时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2014年(十月)


英语课

 


Texas Voter ID Law Discourages Some Voters


HOUSTON— 


The U.S. Supreme 1 Court recently upheld the Texas voter identification law, which requires voters to show an approved form of picture ID in order to vote at a poll.  Those who are already registered and who are qualified 2 to vote by mail can still cast a ballot 3 and the state provides free election certificates to those who can prove their U.S. citizenship 4 and residence in Texas. Critics of the law say it puts an undue 5 burden on poor people, minorities, the elderly and the disabled.


Early voting began here in Texas just a couple of days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state can require voters to show a photo ID to cast a ballot.


Texas Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott said the law will prevent voter fraud.


“Voter fraud is real and it must be stopped. How can you prove voter impersonation without an ID? You can’t. Which is exactly why it is needed,” said Abbott.


The law's supporters say most democratic countries around the world require voters to show ID.


But critics point out there have been few instances of voter fraud in the U.S. -- and that in Texas, where the state once blocked African-Americans and Hispanics from voting, it is more important to encourage voter participation 7.


Marianela Acuna of VoteRiders, a non-profit voter advocacy group, said there are many reasons why someone may not have an approved form of identification.


“There are people who need to renew their ID, there are also people who need to get their ID for the first time and do not have documents to prove their name change or their birth,” said Acuna.


Political Science professor Mark Jones at Rice University said around half a million Texans may not have a proper ID to vote.


“Their only option is to get the free election identification certificate the state supplies, but that is not really free because you need a birth certificate to get it, which costs around $25 and you also have to go to a Department of Public Safety office to obtain it, and for someone without a car it is pretty difficult,” said Jones.


Jones said the voter ID law is unlikely to have any impact on major state races, but it could have an impact on some very close local races, including a few here in Houston.


For example, Republican Devon Anderson and Democrat 6 Kim Ogg are in a very tight race for Harris County District Attorney.


“We could have… perhaps a half dozen races that are decided 8 because of the voter ID legislation,” said Jones.


Activist 9 groups like the Texas Organizing Project are fielding volunteers to help people with ID problems and provide transportation to the polls, but they are also encountering voter apathy 10.


In Texas, it is expected that close to two-thirds of eligible 11 voters will not exercise their right to vote this year even though most of them have an acceptable ID.



1 supreme
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
  • 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 qualified
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的
  • He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
  • We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。
3 ballot
n.(不记名)投票,投票总数,投票权;vi.投票
  • The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
  • The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。
4 citizenship
n.市民权,公民权,国民的义务(身份)
  • He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生,但没有瑞典公民身分。
  • Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后,她选择了澳大利亚国籍。
5 undue
adj.过分的;不适当的;未到期的
  • Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
  • It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。
6 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。
7 participation
n.参与,参加,分享
  • Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
  • The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。
8 decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
9 activist
n.活动分子,积极分子
  • He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
  • He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。
10 apathy
n.漠不关心,无动于衷;冷淡
  • He was sunk in apathy after his failure.他失败后心恢意冷。
  • She heard the story with apathy.她听了这个故事无动于衷。
11 eligible
adj.有条件被选中的;(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的
  • He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
  • Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。
学英语单词
active trimming
activity restart cycle
Advertisement Regulation Act
Andaman Islands, Andamans
average-weight
beamtherapy
binomial distribution probability
Boselaphus
break release
break-even price
Bretton Woods Monetary Agreement
Briterlich variable radius technique
Changsando
channel address half word table
choga
cigar wrapping
Cinnopropazone
cluster spring
coal storage yard
contractual forum
coriandrol
Cremanthodium angustifolium
cross software
crownhills
crucilly
diagnoser
docuhistory
Donghai
double venturi tube
driving motion
ease someone out
epigenetic mineral
every two years
fate of particles
functional density
GDP dissociation inhibitor
general inquiry
General of the Army
grays in silicon
h. h. munroes
Hanke-Koessler's tests
heldover
heteromorphous combination
hormonagoga
HTML
image-motion compensator
instantaneous error of rotation
Itapicuru
kemmons
kertzmen
kroeng
lanagan
lasta
letter stock
Lord High Chancellor
lubricating oil starting pump
mark of the beast
Mitreola
morphoanatomically
negative viscosity
noninterlocked area
only the good die young
options tariff
oral bundle
parenchyma strand
pecornut
Pedicularis siphonantha
pennorth, pennorth
phosphor laser
placodes
plant colo(u)ring matters
plug-ins
Pyrularia sinensis
reacton turbine
receiving-departure yard
reindustrialising
remote readout
rosies
rotary cultivator
s phenomenon Bordet
schmoozer
scumbered
sideelevation
sight feed siphon lubricator
single-chip
solar satellite
solvd
spot trading
Strait of Hormuz
superior phrenic arteries
tensile
tubular resistance
tyre building
ultraphysical
under-the-counters
uniform divergence
uraeotyphlids
wood-hen
Working Tax Credit
X car
xylariopsis uenoi