VOA标准英语2008年-Voters Go to Polls in Key Democratic Primaries

By Cindy Saine
Washington
06 May 2008

Voters are going to the polls in key Democratic primaries in North Carolina and Indiana Tuesday to cast their ballots¹ for Senator Hillary Clinton or Senator Barack Obama. As the polls opened, there were signs of record turnout for the Democratic Party in both states, with Clinton and Obama locked in an epic² battle for the nomination³. For the Republican Party, Senator John McCain is already the presumptive nominee⁴, and can watch comfortably from the sidelines. VOA Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.

Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama is hoping to win both North Carolina and Indiana, to deliver a knockout blow to Senator Clinton's "never-give-up" campaign. He ended a full day of campaigning in both states Monday night with a rainy get-out the vote rally in Indianapolis, where he got a little help from singer Stevie Wonder.

Senator Obama, who wants to become America's first African-American president, appealed to voters in Indiana, which borders his home state of Illinois.

"I'm telling you Indiana, it is within our grasp, but we have got to go and seize this moment," he said. "Yes we can!"

Opinion polls indicate that Senator Clinton has a slight lead in the state. Polls show that Obama is still favored to win North Carolina, but Clinton has cut into his lead in the southern state.

More than half a million people have cast early ballots in North Carolina, indicating a very high turnout is likely. In Indiana, more than 200,000 new voters were added to voter registration⁵ rolls, and more than 160,000 people cast their votes early.

Senator Clinton is seeking to become the first woman president in the United States, and needs a win in Indiana to keep her campaign going. She also kept up her appeal to voters at rallies into the early morning hours Tuesday.

"If you will go and vote for me tomorrow, I will never forget you," she said.

The former first lady is hoping to shake up the Democratic race by winning both Indiana and North Carolina. Both candidates are trying to convince "superdelegates," party officials and elected office holders⁶ who are free to vote as they please for the Democratic nominee at the party convention, that they are the best person to take on Senator John McCain in the general election in November.

Obama has a lead in overall pledged delegates, the popular vote and the number of states won. But both he and Clinton are dependent on the support of superdelegates to clinch⁷ their party's nomination.

1 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》

2 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

3 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。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

7 clinch   

v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench

参考例句：

• Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
• We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。