NPR 2009-12-08

The Environmental Protection Agency has formally declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions¹ pose a public health danger. The move opens the way for regulations on such emissions from vehicles, power plants and other sources. EPA Administrator² Lisa Jackson.

Today’s action is a step towards enduring pragmatic solutions to the enormous challenge of climate change. It also means that we arrived at the climate talks in Copenhagen with a clear demonstration³ of our commitment to facing this global challenge. " Jackson speaking in Washington as delegates to the UN climate conference were getting down to work in Copenhagen as NPR s Richard Harris reports.

There’s more political will behind these talks than any other climate meeting. Meeting organizers now say that more than 110 heads of state are expected at the meeting, including President Obama. He pushed back his visit to arrive at the end of the conference where his impact could be greatest. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen opened the meeting with words of hope.

"A deal is within the reach. To work together, we can accomplish what must be accomplished⁴.

But many large issues remain to be resolved in the next two weeks. And at the end delegates hope for a political agreement, not an actual climate treaty. That would still need to be negotiated next year. Richard Harris, NPR News.

A Chicago man has been charged with helping⁵ to plot last year’s deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. Those attacks killed 166 people, including six Americans. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports.

David Headley has been in prison since October for allegedly plotting attacks against a Danish newspaper. The paper published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that led the violent protests in 2005. Now Headley has been charged in the Mumbai attacks as well. He allegedly attended a terrorist training camp in Pakistan run by the group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Prosecutors⁶ said the group sent him to India several times where Headley took videos and still photographs of the hotels and other sites that were attacked. He also allegedly took boat trips around Mumbai Harbor to scout⁷ a good landing site for the attackers. The Justice Department said Headley is cooperating with the investigation⁸. Prosecutors also unsealed charges against a retired⁹ major in the Pakistani military. Abdur Rehman is accused of working with Headley to plan terrorist attacks against the Danish newspaper. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the US economy is on the mend and he expects moderate growth in the new year. But Bernake says the recovery is still fragile for now.

"Significant headwinds remain including tight credit conditions and a weak job market. " Bernanke was speaking to the Economic Club of Washington today.

Just before the closing bell on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up a point at 10, 387. The NASDAQ Composite Index up five points. The S&P 500 Index though is down two points.

This is NPR News from Washington.

The Chairman of the Joint¹⁰ Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen met with troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky today and told them he expects a tough fight for US forces in Afghanistan in the new year, even as tens of thousands of additional troops are deployed¹¹ there. "Given the additional troops as it was this last summer, I am sure that we will sustain an increase level of casualties.”

Mullen called the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan "the epicenter for global terrorism".

Two corporate¹² giants faced off today in a Delaware courtroom. They were arguing over the stake in Craigslist that eBay purchased back in 2004. Rachel Miro, member station KQED in San Francisco has more.

EBay, the San Fran-based e-commerce company claims Craigslist founder¹³ Craig Newmark and Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster conspire¹⁴ to issue more stock thus diluting¹⁵ eBay’s minority stake and robbing it of the opportunity to elect a Craigslist’s board member. Craigslist countersuit, alleging¹⁶ eBay took confidential¹⁷ information from Craigslist and used it to launch a competing classified website called “kijiji.com”. Both eBay and Craigslist denied each other s allegations. For NPR News, I m Rachel Miro in San Francisco.

There were more violent protests in Athens today, marking the one year anniversary of the killing¹⁸ of a teenage boy by Greek police officers. Police in riot gear lobbed tear gas to disperse¹⁹ hundreds of young demonstrators, some of whom have been hurling²⁰ rocks and fire bombs. Police barred the protestors from reoccupying buildings at Athens University in the city as they had done over the weekend.

I m Craig Windham, NPR News in Washington.

1 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

2 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 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。

7 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

11 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

12 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

13 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

14 conspire   

v.密谋，（事件等）巧合，共同导致

参考例句：

• They'd conspired to overthrow the government.他们曾经密谋推翻政府。
• History and geography have conspired to bring Greece to a moment of decision.历史和地理因素共同将希腊推至作出抉择的紧要关头。

15 diluting   

稀释，冲淡( dilute的现在分词 )； 削弱，使降低效果

参考例句：

• A companion would have been a distraction, diluting the pathos of the moment. 要是有一个伴侣在旁就会分散我的注意，冲淡此时此刻的哀婉之情。
• Diluting agent has certain transparency for ink multi-color overprint. 冲淡剂具有必定的透明量，适分油不朱的众色叠印。

16 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

17 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

18 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

19 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

20 hurling   

n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• The boat rocked wildly, hurling him into the water. 这艘船剧烈地晃动，把他甩到水中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fancy hurling away a good chance like that, the silly girl! 想想她竟然把这样一个好机会白白丢掉了，真是个傻姑娘！ 来自《简明英汉词典》