VOA常速英语2021--日本首都圈4地进入紧急状态

This is VOA news. Via remote, I'm Michael Brown. Two pivotal US Senate runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia were too close to calm as voting stretched into early Wednesday morning. The outcomes of (nikoli) closely watch contests will determine political control in the senate during the first two years of President-elect Joe Biden's term in the White House. But with roughly 98% of the vote counted in the two contests, no one was claiming victory or conceding defeat, although the votes left to be counted appear to be in the regions of the state that with heavy democratic voter turnout. Currently, Republicans controlled the 100 seat Senate with a 52-48 advantage needing to win one of the two Georgia contests to maintain their advantage and act as a bulwark¹ against Biden legislative² proposals after he is inaugurated on January 20th.

这里是美国之音新闻。我是迈克尔·布朗，为您带来远程报道。美国南部乔治亚州两次关键的参议院决选接近平静，投票一直持续到周三凌晨。此次密切关注的竞选结果将决定当选总统拜登入主白宫的头两年的参议院政治控制权。这两次选举的选票已经清点了约98%，但还胜负未定，尽管剩下的选票似乎来自美国民主党选民投票率很高的地区。目前，共和党以52对48的优势控制了100个席位的参议院，共和党需要赢得乔治亚州两次竞选中的一次，才能保持优势，并在拜登1月20日就职后成为反对立法提案的保障。

US President Donald Trump³ is expected to address supporters at a rally near the White House later today. The rally comes on the same day a congressional vote is expected to certify⁴ the electoral college results, giving Joe Biden the Presidency⁵. Trump is seeking support for his last-ditch efforts to overturn his loss to Biden. The rallies have police on alert for potential street confrontations⁶.

美国总统特朗普预计将在今天晚些时候在白宫附近的集会上向支持者发表讲话。集会举行的同一天，预计国会将投票证明选举人团投票结果，批准拜登担任总统。特朗普正孤注一掷寻求支持推翻拜登胜选。警方对此次机会可能引发的街头冲突保持警惕。

Japan is preparing to issue a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic for Tokyo and three nearby areas as cases continue to surge around the nation. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary said in the news conference Wednesday the government was considering taking effective and strong measures to tackle the risk posed by people dining out. Officials have said schools, fitness clubs, theaters are likely to stay open with social distancing measures. Japan's Health Ministry⁷ said 240,000 cases have been reported and more than 3600 deaths nationwide. Via remote, this is VOA news. 

日本正准备宣布东京和附近三个地区的冠状病毒疫情进入紧急状态，日本全国各地的新冠病例持续激增。日本内阁官房长官星期三在新闻发布会上说，日本政府正在考虑采取强有力的有效措施，应对人们外出就餐带来的风险。日本官员们表示，学校、健身俱乐部、剧院可能会保持开放，并采取社会距离措施。日本厚生省表示，全国已报告24万例确诊病例，死亡人数超过3600人。为您远程播报美国之音新闻。

1 bulwark   

n.堡垒，保障，防御

参考例句：

• That country is a bulwark of freedom.那个国家是自由的堡垒。
• Law and morality are the bulwark of society.法律和道德是社会的防御工具。

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 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。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。