VOA慢速英语2009年-IN THE NEWS - Sotomayor Likely to Gain Sea

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor appears headed for confirmation¹ to the United States Supreme² Court. The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings this week to consider her nomination³ by President Obama.
　
Judge Sotomayor talks with top Republican on the Senate judiciary Committee Jeff Sessions before Thursday's hearing

The nomination is expected to reach the full Senate for a vote before the Democratic-controlled Congress leaves for its August break.

The Supreme Court begins its new term in October. Judge Sotomayor would replace retired⁴ Justice David Souter. She would be the first Hispanic and third woman ever to serve on the court.

Some of the questions at the hearing dealt with comments she made in the past. Much attention has centered on a two thousand one speech when she said: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

She told the senators that she regretted the comments. She said she does "not permit personal views, sympathies or prejudices to influence the outcome of cases."

SONIA SOTOMAYOR: "I do not believe that any ethnic⁵, racial or gender⁶ group has an advantage in sound judging."

She faced three days of intense questioning. Then the committee heard from a list of people invited by Democrats⁷ and Republicans.

Some, like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, came to support her.

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: "As a former prosecutor⁸, commercial litigator, district court judge and appellate judge, she certainly brings a wealth of unique experience."

Others, like Linda Chavez from the Center for Equal Opportunity, spoke⁹ against her.

LINDA CHAVEZ: "The record is clear. Identity politics is at the core of Judge Sotomayor's self-definition."

Another witness was Frank Ricci, a firefighter from New Haven¹⁰, Connecticut.
　
Firefighter Frank Ricci speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday

FRANK RICCI: "Americans have the right to go into our federal courts and have their cases judged based on the Constitution and our laws, not on politics or personal feelings."

Frank Ricci was among a group of white and Hispanic firefighters who sued the city for discrimination. They were denied higher positions because not enough minorities had passed the tests. Judge Sotomayor and two other federal appeals court judges supported the city's decision. But the Supreme Court recently overturned that ruling.

Judge Sotomayor says the ruling followed established law. Even two Republican senators agreed that her rulings have generally been in what they called the mainstream¹¹.

Like past nominees¹², Judge Sotomayor avoided offering opinions on major issues in society. She said doing so could be seen as pre-judging cases that the Supreme Court might consider.

She has began a federal judge for seventeen years. If confirmed, she will be the only one on the court who was a trial judge.

Her hearing was not the only big story in Washington this week. President Obama has been urging Congress to pass health care legislation before its August recess¹³. But he faces growing objections to the estimated costs.

On Thursday the head of the Congressional Budget Office reported that current proposals would sharply expand federal spending on health care.

The president, in a brief statement at the White House Friday afternoon, restated his goal of health care reform this year.

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

1 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。

2 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。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 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。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

7 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》

8 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

11 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

12 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

13 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。