NPR 2012-02-22

 A case challenging affirmative action in university admissions will again come before the US Supreme¹ Court. The suit was filed in 2008 by Abigail Fisher and another woman when they were denied admission to the University of Texas. Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation, which opposes the use of race in public policy, says Fisher, who is white, hopes for more than a resolution to her own case.

 

“She hopes that the court will decide that all future UT applicants² will be allowed to compete for admission without their race or ethnicity being a factor.”

 

In 2003, a less conservative court endorsed³ the use of race as a factor in higher education admissions.

 

A judge will decide by tomorrow on whether a slander⁴ lawsuit⁵ involving Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim should be heard outside Syracuse. Former ball boys Bobby Daves and Michael Lang are accusing Boeheim of defaming them by saying they were looking to cash in on allegations of sexual abuse by former assistant coach Bernie Fine. Their lawyer says Syracuse has a lot of poll in the community, which could make finding an impartial⁶ jury difficult. 

 

Jury selection is underway in a high-profile priest sex abuse trial in Philadelphia. NPR's Jeff Brady reports an official with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia faces child endangerment charges.

 

For more than a decade, starting in the mid-1990s, Monsignor William Lynn was the Catholic Church's point person in Philadelphia for clerical abuse allegations. It was his job to investigate claims, and then, if warranted, remove priests or turn them over to police. But instead of doing that, prosecutors⁷ say he relocated accused priests, allegedly giving them more opportunities to abuse children. Lynn's boss, Cardinal⁸ Anthony Bevilacqua, died earlier this month. But his videotape testimony⁹ could still be introduced during the trial. Jury selection is expected to take several weeks. Jeff Brady, NPR News, Philadelphia.

 

President Obama says extending the payroll¹⁰ tax cut should be the beginning of congressional cooperation this year, not the end. NPR's Scott Horsley reports Mr. Obama is urging lawmakers to build on last week's rare example of bipartisanship.

 

President Obama says Americans have no patience for legislative¹¹ gridlock, and he urged lawmakers to act on measures such as an administration plan to help homeowners refinance. Mr. Obama says last week's votes to extend the payroll tax cut were a good start, saving the typical family some 40 dollars per paycheck. 

 

“More people spending more money means more businesses will be able to hire more workers and the entire economy gets another boost.”

 

Mr. Obama also promised to keep pursuing executive actions that don't require congressional approval including several steps designed to boost the rural economy. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House.

 

US stocks hovering¹² near the 13,000 mark which hit today for the first time since May, 2008.

 

This is NPR.

 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is trying to determine if more automakers have used the same kind of defective¹³ side airbags that have prompted recalls by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Subaru. NPR's Craig Windham reports more than 2,700 vehicles have been recalled so far, but that number could grow. 

 

The problem is that the side curtain airbags may not inflate¹⁴ completely in a crash. Regulators say the reason may be an incorrect mixture of the gas used to deploy¹⁵ the bags. Inadequately¹⁶ inflated¹⁷ airbags could expose occupants of a vehicle to greater risk of injury in an accident. So far, though, no injuries or deaths have been linked to the flaw. The agency has not yet publicly identified the manufacturer of the faulty airbags. But industry analysts¹⁸ say there’s a good chance other automakers may use them too. The recall so far involves some Toyota RAV-4s, Nissan Altimas and Versas, Honda Accords, Civics and Crosstours and Subaru Legacies¹⁹ and Outbacks. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

 

The Red Cross is calling for a ceasefire for two hours a day in the Syrian crisis to allow humanitarian²⁰ groups to deliver emergency supplies to the wounded and sick. So far, though, Syrian troops are keeping up their bombardment. Members of the opposition²¹ reported heavy shelling again in the city of Homs. That's where troops have been trying to rule out rebels for more than two weeks.

 

Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 13,000 mark for the first time since May, 2008 today before pulling back a bit. Thirteen thousand does not indicate any significant shift in trading. But analysts say 13,000 is an important psychological milestone²². This comes after news that Greece had secured a second international bailout.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

3 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 slander   

n./v.诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• The article is a slander on ordinary working people.那篇文章是对普通劳动大众的诋毁。
• He threatened to go public with the slander.他威胁要把丑闻宣扬出去。

5 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

6 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

9 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

10 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

12 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

13 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

14 inflate   

vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价）

参考例句：

• The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标，往往人为地提高价钱。
• Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。

15 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

16 inadequately   

ad.不够地；不够好地

参考例句：

• As one kind of building materials, wood is inadequately sturdy. 作为一种建筑材料，木材不够结实。
• Oneself is supported inadequately by the money that he earns. 他挣的钱不够养活自己。

17 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

19 legacies   

n.遗产( legacy的名词复数 )；遗留之物；遗留问题；后遗症

参考例句：

• Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind. 书是伟大的天才留给人类的精神财富。 来自辞典例句
• General legacies are subject to the same principles as demonstrative legacies. 一般的遗赠要与指定数目的遗赠遵循同样的原则。 来自辞典例句

20 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

21 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。

22 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。