美国国家电台 NPR 2012-10-07

 The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that the death toll¹ in a rare fungal meningitis outbreak across several states has risen to seven. Officials say the outbreak has spread to more than 60 people now across nine states.

 

In Pakistan, demonstrators are staging a major protest against US drone attacks. NPR's Philip Reeves says it's led by rising Pakistani politician Imran Khan.

 

The convoy² set off from Pakistan's capital Islamabad and is stopping along the way to greet crowds of supporters. Its destination is South Waziristan, an area repeatedly hit by CIA drones. Missile attacks that peace campaigners say have killed many hundreds of civilians³ in recent years. Traveling with the convoy of more than 100 vehicles is a group of about 30 American peace activists⁴ from Code Pink. It's far from certain the Pakistani authorities will allow the convoy to enter the tribal⁵ belt, an area closed to foreigners. Khan says he's trying to highlight the terrible damage inflicted⁶ by what he considers the US's counterproductive use of drones. His critics say he's campaigning for support ahead of next year's elections. Philip Reeves, NPR News, Islamabad.

 

In Boise, Idaho, police are looking for Hammerfest, a neo-Nazi musical festival. Frankie Barnhill of Boise State Public Radio has more.

 

Experts say Hammerfest is a neo-Nazi recruiting tool. Police wants to know where the events being held. They say they received several calls from concerned residents and need to be able to respond if necessary. Mark Potok is with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which considers Hammerskins to be a hate group. He says such groups have grown in number since Barack Obama became president.

 

"Obama, of course, our first black president, in the minds of many of these groups, represents a kind of demographic change that is occurring in the United States. And that change, of course, is the loss of a white majority."

 

Wade⁷ Michael Page, the gunman who killed six people before killing⁸ himself at a Wisconsin Sikh temple in August, was a member of the group. For NPR News, I'm Frankie Barnhill in Boise, Idaho.

 

California motorists are contending with pump prices of as much as five dollars a gallon due to a power outage Monday at a Southern California refinery⁹. In Chicago, senior petroleum¹⁰ analyst¹¹ Patrick DeHaan at gasbuddy.com says relief is on the way.

 

"They all expect that will start to see a decline either Sunday or perhaps Monday, even as late as Tuesday."

 

Supplies are expected to return to normal by then.

 

Honda says if you have a CRV from 2002 to 2006 park it outside, an electrical switch in the driver's side door could melt and trigger a fire. About a quarter of a million vehicles are affected¹². Honda says if rain or other liquids enter through an open window, the master power switch could overheat.

 

This is NPR.

 

Ram¹³ 1500 and Dodge¹⁴ Dakota trucks from the 2009-2010 model year are the subject of a Chrysler recall. Chrysler says a lack of adhesive¹⁵ may cause the rear axle pinion¹⁶ nut to loosen. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says if that happens, the axle can lock up, and the vehicle could lose control and crash. There have been 15 reports of rear axle failure. Three minor¹⁷ injuries have been linked to this problem.

 

The government announced yesterday that the jobless rate fell to 7.8%. But US military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan still have a higher rate of unemployment than non-veterans. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports the government says 9.7% of recent veterans are jobless.

 

The good news is that unemployment has gone down for veterans, a full percentage point since last month. That tracks with the positive jobs news across the board, but also consistent is the gap between non-veterans and former military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Those veterans lag a full two point behind the national unemployment rate. Veterans' advocates have slammed both political parties for failing to address the jobs issue. Last month, Republicans blocked a veterans' jobs bill, calling it an 'election year stunt¹⁸.' Neither candidate mentioned veterans in Wednesday's presidential debate. Quil Lawrence, NPR News.

 

No deaths but several injuries earlier today when a Canadian tour bus overturned on a northern New Jersey¹⁹ highway exit ramp²⁰ and slid down an embankment. The bus was carrying 60 people. No word yet on the cause of that bus accident.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

3 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。

4 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》

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

7 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

8 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。

9 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

10 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

11 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 ram   

(random access memory)随机存取存储器

参考例句：

• 512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存，640K内存则更佳。

14 dodge   

v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计

参考例句：

• A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
• The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。

15 adhesive   

n.粘合剂；adj.可粘着的，粘性的

参考例句：

• You'll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair. 你需要一种粘性很强的东西来修理那把椅子。
• Would you give me an adhesive stamp?请给我一枚带胶邮票好吗？

16 pinion   

v.束缚；n.小齿轮

参考例句：

• At nine the next morning Bentley was pinioned,hooded and hanged.次日上午9点，本特里被捆住双臂，戴上头罩，然后绞死了。
• Why don't you try tightening the pinion nut first?你为什么不先扭紧小齿轮的螺帽？

17 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

18 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

19 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

20 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。