VOA标准英语2013--State of Union Allows Presidents to Outline Agenda

 

State of Union Allows Presidents to Outline Agenda

Americans fought the British for independence, but borrowed their practice of having the head of state address government leaders regularly.

Early presidents posted letters, not showing up at the Capitol.

The U.S. Constitution mandates¹ there be a State of the Union report. It adds that the president shall recommend measures to Congress that he judges "necessary and expedient²."

Ronald Reagan started the practice of inviting³ special guests to the speech, like this man who dove into the Potomac River in Washington to save victims of a plane crash.

Over the years the address has evolved.

We sat down with Georgetown University government and public policy professor Mark Rom for some insight.

“Presidents have multiple purposes for the State of the Union address. One is they want to lay out their agenda for the upcoming session. But at the same time he is laying out that agenda for Congress, he is also laying it out for the public," Rom stated. "Congress responds to public concerns so the president also wants to mobilize public opinion to support these goals.”

The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives formally invites the president to address both Senators and House members. The speech is held in the House Chamber⁴ because it is larger. Rom says that these days the speech is substantive⁵, but also … dramatic.

“The president says what his agenda is. His backers in Congress, that is members of his party, will stand and whoop⁶ enthusiastically about this agenda. The opponents, opposition⁷ party, will remain seated typically during those moments, cross their arms and look skeptical,” Rom explained.

It can be a time to speak of problems and offer solutions. 

1 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

2 expedient   

adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计

参考例句：

• The government found it expedient to relax censorship a little.政府发现略微放宽审查是可取的。
• Every kind of expedient was devised by our friends.我们的朋友想出了各种各样的应急办法。

3 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

6 whoop   

n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息

参考例句：

• He gave a whoop of joy when he saw his new bicycle.他看到自己的新自行车时，高兴得叫了起来。
• Everybody is planning to whoop it up this weekend.大家都打算在这个周末好好欢闹一番。

7 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。