美国有线新闻 CNN 2013-03-29

 Justices today heard oral arguments in the first of two epic¹ same-sex marriage cases. California's Proposition 8, plenty of oral argument outside as well, both sides amply represented, some speaking for a growing number of Americans who consider marriage a fundamental right for any loving adult couple, others representing the sizable minority who disagree. 

Inside, captured on audiotape only, justices grilled³ both sides, perhaps revealing clues about how they're leaning. Listen. 

When did it become unconstitutional to exclude homosexual couples from marriage, 1791, 1868? 

When did it become unconstitutional to prohibit interracial marriages? 

Don't give me a question to my question. 

Justice Antonin Scalia showing impatience⁴ there with Ted² Olson, himself a staunch conservative who is arguing for marriage rights. 

Justice Scalia later concluding that unless there's a clear answer to that question, he can't see how the court can decide the case. Obama appointee Elena Kagan on the other hand sharply questioned the attorney arguing to preserve the California same-sex marriage ban and, to his mind, preserve traditional marriage. 

It is very rare that both couples, both parties to the couple are infertile⁵ and the traditional uh, uh.

No really, because if a couple, I can just assure you, if both a woman and a man are over the age of 55, there are not a lot of children coming out of that marriage. 

Now other justices has this question whether the case even belonged before the court, fueling speculation⁶ they will be looking for a way not to make any sweeping⁷ decision. And Justice Anthony Kennedy gave voice to the danger of doing too much or too little. 

We have five years of information that, to weigh against 2,000 years of history or more. On the other hand, there is an immediate⁸ legal injury or legal, what could be a legal injury, and that's the voice of these children. There are some 40,000 children in California, according to the Red Brief, that live with same-sex parents, and they want their parents to have full recognition and full status. The voice of those children is important in this case, don't you think? 

Well, it is, to say the least, a fascinating window on history in the making, all the more when you're inside the chamber⁹ as it's happening, as senior legal analyst¹⁰ Jeffrey Toobin was there today, along with chief political analyst Gloria Borger. 

Jeff, in terms of other cases you have heard in the Supreme¹¹ Court, how does this compare? I mean you have heard the crowd laughing. Does that happen a lot? 

Yes, there actually is often a lot of laughter. Usually, Justice Scalia tries to make a few jokes. And he made some today. Some were successful, some were not. He has a mixed batting average. But what was very unusual to me about today's argument is that usually there's a pattern. Usually you can identify what the key issues are and what the court is focusing on. What was so confusing about today is they jumped around to so many different issues and even the liberals didn't all agree on everything and the conservatives didn't all agree on everything. 

So I don't feel like I have at all much of a handle on which way this case is going, with the exception that I don't think that they are going to order 50 states to have same-sex marriage. A full complete victory for the supporters of same-sex marriage seems unlikely, but a victory in California alone does seem very possible. 

Why do you say that, Jeff? What makes you think that? 

Well, because even the liberals were concerned about going too far too fast. Justice Ginsburg raised that issue. Justice Sotomayor raised that issue of, you know, do we have to decide for all 50 states?

They seemed uncomfortable with that. And the conservatives seemed quite opposed to any sort of recognition of same-sex marriage, Scalia, Alito and even Roberts, too. 

You know, Anderson, there seemed to be a sense in the courtroom that since this issue is proceeding¹² in the states, and public opinion is actually moving in the direction of same-sex marriage, that could work against Ted Olson in a way, because if this is proceeding in the states, then the question coming from the Supreme Court is, why do we need to do this heavy lift now?

And Justice Sotomayor seemed to be asking the question, is there any way we can make a principled decision and limit it to the state of California?

1 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

2 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

3 grilled   

adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。
• He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

4 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

5 infertile   

adj.不孕的；不肥沃的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• Plants can't grow well in the infertile land.在贫瘠的土地上庄稼长不好。
• Nobody is willing to till this infertile land.这块薄田没有人愿意耕种。

6 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

7 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

10 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。