五月练习宫2.doc

上期答案来啦Its the law of the land: Health overhaul signed医改法案签署 终成美国法律1It was a day of history for the nation and sweet vindication for President Barack Obama. His grin seemed wider than any in recent memory.1对于美国来说，这是历史性的一天。对美国总统巴拉克奥巴马来说，这令人惬意地证明了医改的正确性。在人们的记忆中，近来他似乎还从未如此开心地笑过。2After more than a year of arguing, struggling and dealing, Obama signed into law a nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul that ranks among the biggest changes ever devised by Washington and will reshape the way virtually every American receives and pays for treatment.后置宾语 It will rework fully one-sixth of the U.S. economy and for the first time cement insurance coverage as the right of every U.S. citizen.2经过一年多的争吵、挣扎和讨价还价后，奥巴马在涉及金额近1万亿美元的医改法案上签字，使之成为法律。这是美国政府提出的最大的改革之一，几乎将改变每个美国人看病时享有待遇和个人付费的方方面面。它将全面重整1/6的美国经济，并首次将医疗保险作为每一个美国公民的权利加以确定。3At the White House, jubilation was in the air on Tuesday. Democratic lawmakers and advocates, crowded into the East Room for the signing ceremony, hooted and hollered at nearly every Obama sentence. They snapped photos of the president and themselves. Vice President Joe Biden was caught whispering a profanity as he exclaimed to the president what a big deal it was后置宾语.3本周二（3月23日），白宫处处喜气洋洋。参加签字仪式的民主党议员和医改支持者在东厅济济一堂，对奥巴马说的每一句话几乎都要大呼小叫一番。他们为总统和自己拍照。当副总统乔拜登向总统高喊这是一项多么伟大的成就时，人们发现他还低声说了句脏话。4It seemed more like a campaign rally than a bill signing. No one seemed quite able to contain themselves.4这与其说是法案签署仪式，不如说更像一次竞选集会。所有人似乎都喜不自禁。5It will be months before the November elections render a verdict on whether the public approves of the bill the Democrats pushed through Congress without a single Republican vote. But after more than a year of hyperpartisan struggle and numerous near-death moments for the measure they sealed a victory denied to a line of presidents and Congresses stretching back more than a half-century.过去分词短语充当定语5现在距11月份的中期选举还有几个月，而这次选举的结果将表明美国公众是否认同这个由民主党推动、国会通过，共和党议员却无一投票赞成的法案。但经过一年多的两党超级大战，这部法案虽数度几乎胎死腹中，民主党还是取得了半个多世纪以来多届总统和国会都未能取得的胜利。6Not everyone was cheering. Republicans said those Democratic lawmakers would pay dearly in this Novembers elections. Opinion polls show the public remains skeptical, too, and Obama will fly to Iowa on Thursday for the first of a number of appearances that will be more like a continuing sales job than a victory lap定语从句.(to be continued)6不是所有人都在欢呼。共和党人说，这些民主党议员将在今年11月的中期选举中付出高昂代价。民意调查表明，美国公众对这个法案也抱怀疑态度，而奥巴马本周四将飞赴衣阿华州开始一系列公开活动的首次亮相，这些活动与其说是胜利之旅，不如说是一场持续的推销活动。7Aside from the huge, real-life changes in store for many Americans, the White House hopes the victory even as a companion Senate “fix-it” bill moves through the Senate will revitalize an Obama presidency that has been all but preoccupied with health care for his first year and two months in office.7除了将给很多美国人的现实生活带来巨大变化外，白宫希望这次胜利（虽然一部与医改法案相伴的“修正”案正在参院讨论）将为奥巴马的总统任期注入新的活力。在任期的头一年又两个月里，他几乎将全部精力投入了医改。8Republicans characterize the measure as a costly, wrongheaded government power grab. Obama and the Democrats portray it as literally a lifesaver for countless Americans.8共和党人把这一法案称为代价高昂、执迷不悟的政府争权。奥巴马和民主党人则将该法案描述为无数美国人的真正的救星。9The core of the massive law is the extension of health care coverage to 32 million who now lack it, a goal to be achieved through a complex cocktail of new mandates for individuals and employers, subsidies for people who cant afford to buy coverage on their own, consumer-friendly rules clamped on insurers, tax breaks, and marketplaces to shop for health plans.介词短语充当状语9这部篇幅堪称浩繁的法案的核心是拓展医保范围，使3200万目前没有医保的人获保。为此，法案推出了一套针对个人和雇主的综合性的新规定，无法自购保险的人将获得补贴，保险公司将面对强制性的有利于消费者的新规则，法案还就减税和医疗保险计划市场采购作出了规定。