VOA标准英语2008年-Republicans Await First National Speech by McCa

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's running mate, little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, is expected to introduce herself to the nation in a speech later Wednesday at the Republican National Convention. In advance of the address, leading Republican women are defending Palin and accusing the news media of bias¹, amid a flurry of news reports raising questions about the governor's record, experience and family. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from St. Paul, Minnesota, which is hosting the convention.
　

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (file photo)

Sarah Palin, the first-ever woman to be named to a Republican presidential ticket, is a staunch social conservative with a colorful persona. But last week's initial media excitement over her surprise choice as Senator McCain's running mate has given way to questions about her experience in national and international affairs. A growing wave of controversy² has also surrounded the governor, from word of her unwed teenage daughter's pregnancy³ to her initial backing of a much-derided federal project in Alaska.

Amid the numerous press reports scrutinizing⁴ her, Republicans are going on the offensive. At a news conference at the convention site, prominent Republican women said Sarah Palin is being unfairly demonized by what they called biased⁵ news media. Former U.S. Treasurer⁶ Rosario Marin criticized political commentators⁷, who she says have questioned the wisdom of Palin accepting the vice⁸ presidential nomination⁹ when she has an infant with Downs Syndrome¹⁰ to care for.

"I am offended and insulted that the media has made much to do about that, [saying] 'how dare she run for vice president when she has a child with a disability'," said Rosario Marin.

Earlier, in a conference call with reporters, McCain campaign chairman Rick Davis complained of unfair news media treatment of Governor Palin and the Republican ticket as a whole.

"Certainly, her [Palin's] record deserves scrutiny¹¹," said Rick Davis. "But I think we ought to look at her record. The salacious nature with which these [news] outlets¹² have tried to throw dirt at our candidate have been, I think, inappropriate."

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has also received harsh media scrutiny over past comments seen as belittling¹³ poor rural Americans, as well as for his relationship with a controversial pastor¹⁴ who, in his sermons, uttered remarks many considered to be anti-American.

Palin's address to the Republican National Convention is expected to draw a large national audience. The evening's speakers will also include three of Senator McCain's former challengers during the Republican primary season: former Massachusetts governor Mitt¹⁵ Romney, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The themes for the night's speeches are "reform and prosperity."
　

Senator Barack Obama campaigning in Ohio, 03 Sep 2008

As with Tuesday's convention speeches, Wednesday's addresses are expected to be highly partisan¹⁶, drawing sharp contrasts with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. At a campaign event in Ohio, Obama responded to Tuesday's Republican convention speeches that questioned his judgment¹⁷ on national security and foreign affairs.

"You did not hear a single word about the economy," said Barack Obama. "Not once did people [Republicans] mention the hardships people are going through. Not once did they mention how to keep jobs in Ohio. Not once did they mention what is to be done about all the retirees losing their pensions. Not once did they mention how to make sure people [can] stay in their homes."

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested outside the convention center over the last two days. Demonstrations¹⁸ are expected to continue for the remainder of the convention, which culminates¹⁹ Thursday with Senator McCain's acceptance speech.

1 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 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。

4 scrutinizing   

v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His grandfather's stern eyes were scrutinizing him, and Chueh-hui felt his face reddening. 祖父的严厉的眼光射在他的脸上。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• The machine hushed, extraction and injection nozzles poised, scrutinizing its targets. 机器“嘘”地一声静了下来，输入输出管道各就各位，检查着它的目标。 来自互联网

5 biased   

a.有偏见的

参考例句：

• a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
• The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

6 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

7 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 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。

10 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

11 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

12 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 belittling   

使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We must be realistic in our self-estimation, neither being conceited nor belittling ourselves. 我们对自己的估计应该实事求是， 不要自高自大，也不要妄自菲薄。
• I find it belittling to be criticized by someone so much younger than me. 有个比我年轻许多的人批评了我，我觉得是小看了我。

14 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

15 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。

16 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

17 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

18 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

19 culminates   

v.达到极点( culminate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Each civilization is born, it culminates, and it decay. 各种文明都要历经诞生，鼎盛和衰落。 来自《用法词典》
• The tower culminates in a 40-foot spire. 这塔的顶端是一个40英尺高的塔尖。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》