NPR 2009-08-22

President Obama is praising the Afghan people for heading to the polls in

yesterday's presidential election, despite threats of violence by the Taliban. "This election was run by the Afghan people. In fact, it was the first democratic election run by Afghans in over three decades." Speaking at the White House today, Mr. Obama called the election an important step forward. Results are not expected until next week, but the two top contenders are each declaring themselves in the lead. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Kandahar.

 The claims by incumbent¹ President Hamid Karzai and his main rival Abdullah Abdullah stoked tensions across this country as allegations of election fraud grew. In Kandahar, which is Karzai's home province, there were reports of filled ballot² boxes even before the polls opened in five districts in two city polling centers. Turnout in the south was also in dispute. Election and government officials in Kandahar city, for example, claimed that 50% of registered voters showed up despite daylong rocket fire that kept most residents indoors. Meanwhile, monitors for the non-profit International Republican Institute found the vote across Afghanistan was at "a lower standard than previous polls". But the group also declared the process so far is being credible³. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Kandahar.

 And in Iraq, senior officials and lawmakers are calling for a review of the security forces following this week's deadly truck bombings against key government ministries⁴. The attacks killed nearly 100 people. Lawmakers met in an emergency session today amid growing anger over the security breaches⁵.

 Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the nation's economic recession appears to be leveling out. And during a speech he gave in Wyoming today, Bernanke said the chances for growth in the short term look good. NPR's Frank Langfitt reports.

 After the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Bernanke's assessment⁷ was upbeat. The nation and the world are well beyond the panic mode. But Bernanke added "difficult challenges still lie ahead. One, how to prevent this from happening again." Bernanke said the country still has to fix structural⁸ weaknesses, particularly in financial regulation. Nearly a year has passed since the financial world went into a tailspin, but Congress has yet to address some of the problems that sparked the crisis. Bernanke who is up for a second term as Fed Chairman also took some credit for ensuring the system didn't collapse⁹. The student of the Great Depression, Bernanke said the government took quick, drastic action to make sure the damage to the economy wasn't greater. Frank Langfitt, NPR News, Washington.

 Bernanke's comments and better-than-expected data showing sales of existing homes rose strongly in July helped boost Wall Street today. The Dow was up 155 points, closing at 9,505. The NASDAQ gained 31, and the S&P rose 18.

This is NPR News.

 President Obama says the homecoming Libyans gave Lockerbie bomber¹⁰ Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was highly objectionable. And British Foreign Minister David Miliband says the way the Libyan government behaves in the next few days will help determine whether Libya is accepted back into the international fold. The British government is distancing itself from Megrahi's release, saying it was the Scottish government's decision. Megrahi is the only man convicted in the bombing. His release has outraged¹¹ many relatives of the 270 people who died. They are said to be planning to protest

Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's speech at the United Nations next month.

 The Muslim population in the US is joining the rest of the world's Muslims in observing the holy month of Ramadan. But as NPR's Jamie Tarabay reports, the observance could clash with some school activities.

 

For many young Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan also coincided with their return to school. It can be an especially tempting¹² experience for those Muslims students who don't attend Islamic schools where everyone fasts together. In a public school, everyone else still has recess⁶, so some Muslim students tried to steer¹³ clear of the cafeteria, engaged at the library during lunch breaks instead. In some school districts, Muslim families are pushing to have the last day of Ramadan, known as Eid ul-Fitr, to be made a school holiday. While there is nothing official yet, students asked to be excused for the day rather than come to school. Children as young as eight can fast if they choose to. But younger children are exempted¹⁴ along with the sick and elderly and pregnant women. Jamie Tarabay, NPR News

1 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。

2 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。

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

5 breaches   

破坏( breach的名词复数 )； 破裂； 缺口； 违背

参考例句：

• He imposed heavy penalties for breaches of oath or pledges. 他对违反誓言和保证的行为给予严厉的惩罚。
• This renders all breaches of morality before marriage very uncommon. 这样一来，婚前败坏道德的事就少见了。

6 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

7 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

8 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

9 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

10 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。

11 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

12 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

13 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

14 exempted   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
• Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。