美民主党候选人最后一次辩论

 　　The three Democratic presidential candidates are holding their last debate Sunday before voters get to weigh in at caucuses¹ in Iowa.

　　Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley are meeting for the fourth time to debate the issues – this time in Charleston, South Carolina.

　　After paying tribute to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and saying they want to raise the minimum wage, create jobs and making sure there is equal pay for equal work, all three immediately clashed on the sensitive issue of gun control.

　　Clinton has been critical of Sanders' policy on gun control, accusing the senator of doing a "flip-flop" on the question of whether gun manufacturers can be sued.

　　Democrats² Hold Last Presidential Debate Before Iowa Caucuses

　　'Disingenuous³'

　　Sanders called her criticism  "disingenuous," saying he has always stood up to the gun lobby and said gun control should not be a political issue, but that a small "mom and pop" gun shop should not be sued for a legal gun sale if that weapon is used in a crime.

　　Clinton accused the senator of voting with the National Rifle Association numerous times, including supporting immunity⁴ for gun manufacturers in court.

　　But it was O'Malley who stole the spotlight⁵, when he said he has been hearing a lot of inconsistency on gun control from birth Clinton and Sanders, and that he is the only one of the three who has not changed his gun policies.

　　Health care

　　Hours before the debate, Sanders introduced a new "Medicare for All" health care plan that he says would ensure that health care is a right for every American. He said millions of Americans are still underinsured and paying too much.

　　Clinton criticized the senator, accusing him of wanting to tear up President Barack Obama's Affordable⁶ Health Care Act and start over again. She said she wants to build on the act and improve on it.

　　Sanders blamed the health insurance and pharmaceutical⁷ lobbies for keeping the cost of health care in the United States high.

　　The latest polls have Clinton and Sanders nearly tied in Iowa and give Sanders a 14 percent lead over Clinton in New Hampshire, where the first-in-the-nation primary will be held early next month.

　　A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll issued before the debate puts Clinton ahead of Sanders by 25 points nationally.

　　But Sanders pointed⁹ out that Clinton at one time had a 50-point lead.

　　O'Malley has been polling about 2 percent and Sunday's debate could be his last chance to convince voters that he should be the Democratic nominee¹⁰.

　　Republican Party polling

　　The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll also found one-third of people who said they would vote in a Republican Party primary said they favored Donald Trump¹¹, followed by Texas Senator Ted⁸ Cruz at 20 percent support, Florida Senator Marco Rubio at 13 percent and retired¹² pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 12 percent.

　　In December, Trump had led the No. 2 candidate, Cruz, by just 5 percentage points. In the new poll, his lead widened to 13 points.

1 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

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 disingenuous   

adj.不诚恳的，虚伪的

参考例句：

• It is disingenuous of him to flatter me.他对我阿谀奉承，是居心叵测。
• His brother Shura with staring disingenuous eyes was plotting to master the world.他那长着一对狡诈眼睛的哥哥瑞拉，处心积虑图谋征服整个世界。

4 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

5 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

6 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

7 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

8 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

9 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

10 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

11 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。