voa标准英语2008年-Election Victories Give Democrats Expanded Majo-英语课

时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2008年(十一月)

英语课

Victories in congressional races across the United States have given Democrats 2, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an expanded majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. VOA congressional correspondent Dan Robinson reports on some key races, and remarks by the Democratic leadership.

Riding the wave that elected Senator Barack Obama president, Democrats were on track for a 260 or more seat majority in the House of Representatives.

Combined with a pick-up of seats in the Senate, moving them closer to a 60 seat majority there, Democrats will begin a new 111th Congress in January with their strongest hold on power since the early 1990s, while Republicans would hold 175 or fewer seats.

For President-elect Obama, who urged a new era of unity 3 in his speech in Chicago Tuesday night, the new political reality offers the possibility of an easier time getting his agenda through Congress.
　

Nancy Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats are ready to work with Obama, and work on new bipartisan cooperation.

"We must take a very deliberate, steady course for America," she said. "That is exactly what Barack Obama is prepared to do as the next president of the United States."

Senator Chuck Schumer spoke 4 bluntly about what the strengthened majority means for Democrats.

"The days of [Republican] obstruction 5 are over, and in a bipartisan way, we in the Senate and my colleagues in the house will work together to turn America in the right direction after eight long years," Schumer said.

Among key races: in a closely-watched contest in Colorado, Democratic candidate Betsey Markey defeated a noted 6 conservative Republican incumbent 7.

In the East, Democrat 1 Carol Shea-Porter won a tough campaign in New Hampshire. Moderate Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays, who gained respect for his tough questioning of witnesses at congressional hearings, lost his race.

Among several closely-watched races in Pennsylvania, Republican Phil English, outspoken 8 on U.S. and global trade policy, lost. Democrat and Iraq war veteran Patrick Murphy won easily, as did John Murtha, known for his opposition 9 in recent years to President Bush's Iraq war policies.

In Florida, Democrats defeated Republican incumbents 10 in two closely-watched races. Three Cuban-American lawmakers, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as Mario Diaz Balart and his brother Lincoln fought off Democratic challenges.

Virginia Republican Frank Wolf, outspoken on global human rights issues, won easily in his contest.

Reverberations have already been seen in the Republican House leadership, as the party's congressional conference chairman Florida Representative Adam Putnam, who won re-election, announced he would step down from his leadership position.

In coming weeks and months it remains 11 to be seen what further impacts the results of the 2008 election will have on Republicans in the House.

1 democrat

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

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。

2 democrats

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

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》

3 unity

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 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