大学英语四六级考试精读荟萃100篇4.docx
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大学英语四六级考试精读荟萃100篇4
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PassageFour(ItIsBush)
Onthe36thdayaftertheyhadvoted,AmericansfinallylearnedWednesdaywhowouldbetheirnextpresident:
GovernorGeorgeW.BushofTexas.
VicePresidentAlGore,hislastrealisticavenueforlegalchallengeclosedbyaU.S.SupremeCourtdecisionlateTuesday,plannedtoendthecontestformallyinatelevisedeveningspeechofperhaps10minutes,adviserssaid.
TheysaidthatSenatorJosephLieberman,hisvicepresidentialrunningmate,wouldfirstmakebriefcomments.ThemenwouldspeakfromaceremonialchamberoftheOldExecutiveofficeBuilding,tothewestoftheWhiteHouse.
ThedozensofpoliticalworkersandlawyerswhohadhelpedleadMr.Gore’sunprecedentedfighttoclawacome-from-behindelectoralvictoryinthepivotalstateofFloridawerethankedWednesdayandaskedtostanddown.
“Thevicepresidenthasdirectedtherecountcommitteetosuspendactivities,”WilliamDaley,theGorecampaignchairman,saidinawrittenstatement.
Mr.Goreauthorizedthatstatementaftermeetingwithhiswife,Tipper,andwithtopadvisersincludingMr.Daley.
HewasexpectedtotelephoneMr.Bushduringtheday.TheBushcampaignkeptalowprofileandmovedgingerly,asiftoleavespaceforMr.Goretocontemplatehisnextsteps.
Yet,attheendofatryingandtumultuousprocessthathadfocusedworldattentiononsleeplessvotecountersacrossFlorida,andoncourtroomsformMiamitoTallahasseetoAtlantatoWashingtontheTexasgovernorwassettobecomethe43dU.S.president.
ThenewsofMr.Gore’splansfollowedthelongestandmostrancorousdisputeoveraU.S.presidentialelectioninmorethanacentury,onecertaintoleavescarsinabadlydividedcountry.
ItwasabitterendingforMr.Gore,whohadoutpolledMr.Bushnationwidebysome300000votes,but,withoutFlorida,fellshortintheElectoralCollegeby271votesto267—thenarrowestElectoralCollegevictorysincetheturbulentelectionof1876.
Mr.GorewassaidtobedistressedbywhatheandmanyDemocraticactivistsfeltwasapartisandecisionfromthenation’shighestcourt.
The5-to–4decisionoftheSupremeCourtheld,inessence,thatwhileavoterecountinFloridacouldbeconductedinlegalandconstitutionalfashion,asMr.Gorehadsought,thiscouldnotbedonebytheDec.12deadlineforstatestoselecttheirpresidentialelectors.
JamesBaker3rd,theformersecretaryofstatewhorepresentedMr.BushintheFloridadispute,issuedashortstatementaftertheU.S.highcourtruling,sayingthatthegovernorwas“verypleasedandgratified.”
Mr.Bushwasplanninganationwidespeechaimedattryingtobegintohealthecountry’sdeep,achingandvarieddivisions.Hethenwasexpectedtomeetwithcongressionalleaders,includingDemocrats.DickCheney,Mr.Bush’sruingmate,wasmeetingwithcongressmenWednesdayinWashington.
WhenMr.Bush,whois54,isswornintoofficeonJan.20,hewillbeonlythesecondsonofapresidenttofollowhisfathertotheWhiteHouse,afterJohnAdamsandJohnQuincyAdamsintheearly19thcentury.
Mr.Gore,inhisspeech,wasexpectedtothankhissupporters,defendhishive-weekbattleasanefforttoensure,asamatterofprinciple,thateveryvotebecounted,andcallforthenationtojoinbehindthenewpresident.Hewasdescribedbyanaideas“resolvedandresigned.”
WhilesomeconstitutionalexpertshadsaidtheybelievedstatescouldpresentelectorsaslateasDec.18,theU.S.highcourtmadeclearthatitsawnosuchleeway.
TheU.S.highcourtsentback“forrevision”totheFloridacourtitsorderallowingrecountsbutmadeclearthatforallpracticalpurposestheelectionwasover.
