用英語聊聊美國大選

　　美國大選將近，大家都在討論要投誰的票。剛剛成為美國公民的Amir就在跟他的妻子Sharon談論要投票給誰，一起來聽聽吧!

　　Professor: Amir just became an American citizen, and this year he is voting in his first American election. Today he is having breakfast with his wife, Sharon, and theyre talking about the upcoming election.

　　Amir: So honey, who do you think youre going to vote for in the election? I really like both the Republican and Democratic candidates, but I cant decide who to vote for.

　　Sharon: You like both of them? I think theyre both terrible. For me the question isnt who I like the most, but who I dislike the least!

　　Amir: Well, I guess thats an interesting way to look at it. To be honest I dont care if Virginia is a blue state or a red state. I just want a moderate candidate who will do a good job.

　　Sharon: Yeah, youre right. The only thing I care about is that whoever wins isnt too partisan.

　　看來Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters--溫和的選民。不過我不明白，Amir說，他不在乎Virginia州變成blue state or red state，這是什么意思呢?

　　Professor: In America, the color red represents the Republican Party, and the color blue represents the Democratic Party.

　　哦，紅色代表共和黨，藍色代表民主黨。所以，Amir 意思是，他不在乎州長是由共和黨人來做，還是民主黨人來做，最好是個溫和派、干實事兒的人。

　　Professor: Right! And Sharon says she doesnt want a candidate who is too partisan. Someone is partisan if he refuses to compromise with the other side.

　　哦，partisan就是黨派性的。

　　Amir: Well what do you think the results are going to be? Virginia used to always be a landslide for the Republicans, but these days its a tossup.

　　Sharon: Youre right, its pretty hard to say. But since the incumbent is a Republican, Id have to give him a slight advantage.

　　Amir: Yeah, incumbents always have an easier time with fundraising, and everybody already knows them because theyve been in office for a while.

　　Sharon: Yeah, but judging by what a bad job hes done, I dont think that name recognition is going to help him!

　　看來這次選舉競爭很激烈。現在選舉結果是tossup - 就像扔硬幣一樣，勝選機會是一半一半，哪個候選人都不會有landslide--壓倒性勝利。

　　Professor: Exactly. But one candidate has an advantage, right?

　　對，那就是the incumbent--在職者。Amir說，他在fundraising--籌款，和name recognition--知名度方面，都有優勢。

　　Professor: Thats true, but name recognition isnt always a good thing, right?

　　對，知名度不一定都是好事，因為不知道是好名還是罵名!

　　Amir: A lot of analysts are saying that the election is going to be decided by turnout. The more people vote, the more its likely to benefit the Democrat.

　　Sharon: (Sigh) .... Amir, can we stop talking about politics? I just want to eat my breakfast in peace.

　　Amir: But Sharon, this is my first time voting in an American election. Cant you understand how excited I am?

　　Sharon: Look, if youre really into the election, why dont you listen to the pundits talk about it?

　　Amir: Come on Sharon, how can you think about eating breakfast at a time like this? This election is going to decide the future of our country!

　　Sharon: Amir, if you dont stop talking about politics, its going to decide the future of your marriage!

　　professor, 什么叫turnout?

　　Professor: Turnout is the number of people who actually go out and vote on election day. In the US, turnout is usually about 50 percent across the country.

　　哦，turnout就是投票人數。那么，什么叫pundits呢?

　　Professor: Pundits are professional commentators. They are famous people who spend all their time talking about their views on current events.

　　哦，就是那些專門在電視廣播里對時事發表看法的評論家! 這么說，我同意Sharon的觀點。現在，只要一開電視，到處都是pundits，已經夠煩人了，誰還想自己家里的老公也每天大談政治呢?

　　A: 原來，Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters, 溫和選民，他們更注重的不是partisan黨派，而是誰的政策更合理。兩人覺得，這次的選舉會是個tossup, 兩黨機會旗鼓相當，哪個候選人都不會有landslide, 壓倒性勝利。

　　B: Yeah, I guess thats the situation today. The new poll shows that Obama and Romneys support rate are incredibly close.

　　A: So who are you going to vote for?

　　B: Hmm....楊琳, let me give you some sensitivity training. In America, we dont ask people this kind of question. Anything involving the politics are extremely sensitive.

　　A: 哦對了，政治問題不能隨便問! 不過咱倆都這么鐵了，你就告訴我嘛!

　　B: Haha, Im a moderate voter, I will vote for whoever with the best policy for my country. But...remember dont ask other people such questions, you might offend them without even realizing it!

　　A: 嗯，謝謝你的忠告!

