美国国家电台 NPR 2012-11-15

 President Obama says he’s ready to compromise with Republicans on preventing the country from going over the so-called “fiscal cliff.” But he showed little sign today that he would waver from his demand that the wealthiest Americans should pay more in taxes. The president also addressed the scandal stemming from former CIA Director David Petraeus’s extramarital affair with his biographer, which cost him his job amid questions about a possible breach¹ of national security.

 

在防止美国跌入所谓的“财政悬崖”这个问题上，奥巴马总统表示他愿意做出让步。此前，奥巴马决定对美国富人征收更高的税费，但就在今天，他表示他会改变这一决定。奥巴马还表示，前中央情报局局长大卫?彼得雷尔斯和他的传记作家发生了婚外情，其因受到泄漏国家安全机密的质疑引咎辞职。

 

 

 

“By his own assessment², he did not meet the standards that he felt were necessary as the director of CIA with respect to this personal matter that he is now dealing³ with his family and with his wife. And it’s on that basis that he tendered his resignation, and it’s on that basis that I accepted it.

 

“大卫?彼得雷尔斯承认，作为中情局局长，他的行为违反了其职责的道德准则；现在他正和家人处理他的婚外情。因此他选择引咎辞职，我同意了他的申请。”

 

 

 

Another urgent matter is unfolding on the hill. Leading Republican members of Congress are calling for a Watergate-style congressional committee to investigate the attack on the US consulate⁴ in Benghazi, Libya, an attack that killed the US ambassador to Libya and three others in September. NPR’s Michele Kelemen reports. 

 

同时，华盛顿特区还发生了另一起紧急事件。针对发生在利比亚班加西领事馆的遇袭事件，国会共和党领袖要求国会委员会组织像水门事件一样严格的调查。九月份的袭击导致了美国驻利比亚大使和另外三名领事丧生。NPR记者米歇尔?科勒曼报道。

 

 

 

Arizona Senator John McCain says it’s essential for Congress to conduct its own investigation⁵ into what he says was the inadequate⁶ security in Benghazi and the way the administration officials initially⁷ characterized the attack. He singled out US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice for giving, in his words, false information to Americans. And he made clear that he doesn’t want to see her nominated as the secretary of state.

 

亚利桑那州参议员约翰?麦凯恩表示，针对班加西领事的安全问题，以及当局官员对此次袭击事件的初步判断，国会有必要亲自进行调查。麦凯恩提到美国驻联合国代表--苏珊?赖斯，他认为赖斯向美国人散布虚假信息。他明确提出，不希望赖斯被提名为美国国务卿。

 

 

 

“We will do whatever it’s necessary to block the nomination⁸ that’s within our power as far as Susan Rice is concerned.”

 

“只要苏珊?赖斯被提名，我们会尽职权内最大努力阻止这件事发生。”

 

 

 

Senator Lindsey Graham says he is dead set against promoting anybody involved in, as he puts it, the Benghazi debacle. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

 

参议员林赛?格雷厄姆则表示，提名任何牵扯到班加西惨案的人，他都会竭力反对。华盛顿NPR记者米歇尔?科勒曼报道。

 

 

 

Senate Democrats⁹ have increased their majority in the next Congress by one more senator today after Maine independent Senator-elect， Angus King announced he will caucus¹⁰ with them. Details from NPR’s David Welna.

 

今天，在缅因州独立人士安格斯?金当选参议员后，民主党人在参议院的席位增加了一名。安格斯?金宣布，他将参加党团会。NPR记者大卫?维尔纳报道。

 

 

 

Independent Senator-elect King waited eight days after winning in Maine to announce his decision to caucus with the Senate Democrats. 

 

独立参议员安格斯?金在缅因州当选后等待了8天，才宣布决定加入参议院民主党，

 

 

 

“Because doing so will allow me to take independent positions on issues as they arise and, at the same time, will allow me to be an effective representative of the people of Maine.”

 

“这样，对所有的议题，我可以有独立的立场，同时也可以成为缅因州人有力的代表。

 

 

 

King will succeed retiring Republican Senator Olympia Snowe. Senator Majority Leader Harry¹¹ Reid hailed his decision to caucus with the Democrats.

 

安格斯?金将会接替退休的共和党参议员，欧林匹亚?史诺的席位。对于其加入民主党，参议院多数党领袖哈利?瑞德表示欢迎。

 

 

 

“I couldn’t be happier with any person coming to the caucus than Angus King.”

 

“我很开心安格斯?金能加入党团会，他是我最期待的人选。

 

 

 

King is one of nine newly elected senators who will join the Democratic majority. The outcome of Arizona’s Senate race remains¹² uncertain. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

 

安格斯?金是九个新当选参议员之一，他会加入民主党。亚利桑那州的参议员竞选结果仍未见分晓。国会大厦NPR记者大卫?维尔纳报道。

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi confirmed she will run again for House minority leader.

