VOA标准英语2008年-Kennedy Briefly Returns to Senate

Senator Ted¹ Kennedy, battling brain cancer, surprised Senate colleagues Wednesday when he returned to the chamber² to cast a decisive vote on government health care legislation for the elderly and disabled, known as Medicare. His vote was key to passing the measure, which had long been stalled amid partisan³ gridlock. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.
　
Sen. Ted Kennedy briefly⁴ returns to Senate, 9 Jul 2008

It was a moment of drama as Senator Kennedy entered the chamber, prompting applause from Democrats⁶ and Republicans alike on the Senate floor and cheers from spectators up in the gallery.

It was his first time back to the Senate since he was diagnosed with a malignant⁷ brain tumor⁸ following a seizure⁹ at his home in Massachusetts in May. Since then, he has undergone surgery and is now getting chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Kennedy walked into the chamber accompanied by Democratic presidential nominee¹⁰ Barack Obama, fellow Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, and Kennedy's son, Congressman¹¹ Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island. He cast his vote and soon after left to return to Massachusetts to continue his cancer treatment.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas Republican, took note of the moment. "We have had a very dramatic moment here on the floor of the Senate, and I think there wasn't a person in the room or the gallery who wasn't thrilled to see Senator Kennedy back and looking so good, to do what he always does, and that is have the commitment and go the extra mile to keep that commitment," she said.

Kennedy's dramatic return was key to clearing the way for passage of the Medicare bill.

Republicans, including Senator Hutchison, had criticized Democratic leaders for not allowing the measure to be amended¹², and had blocked the bill from advancing on the Senate floor. Under Senate rules, 60 votes are needed in the 100-member chamber to overcome the roadblock. The bill received the support of only 59 senators in a procedural vote last month.

When Republicans learned that Kennedy's vote would advance the legislation, some of them joined Democrats to support the move - a fitting tribute to Kennedy, who is known as a champion of health care, among other social issues.

Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat⁵, announced the vote as she presided over the Senate. "The yeas are 69, the nays¹³ are 30. Three-fifths of the senators duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to."

Under a previous agreement, once the bill met the 60-vote threshold, it was considered approved.

 

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

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 malignant   

adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
• He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

8 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

9 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

10 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。

11 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。

12 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

13 nays   

n.反对票，投反对票者( nay的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The tally was two ayes and three nays. 投票结果是两票赞成，三票反对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tally was three yeas and two nays, so the yeas have it. 投票结果是三票赞成两票反对，投赞成票者胜利。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》