美国国家电台 NPR 2012-08-02

 Federal Reserve policymakers are acknowledging the economic recovery is losing steam. But after two days of meetings, they have announced they will not use stimulus² measures to pump things up at least not at this time. NPR's Steve Hen reports.

In the past three months, the nation's economy has slowed. This winter, the US was adding nearly 25 million new jobs a month. During the spring and summer that fell off dramatically. In his most recent remarks before congress, Chairman Ben Bernanke testified to the Federal Reverse, he would do more to spur the economy if it didn't improve. Those comments led some to speculate that Fed would today launch a third round of so-called quantitative³ easing, buying treasures and injecting more money into the financial system to boost growth. Instead, the Fed said it would extend the program to push long term interest rates down, continue to support home lending and keep short term interest rates near zero until at least 2014. Steve Hen, NPR News.

 

 

The Institute for Supply Management says manufacturing shrank in July, for a second straight month, though, at a somewhat slower pace than it did in June. 

 

 

A top Pentagon official warns automatic spending cuts would force the military to cut back on training for fighters preparing to go to war. Deputy Defense⁴ Secretary Ashton Carter testified today before a house panel.

Some later deploying⁵ units, including some deploying to Afghanistan could receive less training, again especially in the Army and Marine⁶ Corps⁷. 

Carter also told lawmakers if congress fails to come up with a budget plan to avoid the cross-the-broad spending cuts. The Pentagon will also have to reduce the number of planes it's planning to buy and delay ship construction.

 

 

At the Olympic Games in London today, US swimmer Nathan Adrian has won the gold in the 100-meter freestyle competition. Meanwhile, the American women's gymnastic team got a call from the president. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports President Obama called from Air Force One this morning on route to Ohio to campaign.

In Mansfield, Ohio, the president sang the praises to the US Olympic athletes. He said he understands the runners, they run like he does only faster and same thing with the swimmers. But the gymnasts I don't understand how they do, what they do.

I told those young ladies, as I was congratulating them, how do you not bust⁸ your head every time you are on that little balance beam? I couldn't walk across that balance beam.

He said the Olympics remind us set for all our differences were Americans first. President Obama is campaigning for two days this week with a pair of Wednesday stops in Ohio, and events Thursday in Florida and Virginia. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, traveling with the president.

 

 

Just before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was done 32 points at 12,976; the NASDAQ was down 19. 

This is NPR News.

 

 

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is in Israel assuring officials that the Obama Administration will consider using military force against Iran to stop its nuclear activities if all peaceful efforts are first exhausted⁹. But standing¹⁰ by Panetta's side in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the threat of strikes and US statements of unity¹¹ with Israel are failing to convince Tehran the west is serious about stopping their nuclear program. 

 

 

Health officials in New York city are getting ready for new campaign to encourage new mothers to breastfeed. NPR's Joel Rose reports dozens of hospitals in the city will tout¹² its benefits. 

The program is called Latch¹³ On NYC, though critics say it gives new meaning to the term manning state. Participating hospitals will ask mothers to listen to talks about why breast milk can be better than baby formula. Those hospitals will no longer hand out formula for free except for medical reasons or if mothers ask for it. New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is one of the program's backers. 

Most public health officials want to encourage women to breastfeed at least for the first couple of weeks, because the outcomes are better.

Bloomberg says the choice about whether to breastfeed still rests with mothers. But critics say the government should not try to influence that decision. Joel Rose, NPR News, New York.

 

 

The Agriculture Department today added 218 counties to the government's lists of natural disaster areas, mostly because of the widespread drought. That brings the total to nearly 1,600 counties in 32 states. The declaration makers¹ farmers and ranchers in those areas eligible¹⁴ for federal aid. 

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

3 quantitative   

adj.数量的，定量的

参考例句：

• He said it was only a quantitative difference.他说这仅仅是数量上的差别。
• We need to do some quantitative analysis of the drugs.我们对药物要进行定量分析。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

6 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

9 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

12 tout   

v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱

参考例句：

• They say it will let them tout progress in the war.他们称这将有助于鼓吹他们在战争中的成果。
• If your case studies just tout results,don't bother requiring registration to view them.如果你的案例研究只是吹捧结果，就别烦扰别人来注册访问了。

13 latch   

n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁

参考例句：

• She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
• The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。

14 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。