Pelosi bids farewell as U.S. House Speaker

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House of Representatives（众议院） Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday conducted her last news conference as head of the House, bidding farewell as Republicans（共和党） are set to take over in the lower chamber¹.
    "House Democrats²（民主党员） will keep our focus on the creation of jobs," said Pelosi, vowing³ to "measure every policy from both parties as it comes forth⁴ as to whether it creates jobs, whether it strengthens the middle class, and whether it reduces the deficit⁵."Pelosi said Democrats will work with Republicans. She has retained her position as Democratic Leader in the House. She also indicated the Democrats will strive to preserve the healthcare reform, the signature achievement in her term as House Speaker, which the Republicans have vowed⁶ to repeal⁷.
    The first woman to lead a major party in Congress, Pelosi has represented the 8th Congressional District of California, which consists of four-fifths of the City and County of San Francisco, since 1987. After the Democrats took control of the House in 2007 and increased their majority in 2009, Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House for the 110th and 111th sessions of Congress.
    As House Speaker, she was second in line of presidential succession following the Vice⁸ President, making her the highest- ranking female politician in American history.
    After the Democrats took a beating in last year's mid-term elections, Pelosi was elected the Democratic Leader by House Democrats and is now the Minority Leader in the Republican- controlled 112th Congress. She is set to be replaced as Speaker by Republican leader John Boehner.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。