VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Confers with US Governors on Eco

President Barack Obama, left, speaks to members of the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House, 22 Feb. 2010

U.S. President Barack Obama is turning to the nation's governors for help in meeting his domestic priorities.  State leaders came to the White House for closed-door discussions on the economy, health care and education.

The private meeting began with a few public remarks by the president, in which he focused on issues of vital interest to the governors.  He said they are working together to rebuild the economy, after a series of emergency measures to end the recession and help key industries survive.

Mr. Obama said he understands the toll¹ the recession took on state governments that found themselves with less tax revenue and a rising need for services.

"Overall, the economy is in a better place than it was a year ago," he said. "We were contracting by six percent.  We are now growing by six percent.  But I know that your states are still in a very tough situation and too many Americans still have not felt the recovery in their own lives."

The president spoke² about ongoing³ efforts to create jobs.  He also talked about actions to put America on a stronger economic footing in the future, by improving education standards across the country.

He said America's "primacy in the world" is at stake.

"I do not accept a United States of America that is second place," he said.  "That means that all of us have to work together to make sure that we are taking seriously the investments we make in our children's future."

States and local governments provide most of the funding for the nation's schools. 

Mr. Obama offered help.  He said he wants to change existing law so the federal government can give states aid for poor students.   But he said the money would come with strings⁴ attached.

"We will ask all states to put in place a plan to adopt and certify⁵ standards that are college and career-ready in reading and math," he said.  

The president said he wants a dialogue with states on education reform.  He said he also wants to hear ideas from the governors on improving the nation's health-care system to improve access and affordability⁶.

Just moments before he opened the meeting with the governors, the White House released a new set of proposals for health-care reform.

With reform efforts effectively stalled in the Senate, Mr. Obama has invited Congressional leaders from both major political parties to a meeting Thursday to try to get the process moving again. 

Republican lawmakers appear skeptical⁷, but Republican governors say they are sharing ideas with their Democratic counterparts on the state level.

"We hope as this debate goes forward we will have a chance to meet with you and your administration and the Congressional ideas that work that states can implement⁸, so we can all work together," said Republican Jim Douglas of Vermont, Chairman of the National Governors Association. 

Douglas said governors are approaching the issue in a bipartisan way.  He said they all want to improve the health and well-being⁹ of their constituents¹⁰.
 

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 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。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

5 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

6 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

7 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

8 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

9 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

10 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》