英闻天下——490 Obama to Fly Sandy Hook Family to Washington
英语课
US President Barack Obama is to fly the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting to join the gun control lobby in Washington.
The president made a speech at the University of Hartford, and put out a fresh appeal for the public to intensify 1 pressure on the Congress.
"Now is the time to get engaged, now is the time to get involved, now is the time to push back on fear, and frustration 2, and misinformation. Now is the time for everybody to make their voices heard from every state house to the corridors of Congress."
The 12 family members are to travel to Washington in the Presidential plane, the Air Force One.
This comes amid the high likelihood of Republicans using a blocking maneuver 3 known as the filibuster 4 to halt gun control proposals.
No major gun legislation has passed the U.S. Congress since 1994.
The Presidents' efforts to bring in stricter controls have so far faced intense lobbying from gun rights groups.
1 intensify
vt.加强；变强；加剧
- We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
- They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。
2 frustration
n.挫折，失败，失效，落空
- He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
3 maneuver
n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略
- All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
- I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。
4 filibuster
n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠
- A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
- The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。