題源報精讀第二課

第2篇-法律類（選自 》2012年7月AttorneyGeneralEricH.HolderJr.onTuesdayvowedtobe“aggressive”inchallengingvotinglawsthatrestrictminorityrights,usingaspeechinTexastomakehiscaseonthesamedayafederalcourtwasconsideringthelegalityofthestate’snewvoterIDlegislation.“Letmebeclear:WewillnotallowpoliticalpretextstodisenfranchiseAmericancitizensoftheirmostpreciousrights,”HoldersaidinthespeechtotheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople.“IcanassureyouthattheJusticeDepartment’seffortstoupholdandenvotingrightswillremainaggressive.”HolderreceivedastandingovationastheHoustoncrowdchanted“Standyourground!”and“Holder,Holder!”Buttheattorneygeneral’sremarksdrewsharpcriticismfromRepublicanlawmakers,whocharacterizedthespeechasapoliticaltacticaimedatbolsteringObama’sreelectionprospects.“It’sverylingthatinsteadofmakinglegalargumentsinfrontofthecourt,theattorneygeneralismakingpoliticalspeechesmorethanathousandway,”saidLucyNashed,aspokeswomanforTexas.RickPerry(R).Thecontroversyovervotingrightsisyingoutagainstthebackdropofagrowingnationaldebateovertheissue.Athree-judgepaneloftheU.S.DistrictCourtinWashingtonishearingargumentsthisweekontheTexas’svoterIDlaw,whichrequiresvoterstoshowaphotoIDbeforebeingallowedtocasttheirballots.TheJusticeDepartmentinMarchblockedtheTexaslaw,whichwassignedbyPerryinMay2011,contendingthatitwouldviolatethe1965VotingRightsActanddisproportionayharmHispanicvoters.“ManyofthosewithoutIDswouldhavetotravelgreatdistancestogetthemandsomewouldstruggletopayforthe stheymightneedtoobtainthem,”HoldersaidTuesdayatthe103rdconventionoftheNAACP.Hecalledthelaws“polltaxes,”referringtofeesinsomestatesintheSouththatwereusedtodisenfranchiseblacksduringtheJimCrowera.UndertheTexaslaw,theminimumcosttoobtainavoterIDforaTexasresidentwithoutacopyofhisbirth wouldbe$22,accordingtotheJusticeDepartment.TheTexaslegislaturevoteddownaproposaltoallowpeopletoget sneededforavoterIDfor.UndertheObamaadministration,theJusticeDepartmenthaschallengednewvoterlawsacrossthecountry,includinginDecemberinSouthCarolina,wheretheadministrationarguedthatavoteridentificationlawwouldadverselyaffectblackvoters.BecauseTexasandSouthCarolinahaveahistoryofvoterdiscrimination,theymustget“pre-clearance”fromtheJusticeDepartmentbeforeanynewelectionlawscantakeeffect.Inall,however,eightstatespassedvoterIDlawslastyear,includingthebattlegroundstateofPennsylvania.Supportersofthemeasures—sevenofwhichweresignedbyRepublican ernorsandonebyanindependent—saytheyareneededtocombatvoterfraud.Butcriticssaythenewstatutescouldhurtturnoutamongminorityvotersandothers,manyofwhomhelpedelectObamainInhisspeech,HoldertoldtheNAACPthatthearcofAmericanhistoryhasalwaysmovedtowardexpandingtheelectorateandthat“wewillsimplynotallowthiseratobethebeginningofthereversalofthathistoricprogress.”TheNAACPhaslaunchedanagainstthevoterIDlaws,andits,BenjaminToddlous,hascomparedthefighttotheonewagedduring“SelmaandMontgomerytimes,”areferencetothecivilrightsmovement.ProponentsoftheTexasvoterIDlawssaytheObamaadministrationisinfringingonstates’rights.“ThisisacaseaboutTexas’sproposedimplementationofoneofthemostpopularvotingreformsofthelast20years,acommon-senserequirementthatwhenyoushowuptopollstovote,youproveyouarewhoyousayyouarewithaphotoID,”TexasattorneyAdamMortaratoldtheU.S.DistrictCourtonMonday.KeithIngram,directoroftheelectionsdivisionoftheTexassecretaryofstate’soffice,testifiedthattherearepotentially50,000deceasedvotersontheTexasvoterrolls.“WhywouldtheDepartmentofJusticenotwantstatestoremoveineligiblefelons,ineligiblenon-citizensandthedeadfromtheirvoterrolls?”HouseJudiciaryCommitteeChairmanLamarSmith(R-Tex.)askedHolderduringacommitteehearinglastmonth.