NPR 2009-6-26

Singer Michael Jackson has reportedly been rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles. A fire department official tells the Los Angeles Times that paramedics had performed CPR when they arrived at his home because Jackson wasn't breathing.

Civil liberties groups are cheering a decision the US Supreme¹ Court handed down today. The court said that officials at a middle school in Arizona violated the law when they strip-searched a teenaged girl for banned prescription² drugs. Adam Wolf is the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who represents Savana Redding. He says the ruling sets out some new ground rules for student searches.

"The court was clearly troubled by the search that happened to Savana and laid out a pretty stringent³ standard which is that a school official can execute a strip search only in extraordinary circumstances."

And the court found educators should not force children to remove their clothing unless there is a question of students’ safety, but it did not hold the school financially liable.

The Supreme Court has also ruled that defendants⁴ have the right to cross-examine forensic⁵ analysts⁷ whose reports are used as evidence. The opinion overturns a lower court ruling as NPR's Ari Shapiro reports.

The man who brought this case is a cocaine⁸ dealer⁹ who was convicted partly on the basis of crime lab analysis. He said the analysis was faulty and he argued that he should be able to cross-examine the analyst⁶. Lower court said no. When it went to the high court, some states said crime labs would become terribly backed up if defendants are allowed to call crime analysts to the stand. But writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that obviously is not the case. Many states already let defendants cross-examine forensic analysts and Scalia wrote perhaps the best indication that the sky will not fall after today's decision is that it has not done so already. The opinion created unusual alliances. Justices Ginsburg, Souter, Stevens and Thomas joined Scalia in the majority. Justice Kennedy wrote a dissent¹⁰ joined by Roberts, Alito and Breyer. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.

US Attorney General Eric Holder¹¹ was on Capitol Hill today testifying in support of a legislation that expands federal hate crime statues to cover sexual orientation¹², gender¹³ and those with disabilities. NPR's Audie Cornish reports.

The House already passed a hate crimes prevention bill back in April. The Senate Judiciary Committee has a similar legislation pending¹⁴. It provides grants and training for state prosecutors¹⁵, but also allows federal prosecutors to step in when appropriate.

US Attorney General Eric Holder. "Just as when I first testified on the issue in 1998, bias-motivated acts of violence divide our communities, intimidate¹⁶ our most vulnerable citizens and damage our collective spirit."

Republicans on the Committee expressed skepticism that such a legislation is needed, arguing that there is no evidence that states are failing to prosecute¹⁷ such crimes when they occur. Audie Cornish, NPR News, the Capitol.

Stocks rally today. The Dow closed up 172 points and NASDAQ gained 37.

This is NPR.

House Democratic leaders are working to line up enough votes to get a controversial climate change bill passed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says progress is being made and that Democrats¹⁸ planned to bring it up soon, possible as early as tomorrow. Republicans largely opposed the House version, arguing that it amounts to a massive energy tax.

TV icon¹⁹ Farrah Fawcett died today at a Santa Monica hospital after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 62. From Los Angeles, NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.

Best known for her long flowing feathered hair and stunning²⁰ smile, Fawcett became one of the 1970s biggest sex symbols. Her iconic poster in a slightly wet red swimsuit sold millions. She burst into instant stardom with a role as one of three beautiful yet highly trained police detectives answering to a mysterious boss. "Hello, It is Charlie, angel. Time to go to work. But after one season of Charlie's Angles, Fawcett left to pursue a movie career. Recently Fawcett aired a TV documentary chronicling her battle with cancer. "Cancer is a disease that is mysterious, headstrong and makes its own rules." Her long time partner Ryan O'Neal said in a statement that he takes comfort knowing that Fawcett brought so much joy to so many people around the world. Carrie Kahn, NPR News.

Texas billionaire Allen Stanford has pleaded not guilty to charges he swindled investors²¹ out of seven billion dollars as part of a massive investment scam. Stanford entered his plea during his arraignment²² at a federal court in Houston today. He and three former executives of his Stanford financial group were indicted²³ last week. The three others also entered not guilty pleas. Stanford has been in federal custody²⁴ since he was arrested in Virginia last week.

I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.

1 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。

2 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

3 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

4 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 forensic   

adj.法庭的，雄辩的

参考例句：

• The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
• The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后，法官于10时30分宣布休庭。

6 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。

7 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。

8 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

9 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

10 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

11 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

12 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

13 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

14 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

15 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。

16 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

17 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

18 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

20 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

21 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

22 arraignment   

n.提问，传讯，责难

参考例句：

• She was remanded to juvenile detention at her arraignment yesterday. 她昨天被送回了对少年拘留在她的传讯。 来自互联网
• Wyatt asks the desk clerk which courthouse he is being transferred to for arraignment. 他向接待警员询问了马宏将在哪个法庭接受传讯。 来自互联网

23 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

24 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。