NPR 2012-05-05

 The unemployment rate has edged down to 8.1%, but that's not exactly welcome news to economists¹. It suggests that more people came up to look for work last month, so they were not counted in the tally². And the employers added a lower than expected 115,000 positions. In Virginia today, the president accused Republicans of blocking initiatives that would lead to robust³ job growth. Campaigning in Pitzburg, GOP's presumptive nominee⁴ Mitt⁵ Romney said that White House was waying off its handling of the economy.

This is a sad time of America, when people who want to work can't find jobs.

Romney was scheduled to meet today with former republican rival Rick Santorum, who has spent his campaign denouncing Romney as out of touch with conservertives, now both men are reportedly trying to know each other better. Santorum has not said if he would endorse⁶ Romney.

A diplomatic crisis between the US and China may be coming to an end. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports China's foreign ministry⁷ says a dissident who has spent nearly a week holdup the US embassy can apply to study abroad. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton sounded cautiously optimistic about the fate of Mr. Chen Guangcheng.

We are encouraged by the progress we've seen today, but there is more work to do, so we will stay engaged as this moves forward.

US officials say that Chinese government has indicated that it will accept Chen's passport application, in the meantime, they say they expect to have regular access to him at the hospital where he was reunited with his family and is receiving medical treatment. Chen, who is blind, had broken three bones in his foot during his dramatic escape from house arrest last week.

Michele Kelemen, NPR news, Beijing.

The sound of Egyptian protesters **** and police water canons in Cairo, police fired teargas as well. Thousands gathered to demand an end to military rule at this month's presidential election.

A co-founder of the pioneering hiphop group the Beastie Boys, Adam Yauch has died at the age of 47. NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports the rapper has been in treatment for cancer for the past 3 years. 

Adam Yauch was known as MCA, 1/3 of the Beastie Boys along with Adam Horovitz and Michael Diamond. The trio began as a hardcore band combining punk and rap, then became one of the most influential⁸ hiphop groups. In 1986, it exploded onto the scene with their baby album Licensed⁹ to Ill, You gotta fight, for your right, to party, Yauch's record number of Beastie Boys videos into the food named Daniel *. He also ran a food production company and raise money for the Tibetan independent movement. * performed from 2009 and was absent last month when the beastie boy was inducted into the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame. That is NPR's Mandalit del Barco, this is NPR.

The nearly bankrupt US postal¹⁰ service is pressing the US House to pass a bill that would allow it to close low revenue post offices and scrap¹¹ Saturday delivery. The meeting today, the board of governors voice concerns about the legislation passed since last week, saying that version would make it more difficult for the service to close more than 37000 post offices and 100 more processing centers nationwide in a bid to save money. The postmaster general has said he planned to start closing facilities in the next couple of weeks.

A new report says that New York's 911 system is full of delays and errors that could leave callers without help for crucial moments. NPR's Margot Adler reports there is controverse because only an editted version of the report has been released. The 911 system has been undergoing an overhaul¹² for years. City officials say response time has been proved, confusion has been reduced. But a new report says operators waste time repeating questions and use confusing questioning procedures. It says the system sends the first responders to wrong addresses. New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is in fighting legal efforts to force the city to release earlier versions of the report. Latest document has a 133 pages. New York Post describes the first version as 216 pages and it's not clear what has been changed. A judge ruled that the city must release the earlier address. The city has appealed. Margot Adler, NPR news, New York.

Before the close on wall street, Dow Jones Industrial Average down 116.9 points, or 1.2%, at 13,038. NSDQ down 2.25%, S&P 500 down 1.5%.

This is NPR

1 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

3 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

4 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。

5 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。

6 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 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。

9 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

10 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

11 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

12 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。