VOA慢速英语 2008 1101

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The American presidential candidates are in the final weekend of campaigning for the elections on Tuesday. Barack Obama's lead has narrowed but most opinion polls still point his way.
　
John McCain shakes hands with supporters a a campaign stop Friday in Steubenville, Ohio

The Democrat¹ hopes to win states that voted for President Bush. These include big states like Ohio and Florida that John McCain must win if he has any chance for victory.

Both candidates have campaign workers and volunteers making calls and going door-to-door in neighborhoods to spread their message. In political campaigns this is called the ground war. Broadcast advertising² is the air war.
　
Barack Obama at a campaign rally Friday in Des Moines, Iowa

Another kind of advertising, and one that is often criticized, especially during mealtimes, is the robocall. Robocalls are recorded telephone messages -- like this one paid for by the McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee.

CALLER: "Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the R.N.C. because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge’s home and killed Americans. And Democrats³ will enact⁴ an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. ... "

Barack Obama and the Democrats have their own robocalls. The Campaign for Change, a project of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, paid for this one:

CALLER: "Hi, this is Jeri Watermolen, calling for the Campaign for Change. I live in Green Bay and, like you, I've been getting sleazy phone calls and mail from John McCain and his supporters viciously -- and falsely -- attacking Barack Obama. I used to support John McCain because he honorably served our country. But this year he's running a dishonorable campaign. We know McCain will continue many of Bush's policies, and now he's using George Bush's divisive tactics. ... "

Barack Obama has heavily outspent John McCain on local television ads in battleground states. His campaign also bought thirty minutes on seven national broadcast and cable networks Wednesday night. The program included stories of families struggling in difficult times, and Senator Obama talking about his proposals.

BARACK OBAMA: "I believe we need to usher⁵ in a new era of responsibility. Families are tightening⁶ their belts and so should Washington."

Nielsen Media Research estimated that almost thirty-four million people watched the Obama infomercial, or information commercial. That was more than the number that watched last season's final show on "American Idol⁷."

The presidential campaign has also produced the highest ratings in years for the NBC comedy show "Saturday Night Live." Tina Fey has gotten big laughs playing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for vice⁸ president.

Two weeks ago, the real Sarah Palin was on the show. She came on stage while the fake one was giving a "news conference."

TINA FEY: "To answer your question, you know, I don't worry about the polls. Polls are just a fancy way of systematically⁹ predicting what's going to happen. The only poll I care about is the North Pole and that is melting, it's not great ... What? The real one? Bye!"

SARAH PALIN: "Thank you, thank you, Now, I'm not going to take any of your questions, but I do want to take this opportunity to say: Live from New York, it's Saturday night!"

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I’m Steve Ember.

 

1 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。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 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》

4 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

5 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

6 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

7 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

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 systematically   

adv.有系统地

参考例句：

• This government has systematically run down public services since it took office.这一屆政府自上台以来系统地削减了公共服务。
• The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.雨林正被系统地毀灭。