NBC晚间新闻 疫情下美国投票遇难题

77 days until election day 2020. As the country decides between voting by mail or standing¹ in long lines at polling places, health experts say voters will need to weigh the risk. I mean, obviously if your person who is compromised physically² or otherwise you don't want to take the chance. The CDC has issued guidelines for polling places this fall. In addition to mandating³ masks and social distancing, minimize the number of people inside at once, move lines outside if weather permits, constantly disinfect shared objects like pens and ballot⁴ activation⁵ cards and increase indoor air circulation. But the CDC director has already warned of a dire⁶ public health emergency this fall, with the worsening pandemic coupled with the flu season. Dr Thomas Sy is a surgeon and health policy expert at Harvard and Brigham and women's hospital in Boston.

Will it be safe to vote in person come November? Yes, voting in person can be safe but we have to ensure and make it safe. It won't happen naturally. It will take concerted effort to use the best public health guidelines. In 2016, 60 percent of voters voted in person. The MIT Voting Unit says that number could drop to 40 percent this year but expect fewer polling places and longer lines. Despite President Trump's warning that mail in voting is ripe for fraud, election researchers insist that's simply not true. Voter fraud in the united states, for many many years has not been a widespread issue, either by mail or in person. It really is not an issue. To minimize potential COVID exposure, health experts are urging states to set up drive-throughs or secure drop boxes for people who want to deliver their ballots⁷ in person.

现在离2020年选举日还有77天。当美国在邮寄投票和在投票点排长队投票做抉择时，健康专家表示，选民需要权衡风险。我的意思是，很明显，如果你的身体或其他方面会受到损害，那你不会去冒这个险。疾控中心已经发布了今年秋天的投票地点指南。除了强制戴口罩和保持社交距离，还有尽量减少室内的人数，如果天气允许，把队伍移到室外，不间断对共用物品进行消毒，如钢笔和选票激活卡，还有增加室内空气流通。但疾病控制和预防中心主任已经警告，随着新冠疫情的恶化和流感季节的到来，今年秋天会出现严重的公共卫生紧急情况，托马斯·西博士是哈佛大学和布里格姆妇女医院的外科医生和健康政策专家。11月亲自到场投票安全吗？是的，亲自去投票是安全的，但我们必须确保它的安全。这不会自然发生。应用最佳的公共卫生准则需要人们齐心协力。2016年，60%的选民是亲自到场投票。麻省理工学院的投票小组表示，今年这个数字可能会下降到40%，但预计投票地点会减少，排队的人会增多。尽管特朗普总统警告说，邮寄选票可能导致选举舞弊，但选举研究人员坚持认为这根本不是事实。多年来，无论是通过邮件还是亲自到场投票，美国的选票造假都不是一个普遍的问题。这真的不是问题。为了最大限度地减少新冠病毒接触，健康专家敦促各州为那些想要亲自投递选票的人设立免下车服务或安全的投递箱。

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 mandating   

托管（mandate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Current requirements mandating that committees keep minutes are too general. 目前对委员会要保持详细记录的指令性要求，还是太过一般化了。
• Mandating that workers who quit without permission forfeit a month's wages. 规定工人私自离岗将受到罚没一个月工资的处罚。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 activation   

n. 激活，催化作用

参考例句：

• A computer controls the activation of an air bag.电脑控制着气囊的启动。

6 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

7 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》