VOA标准英语2012--US Supreme Court to Make Historic Health-Care Decision

US Supreme¹ Court to Make Historic Health-Care Decision

Three families explain what's at stake for them.

Just like he did four years ago, Miles Fawcett is there to catch his daughter when she needs him.

Serena was born with a severe liver defect. Her dad donated part of his liver to save his little girl's life. Now both have what's called a pre-exisiting condition.

The Affordable² Health Care law says no insurance company can deny coverage³ based on that. Serena's mother, Mira, worries what might happen if the Supreme Court rules the law unconstitutional.

“It’s difficult for me to think about somebody who’s gone through something through no fault of their own, who’s had to go through so much, to have the bottom drop out like that," she said.

Steve Fleishman runs a bagel business and does not offer health care to every employee. He would see no change if he stays under 50 employees. But, if he hires more, Fleishman would have to offer affordable coverage to his regular workers or pay a penalty. 

He says - in this economy - there's not much profit left over when he wraps up the day, so, he'd have to raise prices and cut staff. 

“I’d want to fall into the category of somewhere between 40 and 49 employees, so somewhere along the line we’d have to trim down and work a little harder to not be in that category so we wouldn’t have to pay for health benefits," said Fleishman.

Dianna Buckett is studying for an advanced degree in public health at Johns Hopkins University. The new law allows her to remain under her parents' health insurance until age 26, even after graduation.

“There’s not a lot out there that’s a full-time⁴ position without prior job experience," said Buckett. "A lot of what I’m looking into is internships and, even if they are paid, the biggest thing is you don’t get benefits.” 

"On every scale this is a monumental case," said attorney Tom Goldstein.

Goldstein has a stash⁵ of quill⁶ pens - one to mark each case he's argued before the Supreme Court. The real debate here is if Congress has the authority to mandate⁷ health insurance for all Americans.

"It involves the signature accomplishment⁸ of the president and it involves a question which affects the healthcare, which is absolutely basic to a hundred million people at least," he said.

With that in mind, the justices have scheduled six hours of arguments over three days. That's the longest given any case since the 1960s. And for good reason - analysts⁹ say their decision will be cited in American courts for the next 250 years. 

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

5 stash   

v.藏或贮存于一秘密处所；n.隐藏处

参考例句：

• Stash away both what you lost and gained,for life continues on.将得失深藏心底吧，为了那未来的生活。
• That's supposed to be in our private stash.这是我的私人珍藏。

6 quill   

n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶

参考例句：

• He wrote with a quill.他用羽毛笔写字。
• She dipped a quill in ink,and then began to write.她将羽毛笔在墨水里蘸了一下，随后开始书写。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。