Upper-Intermediate - Interviews: Obama or Romney? (D2058)

A: 大家好,我是记者小乐。最近美国正在经历一场四年一次的总统选举。美国总统选举不仅仅跟美国人民的生活相关,也算得上是一件国际大事。所以今天我们将就这一话题,采访一些路人,看看他们都有哪些不同的观点。
dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì jìzhě xiǎolè. zuìjìn Měiguó zhèngzài jīnglì yī chǎng sì nián yīcì de zǒngtǒngxuǎnjǔ. Měiguo zǒngtǒng xuǎnjǔ bùjǐnjǐn gēn Měiguó rénmín de shēnghuó xiāngguān, yě suàndéshàng shì yī jiàn guójì dàshì. suǒyǐ jīntiān wǒmen jiāng jiù zhè yī huàtí, cǎifǎng yīxiē lùrén, kàn kan tāmen dōu yǒu nǎxiē bùtóng de guāndiǎn.
Hello everyone! I'm reporter Xiao Le. America is currently going through it's presidential election which takes place once every four years. The American presidential election not only concerns the lives of Americans, it can also be considered an international event. So today we are looking at this topic, interviewing people on the street, and seeing what different points of view they have.
A: 前面有位小姐打扮得很时髦,我们去问问她。小姐,你好,请留步!
qiánmian yǒu wèi xiǎojie dǎbàn de hěn shímáo, wǒmen qù wèn wen tā. xiǎojie, nǐhǎo, qǐng liúbù!
Up ahead there's a woman dressed stylishly. Let's go ask her. Miss, hello, excuse me!
B: 你好!
nǐhǎo!
Hello!
A: 你知不知道美国在搞总统选举?
nǐ zhī bu zhīdào Měiguó zài gǎo zǒngtǒng xuǎnjǔ?
Do you know that America is now holding a presidential election?
B: 知道啊!新闻里经常放。
zhīdào a! xīnwén lǐ jīngcháng fàng.
Sure! It's often on the news.
A: 那你对这次的候选人了解吗?
nà nǐ duì zhècì de hòuxuǎnrén liǎojiě ma?
Then do you know about the candidates this time around?
B: 不太了解,我只知道一个是奥巴马,一个好像是叫什么罗姆尼的吧。奥巴马是民主党的,那那个罗姆尼就是共和党的。
bùtài liǎojiě, wǒ zhǐ zhīdào yī gè shì Àobāmǎ, yī gè hǎoxiàng shì jiào shénme Luómǔní de ba. Àobāmǎ shì Mínzhǔdǎng de, nà nàge Luómǔní jiùshì Gònghédǎng de.
Not really. I only know one of them is Obama. I think the other called something like Romney, right? Obama is the Democrat, and that Romney is the Republican.
A: 没错!你看过他们俩的大选辩论吗?
méicuò! nǐ kàn guo tāmen liǎ de dàxuǎn biànlùn ma?
That's right! Did you you see their presidential debates?
B: 没看过,不过听说很精彩。
méi kàn guo, bùguò tīngshuō hěn jīngcǎi.
I didn't, however I heard they were very interesting.
A: 你觉得这次谁能当选总统?
nǐ juéde zhècì shéi néng dāngxuǎn zǒngtǒng?
Who you think should be elected President this time?
B: 我肯定支持奥巴马。
wǒ kěndìng zhīchí Àobāmǎ.
I definitely support Obama.
A: 哦,能说说原因吗?
ò, néng shuō shuo yuányīn ma?
Oh, can you say why?
B: 我听说他支持女权,作为女性,那我肯定支持奥巴马咯!还有,我觉得他很幽默,很真实,不像很多的政治人物,假惺惺的。他的夫人也很有魅力。
wǒ tīngshuō tā zhīchí nǚquán, zuòwéi nǚxìng, nà wǒ kěndìng zhīchí Àobāmǎ lo! háiyǒu, wǒ juéde tā hěn yōumò, hěn zhēnshí, bù xiàng hěn duō de zhèngzhì rénwù, jiǎxīngxīng de. tā de fūren yě hěn yǒu mèilì.
I've heard he supports women's rights. As a female, I definitely support Obama! Also, I think he's humorous and very real, not like many politicians who are totally fake. His wife is also very charming.
A: 好的。谢谢你接受采访!
hǎo de. xièxienǐ jiēshòu cǎifǎng!
Okay. Thank you for doing the interview!
A: 先生,先生,打扰你一下。请问你关注过美国总统选举吗?
xiānsheng, xiānsheng, dǎrǎo nǐ yīxià. qǐngwèn nǐ guānzhù guo Měiguo zǒngtǒng xuǎnjǔ ma?
Sir, sir, can I trouble you for a moment? Have you been following the American presidential election?
C: 一直都在关注。
yīzhí dōu zài guānzhù.
I've been following the whole thing.
A: 那你希望谁当选下一届总统?
nà nǐ xīwàng shéi dāngxuǎn xià yī jiè zǒngtǒng?
Then who do you hope will become the next President?
C: 其实谁当我都无所谓,只要中美之间和平相处,有生意做就行了。不过我的很多美国客户都说会支持罗姆尼。
qíshí shéi dāng wǒ dōu wúsuǒwèi, zhǐyào Zhōng Měi zhījiān hépíng xiāngchǔ, yǒu shēngyì zuò jiù xíng le. bùguò wǒ de hěn duō Měiguó kèhù dōu shuō huì zhīchí Luómǔní.
To tell the truth, I don't care who wins. As long as relations between China and the US remain peaceful, and we can do business it's fine. However, many of my American clients say that they will support Romney.
A: 他们为什么支持罗姆尼?
tāmen wèishénme zhīchí Luómǔní?
Why do they support Romney?
C: 他们觉得,奥巴马在四年的任期内没有很大的作为。特别是在经济方面,经济不景气,失业率很高,很多年轻人都找不到工作。而罗姆尼有丰富的商界经验,所以大家对他的经济能力比较有信心,觉得他能振兴美国经济。
tāmen juéde, Àobāmǎ zài sì nián de rènqī nèi méiyǒu hěn dà de zuòwéi. tèbié shì zài jīngjì fāngmiàn, jīngjì bù jǐngqì, shīyèlǜ hěn gāo, hěn duō niánqīngrén dōu zhǎobudào gōngzuò. ér Luómǔní yǒu fēngfù de shāngjiè jīngyàn, suǒyǐ dàjiā duì tā de jīngjì nénglì bǐjiào yǒu xìnxīn, juéde tā néng zhènxīng Měiguó jīngjì.
They think that Obama during his four year term hasn't accomplished a lot. It's especially true with regard to the economy. The economy is in recession. The unemployment rate is high. Many young people can't find a job. However, Romney has deep experience in the business world, so everyone has confidence in his economic ability. They think he can revitalize the American economy.
D: 我不同意。奥巴马要解决的问题不是他自己造成的,都是小布什搞得一团糟,但奥巴马很有担当,愿意处理善后,只是不可能那么快。
wǒ bù tóngyì. Àobāmǎ yào jiějué de wèntí bùshì tā zìjǐ zàochéng de, dōu shì XiǎoBùshí gǎo de yītuánzāo, dàn Àobāmǎ hěn yǒu dāndāng, yuànyì chǔlǐ shànhòu, zhǐshì bù kěnéng nàme kuài.
I disagree. The problems that Obama has had to resolve aren't his own doing. It's all the mess created by George W. Bush. However, Obama is capable and willing to deal with the mess, but it can't happen so fast.
A: 谢谢二位分享你们的观点,祝你们逛街愉快!
xièxie èrwèi fēnxiǎng nǐmen de guāndiǎn, zhù nǐmen guàng jiē yúkuài!
Thanks to the both of you for sharing your opinions. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stroll.
A: 先生,你好!你知道美国正在搞总统选举吗?
xiānsheng, nǐhǎo! nǐ zhīdào Měiguó zhèngzài gǎo zǒngtǒng xuǎnjǔ ma?
Sir, hello! Are you aware America is now having a presidential election?
E: 不知道。美国选总统跟我有什么关系。
bù zhīdào. Měiguó xuǎn zǒngtǒng gēn wǒ yǒu shénme guānxi.
I'm not. What does America electing a president have to do with me?
A: 你平时都没关注过吗?
nǐ píngshí dōu méi guānzhù guo ma?
You haven't been following it regularly?
E: 没有,没有,没时间。
méiyǒu, méiyǒu, méishíjiān.
I haven't. I haven't. I don't have the time.

