英语听力精选进阶版 6165

Obama Unveils the "First Puppy" " 第一犬" 亮相

The world has been watching US President Barack Obama closely since he took office in January this year to see whether he makes good on his promises about the economy, foreign policy and health care.

But closer to home, he has also been under pressure from his two daughters to keep one particular pledge: to give them a new dog as a reward for coping with his election campaign.

On Tuesday the nation's hotly-anticipated "first puppy" was unveiled. Named Bo, the shaggy-haired pooch is a six-month-old Portuguese¹ water dog which is black with a white chest, white goatee and white paws.

"He's got star quality" said President Obama as he and his family paraded the dog on the White House lawn in front of reporters.

He then joked, "I finally got a friend. It took some time," referring to Harry² Truman's famous line, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

The breed of dog is special in that it doesn't shed hair, and so is less aggravating³ to his 10-year-old daughter Malia who suffers from allergies⁴.

Water dogs are also bred to be strong swimmers and even have webbed feet, but as seven-year-old daughter Sasha pointed⁵ out to reporters, "He doesn't know how to swim."

And while it may be the nation's "first puppy", President Obama left reporters in no doubt about who was top dog in the household. When asked where Bo would sleep, Obama replied "Not in my bed".

The dog was a gift from close family friend Senator Edward Kennedy. He said the breed would be a "perfect fit for the Obama family", as the dogs have a "can-do and hopeful spirit".

GLOSSARY 词汇表

took office 就任/上任

makes good on his promises 兑现承诺

foreign policy 外交政策

keep (one particular) pledge 信守（某一个）诺言

election campaign 竞选运动

hotly-anticipated 人们急切关注的

puppy 小狗

unveiled 公开，揭开

shaggy-haired pooch 毛发蓬松的小狗

goatee 山羊胡子

paraded 展示

breed 种类

shed hair 掉毛

aggravating 加重（病情）

allergies 过敏症

webbed feet 蹼足

top dog 主要人物，头面人物

household （整个）家庭

perfect fit 完美的搭配

can-do 能做到（的态度）

1 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

2 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

3 aggravating   

adj.恼人的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• How aggravating to be interrupted! 被打扰，多令人生气呀！
• Diesel exhaust is particularly aggravating to many susceptible individuals. 许多体质敏感的人尤其反感柴油废气。

4 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

5 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。