【美国精神】第47期(在线收听

Explanation:
  There are 435 members in the House of Representatives. Can you imagine trying to make laws or to get any work done without a clear leader who can guide (or lead) all those people? The person who does this is called the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which is a very important position in U.S. government. The Speaker of the House not only leads the House of Representatives, but also is in the presidential line of succession (or the plan for who will become president if something happens to the president). If the president can no longer be president, then his or her replacement would be the vice president, but if he or she cannot be president either, then the Speaker of the House becomes president.
  The Speaker of the House is a member of the House of Representatives. The 435 members of the House vote to decide who will be the Speaker. Usually the Speaker is a member of the majority party (or the political party that most representatives are a member of), but not always. The Speaker is elected (or chosen) on the first day of a new Congressional session (or the period of time when the Congress is meeting) for a two-year term, which is the amount of time that someone works in a public position. During those two years, the Speaker has all the same duties (or responsibilities) as a regular representative, discussing and voting on issues. But he or she also has some special duties.
  The Speaker of the House has control of the calendar that shows when bills (or ideas for laws) will be discussed and voted on. The Speaker can use this power to make sure that his or her favorite bills are discussed and passed before other bills can be discussed and passed.
  The Speaker of the House also serves (or works in a public job) as the presiding officer when the House of Representatives meets. The Speaker of the House calls on other members of the House, giving them permission to speak when bills are being discussed. Nobody can speak unless the Speaker has given permission (or said that it is okay to speak).
 
问题:
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Answer:
John Boehner
  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/mgjsy/398217.html