 

南希?佩洛西也表示，她会再次竞选众议院少数党领袖。

 

 

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 63 points at 12,691, NASDAQ off eight points, S&P 500 down five.

 

华尔街股市最新报道，道指下跌63点至12，691，纳指下跌8点，标普下跌5点。

 

 

 

This is NPR News.

 

这里是NPR新闻。

 

 

 

Israel has launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip and assassinated¹³ a leading member of Hamas. The attack evoked¹⁴ outcry from Egypt and the country’s influential¹⁵ Muslim Brotherhood¹⁶.

 

以色列空袭了加沙地带，暗杀了一名伊斯兰抵抗运动组织哈马斯的主要成员。埃及和当地影响力强大的穆斯林兄弟对此次袭击表示强烈抗议。

 

 

 

Anti-austerity demonstrations¹⁷ across Europe has stranded¹⁸ travelers in many places and turned violent in some of them with dozens of arrests and injuries reported in Spain. From Brussels, Teri Schultz reports protesters want relief from budget cuts, but business leaders warned the strikes will hurt more than help their cause.

 

据西班牙报道，欧洲各地反对紧缩计划的游行已阻碍了多地的旅游发展，一些地方甚至发展为暴力事件，许多游行者被逮捕，还有很多受伤。布鲁塞尔泰瑞?舒尔茨报道，这些游行者希望缓解预算削减，但是企业负责人表示，罢工对他们的事业有害无益。

 

 

 

Hundreds of people rallied outside the headquarters of the European Union after a downtown march. The European Trade Union Confederation, the main organizer of what it calls “the day of solidarity,” welcomed coordinated¹⁹ strikes in several countries against the cost-cutting measures it says are causing recession, poverty and social anxiety, Here demonstrators are shouting “All Together! All Together! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Striking workers are reported to be lining²⁰ on train tracks in France and have seriously hindered rail and air traffic in Belgium, Spain and Portugal. In Brussels, BusinessEurope, an umbrella organization of industrial，and employers’ federations²¹, say unions have the right to strike, but this massive action will just harm economic activity and struggling companies. From NPR News, I’m Teri Schultz in Brussels.

 

许多抗议者在市中心游行后，聚集在欧盟总部外面。“团结日”的主要组织者--欧洲工会联盟欢迎各国协调有序的反削减成本措施的罢工，欧洲公会联盟表示，这些措施导致了经济衰退，社会贫困和公众焦虑。游行者在这里大呼“团结！团结！加油！加油！加油！” 据报道，在法国，罢工工人排队站在铁路上；在比利时，西班牙和葡萄牙，铁路和航空已严重受阻。在布鲁塞尔，工业联合组织欧洲商会以及企业负责人联会表示，工会有权罢工，但是如此大规模的罢工只会危害经济活动和陷入困境的企业。布鲁塞尔NPR记者泰瑞?舒尔茨报道。

 

 

 

The owner of the company tied to the deadly meningitis outbreak in the US reportedly is refusing to testify before Congress. According to the Associated Press, Barry Cadden says he will invoke²² his Fifth Amendment²³ right to avoid self-incrimination. Cadden co-founded the New England Compound Center, which distributed back pain steroids that were later found to be contaminated. Hundreds of people got sick, 32 of them died.

 

据报道，美国一家公司和致命的脑膜炎疫情有牵连，但其负责人拒绝在国会作证。据美联社报道，为了避免自证其罪，巴里?卡登会援用美国宪法修正案第五条。卡登是新英格兰复方药物中心的联合创始人，该中心分销专治背痛的类固醇；随后，这种类固醇被发现含有毒性。数百人服用这种类固醇后患病，32人丧生。

 

 

 

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.

 

这里是华盛顿NPR新闻，我是拉克什米?辛格。

1 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

2 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

3 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。

4 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

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 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

11 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

14 evoked   

[医]诱发的

参考例句：

• The music evoked memories of her youth. 这乐曲勾起了她对青年时代的回忆。
• Her face, though sad, still evoked a feeling of serenity. 她的脸色虽然悲伤，但仍使人感觉安详。

15 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

16 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

17 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。

18 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

19 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

20 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。

21 federations   

n.联邦( federation的名词复数 )；同盟；联盟；联合会

参考例句：

• These problems are women's special problems and special work of women's federations. 这样的问题，就是妇女的特殊问题，就是妇联的特殊工作。 来自互联网
• The Bridge Federate is a feasible solution to achieve multi-federations interconnection. 基于桥接成员实现多联邦互连是目前较为通用和可行的方法。 来自互联网

22 invoke   

v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求

参考例句：

• Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
• I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。

23 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。