VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Introduces First Part of US Education Ref

U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled the first part of his plan to reform the country's schools. The initial steps would affect all levels of education.
　
President Barack Obama at the 19th Annual Legislative¹ Conference of US Hispanic Chamber² of Commerce, Washington, 10 Mar³ 2009

The president is proposing an overhaul⁴ of the U.S. education system that includes extra pay for good teachers, longer school days and years for students, and higher standards in schools across the country.

The president took his case for education reform to a group of Hispanic business leaders, who greeted him with the Spanish version of his campaign slogan, "Yes We Can," "Si se puede! Si se puede!"

Mr. Obama made his first major speech on education before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. New government statistics show that one-fifth of U.S. primary school students are of Latin American origin.

The president says it is unacceptable that American students post mediocre⁵ results on international rankings, despite having one of the world's best-financed school systems.

"Despite resources that are unmatched anywhere in the world, we have let our grades slip, our schools crumble⁶, our teacher quality fall short, and other nations outpace us," he said.

The president says his reform agenda would improve education at all levels, from pre-school programs to universities.

While some critics say Mr. Obama should focus exclusively on the nation's economic crisis, he says the economy cannot be revived without better schools.

"Our curriculum for eighth-graders is two full years behind top-performing countries," he said. "That is a prescription⁷ for economic decline, and I refuse to accept that America's children cannot rise to this challenge. They can, and they must, and they will meet higher standards in our time."

Mr. Obama said he wants to reduce the number of students who do not finish high school. U.S. Education Department statistics show that 22 percent of Hispanic students drop out of school, far more than any other major U.S. ethnic⁸ group.

"To any student who is watching, I say this: Do not even think about dropping out of school. Do not even think about it," he said. "As I said a couple of weeks ago, dropping out is quitting on yourself, it is quitting on your country, and it is not an option, not any more."

Mr. Obama did not propose any new spending for education, but his $787 billion economic recovery package includes grants to local school districts and money for modernizing⁹ schools.

1 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

2 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。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

5 mediocre   

adj.平常的，普通的

参考例句：

• The student tried hard,but his work is mediocre. 该生学习刻苦，但学业平庸。
• Only lazybones and mediocre persons could hanker after the days of messing together.只有懒汉庸才才会留恋那大锅饭的年代。

6 crumble   

vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁

参考例句：

• Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。
• Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂，意志永不动摇。

7 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

8 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。

9 modernizing   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的现在分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• Modernizing a business to increase its profitability and competitiveness is a complicated affair. 使企业现代化，从而达到增加利润，增强竞争力的目的，是一件复杂的事情。
• The young engineer had a large share in modernizing the factory. 这位年轻工程师在工厂现代化的过程中尽了很大的“力”。