流利美国口语6.4

W: So here we are, at the beginning of a new century. Looking back on the past century, I feel many things are incredible.

M: You can say that again. A century ago, who would ever imagine that cars, TVs, telephones, cell phones, walkmans, helicopters, submarines, air-buses would be taken for granted.

W: It is breath taking when you think that the economy of many countries in the world has advanced with such leaps and bounds.

M: And the economy of various nations of the world would become so interdependent in the global village.

W: How true? Who would anticipate that so many Chinese civil projects are under the co-operation of so many foreigners from so many different countries of the world?

Dialogue 2.

W: Hi, Yegan. How is your immigration life in the US?

M: Oh, couldn’t be better, Sharley. I found a job as assistant analyst¹ and my wife is happy with her new career. Our little son Tiger enjoys his life in the kindergarten. He even doesn’t want to go back home in the afternoon.

W: How much did you make last year?

M: My gross income was 50,000 dollars, but after deductions² the tax book income came to 30,000 dollars.

W: Is your salary enough to cover your running expenses there?

M: Sure, living is cheap here and we’ve bought a new car recently. Come here soon and we will take you to the beautiful places around here. The landscape is so fantastic.

W: Thanks, and I sure will.

Dialogue 3.

W: It was said that television helped the late president J.F. Kennedy win his presidential election.

M: It’s the truth. The poll showed that Nixon had gained the lead. But after the un-president TV debate between the presidential candidates, Nixon was out-shone by the impressive vigor³ and by talent of J.F.K, and finally gave up his position to J.F.K.

W: What a shame.

M: By the way, do you think the White House is safer than some 50 years ago?

W: Sure, they have tightened⁴ up security there after the shooting down of a helicopter on the White House lawn in 1974, and several incidents where gunmen fired shots at the White House in 1994. There are patrolling secret service officers along the side walk, television cameras and motion detectors⁵ nearby, and even sniffers on the White House roof.

M: Now that the security is so visible, the president is safe when he is in the White House complex.

W: Right on.

Exercise.

1. The government should give priority to the problem of financial deficit⁶.

2. Prices are fluctuating.

3. The production of cars has tripled in these 2 years.

4. Who won the presidential election?

5. Tax evasion⁷ is a kind of crime.

6. The chief executive of the United States is the president who together with the vice-president is elected to a four-year term with only 2 terms.

7. The federal government of the United States when it was first designed set up a central system with a strong government.

8. The judicial⁸ branch is headed by the supreme⁹ court.

9. The legislative¹⁰ branch is made up of elected representatives from all of the states. It consists of a congress that is divided into 2 houses, the house of representatives and the senate.

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 deductions   

扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演

参考例句：

• Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现，而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。
• You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促，毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。

3 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

4 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

5 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

6 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。

7 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

8 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。