NPR 2011-10-06

 In a landmark¹ development within stem cell research, scientists say they’ve used a cloning technique to make embryonic² stem cells that match a patient’s DNA³. The journal Nature highlights a study that shows the potential for using the technology to replace the damaged cells of a person living with a disease and to keep the transplanted cells from being rejected by the immune system. However, the technique could touch off new controversy⁴ over cloning. 

 

Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman is this year’s winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. NPR’s Andrew Prince reports that Shechtman’s discovery changed the way scientists look at solid matter. 

 

Before Daniel Shechtman’s discovery in 1982, scientists thought that crystals were made of atoms arranged in order and repeating patterns. But results from one of his experiments revealed a pattern that didn’t fit with the science of the day. Shechtman’s finding of quasicrystals, where the atoms are arranged in a non-repeating pattern, was extremely controversial but eventually led to a complete revision of scientists’ understanding of solid matter. Today, quasicrystals are used in razor blades and surgical⁵ tools, as well as heat insulation⁶ engines and energy-saving LEDs. Andrew Prince, NPR News, Washington. 

 

The federal government will keep running for now. NPR’s Mara Liasson says the president has signed a six-week funding extension.

 

Around midnight last night after President Obama got home from his trip to Texas, he signed into law yet another stopgap funding measure. These kinds of continuing resolutions are needed because Congress has not passed the appropriations⁷ bills necessary to fund federal agencies for the current fiscal⁸ year. This latest bill was part of a last-minute agreement reached by Democrats⁹ and Republicans. But 50 House Republicans voted ‘no’ on the bill because they wanted bigger cuts in government spending. Now, lawmakers have until November 18th to write individual spending bills for each government agency, according to overall spending limits that were agreed to in negotiations¹⁰ between Republicans, Democrats and the White House earlier this year. Mara Liasson, NPR News, the White House.

 

Unions and various other organizations are joining the ranks of the Occupy Wall Street protest. Today, demonstrators are planning to march through Lower Manhattan, and police and organizers say thousands are expected. The protest began two and a half weeks ago with a few dozen demonstrators who tried to pitch tents in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Since then, hundreds have set up camp in a park nearby and have become increasingly organized, lining¹¹ up the medical aid and legal help and printing their own newspaper.

 

Ireland’s finance minister says Europe will prevent Greece from defaulting on its debt, signaling a financial rescue may be in the offing. Michael Noonan told parliament today that he believes more than 100 billion euros will be needed to recapitalize European banks. 

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 44 points at 10,853.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Two people are dead, six more wounded after a gunman opened fire in a San Francisco Bay Area quarry¹². As NPR’s Richard Gonzales reports, the gunman is described as a disgruntled employee who’s still at large. 

 

SWAT teams are searching door-to-door in a Sunnyvale neighborhood for a suspect identified as 45-year-old Shareef Allman. He’s reported to be carrying a handgun and a riffle. The suspect opened fired during a shift-change meeting at a cement plant before escaping. Allman is also a prime suspect in the shooting of a woman during an attempted car hijacking¹³ more than two hours after the fatal shootings. The woman is listed in fair condition. Richard Gonzales, NPR News, San Francisco.

 

Police in Mexico say they have captured one of the founders¹⁴ of La Familia drug cartel. NPR’s Jason Beaubien reports that the cartel had been one of the most powerful in Mexico but has been crippled by recent arrests of its leaders.

 

Martin Rosales Magana was one of the last leaders of La Familia still at large. Mexican federal police say they captured Rosales as he was preparing 200 gunmen to launch an attack on the Knights¹⁵ Templar criminal organization. Federal Police Commissioner¹⁶ Facundo Rosas at a press conference this morning said the arrest of Rosales could mark the end of La Familia. He said the boo cartel is falling apart to make totally disintegrate¹⁷ soon. La Familia was a quasi-religious group that claimed to be protecting the state of Michoacan from other drug gangs and corrupt¹⁸ officials. Jason Beaubien, NPR News, Mexico City.

 

US stocks making gains today with the Dow up 45 at 10,845, and NASDAQ gaining 38 points, or 1.5%, at 2,443.

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

3 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

6 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

7 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

8 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

9 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》

10 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。

11 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

12 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

13 hijacking   

n. 劫持, 抢劫 动词hijack的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• I have been told about the hijacking . 我已听说了那次劫机事件。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
• They are taking measures to guarantee against the occurrence of hijacking. 他们正采取措施防止劫机事件的发生。

14 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

15 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

16 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

17 disintegrate   

v.瓦解，解体，（使）碎裂，（使）粉碎

参考例句：

• The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
• The plane would probably disintegrate at that high speed.飞机以那么高速飞行也许会四分五裂。

18 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。