Sentence examples for a benchmark of progress from inspiring English sources

Re "A Benchmark of Progress, Electrical Grid Fails Iraqis" ("What Is Left Behind" series, front page, Aug. 2): Before the United States disengagement from Iraq, some in the administration devoted a fair amount of deliberation over the nature and type of United States government support for the renewal of the Iraqi electricity sector.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md). said the goals outlined yesterday "will serve as a benchmark of progress to ensure accountability". Some of Obama's plans are aimed at working-class citizens; one would expand COBRA, the temporary health-care program that newly unemployed workers can get when they lose their health insurance.

(One slightly odd note: Petraeus cited, as a benchmark of progress, the security of Kabul, saying, in the Times's words, that in 2009 "there was talk of the capital's falling to the insurgents". How near a thing was that? And are we winning because the capital isn't falling? It is as hard here as everywhere to judge just how well things are going in Afghanistan).

IRAQ'S OIL: Democratic leaders in Congress have joined the White House in declaring passage of a proposed Iraqi oil law as a "benchmark" of progress.

You are strongly encouraged to take the yearly 'in training' Pediatric Nephrology Exam as a benchmark of your progress.

"If it's an indicator, and a benchmark, of the progress made over the last 12 months then that's great.

President Bush set enactment of a national oil law that centralizes development and ensures an equitable division of the profits as a key benchmark of progress.

While few expect the process to be perfect, electing a new president to replace the two-term Hamid Karzai has become a crucial benchmark of progress.

They can provide a useful benchmark of progress, especially for children (or their parents!), and some adults like the focus or personal challenge that exams offer.

"If you want to take sort of a benchmark of how we've progressed over 20 years, it would be that this went more unrecognized than you might have expected it to," said Mr. Powers, the university's president.

GB Boxing's performance director Rob McCracken, who selected the five-strong European squad, said: "It will provided a benchmark of how they are progressing in the build-up to 2012.