VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-03-18 Republicans Aim to Take the White House in 2016 共和党计划在2016年入主白宫

 

AS IT IS 2014-03-18 Republicans Aim to Take the White House in 2016 共和党计划在2016年入主白宫

Hello, again, and welcome.  I’m Jim Tedder² in Washington.  On today’s program, we are talking U.S. politics.  There are many people who want to be president of the United States.  But, of course, not everyone can be.  That is why there is a long process through which political parties choose candidates for the nation’s highest office.  The process can easily begin as early as two and a half years before the presidential election. 

The leading parties hold primary elections and caucuses³ to help reduce the number of candidates.  Then the party’s nominee⁴ is officially named at a national convention or meeting.

The next US presidential election is still more than two years away.  But some of the possible candidates are starting to organize their campaigns.  Today Milagros Ardin looks at the race for the presidential nomination⁵ in the Republican Party.

For the first time in many years, there appears to be no clear leader for the Republican nomination.  At this early date, there are some individuals who are at least considering a run for the White House.  Among them is Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.  He recently won a test vote at a meeting of conservative activists⁶.  The senator is a strong critic of President Barack Obama.

“We will challenge you in the courts.  We will battle you at the ballot⁷ box.  Mr. President, we will not let you shred⁸ our Constitution!”

Senator Paul is likely to have plenty of competitors.  One of them is another Senator, Ted¹ Cruz of Texas.

“People are hurting, tragically⁹, and we need to turn this country around.  We did it in 1980 with a grass roots movement that became the Reagan Revolution, and let me tell you, the same thing is happening all over today.”

Senators Cruz and Paul are popular with Tea Party activists.  The Tea Party has been a force within the Republican Party ever since it helped the Republicans win control of the House of Representatives in 2010.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has urged Republican leaders not to forget the importance of the Tea Party.

“You know that 2010 election victory that swept you into power?  You didn’t build that.  The Tea Party did!”

Carroll Doherty is with the Pew Research Center in Washington, DC.  He says the split within the Republican Party will play out during the US congressional elections later this year.

“The Republican Party is going through a lot of turmoil¹⁰ and a bit of division.  They are struggling to find their way a bit as parties out of power are often in this position.  Democrats have been in this position in the past.”

Some Republicans say there is nothing to fear from all the divisive talk.  Wisconsin Congressman¹¹ Paul Ryan was the party’s vice¹² presidential candidate in 2012. 

“It’s Tea Party versus¹³ establishment, libertarians versus social conservatives.  There is infighting, conflict, backbiting¹⁴, discord¹⁵.  Look, I’m Irish.  That is my idea of a family reunion.”

Paul Ryan is also seen as possible candidate for the presidency¹⁶ in 2016.  Another is New Jersey¹⁷ Governor Chris Christie.

“We don’t get to govern if we don’t win.  And it is not only bad when we don’t get to govern because we don’t get to mold and change our society.  What is worse is they do and they are doing it to us right now.”

But Carroll Doherty of the Pew Research Center says, for the first time in years, there is no clear Republican frontrunner.

“I really think it is going to be interesting.  There is no heir to the throne, as it were, as there often is in Republican races.  It is a wide open race.”

It is a different story for the Democratic Party.  Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains¹⁸ a strong favorite in 2016 -- if she decides to run.  I’m Milagros Ardin.

We would like your opinion.  Send us a letter or an email and tell us who you think will be the next leader of the United States after President Barack Obama’s term ends.

Human Rights Plays a Part in Birth Control

Now we turn to something a little more personal.  The World Health Organization says human rights must be respected and protected when women seek birth control services.  The WHO recently produced new guidance on the subject for policymakers and healthcare providers.  The guidelines were released earlier this month in connection with International Women’s Day.  Bob Doughty¹⁹ has more.

The WHO estimates that more than 220 million women are not able to meet their needs for birth control.  It says the most threatened are poor women, those living with HIV and women displaced by armed conflict or other causes.

Marleen Temmerman directs the WHO’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research. She praises the fact that the words “human rights” are included in the name of the WHO guidance statement.

 

“It is the first time that there is a guidance from the WHO where human rights is actually in the title – and not only in the title, but also in the content of the guidelines.  We have guidelines for contraceptive use ((birth control)) from a medical perspective, looking at what is safe –what are the medical eligibility²⁰ criteria²¹ – what are the contraindications and so on.  But now we have worked towards ensuring human rights in the contraceptive guidelines.”

The WHO has been developing the guidelines for the past year.  Doctor Temmerman says a number of women’s needs should receive special attention. 

“We want to make sure that the human rights principles such as acceptability, accessibility, affordability²² choice, informed consent are high in the guidelines.”

The guidelines suggest providing sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls.  They include family planning information and methods to prevent pregnancy²³.  Dr. Temmerman notes that reducing deaths of mothers involving childbirth is fifth on the list of the Millennium²⁴ Development Goals.  And she says politicians have been giving more attention to birth control in their policy planning in recent years. 

“And that, of course, is linked to better care, better antenatal care, better delivery care, but also to the rights of a woman to decide when she will get pregnant – how many children she wants.” 

The doctor says millions of women must seek permission from their husbands to get help with birth control.  At the same time, teenage girls need permission from their parents or guardians²⁵.  Many young boys also need to have modern contraception help.

Dr. Temmerman says many women are forced into their decisions about whether to become pregnant – or not. Family members, the community and cultural and religious barriers may make these decisions for them.   And she says some governments order women to have tubal ligation surgeries.  These operations make a woman unable to bear children.

She further says teenage girls who become pregnant may face severe threats.  The WHO estimates that 16 million girls between ages 15 and 19 give birth each year.  This happens mostly in countries where the majority of people do not earn much money. 

Many pregnant adolescent girls face dangerous conditions and death.  Dr. Temmerman called this, a “huge health burden.”  I’m Bob Doughty.

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 tedder   

n.（干草）翻晒者，翻晒机

参考例句：

• Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆？特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
• Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆？泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网

3 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 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。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

8 shred   

v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少

参考例句：

• There is not a shred of truth in what he says.他说的全是骗人的鬼话。
• The food processor can shred all kinds of vegetables.这架食品加工机可将各种蔬菜切丝切条。

9 tragically   

adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地

参考例句：

• Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。
• Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。

10 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

11 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。

12 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。

13 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

14 backbiting   

背后诽谤

参考例句：

• You should refrain your tongue from backbiting. 你不要背后诽谤人。
• Refrain your tongue from backbiting. 不要在背后中伤人家。

15 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

16 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

17 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

18 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

19 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

20 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

21 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

22 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

23 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

24 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

25 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。