NPR 2012-03-13

 Shock. That's how the Obama administration describes news that a US soldier in Afghanistan allegedly massacred 16 men, women and children in two villages over the weekend. The White House says a full investigation¹ is underway. This as it works to keep US-Afghan relations from unraveling in the wake of this incident and the recent Quran burnings at a US base. Meanwhile, the soldier's name has not yet been disclosed, but he’s reported to be a staff sergeant² with the 3rd Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infrantry Division, based at Joint³ Base Lewis-McChord, south of Seattle.

 

US drivers are now paying an average of $3.80 to fill their gas tanks, perhaps much higher if you live in Hawaii, California or New York. The average price has risen about 30 cents a gallon in just the last month. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the White House is trying to make sure President Obama doesn't pay a political price for that.

 

The White House is releasing a new report showing steps it's taken to reduce reliance on imported oil. The administration acknowledges that provides little relief from high pump prices. But if it can’t offer an immediate⁴ solution, the White House at least wants to show it's not part of the problem. The report notes US oil production is at an eight-year high, rebutting⁵ Republican claims that Mr. Obama has restricted domestic drilling. Meanwhile, this year of US oil consumption met by foreign sources fell to 45% last year. Mr. Obama will be touting⁶ those figures when he talks with local TV anchors from around the country today. He’ll also discuss his push for greater fuel efficiency, which would make even pricy gasoline a little less of a headache. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

 

Pacific Gas & Electronic has agreed to pay 70 million dollars to help California's San Bruno community recover from the 2010 pipeline⁷ explosion. Federal investigators⁸ accused PG&E of allowing serious failures that led to the blast. Eight people died; dozens more were injured.

 

GOP candidates are campaigning in Mississippi and Alabama ahead of those states' primaries tomorrow. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports the latest polls show it is a tight race.

 

The head of Public Policy Polling says any of three candidates, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorm or Mitt⁹ Romney, could win GOP primaries in Alabama and Mississippi. Gingrich has a slight lead in Mississippi, closely followed by Romney and Santorum. And in Alabama, the latest poll shows the race is nearly even. That's surprising to some who say the former Massachusetts governor is not conservative enough for southern voters. Gingrich and Santorum are campaigning hard in both states. The former speaker is trying to re-energize his campaign, while Santorum says evangelical Christians¹⁰ and conservatives here can give him the boost to go head-to-head with Romney. Kathy Lohr, NPR News, Jackson, Mississippi.

 

Dow was up 45 points at 12,967. 

 

This is NPR News.

 

The federal government confirms Texas will no longer receive federal funding for its women's health program. NPR's Wade¹¹ Goodwyn in Dallas reports it's a reaction to Texas' decision to bar Planned Parenthood from the program.

 

Texas Governor Rick Perry and the legislature have unapologetically targeted Planned Parenthood and any other women's clinic which will accommodate a woman seeking an abortion¹². In the process, Texas has cut funding to women's clinics by 2/3, eliminating access for nearly 300,000 Texans. But you cannot do that and still get federal funding, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirmed the expected on Friday, cutting off 30 million dollars in federal funding to Texas. Governor Rick Perry shrugged¹³ it off and said the state would pay, although when his state had just cut four billion dollars to public education. Perry didn't say where that money would come from. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

 

The highest-ranking official to be charged in the deadly 2010 West Virginia mine blast is now expected to enter a plea next week. Former mine superintendent¹⁴ Gary May is charged with conspiracy¹⁵ to defraud¹⁶ the federal government. He is accused of disabling a methane¹⁷ gas monitor and lying on safety records. The 2010 explosion claimed 29 lives. It was the worst US coal mining disaster in some 40 years.

 

A federal appeals court has overturned the so-called "Millennium¹⁸ Bomber's" 22-year sentence, saying it's too short. The panel ruled 7-4 in favor of the government's appeal that was released today against Ahmed Ressam, who is convicted on nine counts. He was arrested in 1999.

 

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 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。

2 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 rebutting   

v.反驳，驳回( rebut的现在分词 )；击退

参考例句：

• The union countered with letters rebutting the company's claims. 工会写信驳回了公司的要求。 来自辞典例句

6 touting   

v.兜售( tout的现在分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• He's been touting his novel around publishers for years. 他几年来一直到处找出版商兜售自己的小说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Technology industry leaders are touting cars as a hot area for growth. 科技产业领袖吹捧为增长热点地区的汽车。 来自互联网

7 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

8 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

10 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

11 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。

12 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

13 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

15 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

16 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

17 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

18 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。