NPR 2009-05-29

President Obama met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House today where he said the Palestinians must rein¹ in anti-Israel violence. At the same time, the president pressed Israel to freeze settlement expansion, saying that Israel must meet obligations to halt such activity. Seeking to revive stalled peace discussions, the meeting with Abbas comes ten days after the president sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Obama administration has reaffirmed US support for a two-state solution and sees engagement in Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking as critical to repairing America's image in the Muslim world.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today President Obama is "very comfortable" that his Supreme² Court nominee³ shares his views on the constitution. On the matter of abortion⁴ rights, Gibbs said the president did not ask Judge Sonia Sotomayor specifically about her views, but was pleased with what he heard during an interview.

"He left very comfortable with her interpretation⁵ of the constitution being similar to that of his, though the bulk of the conversation was about her approach to judging."

As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama said he would not appoint any one to the high court who did not share his views on issues such as the right to privacy. Sotomayor was chosen earlier this week by the president as his choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. If she makes through the confirmation⁶ process, she will become the Supreme Court's first Hispanic member.

Auto⁷ parts supplier Visteon has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy⁸. Jerome Vaughn of member station WDET has more.

Visteon officials say they're taking the steps needed to ensure the company's long-term viability⁹. They say the company's capital structure and legacy¹⁰ costs aren’t sustainable, given the current economic climate. Like most auto motor suppliers, Visteon is dealing¹¹ with reduced demand for parts as US automakers dramatically cut back vehicle production. Visteon was spun¹² off from Ford¹³ Motor Company in 2000. Ford accounts for 31% of Visteon’s sales, making it the supplier's largest customer. The company plans to continue operating during the bankruptcy, using cash on hand and debtor-in-possession financing. Visteon has 31,000 employees and operates facilities in 27 countries worldwide. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Vaughn, in Detroit.

Labor¹⁴ Department reports initial jobless claims eased last week. NPR's Yuki Noguchi has more.

The number of initial claims dropped to a seasonally¹⁵ adjusted 623,000, lower than what many analysts¹⁶ anticipated. Although the number of new claims decreased 13,000 from the previous week, the number of people receiving unemployment benefits stayed at record levels for the 17th straight week. A decline in new claims couldn't indicate that the worst of the recession is over, still because unemployment lags when there is a recovery, regaining¹⁷ those jobs, many of which are in the automobile¹⁸, textile and manufacturing industries, could take a long time. Yuki Noguchi, NPR news, Washington.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 103 points to close at 8,403.

This is NPR.

At least 14 people were killed today in separate bombing attacks just hours apart in northern Pakistan. Two bombs mounted on motorcycles detonated within minutes of one another in the city of Peshawar shearing¹⁹ off walls and shattering windows at a popular market. Meanwhile commando units who rushed to the scene were then caught in a firefight with militants²⁰. Two gunmen were killed; another was arrested. A short time later, a suspected suicide bomber²¹ detonated an explosive device at a police checkpoint, killing²² four police officers.

Facing a storm of criticism from European media, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today denied he had "steamy relationship" with a teenage girl. Scandal of Berlusconi’s relationship with the 18-year-old has dominated the campaign for European Parliament elections next month. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.

Berlusconi said that if he were lying, he would have to resign a minute later. This scandal erupted a month ago when Veronica Lario, Berlusconi's wife and mother of three of his five children, announced she was filing for divorce because she could no longer remain with a man who “frequents minors”. The reference was to aspiring²³ starlet Noemi Letizia. The 72-year-old Berlusconi has given conflicting explanations of when he first met Noemi and why he attended her 18th birthday party last month when he gave her a diamond and gold necklace worth thousands of dollars. Noemi Letizia has been closely followed by the European media. The Financial Times carried a scathing²⁴ editorial against the media mogul turned political leader, saying he is a danger to Italy. Berlusconi and his supporters shot back, accusing the international media of being in the service of Italy's leftist opposition²⁵. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Crude oil futures²⁶ rose $1.63 a barrel to close at $65.08 a barrel in New York.

I'm Jack²⁷ Speer, NPR News in Washington.

1 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

2 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。

3 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。

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

9 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

13 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

14 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

15 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

16 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

17 regaining   

复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉，但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
• She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道，又马上重新振作起精神来。

18 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

19 shearing   

n.剪羊毛，剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 )；切断；剪切

参考例句：

• The farmer is shearing his sheep. 那农夫正在给他的羊剪毛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The result of this shearing force is to push the endoplasm forward. 这种剪切力作用的结果是推动内质向前。 来自辞典例句

20 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

21 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

22 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。

23 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

24 scathing   

adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词)

参考例句：

• a scathing attack on the new management 针对新的管理层的猛烈抨击
• Her speech was a scathing indictment of the government's record on crime. 她的演讲强烈指责了政府在犯罪问题上的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

26 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。

27 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。