[audio]http://sound.yywz123.com/tingbbs/xuanze/1027.mp3[/audio]
1. Which statement is true about the candidate's first point on taxes?
A. New school funding will be generated by eliminating tax breaks.
B. Taxes will be used to retain teachers for the future.
C. Property taxes should be used to improve existing schools.
2. What is the speaker's main point about economic development?
A. The candidate is proposing the development of new housing downtown.
B. New sport arenas should be built to revitalize the local economy.
C. More green areas should be developed in the suburbs to improve recreational opportunities.
3. What can we infer from the politician's third point?
A. More roads need to be built for future generations.
B. Long-term solutions to improve transportation traffic will include trains.
C. More efficient means of transportation will be supported by the federal government.
4. What reason is given for voting for the candidate at the end of the speech?
A. He understands the needs of the common man.
B. He has had a long career as a politician.
C. He has fought against big business interests.
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作者: tingroom 时间: 2014-10-27 17:02
Ladies and gentleman. Our country has come to a crossroad, and now you have the power to change the political landscape of America. As I have said time and time again, if you elect me to be your face in congress, there are several things I will do to ensure that your needs are met day in and day out across this land.
First of all, I plan on proposing new legislation that will invest more tax dollars in our public schools, not only to meet the needs of today, but to encourage developing minds for the future. Such new funding would be used to hire and retain good teachers, build and renovate new schools, and give great tax breaks to classroom teachers. To accomplish this, I am proposing no new taxes increases, but rather a rechanneling of our existing tax revenue to meet these demands. Now, the incumbent and his staff have been talking about this for years with little progress. I plan to change all of this now.
Second, economic development is on the minds of most of you, particularly with regard to our downtown area. For many years, economic prosperity has been neglected by current government leaders, and I plan to change all of that. I am proposing a city center revitalization project that would promote new businesses, new residential areas, and new open green areas to bring people back to the heart of our city. Current leaders have allowed the new city to die, preferring to invest in sport arenas in the outlying areas.
And third, I am proposing the construction of a light rail train system, to be built over the next decade, to meet the growing demands of better and more efficient transportation for years to come. My opponent and his administration have lacked the vision of long-term solutions, preferring to take a look and see approach. Such a short sighted stance fails to consider the needs of future generations . . . our children and our grandchildren. My generation doesn't want to be remembered for a road we build today, but for a more visionary transportation system for our future.
And finally, my opponent has cited my inexperience as a reason why you shouldn't vote for me. However, I am not a career politician who has lost touch with the everyday needs and concerns of day-to-day people. My work as an educator and business owner has given me a unique perspective on the pains and challenges you face.
If elected, I promise to give my all to my elected position and make sure your issues and concerns are fully addressed at the local and national level.
Thank you.
Key Vocabulary [Top]
crossroad(s) (noun): a time in your life when important decisions must be made
- The company has now reached a crossroad where it must make changes to guarantee its future.
ensure (verb): guarantee or make sure something will happen
- The government needs to make changes in the welfare system now to ensure that it will be around for generations to come.
retain (verb): keep something
- The president decided to retain some of his staff after the elections.
renovate (verb): repair or rebuild something to make it look new again
- The city has decided to renovate the downtown library to save money instead of building a new one.
rechannel (verb): redirect something like money for another purpose
- The mayor wants to rechannel additional tax revenue away from park construction to pay for rising education expenses.
revenue (noun): money that an organization receives, usually from the sales of goods and services
- If the company doesn't generate enough revenue during the holiday season, it will be in serious financial trouble.
incumbent (noun): the current elected political official in office
- Many incumbents were voted out of office due to their political records.
neglect (verb): not take care of or pay attention to something
- Many residents feel that local government leaders neglected the needs of the poor in our city.
revitalization (noun): the process of bringing back something to strength or prosperity
- To tell the truth, I'm at my wits' end trying to figure out the problem with my computer.
outlying (adjective): far from the center or middle of a city
- A new transportation plan needs to be consider to meet the needs of those living in outlying areas of the city.
light rail (noun): an electric train designed for passengers only
- light rail the high-quality products of other businesses .
stance (noun): opinion or position
- Before I vote, I always make an effort to understand the candidates' stance on various issues.
cite (verb): mention or state
- The political challenger cited his opponent's poor voting record on a number of government matters.
address (verb): take care or deal with particular issues
- The ultimate goal of our company is to be number one in our field.
