VOA慢速英语20061111a

IN THE NEWS - His Party Defeated in Congress, President Bush Awaits the Report of the Iraq Study GroupBy

Broadcast: Saturday, November 11, 2006

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

November eleventh is Veterans Day, when Americans honor those who serve
Congresswoman Pelosi meets with President Bush

d in the military. Some Americans think the best way to honor the troops in Iraq is to bring them home. Others think more troops should be sent to deal with the violence. But many Americans say that after three-and-a-half years of war, something has to change.

Next week, President Bush plans to meet with members of the Iraq Study Group. This group is led by former Secretary of State James Baker¹ and former Congressman² Lee Hamilton. Mister Bush says he expects to receive proposals for a way forward.

He also announced the resignation of Defense³ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Many Democrats⁵ and some Republicans had called for Secretary Rumsfeld to be replaced. The president has chosen former central intelligence director Bob Gates as the new defense secretary. Senate confirmation⁶ is needed.

Mister Bush made the announcement Wednesday, a day after Republicans lost midterm elections. He said he recognized that many Americans voted to show their displeasure at the lack of progress in Iraq. But he also said he believed that most Americans and leaders from both parties understand we cannot accept defeat.

Republicans took a beating in the congressional elections for Mister Bush's last two years in office. He called it a thumping⁷.

Democrats have not controlled both houses of Congress since nineteen ninety-four.

In the House of Representatives, the job of speaker will go to the current minority leader, Nancy Pelosi of California. She will be the first woman to hold the third-highest office after the president and vice⁸ president.

Nancy Pelosi says the Democrats will demand changes on Iraq. She says they will also deal quickly with other problems facing Americans. She promised what she called the most honest and open Congress in history.

Harry⁹ Reid of Nevada is expected to become the majority leader in the Senate.

In the Senate, the Democrats will hold a one-vote majority. And in the House their majority will not be so large as to avoid the need for cooperation with Republicans. And cooperation is what the president and the new Democratic leaders have promised.

The one hundred tenth Congress will open in January. But Mister Bush noted¹⁰ that the existing Congress still has a lot of unfinished business.

In general, voting went smoothly¹¹ on Election Day, but there were some reports of trouble with electronic voting equipment.

Voter studies by news organizations showed that the Republicans held the support of their conservative base. But they lost votes among Latinos and some other groups. Gains with independents and moderates helped push the Democrats to victory.

In Minnesota, Democrat⁴ Keith Ellison was elected the first black congressman from that state. He will be the first Muslim to serve in Congress.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. For a more detailed¹² report on the elections, listen Monday at this time for THIS IS AMERICA. I'm Steve Ember.

1 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

2 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 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》

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 thumping   

adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持

参考例句：

• Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

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。

9 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。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

12 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。