2006年VOA标准英语-Former Senator and Treasury Secretary Bent

By Jim Malone
Washington
23 May 2006
 
 
Former Treasury¹ Secretary and US Senator Lloyd Bentsen (Undated file photo) 
  
Former U.S. Senator and Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen has died in Texas at the age of 85.

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Lloyd Bentsen died at his home in Houston. He had been in poor health since suffering a stroke several years ago.

In Washington, some of his former senate colleagues paid tribute.

Harry² Reid of Nevada is the Senate Democratic leader.

"The state of Texas has had great senators. But no senator has ever been a better senator than Lloyd Bentsen," he said.

At the White House, presidential spokesman Tony Snow also recalled Bentsen's national service.

"Obviously, Senator Bentsen served his country long and well and faithfully and he was a much-loved character here in Washington," noted⁶ Snow.

By the age of 21, Lloyd Bentsen had flown 50 bomber⁷ missions over Europe during World War II. After the war, Bentsen went into politics in his home state of Texas.

Bentsen was elected a congressman⁸ in 1948 and served a total of six years. Then he took a break from politics and made millions of dollars by starting an insurance company and a consulting business.

But he returned to Texas politics in 1970 by winning a Senate seat.

His Republican opponent that year was a congressman named George Bush. He would go on to win the presidency⁹ in 1988. 

In the Senate, Bentsen was known as a pro-business Democrat³ and an expert on tax and international trade issues as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Bentsen sought the Democratic Party presidential nomination¹⁰ in 1976 but lost out to former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.

In 1988, Democratic presidential nominee¹¹ Michael Dukakis picked Bentsen to be his vice⁵-presidential running mate.

Lloyd Bentsen spoke⁴ that year to the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

"We believe that America deserves an administration that will obey the law, tell the truth and insist all who serve it do the same," he said.

It was during the 1988 presidential election that Lloyd Bentsen made campaign history during a debate with the Republican vice presidential candidate, Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana.

Quayle's contention¹² that had sufficient experience to be vice president brought a memorable¹³ response from Bentsen.

QUAYLE: "I have as much experience as Jack¹⁴ Kennedy did when he sought the presidency."

BENTSEN: "I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

Despite that rhetorical flourish, Dukakis and Bentsen lost the 1988 election to the Republican ticket headed by George Bush, who was President Ronald Reagan's vice president.

In 1993, Lloyd Bentsen was appointed as Treasury Secretary in President Bill Clinton's cabinet. He became one of the architect's of the Clinton deficit¹⁵ reduction program that led to an economic boom. He also won bipartisan praise for his handling of international economic issues.

In 1999, Lloyd Bentsen was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton, the nation's highest civilian¹⁶ order, for distinguished¹⁷ service to the country.

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 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。

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 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 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。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

13 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

14 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

15 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

16 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

17 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。