NPR 2012-12-10

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

 

　　Some Senate Republicans are saying they might accept higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans if there is also agreement on overhauling¹ the entitlement programs. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma is one of them. He told ABC's This Week they must come up with a plan.

 

　　We are spending money that we don't have on things we don't absolutely need and there is no grownups in Washington that will say "timeout, stop the politics, let's have a compromise rather than continue to play the game through the press and hurt the country".

 

　　When asked what it would take to sign on to a tax rate increase, he said significant entitlement reform.

 

　　There will be large federal spending cuts and the Bush-era tax cuts will expire for everyone unless Congress and the White House agree on the legislation by the end of the year.

 

　　In Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi has rescinded² a series of decrees that gave him sweeping³ powers, after more than two weeks of demonstrations⁴. Merrit Kennedy reports this concession⁵ is unlikely to satisfy the opposition⁶.

 

　　The announcement came in the wee hours of the morning after a marathon national dialogue session that most major opposition leaders refused to attend. Rescinding⁷ those powers was a major demand of Morsi's opponents. At the same time, the president is not backing down on holding a nationwide vote on a controversial draft constitution in less than a week. Last night statement said that by law he is required to hold the vote on 15th. Critics say the draft constitution was pushed through by an assembly of mostly his political allies and doesn't represent the interests of all Egyptians. For NPR News, I'm Merrit Kennedy in Cairo.

 

　　U.S. and Russian officials met in Geneva today to discuss the civil war in Syria. The mediator⁸ of the talks, Lakhdar Brahimi, issued a statement that both nations agree the situation is bad and getting worse in Syria, and they are committed to finding a political solution.

 

　　Nearly 200 countries attending a two-week climate conference in Qatar have agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol⁹ until the year 2020. Lisa Schlein from Geneva reports.

 

　　The Kyoto Protocol obliges 35 industrialized countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions¹⁰, it was due to expire at the end of the year. The U.S. never ratified¹¹ the pact¹² because it doesn't impose binding¹³ commitments on China and other emerging economies. Environmentalists argue the new climate deal will fail to slow rising temperatures and avert¹⁴ extreme weather events such as floods and drought. They note big financial promises to help poor countries cope with climate change are inadequate¹⁵. The UN's goal is to keep temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit¹⁶. But the World Bank projects temperature increases will be twice as high by 2,100. For NPR News, I'm Lisa Schlein, in Geneva.

 

　　You are listening to NPR News from Washington.

 

　　Authorities in the Philippines now say at least 800 people are missing after last week's typhoon. That number has gone up after hearing from families and companies that hundreds of fishermen are missing at sea. At least 540 people are confirmed dead.

 

　　In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez said the cancer he'd beaten earlier this year is back. NPR's Wong Ferrera reports Chavez says he will undergo a fourth operation in the coming days.

 

　　In making his announcement in a national broadcast, Chavez for the first time said that if his health worsens, he would be succeeded by vice¹⁷ President Nicolas Maduro. Chavez said he flew(fly) back today to Cuba where he's been undergoing treatment since his first operations in June of last year. The populist leader said doctors found new malignant¹⁸ cells in the same pelvic region where the first tumour¹⁹ was discovered. After last year's operations, Chavez underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments but then he underwent another operation in February when a recurrence²⁰ was detected. Chavez later declared himself cured and won re-election in October, receiving another six-year term. If Chavez stepped aside though, a new election would have to be called. Wong Ferrera, NPR News.

 

　　Some court houses are open in Washington state today to accommodate gay and lesbian couples who want to get married. The state voted last month to legalize same-sex marriage. The new law went into effect Thursday and a three-day waiting period expired at midnight. Washington joins six other states and the district of Columbia in allowing same-sex marriage. Couples legally married in other states found their marriages are now valid²¹ in Washington and they won't have to get remarried there.

 

　　I'm Nora Raum, NPR News, in Washington.

1 overhauling   

n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• I had no chance of overhauling him. 我没有赶上他的可能。 来自辞典例句
• Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. 有些网站需要做出细微修改，而有些网站就需要整体改版。 来自互联网

2 rescinded   

v.废除，取消( rescind的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Rescinded civil acts shall be null and void from the very beginning. 被撤销的民事行为从行为开始起无效。 来自互联网
• They accepted his advice and rescinded the original plan. 他们听从了他的劝告，撤销了原计划。 来自互联网

3 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

4 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。

5 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

6 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。

7 rescinding   

v.废除，取消( rescind的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You realize this effectively kills any chance we have of rescinding that order. 你意识到了这样我们就没机会废除这一命令？ 来自电影对白

8 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

9 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

10 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

11 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

12 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

13 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

14 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

15 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。

16 Fahrenheit   

n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的)

参考例句：

• He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
• The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。

17 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

18 malignant   

adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
• He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

19 tumour   

n.(tumor)(肿)瘤，肿块

参考例句：

• The surgeons operated on her for a tumour.外科医生为她施行了肿瘤切除手术。
• The tumour constricts the nerves.肿瘤压迫神经。

20 recurrence   

n.复发，反复，重现

参考例句：

• More care in the future will prevent recurrence of the mistake.将来的小心可防止错误的重现。
• He was aware of the possibility of a recurrence of his illness.他知道他的病有可能复发。

21 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？