NPR 2011-06-15

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

Fierce firefighting efforts are under way in eastern Arizona, where the Wallow Fire is now nearly 470,000 acres, making it the largest in state history. While many people have returned to their homes, Arizona Public Radio's Daniel Kraker reports that others remain evacuated¹.

Candy Cook lives next to the national forest in the mountain town of Alpine², which was evacuated nearly two weeks ago. She says she only had two hours to pack her things.

"I brought my computer, my laptop, my guitar, and, you know, just a toothbrush, and we were out of there."

Candy and her husband Phillip fled to Southwest Colorado. She's been told that the fire burned within 50 feet of her home but did not destroy any houses in her neighborhood. Cook's anxious to get back but also nervous.

"I've known what I see is going to be very disturbing as far as the forest."

Because she knows her beloved White Mountains in eastern Arizona will now be blackened. Officials hope remaining evacuees³ can return to their homes in the next few days. For NPR News, I'm Daniel Kraker.

Crews in the New Mexico town of Luna are burning off field, hoping to slow the Wallow Fire's advance. New Mexico is also dealing⁴ with another fire along its northern border with Colorado that is more than doubled in size to more than 6,000 acres. The Track Fire is burning tinder-dry forests between the towns of Raton, New Mexico and Trinidad, Colorado. Rosemary Raccio's home is near the fire's southern flanks.

"The air is like you're at a regular campfire. You know, it smells like woodburning, like a campfire would smell as that way all over town. It's hazy⁵."

Several hundred people have been evacuated.

Syria's military assault on rebellious⁶ northern cities continues to drive Syrian civilians⁷ across the border to Turkey. Turkey's prime minister and the Syrian president had their first talk since thousands of Syrians escaped to Turkey in fear of their own military. We have more details from NPR's Deborah Amos who's in Beirut.

There was a time when these two leaders talked often, friends as well as allies. But that was before the Syrian military assault and a refugee crisis that grows by the day. The Turkish media said the prime minister warned the Syrian leader that the violence must end, and end what appeared to be orchestrated mass demonstrations⁸ at the Turkish embassy in Damascus. In the past few days, Syrian commentators⁹ have accused Turkey of backing what Syrian officials call "armed gangs" challenging the government, creating even more tension. Turkey is building tent camps further east as the Syrian military pushes eastward¹⁰ to crush the protest movement. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved the confirmation¹¹ of Leon Panetta to be the next Secretary of Defense¹². Next step is a vote in the full Senate.

Before the close, the Dow was up 123 at 12,076.

This is NPR.

The Food and Drug Administration is out with new rules designed to make it easier to buy sunscreen that protects against skin cancer and aging. But as NPR's Nancy Shute tells us, those changes won't help this summer.

The SPF numbers on sunscreens measure protection against ultraviolet B light, or UVB. It causes sunburn. But SPF doesn't say anything about UVA, which causes skin cancer and aging. The FDA's new rules set standards for sunscreens that protect against both. Michael Hansen is a senior scientist at Consumers Union, which rates sunscreens. He said it's about time.

"This is a step forward that they're including UVA now. That's a big positive step."

The FDA is also banning claims that sunscreens are waterproof¹³ or sweat-proof. The agency says there's no such thing. But the new rules won't go into effect until next summer. Nancy Shute, NPR News.

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, President Obama's former ambassador to China, is expected to formally announce in a week that he is running for president. The Republican is entering a fast-growing GOP presidential field that also includes Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. She announced her candidacy last night during a debate in New Hampshire.

Frustration¹⁴ over the Anthony Weiner scandal is growing among House Democrats¹⁵ who met today to talk about the matter. The Associated Press is reporting the Democrats are hoping mounting pressure including critical comments from the president will persuade the New York lawmaker to quit on his own. Weiner is on leave, seeking treatment for an undisclosed disorder¹⁶. Last week, he admitted to sending sexually charged images and messages to several women online. He also said then that he would not step down.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 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。

2 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

3 evacuees   

n.被疏散者( evacuee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Moreover, for multi-exits, evacuees select a exit based on game theory. 在有多个出口时，疏散人员根据对策论选择出口。 来自互联网
• Evacuees wade through flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Peshawar on Saturday, July 31, 2010. 撤离灾区涉水通过后在白沙瓦沉重的季风降雨在周六，2010年7月31日。 来自互联网

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

6 rebellious   

adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的

参考例句：

• They will be in danger if they are rebellious.如果他们造反，他们就要发生危险。
• Her reply was mild enough,but her thoughts were rebellious.她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

9 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

11 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 waterproof   

n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水

参考例句：

• My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。
• All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。

14 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

15 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》

16 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。