VOA标准英语2008年-Attention Turns to Florida, South Carolina In U

By Jim Fry
Washington
22 January 2008
 

As the U.S. presidential candidates for both major parties head into a crucial two-week period of the campaign, experts say it is not clear who will emerge as the nominees¹ next fall. The upcoming contest in Florida will be key for the Republicans -- and the South Carolina Democratic party primary is seen as a must-win for Democrat² Barack Obama.  The major party candidates in the November general election are chosen state-by-state by voters in primary elections and caucuses³ [local political meetings].   VOA's Jim Fry reports.

Senator John McCain's victory Saturday in the U.S. southern state of South Carolina puts him in a strong position heading into the upcoming Republican contests.  This victory was in a state dominated by religious conservatives. He said, "I will not let you down, so help me God."

Former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee trailed -- in what was his third straight loss since winning Iowa early this month.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁴ Romney pointed⁵ to the future as he won a lesser⁶ contest Saturday in the western U.S. state of Nevada. "And then comes super, duper Tuesday -- I guess they call it coming up on February 5th.  I'll be back out this way, California is huge.  There are a few Californians here -- Whew!" Romney said.

Florida Republicans will vote next week [Tuesday, January 29th].  Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, once considered the national frontrunner, has dropped in public opinion polls recently after he staked his campaign on the Florida vote.

"And are we going to win Florida?" Giuliani asked supporters,  "YA!" they cheered. "Thank you.  God bless you," he added.

Florida will award to the winner the largest group of Republican national convention delegates so far.

Saturday in South Carolina, independent voters joined party regulars at the polls, as was also the case in New Hampshire and Iowa.  But Florida and many of the other 22 states voting in two weeks will only allow party regulars to vote. 

Republican strategist Michael Dowd says, "I think Florida is really the first true signal going into February 5th of where this race may end up."

Leading Democratic Party candidates are aiming their appeal this week at African American voters.  Barack Obama marched in a South Carolina event Monday commemorating⁷ the slain⁸ civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Junior. About half of the Democratic voters in the state's Saturday primary are black.

A South Carolina minister, Charles Jackson, says blacks could be lining⁹ up behind the black U.S. senator. "A lot of it has to do with the viability¹⁰ of Obama.  The win in Iowa sort of made it seem a bit more legitimate¹¹ and a bit more real for many voters."

Senator Hillary Clinton spoke¹² at Monday's South Carolina rally, recalling her childhood church trip to see King speak. She won Saturday's Nevada Democratic Party caucuses [local political meetings]. 

Government studies professor Michael Fauntroy is watching racial voting patterns. "People are looking past race.  And they're really looking at the person that can best-- can keep this country going and improve things," Fauntroy said.

On Saturday, Clinton told reporters, "This is one step on a long journey thoughout the country as we put our cases forward." 

Political analysts¹³ say it could be weeks before a candidate from either party can win enough delegates from each state to  be assured of the nomination¹⁴.

1 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

2 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。

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 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

7 commemorating   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网

8 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

9 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

10 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

12 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。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

14 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。