NPR 2010-10-04

If you're planning a trip to Europe, the State Department wants you to be on alert. A travel warning has been issued, advising US citizens to be vigilant¹ in public places like transportation hubs and tourist sites. Officials are concerned al-Qaeda may be plotting another attack. Patrick Kennedy is with the State Department.

"We are not, repeat not, advising Americans not to go to Europe. That is not - this is an alert, and we put out an alert to ensure that American citizens are aware of the possible incidents."

Security experts have been concerned for days that terrorists may be plotting attacks on Europe with assault weapons, similar to the deadly 2008 shooting spree in Mumbai, India.

Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says he is preparing to run for mayor of Chicago. He made the expected announcement today in a video posted on his website.

"With this election, we have the chance for a fresh start and a new beginning. In the months ahead, I look forward to earning your support."

One of his biggest challenges is to prove he's not an outsider after spending the past two years in Washington. Emanuel says he's launching a listening tour of Chicago's neighborhoods and will visit grocery stores and hot dog stands.

US Senate candidate Rand Paul, a Republican, says it may be time for the Social Security and Medicare age to be raised. Speaking during a televised debate on Fox News, he says if a change is implemented², he does not expect it to affect those seniors who're currently receiving the benefits. Paul is facing Democrat³ Jack⁴ Conway in the Kentucky Senate race. Major issues of both campaigns have revolved⁵ around spending and taxes.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is moving forward with his plan to disband private security contractors⁷. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports already eight of paramilitary firms have been shut down.

Karzai announced in August that all national and foreign private soldiers would have to leave the country or become part of the Afghan police or army. The decree left embassies as well as US forces scrambling⁸ to figure out the fate of tens of thousands of security contractors who protect bases, homes and offices as well as the supply convoys⁹ that keep the NATO force in Afghanistan running. The announcement came shortly after an armored car driven by a contractor⁶ had rammed¹⁰ a civilian¹¹ car in Kabul, killing¹² four. The Karzai government announced that the eight firms including the company formerly¹³ known as Blackwater had turned in their weapons and equipment， and that more private security companies would soon follow. Quil Lawrence, NPR News, Kabul.

Egypt is supporting the Palestinian decision to stop negotiations¹⁴ with Israel as long as it builds West Bank settlements, but Cairo is pushing for further diplomacy¹⁵ to try and salvage¹⁶ the monthlong peace talks. President Hosni Mubarak met today with US envoy¹⁷ George Mitchell.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Tomorrow is the first Monday in October and that means a new Supreme¹⁸ Court term wil be getting under way. The court with new Justice Elena Kagan will be looking at provocative¹⁹ anti-gay protests at military funerals as well as a California law banning the sale of violent video games to children.

Coca-Cola has completed a buyout of its North American bottling operations for $3.4 billion. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports the deal, which closed today, will allow the Atlanta-based company to control more of its own distribution.

Coca-Cola will now operate the business, saying it can react better to changing customer taste. By owning bottling operations, companies can get products to market more quickly, control where products go and how they're displayed. The world's largest soft drink company had announced the deal in February and regulators approved it last week. The deal includes assuming nearly nine billion dollars in debt. The US soft drink market has been down for several years, as consumers have switched their habits, buying more juices, teas and energy drinks. As a result, Coca-Cola and other soft drink companies have relied more on international markets to boost sales. The new unit, Coca-Cola Enterprises, is expected to start trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange. Kathy Lohr, NPR News, Atlanta.

When golfers go into the final day of play at the Ryder Cup, the Europeans will have the edge. After two rain delays on the Welsh course, the Europeans are ahead now nine and a half to six and a half. Tiger Woods has suffered the biggest loss of his Ryder Cup career and Phil Mickelson now has the worst Cup record of any US player. The play is set to resume tomorrow, weather permitting, setting up what would be the first-ever Monday finish in 83 years of the Cup.
 

1 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 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。

5 revolved   

v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The fan revolved slowly. 电扇缓慢地转动着。
• The wheel revolved on its centre. 轮子绕中心转动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

7 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》

8 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句

10 rammed   

v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
• I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

12 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。

13 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

14 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

15 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

16 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

17 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

18 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。

19 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。