VOA标准英语2008年-Republicans Rally Around Palin as McCain's Runn

Senator John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his vice¹ presidential running mate is proving to be very popular with delegates to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Most delegates remain supportive of Palin following revelations that her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, who is not married, is pregnant. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has been talking to some of the convention delegates and has this report from St. Paul.
　
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain with Republican Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Dayton, Ohio, 29 Aug 2008

Senator McCain's decision to ask Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate has energized² a party, analysts³ say, is badly in need of a boost.

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback tells VOA that the Palin selection has generated a lot of excitement among social conservatives in a very short time.

"They are really excited," said Senator Brownback. "They are pumped about it, and they have not been excited in three years. They are pleased to see somebody who lives the life and who is authentic⁴ in her faith and the way she puts herself forward. They are very excited about it."

Delegates here admire Palin's opposition⁵ to abortion⁶, her support of gun ownership rights and the fact that she is a hunter. They also see her as a role model - a working mother who decided⁷ to keep her most recent baby, even though the child has Down syndrome⁸.

So far, that enthusiasm has apparently⁹ not been dampened by revelations that Palin's unmarried daughter Bristol is pregnant. The family says Bristol will keep the baby and will marry the father.

On another front, Governor Palin has hired a lawyer in connection with an ethics¹⁰ probe in her home state of Alaska, which so far has proven to be only a minor¹¹ distraction¹².

Oklahoma Congresswoman Mary Fallin says most of the delegates are very impressed with Palin and are sympathetic to her family situation.

"It just shows that she is a real woman that has everyday problems like American families go through," said Congresswoman Fallin. "Frankly¹³, I hope that she really talks about how we need to work on teenage pregnancy¹⁴. I know in my state, 40 percent of the babies who are born are born to unwed mothers."

McCain announced Palin as his vice presidential selection last Friday, and in the process set off an explosion of support among social conservatives.

"I know that it will demand the best that I have to give and I promise nothing less," said Governor Palin.

Texas delegate Marian Stanko says the Palin selection triggered a strong response among fellow Republicans in her home area.

"It was absolutely electrifying," said Marian Stanko. "The mood had completely shifted upward and onward¹⁵. Not just women, but there were men calling in saying they were onboard to help, and we had volunteers showing up at our headquarters."

Anti-tax activist¹⁶ Grover Norquist is an influential¹⁷ force within the Republican Party on economic issues. Norquist says Palin's selection will bolster¹⁸ the party among religious conservatives in the November election.

"Some people talk the talk on traditional values," said Norquist. "This is a woman who has actually lived those values, and that really resonates with the religious Republican conservatives, Roman Catholics and evangelical Protestants."

Several conservative radio talk show hosts are doing their programs from St. Paul this week, and they say Palin has proven to be a popular choice with their listeners.

Syndicated talk show host Mike Gallagher reaches an audience of nearly four million listeners each day.

"This is a gun-loving, hockey-mom, mother of five juggling¹⁹ a career and a staunch pro-life conservative," said Gallagher. "I have to tell you, it does not get any better for conservatives if you had written this in a Hollywood script."

Democrats²⁰ question whether Palin has enough experience to be vice president, and whether she is too conservative in her social views.

Palin has been governor of Alaska less than two years, and prior to that she served as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, which has a population of about 9,000.

Palin's most important test could come in early October when she will participate in a vice presidential debate with Senator Joseph Biden, the vice presidential running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

 

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 energized   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意，爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
• I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力，感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• 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。

8 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

9 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

10 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

11 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

12 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

13 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

14 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

15 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

16 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• 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。

17 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

18 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

19 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

20 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》