10The laws most far-reaching changes dont kick-in until 2014, including a requirement that most Americans carry health insurance whether through an employer, a government program or their own purchase or pay a fine. To make that a reality, tax credits to help cover the cost of premiums不定式短语充当定语 will start flowing to middle-class families and Medicaid will be expanded to cover more low-income people. Insurers would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with health problems.10法案带来的最深远的变化只有到2014年以后才会生效，其中包括要求几乎所有美国人必须有医疗保险（通过雇主、政府保险、自购均可），否则就交付罚金。为了实现这个目标，中产阶级家庭将开始获得有助于支付保费的退税，联邦医疗补助制度将扩大范围惠及更多低收入人群。保险公司将不能拒绝有健康问题的人们获得保险。 11Among the new rules on insurance companies that take effect this year are banning lifetime dollar limits on policies, and policy cancellations when someone gets sick.主语 Insurers also will have to allow parents to keep children on their plans up to age 26. But a much-touted provision to protect children in poor health has a gap. Insurers would still be able to deny new coverage to kids with health problems until 2014, although they could no longer refuse to pay for a particular condition once the child is covered.11今年即将生效的针对保险公司的新规定包括，不得对投保人的终身保险赔付金额设置上限；当投保人生病时，禁止单方面取消保单。保险公司还必须允许父母的保险计划惠及子女，直至子女年满26岁。但一项被大肆宣传的意在保护健康状况不良的儿童的条款还有欠缺之处。2014年以前，保险公司仍可以拒绝为有健康问题的儿童提供新保险，尽管一旦他们获得保险，保险公司将不得再拒绝为某一病症理赔。12The changes are to be paid for with cuts in projected government payment increases to hospitals, insurance companies and others under Medicare and other health programs, an increase in the Medicare payroll tax for some, fees on insurance companies, drug makers and medical device manufacturers, a new excise tax on high-value insurance plans and a tax on indoor tanning services.介词短语充当状语 (to be continued)12这些改革的资金来源如下：削减政府原计划对医院、保险公司和医疗保险制度及其他保险计划所涉及的其他方面增加的投入，增加一些人的医疗保险制度工资税，对保险公司、制药企业和医疗器械制造商收费，新增对高额保险计划的消费税和对室内日光浴服务征税。13For seniors, the plan will gradually close the “doughnut hole” prescription coverage gap and improve preventive care. But it also will cut funding for popular private insurance plans offered through Medicare Advantage.过去分词短语充当定语 About one-quarter of seniors have signed up for such plans, which generally offer lower out-of-pocket costs.13对于老年人来说，新法案将逐步消除处方药赔付中的“甜甜圈漏洞”，改善预防保健。但新法案还将削减通过老年医疗保险优先计划提供的广受欢迎的私营保险计划的资助。通常这种计划规定的自付额较低，约1/4的老人参加了这种保险计划。14Democrats, led by Obama, celebrated a “new wind at our backs” from an achievement accomplished after more than a year of high tension and deep division 过去分词短语充当定语 stretching back to shouted protests that interrupted lawmakers town hall meetings on the subject last summer定语从句. Obama signed the measure less than two days after the cliffhanger final House vote in a rare Sunday night session.14在经过一年多的高度紧张和严重分歧后，以奥巴马为首的民主党人为这次成功所带来的“吹拂着我们后背的新风”而欢庆。而在去年夏天，就发生过议员们在市政厅举行关于医改的会议时被大声的抗议声打断的事。在众议院罕见地于上周日晚以微弱多数最后表决通过医改法案不到两天后，奥巴马即在上面签了字。15 “Our presence here today is remarkable and improbable,” Obama said. “With all the punditry, all of the lobbying, all the game-playing that passes for governing in Washington介词短语充当状语, its been easy at times to doubt our ability to do such a big thing, such a complicated thing.”15“我们今天汇聚于此令人瞩目且曾被视为难以成真，”奥巴马说。“所有的权威人士在指摘，所有的利益集团的游说，所有的被视为治理国事的规则在运行。有时很容易让人怀疑我们是否有能力成就如此大事，成就如此复杂的工程。”16At a second celebration later, he said, “After a century of striving, after a year of debate, after a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise. It is the law of the land.”16在之后的第二次庆祝活动中，他讲道：“在经过一个世纪的奋斗、一年的争论和一次历史性的投票后，医疗改革不再是无法兑现的承诺，它已经成为这个国家的法律。”17The president now faces the task of selling to the public a bill that satisfies neither side of the political spectrum.后置宾语17奥巴马总统现在面临的任务是向民众推销两个政治派别都不满意的法案。