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 　　KWAME HOLMAN:Wall Street was down much of the day, but trimmed its losses after news that the House will convene¹ Sunday to focus on the fiscal² cliff. In the end, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 18 points to close at 13,096. The Nasdaq fell four points to close under 2,986.Also today, the Labor³ Department reported the number of new claims for unemployment benefits fell this week to the lowest level since March of 2008.President Obama is urging dockworkers and shippers to avoid a crippling strike at Atlantic and Gulf⁴ Coast ports. It would be the first since 1977. The workers union contract expires this weekend. The White House spokesman said today the two sides need to agree on a contract extension as soon as possible. Talks broke down last week in a dispute over wages and royalties⁵.

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　　The Christmas season storm that blasted the South and Midwest swept across the Upper Northeast and New England today, and the death count climbed to 16. The system dumped a foot or more of snow in parts of Pennsylvania, Upstate New York and New Hampshire. In some places, snow brought road travel to a standstill. At the same time, operations at major airports improved, with far fewer delays than earlier this week.In India, the embattled prime minister remained under pressure to take action against sexual assaults after a gang rape⁶ this month triggered violent protests. Manmohan Singh promised a thorough review of India's rape laws and efforts to expedite trials.

　　Meanwhile, police moved to quell⁷ a rally by about 500 students protesting the treatment of women as they moved toward a monument in New Delhi. The students complained officials had declared the site off-limits.AABHA PANDEY, protester (through translator): We are taking out this peaceful protest. We don't have any conflict with the police. We have just come here to express our stand. All the students are expressing their opinions here, as you can see, so the police should just allow us to pass through to the place. This is our only demand, and nothing else.KWAME HOLMAN:The rape that ignited the protests was that of a 23-year-old woman attacked by six men, then thrown from a moving bus. Overnight, she arrived in Singapore via air ambulance for treatment of severe internal injuries. Doctors described her condition as extremely critical.The top prosecutor⁸ in Egypt has ordered an investigation⁹ of major opposition¹⁰ leaders for allegedly inciting¹¹ revolt. An official in the prosecutor's office said today the probe will focus on Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, and former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi. All three oppose Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and the country's new constitution.The new U.S. senator from Hawaii, Democrat¹² Brian Schatz, was sworn in today. He'd been lieutenant¹³ governor for the last two years. Now he replaces fellow Democrat Daniel Inouye, who died this month at the age of 88.

　　Schatz took the oath of office on the Senate floor after being tapped by Hawaii's governor. The new senator said he will seek election in his own right in 2014. Inouye wanted Hawaii Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa to take his seat. She said today she respects the governor's choice.Those are some of the day's major stories.

1 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

2 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。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

6 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

7 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

8 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

9 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。

10 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。

11 inciting   

刺激的，煽动的

参考例句：

• What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
• He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。

12 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。

13 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。