VOA标准英语2010年-Obama State of the Union Speech Focuse

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Americans to overcome a deficit¹ of trust in government and work together to solve a damaged economy and other problems.  The economy was high on the president's list of priorities in his annual State of the Union address Wednesday night. 

Mr. Obama acknowledged that many Americans are frustrated² and angry, doubting whether he can deliver the change he promised in his 2008 campaign.  But he said change is not easy, and he will continue to pursue it.

"We do not quit.  I do not quit.  Let us seize this moment-to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more," he said.

In his hour-long speech before both houses of Congress, the president several times confronted the public anger that has caused his approval ratings to slide.

"We have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now.  We face a deficit of trust-deep and corrosive³ doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years," he said.

Much of Americans' frustration⁴ concerns the nation's stubborn 10-percent unemployment rate.  Mr. Obama called for a number of initiatives to address the problem and urged the Senate to join the House of Representatives in passing a second jobs bill.

 "People are out of work.  They are hurting.  They need our help.  And, I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay," he said.

Among the president's economic goals are doubling U.S. exports in five years and freezing most domestic government spending for three years, starting in 2011.

Mr. Obama also urged Democratic lawmakers not to abandon the effort to reform the U.S. health care system, one of his administration's main priorities.

"Do not walk away from reform.  Not now.  Not when we are so close.  Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people," he said.

On foreign policy, President Obama again pledged to remove all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of August. "But make no mistake: this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home," Mr. Obama said.

He also said he is confident the United States will succeed in the war in Afghanistan and that diplomatic efforts are helping⁵ isolate⁶ Iran and North Korea for their pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The Republican Party's response to the president's speech came from the governor of the state of Virginia, Bob McDonnell.  He said Democrats⁷ are spending too much and causing an unsustainable level of debt.

"What government should not do is pile on more taxation⁸, regulation and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class," McDonnell said.

He also said Americans want affordable⁹ health care, but do not want the government to run it.

McDonnell is one of several Republicans who recently won elections in states the Democrats swept in 2008.

 

1 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。

2 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 corrosive   

adj.腐蚀性的；有害的；恶毒的

参考例句：

• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry.核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。
• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry.核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。

4 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

7 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》

8 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

9 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。