“Theadministration’sactionsaren’tjustwrong—theyarearrogant,undemocraticandaninsulttotheruleoflaw.”O(jiān)nTuesday,theseconddayofthefederaltrial,thejudgesheardargumentsabouttheimpetusbehindtheTexaslawandhowmanyvotersmightbedisenfranchisedbytheIDrequirement.JusticeDepartmentattorneyElizabethWestfallhassaidthatasmanyas1.4millionvoterscouldbeaffected,butaUniversityofTexasstatisticiantestifiedthatthenumberofvoterswithoutanIDwasclosertoabout168,000.TheargumentsareexpectedtocontinuethroughthisweekandarebeingheardbyRosemaryCollyer,appointedin2002by GeorgeW.Bush;DavidTa appointedby BillClintonin1994;andRobertWilkins,appointedin2010byID pretextn.假disenfranchisevt.()的權(quán)利(尤指權(quán)ovationn.熱烈歡 bolstervt.提 paneln.合議contendvt.主 disenfranchisevt.……的公民pre-clearance預(yù)檢turnoutn.出席者thearcof……的弧線electoraten.選區(qū)SelmaandMontgomerytimes塞爾瑪時期代指1965年民權(quán)運動beinfringingonineligibleadj.不符合資格的 felonn.重罪犯undemocraticadj.專橫的impetusn.動力本周四，司法部長·霍爾德在得克薩斯州中宣稱，對于限制少數(shù)民族考慮將新人合法化。本職在好好法案，而非大費周折千里迢迢去做這樣一個政治?！蓖镀弊h在愈演愈烈。本周，地區(qū)由三名組成的合議庭就這部法案會1965年頒布的?投票權(quán)法案?，同時損壞拉丁裔選民權(quán)利。允許居民免費的法案。11和黨州長簽署通過，另1人為無黨派。這些支持者表示要與舞弊做。但批評者在他的中，霍爾德告訴有色人種協(xié)進會，從建國以來，在擴大選民范圍勒斯把這場類比成“塞爾瑪和時期”民權(quán)運動。2迎的法案之一。我們需要建立這樣一個共識，選民投票時必須出示明”。2民呢?”在上個月的一次聽證會上，眾議院司法部蘭默·史密斯對霍爾德提出了這樣的影響的選民數(shù)量。司法部長伊麗莎白·韋斯特福爾預(yù)計，受影響選民數(shù)達到140萬人，利爾、年由比爾·總統(tǒng)任命的大衛(wèi)·塔特爾和年由任命的羅伯特·威TheU.S.ernmentisorderingenergygiantBPtofindless-toxicchemicalstobreakuptheGulfofMexicooilspillamidevidencethatthedispersantsarenoteffectiveandcouldactuallymakethespillmoreharmfultomarinelife.TheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencysaidThursdaythatBPhastochooseanalternativedispersantbytodayandmustbeginusingitbySunday.Sofar,BPhasputabout600,000gallonsofthechemicalmixtureCorexit9500onthesurfaceand55,000gallonsontheseabottom.“EPAwantstoensureBPisusingtheleast-toxicproductauthorizedforuse,”theagencysaidinastatement.“Wereservetherighttodiscontinuetheuseofthisdispersantmethodifanynegativeimpactsontheenvironmentoutweighthebenefits.”ADMISSION:OilgiantBPconcedesGulfspillisbiggerthanThechemicalstoutedasacriticalmeansofattackingthegrowingspillhavequestionablevalueoverthelongrunandmayactuallyslowdownthebacteriathatbiodegradecrudeoil,accordingtoaUSATODAYreviewofthelatestscientificstudiesandsomeoftheworld’stopexperts.Justashouseholddetergentsbreakupgreaseinthewash,dispersantscanclearoilslickbybreakingthecrudeintotinydropletsthatfallbeneaththewater’sHowever,researchshowsthatmuchoftheoilreturnstothesurfaceinaslittleasafewhours,saidMervFingas,aCanadianresearcherandaleadingauthorityontheDispersantsaretoxic,andwhenmixedwithoilcan eevenmoredangerousthaneitherthedispersantoroilalone,accordingtoFingasandEPAdata.Oiltreatedwithdispersantsspreadsthroughthewater,morereadilycomingincontactwithdelicatefisheggsandotherfragileseadwellers,saidPeterHodson,aspecialistinfishtoxicologywhoisdirectoroftheSchoolofEnvironmentalStudiesatQueen’sUniversityinKingston,Canada.“You’vejustaddedtothetoxiccocktailthattheoceanhastoputupwith,”SilviaEarle,anoceanographerwhois“explorerinresidence”attheNationalGeographicSociety.BPwillnotbeabletofindanalternativedispersantthatisnottoxic,accordingtoEPArecords.All14oftheapproveddispersantslistedontheagency’swebsitearetoxictomarinelifeatlevelsofafewhundredpartspermillionorless.Testsonallbutthreeofthe14indicatetheyaremoretoxicafterbeingmixedwithoil.TheEPAalsobeganpostingtestresultsofwaterwhereBPhasreleaseddispersants.Sofar,the“datadoesnotindicateanysignificanteffectsonaquaticlife,”theagencyBPissuedastatementsayingithadchosentouseCorexit9500becauseitwasavailableinthelargetiesneededtofightthespill,nowamonthold.Thesaiditwouldcontinuetouse ernment-approvedBPspokesmanScottDeandeclinedtocommentonresearchshowingthatthedispersantsdonotperformasthe hasclaimed.JohnSchoen,aspokesmanforNalco,the thatmakesCorexit9500,alsodeclinedtocomment.Thoughdispersantshavebeenusedfordecades,itisdifficulttodeterminetheirchemicalmakeup.Thecompaniesthatmakethemkeeptheirformulassecret,accordingtoEPAdata.SeveralscientistssaidtheyweresurprisedthattheEPAgrantedBPpermissiontousethedispersantsontheGulffloorbecausetheiruseindeepwaterhadneverbeentriedbefore.