美国有线新闻 CNN 2013-09-09

 It's Wednesday I'm Carl Azuz, welcome to the CNN student news. US government is considering taking action against Syria because of the suspected use of chemical weapons in that country's civil war. Syrian officials deny using chemical weapons, but president Obama says there is no doubt the Syria government is responsible. He wants to launch a military strike against Syria and he has the power to order that, but last week he decided¹ to ask congress for approval. Congress isn't in session until September 9th. Before then the president is meeting with congressional leaders and making his case for an attack. Today we are focusing on some of the key players in the debate over possible US military action. When it comes to Syria in the  US the focus is now on congress,  especially leaders in the US senate and house representatives who can influence other members of their parties. Speaker John Boehner leads the US house representatives where his republican party is in majority, the speaker presides over the house and he is in third line  to the presidency². Boehner took over that job from Nancy Pelosi the former speaker is now the house minority leader, the highest ranking democrat³ in the house representatives.Now the power in the US senate is the reverse with democrats⁴ outnumbering  republicans. Senator Harry⁵ Reid is the majority leader there responsible for deciding which issue is senate takes up on the day to day basis. Reid had served the  congress since 1983 and he has been a senator since 1987. Senator Mitch McConnell is the senate minority leader and he is highest ranking republican, McConnell has been serving the state of Kentucky in congress since he was first elected in the senate in 1984. The senate is  responsible for confirming members of the president's cabinet, and two members of president Obama's cabinet play a large roll in the discussion of Syria. John Kerry became Secretary of State in February of this year. As the head of the state department Secretary Kerry is the president's chief advisor⁶ on foreign policy, he is responsible for carrying out the president's policy which regard other nations. Chuck Hagel head of US defence department which oversees⁷ all branched of US military. As defence secretary Hagel advises President Obama on military issues and responsible for carrying out the approved policies. General Martin Dempsey is the primary military advisor to Secretary Hagel and president Obama. General Dempsey is chairman of the joint⁸ chief of staff and the senior ranking member of US army forces. Leaders in congress, members of the president's cabinet and military leaders will all have a voice in the debate over whether the US takes action against Syria.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 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。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。