VOA标准英语2008年-Obama Confers with Congressional Democrats

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee¹ Barack Obama met Tuesday with majority Democrats² in the U.S House of Representatives. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, Senator Obama delivered a pep talk about the November presidential and congressional election, as his rival Republican John McCain was on the campaign trail.

Senator Obama appeared with Democratic leaders after meeting for about an hour with House Democrats.

Speaking to reporters, Obama said he believes Democrats have a good chance of strengthening their hold on Congress in November. "If the American people can feel confident that the institutions here in Washington are working for them and not on behalf of special interests, then I think this can be an incredible election, not only to elect a Democratic president but also to expand our majority in the House and expand our majority in the Senate," he said.

Obama sounded a note of bipartisanship, saying he hopes to be able to work with what he called right-minded Republicans if he is elected president.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Democrats as unified³ in their enthusiasm about Senator Obama, and their excitement about his ideas. "We had a wonderful discussion about energy infrastructure⁴, health care, America's leadership role in the world. We congratulated Senator Obama for his trip, for presenting that face of America to the world, and for his ideas to take us into the future," she said.

Representative John Larson, vice⁵ chairman of the Democratic Caucus⁶, says Obama was impressive in an hour in which House Democrats asked questions about his recent overseas trip and U.S. energy policy. "This being a moment when we have to seize the opportunity to put forward the kind of comprehensive energy policy that we are going to need to address the concerns of the country."

Jim Clyburn, the Democratic Majority Whip, said Obama also reflected on the key points he tried to communicate to an estimated 200-thousand people who heard him speak in Germany. "That to me was a seminal⁷ moment in his talk today, the fact that he is symbolic⁸ of what people want to see this country do in reclaiming⁹ its moral authority [in the world]."

Republican John McCain acknowledged, during an appearance in Nevada, that he sees himself as the underdog in the presidential race: "I think we have to assume, despite the fluctuations¹⁰ of the polls up and down, [that] I am the underdog in this race, and I am going to need every single one of you to get out there and get out the vote in Nevada and I relish¹¹ the underdog role," he said.

With Democratic and Republican nominating conventions just a few weeks away, speculation¹² is intense about who Senator Obama and Republican John McCain will choose as their vice presidential running mates.

As Obama told reporters he is eager to hit the campaign trail, McCain spent Tuesday continuing to attack his Democratic rival on a range of issues, from energy and high gasoline prices to his position on Iran.

 

1 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。

2 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》

3 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

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 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

7 seminal   

adj.影响深远的；种子的

参考例句：

• The reforms have been a seminal event in the history of the NHS.这些改革已成为英国国民保健制度史上影响深远的一件大事。
• The emperor's importance as a seminal figure of history won't be diminished.做为一个开创性历史人物的重要性是不会减弱的。

8 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

9 reclaiming   

v.开拓( reclaim的现在分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救

参考例句：

• People here are reclaiming land from the sea. 这儿的人们正在填海拓地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• How could such a man need reclaiming? 这么一个了不起的人怎么还需要别人拯救呢？ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

10 fluctuations   

波动，涨落，起伏( fluctuation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table. 他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• There were so many unpredictable fluctuations on the Stock Exchange. 股票市场瞬息万变。

11 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

12 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。