“It’ssortoftheactofadesperateman,”Hodsonsaid.“Yougetthesensetheyarethrowingeverythingtheyhaveattheproblemwithoutalotofscientificbackup.”BPabbr.英國石油公司(BritishPetroleum) dispersantn.分散劑outweighvt.比……更重要 (be)toutedas被吹捧為……detergentn.清潔劑 greasen.油脂putupwith忍受oceanographern.海洋學(xué)者aquaticadj.makeupn.組成backupn.11加侖的Corexit9500分散劑。環(huán)保署在一份中稱:“我們想確保英石油公司所使用的分散劑，是經(jīng)后毒性最22的危害，此危害遠大于分散劑或者石油自身。覺——他們對待此問題上傾其所有，卻沒有尋求科學(xué)上的支持?！钡?篇-人口就業(yè)類（選自《》2014年3月Africanbusinessesarereluctantemployers.AgivenfirminSub-SaharanAfricatypicallyhas24%fewerpeopleonitsbooksthanequivalentfirmselsewhere,accordingtoarecentpaperfromtheCentreforGlobalDevelopment(CGD),athink basedinWashington,DC.Giventhelinksbetweenemploymentanddevelopment,economistswanttofigureoutthereasonsfortheshortfall.Thestudycalculatesthemissingjobsbycrunchinginformationon41,000formalbusinessesgloballyfromaWorldBanksurvey.ThedatacaptureonlyasliverofwhatactuallyhappensinAfrica:nineintenworkershaveaninformaljob.Shunnedbytheformalsector,workersturntobelow-the-radaremployment—toilingonfamilyfarmsorotherwisebeyond ernment’sreach.ButabiginformalsectormakesitforAfricatoreducepoverty,evenwheneconomicgrowthisstrong.Increasesin ontheproductionsideoftheeconomytranslateweaklyintohigherwagesforworkers.IndeedtherelationshipbetweeneconomicgrowthandpovertyreductionisweakerinAfricathananyotherdeveloregion.SeveralfactorsexinAfricanbosses’reluctancetotakeonnewworkers.Oneisthatfirmstendtobeyoungerthanelsewhere,butevenolderoneshavefeweremployees.Morebroadly,Africa’sbureweredesperatetododgetheattentionsofbureaucratsandthusavoidedtakingonnewworkers.Highunitlabourcostsarealsoculpable.EmployingpeopleinAfricashouldbecheap,giventhatmanyofitscountrieshaverock-bottom elevels.YetinhalfofAfricancountrieslaboursinessclimatediscourageshiring.ernmentofficialsinsearchoftaxesandbribestendtochaselargefirms,ratherthansmallones,saysVijayaRamachandranofCGD,becausetheyareconsideredmorelikelytocoughup.ThemanagersofNigerienandLiberianfirmswithmorethan100employeesspend14%longerdealingwithernmentofficialsthansmallerpeers.ArecentstudyfromSouthAfricarevealedthatbossesthecostsarehigherthanin becauseworkersarelessproductive.Theyarenearly80%higherinAfricathanthoseinothercountriesatsimilarlevelsof e.Thatlowerscompetitivenessandmakeshiringlesslikely.Economistsdisagreeaboutthepossiblecausesofthis.Redtapeandunionisationmayberesponsible,thoughonaverageindicatorsoflabour-marketregulationarenodifferentinAfricathanelsewhere.Nonethelesstherearehorrorstories.A2012reportonSouthAfrica,whichlaystheblameongreedyunions,calculatesthattheaverageemployeeatEskom,astateownedelectricityutility,earns40%moreintermsofpurchasing-powerparitythanaGermanprofessor.Africa’scommodity-drivenexportmodelsmaybeanothercauseoflowemployment.Four-fifthsofthecontinent’sexportrevenuesarefromcommodities.Thatcanleadtoovervaluedexchangeratesiftheirpricesrise.Thathurtsfirms’competitiveness,curbstheirgrowthandthusdiscourageshiring.(Africa’sbiginflowsofaidalsocontributetohigherrealexchangeratesbecausetheyresultinupwardpressurepricesforgoodsandservicesthatarenottradedChanginglabour-marketdynamicscouldexacerbatethejobproblem.Some250mpeopleareexpectedtojointheAfricanworkbetween2010and2050.Intheshortterm