VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Reassures Public on Economic Revival

U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States will emerge from uncertain economic times stronger than before. In his first speech to a joint¹ session of Congress, the president made the case for his economic policies.

It was a night of pure political theatre on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers crammed² around the aisles³ of the House chamber⁴ as President Obama slowly made his way to the podium to address Congress and the nation.
　
President Obama speaks before US Congress, 24 Feb 2009

"I've come here tonight not only to address the distinguished⁵ men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly⁶ and directly to the men and women who sent us here," he said.

Mr. Obama tried to strike a delicate balance - talking about the economic problems facing the United States in stark⁷ terms, while reassuring⁸ a recession-weary American public that better days lie ahead.

He said after a decade of economic recklessness, America's day of reckoning has arrived.

"We have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter and the next election," he added.

But he said the United States can and will rebound⁹, saying the economic crisis, though severe, must not determine the nation's destiny.

"While our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: we will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States will emerge stronger than before," he said.

President Obama said the stimulus¹⁰ plan he signed last week is a first step. But he said it is not enough - citing the need for further action in the areas of health care, energy and education.

He acknowledged money is tight, and tough decisions lie ahead, but he stressed key priorities can be funded, if ineffective programs are cut.

To that end, Mr. Obama said his administration has already identified two trillion dollars in savings¹¹ over the next decade - from agriculture to defense¹².

"We'll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq, and reform our defense budget so that we're not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don't use," he explained.

But the president said his new budget will make an increased investment in military manpower - increasing the number of soldiers and Marines. And while the primary thrust of his speech was the economy, he paused briefly¹³ to speak about overcoming a deficit¹⁴ of trust abroad.
　
Vice¹⁵ President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi talk behind President Barack Obama during his address to a joint session of Congress, 24 Feb 2009

He reaffirmed his determination to close the U.S. detention¹⁶ center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and said the United States does not torture.

"In words and deeds, we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threat to this country alone, but the world cannot meet them without America," he added.

Although the event had all the trappings of a State of the Nation Address, Mr. Obama chose to forgo¹⁷ the detailed¹⁸ status report on policies and programs. Like many new presidents, his first speech before Congress had a more narrow focus and was simply called a speech to the nation.

The Republican response was delivered by Bobby Jindal, the popular young governor of the state of Louisiana. He talked of bipartisanship, but signaled Republicans will only go so far.
　
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal giving the Republican response to President Obama's speech to the US Congress

"Where we agree, Republicans must be the president's strongest partners," he said. "And where we disagree, Republicans have a responsibility to be candid¹⁹ and offer better ideas for a path forward."

Jindal is considered a rising star in his party and a potential presidential nominee²⁰ in 2012. He is the son of immigrants from India, and like the president, he is part of a new generation that is literally²¹ changing the face of American politics.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

3 aisles   

n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊

参考例句：

• Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
• They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

6 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

7 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

8 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

9 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

10 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

11 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

14 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

15 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。

16 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

17 forgo   

v.放弃，抛弃

参考例句：

• Time to prepare was a luxuary he would have to forgo.因为时间不够，他不得不放弃做准备工作。
• She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce.只要她的父母停止争吵，她愿意放弃生日宴请。

18 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

19 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

20 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。

21 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。