VOA常速：美国新冠肺炎确诊病例突破1200万

燕山大学 刘立军 供稿

【TRANSCRIPT】

This is VOA news. Reporting by remote. I'm David Byrd. The United States recorded its 12 millionth COVID-19 case on Saturday even as millions of Americans were expected to travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The COVID-19 epidemic has killed more than 255,000 people in the United States and the recent escalation has prompted more than 20 states to impose sweeping new restrictions to curb the virus. More than one million people flew through U.S. airports on Friday, according to data from the Transportation Security Administration. That fueled fears of even greater spread of the virus. It was the second heaviest domestic air traffic day since the start of the pandemic despite pleas from public health officials for Americans to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Election officials in Wisconsin's largest county accused observers for President Donald Trump on Saturday of seeking to obstruct a recount of the presidential results, in some instances by objecting to every ballot the tabulators pulled to count. Trump requested the recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties, both heavily liberal, in hopes of undoing Democrat Joe Biden's victory by just over 20,000 votes. County clerk George Christenson said a steady stream of Republican complaints in Milwaukee was putting the recount far behind schedule. Meanwhile, a group of Republican politicians and voters filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania arguing that a 2019 law that cleared the way for expanded absentee voting was unconstitutional. An attorney at the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, Benjamin Geffen, said the lawsuit like dozens of others filed by the Trump campaign and its allies would not get far in court. You can find more on our website voanews.com. This is VOA news.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/202011/621169.shtml

【VOCABULARY】

1. escalate v. to become or make sth. greater, worse, more serious, etc. （使）逐步扩大；不断恶化

加剧。例如：the escalating costs of health care 逐渐增加的医疗费用

2. obstruct v. to prevent sb./sth. from doing sth. or making progress, especially when this is done

deliberately （故意）妨碍；阻挠；阻碍。例如：They were charged with obstructing the police

in the course of their duty. 他们被指控妨碍警察执行公务。

3. tabulators n. 作表的人；制表机

4. absentee n. a person who is not at a place where they were expected to be 缺席者

5. unconstitutional adj. not allowed by the constitution of a country, a political system or an organization 违背宪法的；违反宪章（或章程）的

【QUESTIONS】

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. The United States recorded its 12 millionth COVID-19 case on Saturday.

2. Millions of Americans were not expected to travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

3. More than30 states to impose sweeping new restrictions to curb the virus.

4. More than one million people flew through U.S. airports on Saturday.

5. A group of Democrat politicians and voters filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania arguing that a 2019 law that cleared the way for expanded absentee voting was unconstitutional.

【KEY】

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

(T) 1. The United States recorded its 12 millionth COVID-19 case on Saturday.

(F) 2. Millions of Americans were not expected to travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

（正确表达）Millions of Americans were expected to travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

(F) 3. More than 30 states to impose sweeping new restrictions to curb the virus.
（正确表达）More than 20 states to impose sweeping new restrictions to curb the virus.

(F) 4. More than one million people flew through U.S. airports on Saturday.
（正确表达）More than one million people flew through U.S. airports on Friday.

(F) 5. A group of Democrat politicians and voters filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania arguing that a 2019 law that cleared the way for expanded absentee voting was unconstitutional.
（正确表达）A group of Republican politicians and voters filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania arguing that a 2019 law that cleared the way for expanded absentee voting was unconstitutional.