Initsunsignedmainopinion,thecourtdeclared,“Therecountprocess,initsfeaturesheredescribed,isinconsistentwiththeminimumproceduresnecessarytoprotectthefundamentalrightofeachvoter.”
Thatdecision,byacourtfracturedalongphilosophicallines,leftoneliberaljusticechargingthatthehighcourt’sproceedingsboreapoliticaltaint.
JusticeJohnPaulStevenswroteinanangrydissent:
”Althoughwemayneverknowwithcompletecertaintytheidentityofthewinnerofthisyear’spresidentialelection,theidentityoftheloserisperfectlyclear.Itisthenation’sconfidenceinthejudgeasanimpartialguardianofthelaw.”
Butattheendoffiveseeminglyendlessweeks,duringwhichthephysical,legalandconstitutionalmachinesoftheU.S.electionwerepressedandsorelytestedinwaysunseeninmorethanacentury,thesystemfinallyproducedaresult,andonemostAmericansappearedtobewillingatleaseprovisionallytosupport.
TheBushteamwelcomedthenewswithanoutwardshowofrestraintandaplomb.Thegovernor’shopeshadrisenandfallensomanytimessinceElectionnight,andthelegalwarriorsofeachsidesufferedthroughsomanydramaticreversals,thattherewaslittleenergyleftforcelebration.
1.Themainideaofthispassageis
[A].Bush’svictoryinpresidentialelectionboreapoliticaltaint.
[B].TheprocessoftheAmericanpresidentialelection.
[C].TheSupremeCourtplaysaveryimportantpartinthepresidentialelection.
[D].Goreisdistressed.
2.Whatdoesthesentence“asiftoleavespaceforMr.Goretocontemplatehisnextstep”mean
[A].BushhopesGoretojoinhisadministration.
[B].BushhopesGoretoconcededefeatandtosupporthim.
[C].BushhopesGoretocongraduatehim.
[D].BushhopesGoregoonfightingwithhim.
3.Whycouldn’tMr.GorewinthepresidentialelectionafterheoutpolledMr.Bushinthepopularvote?
Because
[A].theAmericanpresidentisdecidedbythesupremecourt’sdecision.
[B].peoplecan’tdirectlyelecttheirpresident.
[C].theAmericanpresidentiselectedbyaslateofpresidentialelectors.
[D].thepeopleofeachstatesupportMr.Bush.
4.Whatwastheresultofthe5—4decisionofthesupremecourt?
[A].Itwasinfactforthevoterecount.
[B].Ithadnothingtodowiththepresidentialelection.
[C].Itdecidedthefateofthewinner.
[D].Itwasinessenceagainstthevoterecount.
5.Whatdidthe“turbulentelectionof1876”imply?
[A].Theprocessofpresidentialelectionof2000wasthesameasthat.
[B].Thereweregreatsimilaritiesbetweenthetwopresidentialelections(2000and1876).
[C].Itwascomparedtopresidentialelectionof2000.
[D].Itwasgivenanexample.
Vocabulary
1.avenue通向成功/获取成功的途径/手段
2.runningmate竞选伙伴,如作为总统的竞选伙伴,获胜后为副总统
3.pivotal重要的,枢纽的
4.gingerly=carefully小心翼翼地
5.tumultuous吵闹的,骚动的,激动的
6.rancorous充满仇恨的
7.elector总统选举团成员
8.electorcollege美国选举总统的选举团
9.leeway风压差,余地
10.forallpracticalpurpose事实上,实际
11.fracture断裂,折断
12.taint污点,败坏,感染
13.dissent不同意,异议
14.provisionally暂时的,临时的
15.aplomb镇静,沉着
16.restraint抑制,克制,谨慎
难句译注
1.standdown退出竞争/竞选,辞职,推出法庭。
这里指戈尔感谢这些竞争支持者后,就退出竞选。
此短语的对立面是standfor竞选。
Ex:
tostandforparliament竞选国会议员。
2.TheBushcampaignkeptalowprofileandmovedgingerly,asiftoleavespaceforMr.Goretocontemplatehisnextsteps.
[结构简析]profile外形,轮廓,外观。
Lowprofile低姿态,不出头露面,不惹人注意。
Highprofile鲜明的姿态。
3.recountcommittee重新计算选票委员会。
4.…onecertaintoleavescarsisabadlydividedcountry.