Key Vocabulary

经历 jīnglì to experience
chǎng measure word for an election or event
总统 zǒngtǒng president
选举 xuǎnjǔ to elect; election
不仅仅 bùjǐnjǐn not only
相关 xiāngguān to be related
算得上 suàndeshàng to be considered
jiāng will
jiù about (cf. 关于)
采访 cǎifǎng interview
路人 lùrén person on the street
留步 liúbù steps
候选人 hòuxuǎnrén candidate
奥巴马 Àobāmǎ Obama
罗姆尼 Luómǔní Romney
民主党 Mínzhǔdǎng Democratic Party
共和党 Gònghédǎng Republican Party
大选 dàxuǎn general election
辩论 biànlùn to debate
精彩 jīngcǎi colorful, spirited
当选 dāngxuǎn to be elected
原因 yuányīn cause
女权 nǚquán women's rights
政治人物 zhèngzhì rénwù politician, political pundit
假惺惺 jiǎxīngxīng fake
魅力 mèilì charm, charisma
关注 guānzhù to pay attention to
下一届 xià yī jiè the next (President, Prime Minister, etc.)
只要 zhǐyào as long as
任期 rènqī term of office
作为 zuòwéi to serve as
不景气 bù jǐngqì not prosperous
失业率 shīyèlǜ unemployment rate
ér but
商界 shāngjiè business world
信心 xìnxīn confidence
振兴 zhènxīng to invigorate
造成 zàochéng to cause
小布什 XiǎoBùshí George W. Bush
一团糟 yītuánzāo a complete mess
担当 dāndāng to undertake, take on
处理 chǔlǐ to handle
善后 shànhòu the aftermath

Supplementary Vocabulary

担任 dānrèn to hold the post of
政治家 zhèngzhìjiā politician
定期 dìngqī to set a date
条件 tiáojiàn characteristics, qualities
妥善 tuǒshàn appropriate, suitable

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