VOA常速英语2015--总统选举竞选活动在爱荷华举行

Presidential Election Campaigning Underway in Iowa 总统选举竞选活动在爱荷华举行

CEDAR¹ FALLS, IOWA—

Although the November 2016 presidential election is over a year and half away, campaigning to choose party nominees² is already underway in Iowa - a key state because it holds a party caucus³ early in the election season.  

Though Cedar Falls, Iowa has a population just over 40,000, right now it is the epicenter of the race for the White House.  Republican party presidential hopefuls are pressing the flesh (shaking hands with people) and answering voters' questions on issues ranging from immigration reform to marriage equality.

尽管爱荷华州锡达福尔斯市人口刚刚超过4万人,但是它成为白宫角逐的中心战场。心存希望的共和党人在这里与选民们握手致意，并且回答选民有关移民改革及婚姻权利的问题。

“My biggest concern as a voter is that America has to come back to God," said Linda Morris.

“作为选民，我最大的关切是美国必须重新投入上帝的怀抱。”

Republican voter Linda Morris was among a group attending a breakfast with candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

共和党人琳达·莫里斯参加了竞选总统的前阿肯色州州长麦克·哈克比举行的一场早餐会。

“We have gone down the wrong path for the last eight years," she said.

“过去8年来我们走的一直是错误的道路。”

Conservative voter Curtis Bartlett agrees.  He wants a president that can reverse escalating⁴ racial tensions in America.

保守派选民柯迪斯·巴特莱特同意这种观点。他希望有一位能够制止美国种族关系紧张不断升级的总统。

“I don’t understand why whites and blacks can’t get together and sit down and talk over what one person wants, the other person wants too," said Bartlett.

“我不明白为什么白人和黑人不能齐聚一堂讨论下彼此所需。”

Bartlett’s list of concerns also includes the debate over same-sex marriage.

巴特莱特也关注对同性婚姻的辩论。

It’s an issue that attracted dozens of protestors outside Cedar Falls High School.  Inside, Huckabee joined fellow presidential hopeful former Senator Rick Santorum on stage to speak with conservative voters who oppose same-sex marriage.

这个问题吸引了聚集在锡达福尔斯市高中外举行抗议的数十人。在这所高中里，哈克比加入到了另外一位对竞选总统充满信心的共和党人，前国会参议员里克·桑托勒姆反对同性婚姻的保守选民们演讲当中。

“I don’t think it’s that big of an issue," said Lynn Brant.

“我认为同性婚姻不是个很大的问题。”

As a Democrat⁵, Lynn Brant supports same-sex marriage.  In his party, the leading presidential contender is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who also visited Cedar Falls to interact with potential supporters.

民主党人莱恩·布兰特支持同性婚姻。党内有力的总统竞选者是前国务卿希拉里·克林顿，她也来到锡达福尔斯与支持她的民众互动。

“It looks like Hillary might be a shoo-in, but I hope not.  I hope that there is a debate that she will have to defend herself and the Democrats⁶ will have a choice," said Brant.

“希拉里似乎胜券在握，但我并不希望事情这样发展。我希望有一场她必须为自己而战的辩论，而民主党人应该有选择的机会。”

Iowa matters for these candidates because it is the first state to hold an election, called a caucus.  The results can either boost or sink aspirations⁷ for the White House early in an election year depending on who wins or loses.

爱荷华州对这些候选人而言之所以成为重中之重是因为它是第一个以党团会议形式竞选总统候选人的州。爱荷华州的输赢结果可能会成为燃起或者浇灭今年这个竞选年中对于通往白宫之路的期望。

For Republicans this year, Iowa is the place where they can build name recognition and momentum⁸ ahead of the caucus.  But the growing field of candidates all vying⁹ for attention and campaign funding concerns Curtis Bartlett.

而今年对共和党人来说，爱荷华州是他们在党团会议选举前建立声望的地方。但随着越来越多的候选人都在争夺注意力和竞选资金，巴特莱特为此深感担忧。

“Because are you going to wipe out somebody who could be a good candidate right away because they can’t get the finances?" Asked Bartlett.

“难道你仅凭一个人不能拿到竞选资金就彻底排除这个可能的优秀候选人吗？”

 

More finances means more advertising¹⁰, and in an election expected to break all previous records for money spent, every dollar counts.

更多的资金意味着更多的广告，而在这场竞选费用可能会突破往年记录的选举中每一分钱都能起到至关重要的作用。

1 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

2 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

5 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。

6 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》

7 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

8 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

9 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

10 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。