⁸ firm came to an end with the approval of a new contract.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 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。

3 stumping   

僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的现在分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说

参考例句：

• She's tired of stumping up for school fees, books and uniform. 她讨厌为学费、课本和校服掏腰包。
• But Democrats and Republicans are still dumping stumping for the young. 但是民主党和共和党依然向年轻人发表演说以争取他们的支持。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 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。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

9 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

10 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

11 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

13 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

14 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

15 contagion   

n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延

参考例句：

• A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
• The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。

16 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。

17 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。