　　用英語聊聊美國大選

　　美國大選將近，大家都在討論要投誰的票。剛剛成為美國公民的Amir就在跟他的妻子Sharon談論要投票給誰，一起來聽聽吧!

　　Professor: Amir just became an American citizen, and this year he is voting in his first American election. Today he is having breakfast with his wife, Sharon, and theyre talking about the upcoming election.

　　Amir: So honey, who do you think youre going to vote for in the election? I really like both the Republican and Democratic candidates, but I cant decide who to vote for.

　　Sharon: You like both of them? I think theyre both terrible. For me the question isnt who I like the most, but who I dislike the least!

　　Amir: Well, I guess thats an interesting way to look at it. To be honest I dont care if Virginia is a blue state or a red state. I just want a moderate candidate who will do a good job.

　　Sharon: Yeah, youre right. The only thing I care about is that whoever wins isnt too partisan.

　　看來Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters--溫和的選民。不過我不明白，Amir說，他不在乎Virginia州變成blue state or red state，這是什么意思呢?

　　Professor: In America, the color red represents the Republican Party, and the color blue represents the Democratic Party.

　　哦，紅色代表共和黨，藍色代表民主黨。所以，Amir 意思是，他不在乎州長是由共和黨人來做，還是民主黨人來做，最好是個溫和派、干實事兒的人。

　　Professor: Right! And Sharon says she doesnt want a candidate who is too partisan. Someone is partisan if he refuses to compromise with the other side.

　　哦，partisan就是黨派性的。

　　Amir: Well what do you think the results are going to be? Virginia used to always be a landslide for the Republicans, but these days its a tossup.

　　Sharon: Youre right, its pretty hard to say. But since the incumbent is a Republican, Id have to give him a slight advantage.

　　Amir: Yeah, incumbents always have an easier time with fundraising, and everybody already knows them because theyve been in office for a while.

　　Sharon: Yeah, but judging by what a bad job hes done, I dont think that name recognition is going to help him!

　　看來這次選舉競爭很激烈。現在選舉結果是tossup - 就像扔硬幣一樣，勝選機會是一半一半，哪個候選人都不會有landslide--壓倒性勝利。

　　Professor: Exactly. But one candidate has an advantage, right?

　　對，那就是the incumbent--在職者。Amir說，他在fundraising--籌款，和name recognition--知名度方面，都有優勢。

　　Professor: Thats true, but name recognition isnt always a good thing, right?

　　對，知名度不一定都是好事，因為不知道是好名還是罵名!

　　Amir: A lot of analysts are saying that the election is going to be decided by turnout. The more people vote, the more its likely to benefit the Democrat.

　　Sharon: (Sigh) .... Amir, can we stop talking about politics? I just want to eat my breakfast in peace.

　　Amir: But Sharon, this is my first time voting in an American election. Cant you understand how excited I am?

　　Sharon: Look, if youre really into the election, why dont you listen to the pundits talk about it?

　　Amir: Come on Sharon, how can you think about eating breakfast at a time like this? This election is going to decide the future of our country!

　　Sharon: Amir, if you dont stop talking about politics, its going to decide the future of your marriage!

　　professor, 什么叫turnout?

　　Professor: Turnout is the number of people who actually go out and vote on election day. In the US, turnout is usually about 50 percent across the country.

　　哦，turnout就是投票人數。那么，什么叫pundits呢?

　　Professor: Pundits are professional commentators. They are famous people who spend all their time talking about their views on current events.

　　哦，就是那些專門在電視廣播里對時事發表看法的評論家! 這么說，我同意Sharon的觀點。現在，只要一開電視，到處都是pundits，已經夠煩人了，誰還想自己家里的老公也每天大談政治呢?

　　A: 原來，Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters, 溫和選民，他們更注重的不是partisan黨派，而是誰的政策更合理。兩人覺得，這次的選舉會是個tossup, 兩黨機會旗鼓相當，哪個候選人都不會有landslide, 壓倒性勝利。

　　B: Yeah, I guess thats the situation today. The new poll shows that Obama and Romneys support rate are incredibly close.

　　A: So who are you going to vote for?

　　B: Hmm....楊琳, let me give you some sensitivity training. In America, we dont ask people this kind of question. Anything involving the politics are extremely sensitive.

　　A: 哦對了，政治問題不能隨便問! 不過咱倆都這么鐵了，你就告訴我嘛!

　　B: Haha, Im a moderate voter, I will vote for whoever with the best policy for my country. But...remember dont ask other people such questions, you might offend them without even realizing it!

　　A: 嗯，謝謝你的忠告!