18Liberals bemoan that a government-run plan to compete with private ones was shed from the legislation during bitter negotiations. Conservatives fear an expansion of government and costs they say will bankrupt the country, despite an estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that the law will cut federal budget deficits by an estimated $143 billion over a decade同位语. (to be continued)18在激烈的辩论中，法案中删除了开办与私营保险计划竞争的公办保险计划的有关条款，这令自由派人士感到惋惜。尽管不偏向于任何党派的国会预算办公室估算新医改法案将在10年内削减约1430亿美元的联邦预算赤字，保守派人士仍担心政府规模和成本的扩大将使美国破产。19Obamas explanatory hurdle is not an easy one, given the laws multilayered provisions and timetables. A bumper-sticker slogan it is not. But he must help protect the Democrats particularly those from conservative-leaning districts who stand to suffer in the fall elections from their votes.19由于法案中多层面的规定和时间表，奥巴马向民众解释起来不会轻松。法案决不像贴在汽车保险杠上的口号一样可以用一句话说得清楚。但他必须帮助保护民主党人，尤其是那些来自有保守倾向选区的民主党人，他们在秋季选举中的得票可能会遭受损失。 20Republicans face a challenge as well. Aware of traditional American suspicions of government intrusion, they cast themselves throughout the process as against major changes. They now must explain to voters impatient for action in Washington why nothing was their best choice.形容词短语充当定语20共和党人也面临挑战。鉴于知道美国人传统上对政府越位非常警惕，他们自始至终都扮演着反对大改革的角色。他们现在必须向亟待华盛顿采取行动的选民解释为什么无为是他们当时的最佳选择。21In a hint of the coming Republican line of argument, Sens. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said the new law would push the United States to a “European-style” government.21来自新罕布什尔州的共和党参议员贾德格雷格和亚利桑那州的共和党参议员乔恩凯尔说，新法案将使美国政府更加“欧洲化”，这暗示了共和党方面的论调。22More than a dozen Republican senators introduced legislation to repeal the law that Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said would “force taxpayer funding of abortions, raise health costs, hike taxes, cut Medicare, raid Social Security and put bureaucrats between patients and their doctors.”定语从句22来自南卡罗来纳州的共和党参议员吉姆德明特称，该法案将“迫使纳税人资助堕胎，提高医疗成本，使税收剧增，削减医疗保险资金，破坏社会保障，让官僚在病人和医生之间指手画脚。”已有十多名共和党参议员推出了试图撤销医改法案的新议案。23 “Repeal and replace,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters.23“我们对医改法案的态度是撤销并取代”，来自肯塔基州的共和党参议院少数党领袖米奇麦康奈尔对记者说。24Obama planned to sign an executive order Wednesday affirming existing law against federal funding of abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the womans life现在分词短语充当定语. A critical bloc of antiabortion Democrats had pledged to vote against the health care package unless given greater assurances that it would not amend current law. 状语从句In a last-minute deal, Obama agreed to issue the order to get their votes. (to be continued)24奥巴马计划于本周三签署一项行政命令，确认现行法律禁止将联邦资金用于堕胎，除非因强奸、乱伦或事主有生命危险。一群在投票中有决定意义的反堕胎民主党人曾誓言，如不更大程度地保证新医改法案将不会修改现行（关于堕胎的）法律，他们将投票反对这一揽子医保法案。在最后一分钟的讨价还价中，奥巴马同意发布命令，以获得他们的投票支持。25And attorneys general from 13 states acted on their opposition immediately, filing suit to stop the overhaul just minutes after the bill signing. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum took the lead in the lawsuit that contends the legislation is unconstitutional, joined by colleagues from South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Louisiana, Idaho, Washington and Colorado. Other GOP attorneys general may join the lawsuit later or sue separately.25法案签署后几分钟，13个州的检察长立即出面反对，提出诉讼，以期阻止新法案。佛罗里达州检察长比尔麦科勒姆带头提出诉论，称新法案违宪。参与者还有南卡罗来纳州、内布拉斯加州、得克萨斯州、密歇根州、犹他州、宾夕法尼亚州、阿拉巴马州、南达科他州、路易斯安那州、爱达荷州、华盛顿州和科罗拉多州的同僚。其他州的共和党籍检察长日后也可能加入，或者单独提出诉讼。26Obama made clear that the Republican offensive will not go unanswered. His larger, second event, held in a vast Interior Department auditorium, had a more combative feel. He accused Republicans of telling “lies.”26奥巴马明确表示，共和党的进攻将不会被置之不理。在内政部大礼堂举行的规模更盛大的第二场庆祝活动带有更强烈的对抗气氛。奥巴马指责共和党人“撒谎”。27 “Those fighting change are still out there, still making a lot of noise about what this reform means,” he said. “Look it up for yourself.”27“那些抗拒改革的人还在活动，还在就这次改革意味着什么叫嚣，”他说。“自己仔细看看吧。”