【美国精神】第30期

Explanation:

 “The President has been shot!” This phrase, or something similar, has been said many times in U.S. history. Being president is a risky¹ job (or a job with many dangers). Many presidents are assassinated² (or killed) or simply die while they are in office (or working as president). That’s why we have to have a plan for who will be the next president if the current president dies. When the president can no longer serve (or work), the vice³ president becomes the next president.

  To date (or until now), nine vice presidents have become president when the president could no longer serve. The first time this happened was in 1841, when President William Henry Harrison died. The vice president, John Tyler, had a swearing-in ceremony and took the presidential oath of office, or made a statement promising⁵ to do his best while serving as the next president of the United States. Because the order of succession (or the plan for who will become the next president) was clear, there were no problems. There was a very easy transition of power (or change from one president to another) and everyone treated President Tyler as a regular president, just as they would have treated President Harrison if he had not died in office.

  The president doesn’t necessarily have to die for the vice president to become president through succession. For example, if the president is impeached⁶ (or if the presidency⁷ is taken away from him or her because he or she has done something wrong), the vice president will become president. Also, if the president resigns, or decides to stop being president, the vice president will become the new president. This happened when President Richard Nixon resigned and his vice president Gerald Ford⁸ was sworn in as the new president.

  The Constitution has a long line of succession, or a plan for who will become the next president if the current president dies. For example, if the vice president becomes president but then dies, the next president will be whoever is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If that person dies, then the next president will be the President Pro⁴ Temp of the Senate, and so on.

 

问题：

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

Answer:

The Vice President

1 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

2 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 impeached   

v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议

参考例句：

• Elected officials can be impeached. 经过选举产生的官员可以被弹劾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The judge was impeached for taking a bribe. 这个法官被检举接受贿赂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 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。

8 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。