VOA慢速英语2014 US Congressional Candidates Recognize Voters’ Fears

 

AS IT IS 2014-10-28 US Congressional Candidates Recognize Voters’ Fears

Opinion surveys show feelings of unease among likely American voters as they prepare for congressional, state and local elections next month. The Gallup organization recently asked a group of Americans for what they thought are the most important issues facing the country. The top 10 answers included the Ebola virus and the threat from Islamic State militants¹ in Iraq and Syria.

The Republican Party is often critical of President Barack Obama. Some Republican candidates are questioning how safe Americans are under Mr. Obama, a Democrat². Yet some Democrats³ are blaming Republicans for cutting government spending on public health as Ebola worries surface.

Frightening news from overseas has come home for many Americans. An example was confirmation⁴ of the first cases of Ebola in the United States.

“Good morning. A second health care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital has preliminarily tested positive for Ebola.”

There were also the recent executions of two American journalists and a British aid worker. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the killings⁵.

“This is James Wright Foley, an American citizen of your country."

The apparent threat from Islamic State fighters has become a campaign issue in the United States. So says Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll.

“The current military action that is taking place against the Islamic State is a factor when you remind Americans of it, that they say, ‘Hmm, that could be important.’ And some candidates at the Senate level are trying to take advantage of it, as of course politicians will do.”

Republican supporters are using television advertisements to tie current Democrats in the United States Senate to President Obama. The ads accuse the Senate Democrats of being weak on national security.

“While radical⁶ Islamists threaten to attack America, and millions cross our border undetected, President Obama and Senator Landrieu have done nothing.”

Several ads from conservative groups against Democrats combine the separate issues of Islamic State terrorists and illegal immigration.

“Evil forces around the world want to harm Americans every day. Their entry into our country? Through Arizona’s backyard. Yet Ann Kirkpatrick consistently votes with her party against protecting Arizona.”

For their part, some Democratic supporters are attacking Republicans on the Internet. This ad on the YouTube website criticizes Republican candidates for cutting government spending.

“Washington actually can cut spending.”

“The CDC says its discretionary spending has been cut by $585 million since 2010”  “Cut” “Cut” “Cut.”

VOA spoke⁷ with two Americans who were visiting Washington, DC. Mary Huttar is from Virginia, while Frank Wyman lives in South Carolina. When asked if they were worried about Ebola, each had mixed feelings.

“I’m not afraid that it’s going to become a huge thing – I mean the disease is horrible but I am not afraid about our own medical system.

“I’m getting worried. I’m not scared yet -- I think we’ll get it all figured out. “

Some campaign ads may seem frightening. But most Americans still say their top issues in this election are the economy, unemployment and dissatisfaction with the government.

Words in This Story 

virus – n. an extremely small living thing that causes a disease and that spreads from one person or animal to another

factor – n. something that helps produce or influence a result : one of the things that cause something to happen

backyard – n. an area in back of a house; the general area near and around someone's home

mixed – adj. (always used before a noun)  made of different kinds of things mixed together or combined

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 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。

3 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》

4 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

5 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

6 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

7 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。