28Starting with a Thursday trip to Iowa City, where as a presidential candidate he announced his health care plan in May 2007定语从句, Obama intends to emphasize the laws most immediate impacts, including the ability of young adults to remain on their parents health plans and a ban on insurers denying coverage to sick children.28本周四起奥巴马将首先赴衣阿华市，2007年5月他作为总统候选人在此宣布了其医改计划。奥巴马打算强调新法案最直接的影响，包括年轻的成年人可以留在父母的医保计划中，以及禁止保险公司拒绝受理患病儿童的投保要求。29Even as the celebration proceeded in Washington, Congress labored to complete the overhaul with a companion measure containing changes demanded as a condition of House Democrats approval现在分词短语充当定语. The Senate was poised to consider that bill, with Democratic leaders hoping for its completion by weeks end.29甚至在庆祝法案通过的活动在华盛顿举行的同时，国会还在讨论包含众议院民主党人作为投赞成票的条件所要求的修正内容的相伴议案，以完成医改。参议院已准备好讨论这个议案，民主党领导人希望能在本周末完成。30 “We are going to make a good law signed by the president过去分词短语充当定语 even better宾语补主语,” Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., declared on the Senate floor. (The end)30“我们将使总统签署的好法律好上加好，”来自内华达州的民主党多数党领袖哈里里德在参议院宣布。练习指令：请各位同学认真阅读下列文章的每一个词和每一个句子，然后将每句话翻译成中文，并将全文读懂背熟。本文的全文翻译将在下周与新材料一起公布。 1Good evening, everybody. Tonight, after nearly 100 years of talk and frustration, after decades of trying, and a year of sustained effort and debate, the United States Congress finally declared that Americas workers and Americas families and Americas small businesses deserve the security of knowing that here, in this country, neither illness nor accident should endanger the dreams theyve worked a lifetime to achieve.2Tonight, at a time when the pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics. We pushed back on the undue influence of special interests. We didnt give in to mistrust or to cynicism or to fear. Instead, we proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things and tackling our biggest challenges. We proved that this governmenta government of the people and by the peoplestill works for the people. 3I want to thank every member of Congress who stood up tonight with courage and conviction to make health care reform a reality. And I know this wasnt an easy vote for a lot of people. But it was the right vote4Todays vote answers the dreams of so many who have fought for this reform. To every unsung American who took the time to sit down and write a letter or type out an e-mail hoping your voice would be heard - it has been heard tonight. To the untold numbers who knocked on doors and made phone calls, who organized and mobilized out of a firm conviction that change in this country comes not from the top down, but from the bottom up - let me reaffirm that conviction: This moment is possible because of you. 5Most importantly, todays vote answers the prayers of every American who has hoped deeply for something to be done about a health care system that works for insurance companies, but not for ordinary people. For most Americans, this debate has never been about abstractions, the fight between right and left, Republican and Democrat - its always been about something far more personal. Its about every American who knows the shock of opening an envelope to see that their premiums just shot up again when times are already tough enough. Its about every parent who knows the desperation of trying to cover a child with a chronic illness only to be told “no” again and again and again. Its about every small business owner forced to choose between insuring employees and staying open for business. They are why we committed ourselves to this cause.6Now, it probably goes without saying that tonights vote will give rise to a frenzy of instant analysis. There will be tallies of Washington winners and losers, predictions