NPR 2010-09-09

Scathing¹ words from President Obama to Republican leaders critical of his handling of the US economy. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports that during an appearance in suburban² Cleveland, Mr. Obama singled out House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio.

President Obama parachuted into the backyard of the House Minority Leader John Boehner. And he attacked him directly, mentioning Boehner at least eight times by name in the speech. These economic addresses by the president often take on a part of the tone, but this is the first time he has singled out one individual quite so emphatically by name so many times in a single speech, almost framing Congressman³ Boehner as some sort of bogeyman. Of course Congressman Boehner will likely be in charge of the House of Representatives if Republicans take back the House in November. And so the argument that President Obama made in Cleveland today was: Are these the people you want running Congress?

NPR’s Ari Shapiro.

BP’s out with the results of an internal probe into a rig explosion in April that led to the unprecedented⁴ oil spill in the Gulf⁵ of Mexico. NPR’s Dan Charles reports the contractors⁶ who drilled the well for BP are calling the report “misleading”.

The report points out eight failures either of equipment or of human judgment⁷. Cement that was supposed to seal the bottom of well didn’t, perhaps because that specific formulation wasn’t adequately tested at high pressures. The drilling rig crew didn’t see or understand the pressure readings that hinted at oil and gas pushing up from below. And they didn’t react in time when those hydrocarbons⁸ actually started flowing. Also, the blowout preventer on the ocean floor didn’t work. The report immediately set off a dispute among the various companies that may share blame for the disaster. BP contractors like Halliburton, which supplied the cement, and Transocean, which operated the drilling rig, accuse BP of downplaying its own role. Dan Charles, NPR News, Washington.

Economic growth slowed over the summer in most regions of the US. That, according to reports compiled by the Federal Reserve in its so-called Beige Book. NPR’s Anthony Brooks⁹ has details.

According to the US Federal Reserve, there were widespread signs that economic growth had eased throughout the summer months. The Beige Book, a compilation¹⁰ of anecdotal reports, found signs of modest growth in the five western districts of St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas and San Francisco. Growth was either mixed or slowed down altogether in five other areas: New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Atlanta and Chicago. According to the Fed, the biggest weaknesses were in real estate and construction. Home sales were also down following the expiration¹¹ of homebuyer tax credits, but two areas of the country, Boston and Cleveland, reported increases. The Boston Fed said high-tech¹² companies, manufacturers and service sector¹³ firms all reported increases in business. Anthony Brooks, NPR News, Boston.

On Wall Street, the Dow was up 46 points at last check at 10,387.

This is NPR.

The search is on for at least eight people since a wildfire broke out outside Boulder¹⁴, Colorado on Monday. That blaze has scorched¹⁵ more than 7,000 acres and destroyed at least 53 homes. Some of those homes belong to firefighters. More than 1,000 people remain evacuated¹⁶.

A new study finds Australia and New Zealand are the most charitable nations in the world. NPR’s Pam Fessler reports the United States ties for fifth place with Switzerland. 

The findings are based on Gallup Poll results from 153 nations representing most of the world’s population. Individuals were asked if they donated money or time to a charity or helped a stranger in the past month. Over all, 20 percent of people said they volunteered time; 30 percent gave money; 45 percent helped a stranger. Those numbers were substantially higher in the US. There was wide variety in the kinds of giving. In Liberia, for example, very few people donated money, but more than 76 percent said they helped a stranger. The study also finds that the level of giving is tied more closely to the happiness of a country’s population than to its wealth. The report was released by the Charities Aid Foundation, an international giving group. Pam Fessler, NPR News, Washington.

A Florida church appears unswayed by outcries from religious, diplomatic and military leaders who drop its plans for burning copies of the Koran in protest Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Critics warn the action will endanger the lives of American troops.

Last check on Wall Street, Dow was up 46 points at 10,387.
 

1 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》

2 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

3 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

4 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 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》

7 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

8 hydrocarbons   

n.碳氢化合物，烃( hydrocarbon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hydrocarbons (HC), like carbon monoxide, represent unburned and wasted fuel. 碳氢化合物(HC)像一氧化碳一样，为未燃尽的和被浪费掉的燃料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• With this restricted frequency range it is not applicable to hydrocarbons. 这个较紧缩的频率范围不适用于烃类。 来自辞典例句

9 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 compilation   

n.编译，编辑

参考例句：

• One of the first steps taken was the compilation of a report.首先采取的步骤之一是写一份报告。
• The compilation of such diagrams,is of lasting value for astronomy.绘制这样的图对天文学有永恒的价值。

11 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

12 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

14 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

15 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

16 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。