VOA慢速英语2009-IN THE NEWS - Woman in the News: Judge Sonia Sot

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, President Obama announced his choice for an opening on the Supreme¹ Court.
　
Judge Sonia Sotomayor at the White House after President Obama announced her as his nominee² for the Supreme Court

BARACK OBAMA: "I have decided³ to nominate an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice, Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the great state of New York."

SONIA SOTOMAYOR: "I firmly believe in the rule of law as the foundation for all of our basic rights. I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government."

Sonia Sotomayor is a federal appeals judge. If confirmed, she would be the first Hispanic on the nation's highest court. She would be the second woman among the nine justices, joining Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And she would be only the third woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Justices have lifetime appointments.

The next step is to prepare for Senate confirmation⁴ hearings. Senators are expected to question her about a comment she made at a law school in two thousand five.

SONIA SOTOMAYOR: "The court of appeals is where policy is made, and I know this is on tape and I should never say that because we don't make law. I know, I know. I'm not promoting it and I'm not advocating it. I'm, you know ... "

Conservative critics say legislators and other elected leaders are the only ones who should make policy. Another comment, involving ethnicity, has also angered conservatives. Some Republicans have argued that Sonia Sotomayor is too liberal for the Supreme Court. They say she could be an "activist⁶ judge" who will let personal feelings and political beliefs influence her rulings.

Democrats⁸ say her record shows that she is a moderate. In any case, Democrats hold a strong majority in the Senate. So, barring any unexpected problems, her chances for confirmation seem strong.

Republicans say they will demand a serious look at her many legal decisions. But political observers point out that Republicans may worry about offending Hispanics if they try to block her nomination⁹. Hispanics are now the nation's largest ethnic⁵ minority, and a fast growing group of voters.

President Obama is urging the Senate to confirm Judge Sotomayor by August. The new court term begins in October. She would replace Justice David Souter who plans to retire in June.

Sonia Sotomayor will be fifty-five in June. She was born in New York City to parents from the American commonwealth¹⁰ of Puerto Rico. She grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx, one of the poorest areas of the city.

She earned highest honors in history from Princeton University. Then she attended law school at Yale University. She became a federal judge in New York in nineteen ninety-two. The Senate approved her nomination by a Republican president, the first George Bush. Then, six years later, the Senate confirmed her appointment to the appeals court by a Democrat⁷, President Bill Clinton.

Her newest appointment is not expected to change the political balance of the Supreme Court. Five of the nine current justices -- a majority -- are more conservative than liberal. Judge Sotomayor would replace a justice who has generally voted with the liberal minority.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

1 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。

2 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

3 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。

4 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

7 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。

8 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》

9 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

10 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。