NPR 2011-11-03

 Well, US stocks are trying to hold on to gains after steep declines the last two days. The market rallied on news of strong corporate¹ earnings², better-than-expected employment by companies and the Federal Reserve's word that the economy would likely expand over the next two years though, expansion would remain "frustratingly³ slow." So for now no further action on the US economy by the Fed. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 179 points or 1.5% at 11,834, NASDAQ up more than 1% as well at 2,640, and S&P 500 up 1.6% before the close at 1,238.

 

Investors⁴ are also looking at what's happening out of Europe. The leaders of France and Germany are holding urgent talks with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in the southern French resort of Cannes on the eve of the G20 Summit. As NPR's Eric Westervelt reports, at issue is the Greek leader's call for a national referendum on a bailout plan European leaders agreed to last week.

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had hoped the meeting here tomorrow on Friday at the group of 20 industrial and developing nations would be a chance to reassure⁵ the world that Europe has a clear wide-ranging plan to handle the debt crisis. But now the Greek leader's surprise pledge to put the debt bailout issue before Greek voters  has cast serious doubt on the plan agreed to just last week. There's fear a 'no' vote on any referendum could spark a disorderly Greek default, which would likely deeply shake world markets. Paris and Berlin want Papandreou to commit to hold off vote by mid-December and to explain the language of the referendum. As the French Prime Minister put it today, the Greeks must say quickly and without ambiguity⁶ whether they choose to keep their place in the eurozone or not. Eric Westervelt, NPR New, Cannes.

 

President Obama is putting more pressure on lawmakers to approve the transportation portion of the 447-billion-dollar jobs bill that's stalled in Congress. Standing⁷ at the foot of the Potomac River Bridge connecting Washington, DC to Arlington, Virginia, the president warned that all those opposed to a plan to put people to work on bridges, roads and runways will have to answer to voters.

 

"There's no good reason to oppose this bill, not one. And members of Congress who do, who vote no, are going to have to explain why to their constituencies. The American people are with me with this."

 

But Republicans and few Democrats⁸ object to any new spending and a proposal to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

 

The Arab League says Syria is agreeing to end its crackdown on anti-government demonstrators and a proposal announced today Damascus agreed to pull armored vehicles from the streets and release all political prisoners. However, Syrian activists⁹ are skeptical¹⁰, saying any meaningful change needs to include the end of Syria's Assad regime.

 

Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up 178 points, 1.5%, at 11,836.

 

This is NPR.

 

The central Yemeni city of Taiz is the latest site of deadly confrontations¹¹ in the opposition¹²'s months-long uprising. A medical official says at least nine people were killed today during fighting between opposition fighters and troops. The doctor says security forces randomly¹³ shelled several neighborhoods in Taiz where anti-government fighters had seized control of a government building in the city center.

 

Expect more bargains in the short term anyway at the famous discount retailers¹⁵ Filene's Basement and Syms. As NPR's Tovia Smith tells us, the stores have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy¹⁶ protection and planned to liquidate¹⁷ their operations.

 

This is the third time the iconic Filene's Basement has sought protection from creditors¹⁸. The century-old bargain retailer¹⁴ was itself a bargain when Syms bought it out of bankruptcy in 2009 for some 62 million dollars. Syms is about to turn the chain around, but officials today said they were unable because of increased competition from department stores, private label discounters and the economic downturn. The company says it considered liquidation¹⁹ the best way to maximize value for shareholders²⁰. Twenty-five Syms stores and 21 Filene's Basement locations will hold going-out-of-business sales before Black Friday. Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston.

 

A federal appeals court is citing with CBS, which argued it was improperly²¹ fined by the Federal Communications Commissions for Janet Jackson's so-called "wardrobe malfunction²²" during a 2004 Super Bowl. The singer's breast was exposed for half a second during the halftime show. The FCC fined CBS more than a half-million dollars.

 

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.

1 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 frustratingly   

参考例句：

• Some programs set this limit too close, resulting in frustratingly temperamental scroll behavior. 一些程序将这种限制设置得太窄，导致滚屏的行为变幻无常，令人沮丧。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• But the process is frustratingly slow. 但这过程慢得让人郁闷。 来自互联网

4 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

5 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

6 ambiguity   

n.模棱两可；意义不明确

参考例句：

• The telegram was misunderstood because of its ambiguity.由于电文意义不明确而造成了误解。
• Her answer was above all ambiguity.她的回答毫不含糊。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 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》

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

11 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 randomly   

adv.随便地，未加计划地

参考例句：

• Within the hot gas chamber, molecules are moving randomly in all directions. 在灼热的气体燃烧室内，分子在各个方向上作无规运动。 来自辞典例句
• Transformed cells are loosely attached, rounded and randomly oriented. 转化细胞则不大贴壁、圆缩并呈杂乱分布。 来自辞典例句

14 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

15 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

16 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

17 liquidate   

v.偿付，清算，扫除；整理，破产

参考例句：

• A unanimous vote was taken to liquidate the company.全体投票一致通过停业清理公司。
• They have not hesitated in the past to liquidate their rivals.过去他们曾毫不犹豫地铲除对手。

18 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 liquidation   

n.清算，停止营业

参考例句：

• The bankrupt company went into liquidation.这家破产公司停业清盘。
• He lost all he possessed when his company was put into liquidation.当公司被清算结业时他失去了拥有的一切。

20 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

21 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

22 malfunction   

vi.发生功能故障，发生故障，显示机能失常

参考例句：

• There must have been a computer malfunction.一定是出了电脑故障。
• Results have been delayed owing to a malfunction in the computer.由于电脑发生故障，计算结果推迟了。