[结构简析]election的同位语one(election)whichwascertain。
Leavescar留下伤疤。
[参考译文]人们可以肯定计算问题在这两派分裂的国家上留下伤疤。
5.ItwasabitterendingforMr.Gore,whohadoutpolledMr.Bushnationwidebysome300000votes,but,withoutFlorida,fellshortintheElectoralCollegeby271votesto267—thenarrowestElectoralCollegevictorysincetheturbulentelectionof1876.
[结构简析]outpoll得到的选票超过某人。
Fallshort(of)缺少,不足,达不到。
Electoralcollege选举团票,指每一个州人民选出一群人组成选举团,由它们直接选举总统。
6.Theelectionof1876
这是指1876年11月7日美国内战时少将,共和党人,俄亥俄州州长卢瑟福•海因斯,在总统选举结束后,认为自己输给民主党人,纽约州长萨缪尔•莱尔登而安息。
可在第二天,因为涉嫌欺骗行为,有争议之州,如佛罗里达,路易斯安娜,南卡罗莱纳重新计票及诉讼。
那一年选举结果争议持续了四个月的时间。
国会因争议,不得不推迟总统就职时间。
到第二年,1877年3月4日,总统就职最后期限的前两天,国会建立了一个两党联合选举委员会:
包括八名共和党人和七名民主党人。
最后该会把所有争议的选举人票都给了海因斯。
结果以185票对莱尔登184张选举团票。
海因斯多一票当选为美国第19任总统。
2000年的美国总统选举与1876年的很相似。
所以句内提及。
7.JamesBaker3rd贝克曾任前共和党总统里根(RonaldReagen)政府的内阁成员和白宫办公所主任。
在小布什父亲的父亲GeorgeBush任总统时又担任过国务卿(1989——1993)。
这次他是小布什为重新计票问题在法庭展开斗争的律师代表,而民主党的律师代表似乎克林顿政府中担任过国务卿的克里斯托弗WarrenChristopher(1993--1997)。
8.DickCheney切尼是小布什父亲执政时的老臣。
他这次出山要以辅弼大臣的资格和经验辅佐朝政。
所以报道中提到hewillactintheBushadministrationasapresidentinacorporationwhileGeorgeW.BushastheChairmanoftheboardofdirectors.
9.JohnAdams(1735—1848),约翰•亚当斯,美国第二任总统(1979——1801),联邦党人,Federalist,是起草独立宣言的关键人物。
10.JohnQuincyAdams(1767—1848)美国第六任总统,是上述亚当斯大儿子。
11.resolvedandresigned这里指他的追随者认为戈尔坚定而又顺从(天命),因为戈尔的演说,一方面感谢他们的支持,五星期来保证每张票都应计算的努力是捍卫了原则问题,另一方面也是号召全国支持新总统。
12.Itsawnosuchleeway.美国高等法院认为这是没有成功的多花时间,金钱的事。
和后面句内forallpracticalpurposetheelectionwasover事实上选举已结束(已成定居),传达了高等法院认为重新计票毫无作用之义。
13.Thatdecision,byacourtfracturedalongphilosophicallines,leftoneliberaljusticechargingthatthehighcourt’sproceedingsboreapoliticaltaint.
[参考译文]法院这一裁决割裂了哲学思想,使一位自由派法官(司法官)指高等法院程序沾上了政治污点。
14.Butattheendoffiveseeminglyendlessweeks,duringwhichthephysical,legalandconstitutionalmachinesoftheU.S.electionwerepressedandsorelytestedinwaysunseeninmorethanacentury,thesystemfinallyproducedaresult,andonemostAmericansappearedtobewillingatleaseprovisionallytosupport.
[参考译文]经过5个似乎无休止的星期之后,这个制度总算产生了一个结果,一个大多数美国人,至少目前能暂时支持的总统。
在这五星期内,有形的,法律的,政体的机器都经受了压力(都很紧张),也经受了一百多年来没有见过的这方面的沉重考验。
写作方法和文章大意
这是一篇报导,其特点先画龙点睛指出中心事实,Bush当选,戈尔退出,然后以对比手法写出胜者和败方的处理方法,前者低调,谨慎,似乎宽容,后者似乎退让,认命,再次选举的经过,特别是最高法院的裁决,决定选举的命运点出胜败之因(因果写法)。
小布什的险胜有点类