NPR 2012-12-22

 　　From NPR news in Washington, I am Louise Schiavone.

 

　　With the nation focused on gun violence and what can be done to prevent it, a motion was ? at the news conference in Washington. “He’s got to end the party; he’s got to end the violence.” As the National Rifle Association sought to defend its advocacy of gun ownership, executive vice¹ president Wayne LaPierre told reporters the NRA is not the enemy. “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” The NRA says Congress should foot the bill to make it possible for communities to station an armed police officer at every school. Across the nation, Americans including President Obama observed the moment of silence this morning at memories of those lost to gun violence last week at Sandy Hook Elementary. NPR’s Scoot Horsley reports the White House has been flooded with appeals for action.

 

　　Hundreds of thousands of people have gone to the White House website, signing petitions against gun violence. President Obama has assigned Vice President Biden to lead the government’s response. In a video replied to petitioners², Mr. Obama says that efforts will only succeed if the people who are concerned about gun violence stay involved.

 

　　“That’s how change happens, because of commitment of Americans who work to make it happen, because of you. You started something, and now I am asking you to keep at it.”

 

　　The Vice President is expected to present his recommendations next month. Those could include status to improve mental healthcare and stricter government gun control. Scott Horsley, NPR news, the White House.

 

　　Funeral services were held today at Washington’s National Cathedral for Senator Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat³. As NPR’s David Welna reports Inouye lost am arm in World War II and Inouye is to become nation’s second longest serving Senator.

 

　　In his nearly 50 years in the Senate, Daniel Inouye was a top member of the Watergate Committee, chaired the Iran-Contra hearings and died chairman of the Appropriations⁴ Committee. Senate Majority Leader Harry⁵ Reid hailed his ? colleague.

 

　　“Whenever there was a difficult job to do, whenever we needed a noble man, a noble man to lean on, we always turned to Senator Daniel Inouye.”

 

　　President Obama remembers Inouye as perhaps his earliest political inspiration. “Can you believe this, we say in Hawaii that we are a single Lohana, we’re one family. He devoted⁶ his life to making that family strong.” The President said Inouye taught him America has a place for everyone. David Welna, NPR news, the Capital.

 

　　Having failed to rally his own party behind a GOP plan to avert⁷ the fiscal⁸ cliff, Speaker of the House John Boehner says he is not giving up. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi say that talks must continue.

 

　　On Wall Street this hour, the Dow Jones industrial average down 138, NASDAQ down 37. This is NPR.

 

　　The figures are still weak, but for the first time since 2009, California’s unemployment rate has dipped below double digits⁹. The State’s reporting its November jobless rate was 9.8%. The state reports California has added more than half a million non-formed jobs since the recovery started 2 years ago.

 

　　Mario Monti has made it official he will not seek election to a term as president of Italy. For 13 months, Monti led his nation guiding fiscal policy and preparing the country for national elections. He had pledged to step down when the Italian parliament approved a budget law. While he has submitted his resignation, he has agreed to stay on until election in February.

 

　　Authorities say 4 people are dead after a shooting along a rural road in Central Pennsylvania. Several state troopers were also injured, as NPR’s Joel Rose reports.

 

　　Blair county district attorney Richard Consiglio told the Associated Press that 4 people were killed, including the gunman and 3 state troopers were injured. Consiglio says the shooting scene extended across several miles near the Pennsylvania town of Hollidaysburg, about 100 miles west of Harrisburg. Authority says one of the injured troopers was shot but was protected by his bullet-proof vest while another was injured in a vehicle crash. Hollidaysburg ? manager Mark Schoxx says nearby schools were not placed on lockdown and that the public is not in any danger. Joel Rose, NPR news.

 

　　Author Larry L. King has died ? led to the Anthony Award nominee¹⁰ to musical "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". He was 83, and had battled emphysema. I am Louise Schiavone, NPR news.

1 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。

2 petitioners   

n.请求人，请愿人( petitioner的名词复数 )；离婚案原告

参考例句：

• Petitioners suggest that anything less than certainty, that any speculation, is irresponsible. 申诉者认为不准确的事或推断都是不负责任的。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The judge awarded the costs of the case to the petitioners. 法官判定由这起案件的上诉人支付诉讼费用。 来自辞典例句

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 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。

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 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。

8 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

9 digits   

n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾

参考例句：

• The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。