VOA慢速英语2020--Phrasal Verbs and Elections

 

You may have heard or read news stories about the recent elections in the United States. The voting ended last Tuesday, November 3. That night and in the days that followed, Americans and people all over the world watched the news for election results.

These news stories will be the subject of our Everyday Grammar report today. We will explore part of English grammar that is important to understanding stories about elections: phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs and elections

Phrasal verbs are groups of words. They combine a verb and another short word, as in the term look up. Look up means to search for information in a book or on a computer.

Here is something important to remember: phrasal verbs have a meaning that is different from what the individual words suggest.

After the U.S. elections, you probably heard or read many phrasal verbs in news stories. Today we will consider three of them: go on, pick up, and catch up.

#1 Go on

The first phrasal verb is "go on." In the hours after Election Day, many Americans asked themselves, "What is going on with the election results?"

According to language expert Norbert Schmitt, "go on" is the most common phrasal verb in the English language.

"Go on" has several meanings, but by far the most common is "happening or taking place."

Schmitt estimates "go on" has this meaning over 60 percent of the time that it is used.

So, how was "go on" used in stories about the election?

Consider these words in a story from CNN, the U.S.-based broadcaster. CNN's website published the report at the end of last week.

"Six states remain too close to call. Here's why the vote count is still going on in key states."

In other words, the writer wanted to explain why the vote count is still happening in six states.

#2 Pick up

The second phrasal verb is the term "pick up."

For our program today, "pick up" is somewhat unusual. This is because its most common usage has little to do with its meaning with respect to elections.

Schmitt estimates that around 70 percent of the time you hear or read "pick up," it means to get or take somebody or something from a place. So, you might "pick up" or lift a stone from the ground.

But with respect to elections, "pick up" has a different meaning. You might read about a political party trying to "pick up" votes in a congressional district or legislative¹ area. "Pick up," in this case, means to earn or gain something. It does not mean to get or take something from a place.

Consider this example from The Guardian² newspaper. It describes how the two main political parties are fighting for control of Congress:

"The Republicans looked to pick up a handful of seats in the House of Representatives, with Democrats³ holding the majority."

#3 Catch up

Our third phrasal verb is "catch up." Often, "catch up" describes what happens in a race: when someone who is behind reaches the person in the lead.

So, you might hear someone at a motor car race say, "Driver A is catching⁴ up to Driver B!"

This same idea is true in elections. Candidates look to "catch up." But they "catch up" in terms of votes, not in terms of distance.

One CNN report used the phrasal verb "catch up" to describe results in the presidential race between former Vice⁵ President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump⁶.

"Joe Biden is not only winning — meaning building his lead — but that lopsided advantage makes it harder and harder, more difficult by the vote count for Donald Trump to catch up," said CNN's John King.

Closing thoughts

Today, we explored phrasal verbs that are often used in reports on elections. Understanding these expressions will help you understand such stories.

Try using the phrasal verbs we talked about the next time you write or speak English. And be sure to listen carefully for them when watching the news.

Little by little, phrasal verbs will become clearer and easier for you.

Words in This Story

grammar – n. the system and structure of a language

with respect to – expression about or concerning (something or someone); in relation to (something or someone)

lopsided – adj. uneven⁷ or unequal

advantage – n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others

1 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

2 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

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 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

5 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。

6 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

7 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。