VOA标准英语2012--Iowans Prepare for First Presidential Selection Event

Iowans Prepare for First Presidential Selection Event

 

As Republican presidential candidates make a final push to woo undecided voters, organizers are making final preparations for Iowa’s caucus¹ voting. Republicans say they expect record turnout as Iowa becomes the first state in the nation to pick a favored candidate for president.

At Republican Party headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa a caucus volunteer, Jim Arneson, is working the phones in a last-minute effort to get more volunteers in place at voting locations across the city.

“A lot of people are not willing to come early, and sit down, and really work hard,” he said.

But not Arneson. He is working hard to get people motivated to help manage the record turnout Republicans are expecting at caucus locations across the state.

“A lot of people are thinking they are going to come out of the woodwork," said Arneson. "I just don’t know yet what to expect.”

“I’ve predicted all year long if the weather was good it would jump up to as high as 140,” added Darrell Kearney, Polk county Republican Party finance officer.

That’s 140,000, which local Republican Darrell Kearney says would be 15,000 more voters than the previous caucus.

U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Congressman2 Ron Paul leaves a campaign stop in West Des Moines, Iowa

But with the increased number of voters comes increased uncertainty³. Kearney says the number of undecided voters is also at an all time high.

“Four years ago it was about 30 percent," said Kearney. "This year it's 41 percent, which is huge. Which tells us people are going to come into the caucuses⁴, and they aren’t going to make up their mind until they get there.”

"This is almost like a real rally," said Ron Paul. "This is great!"

Once such undecided voter is Robert Goebel.

“This is actually our first Iowa caucus," said Dr. Robert Goebel, voter. "We moved here just under four years ago and we’ve been looking forward to it.”

Goebel says he did not have access to candidates like Ron Paul when he lived in California.

“And during political campaigns the candidates were virtually inaccessible," continued Goebel. "My wife and I feel that it’s refreshing⁵ and really fascinating how you can actually meet the candidates in person.”

But meeting those candidates in person hasn’t helped him decide who to support on Tuesday.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Debbie Chambers⁶, who is also having a hard time making up her mind.

Chambers was looking to get a better sense about where Congressman Paul stood on the biggest issue to her: health insurance.

“Where it’s going to go and how it’s going to affect the Americans that do not have health care,” elaborated Chambers.

All the candidates face similar questions on the campaign trail as their efforts in Iowa wind-down.

Kearney has met every Republican candidate for president since 1976. He considers this year’s Republican race for the nomination⁷ one of the most volatile⁸.

“I have never seen it this volatile before, coming into the closing days," said Kearney. "This is very, very unusual. So at this point I don’t think we can make any predictions about who's gonna win.”

Nor can he make predictions about the weather, and how willing voters will be to brave the cold.

1 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

2 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。

3 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

4 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

5 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

6 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。