Amir: So honey, who do you think you're going to vote for in the election? I really like both the Republican and Democratic candidates, but I can't decide who to vote for.
Sharon: You like both of them? I think they're both terrible. For me the question isn't who I like the most, but who I dislike the least!
Amir: Well, I guess that's an interesting way to look at it. To be honest I don't care if Virginia is a blue state or a red state. I just want a moderate candidate who will do a good job.
Sharon: Yeah, you're right. The only thing I care about is that whoever wins isn't too partisan.
看來Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters--溫和的選民。不過我不明白，Amir說，他不在乎Virginia州變成blue state or red state，這是什么意思呢？
Professor: In America, the color red represents the Republican Party, and the color blue represents the Democratic Party.
哦，紅色代表共和黨，藍色代表民主黨。所以，Amir 意思是，他不在乎州長是由共和黨人來做，還是民主黨人來做，最好是個溫和派、干實事兒的人。
Professor: Right! And Sharon says she doesn't want a candidate who is too partisan. Someone is partisan if he refuses to compromise with the other side.
哦，partisan就是“黨派性的”。
Amir: Well what do you think the results are going to be? Virginia used to always be a landslide for the Republicans, but these days it's a tossup.
Sharon: You're right, it's pretty hard to say. But since the incumbent is a Republican, I'd have to give him a slight advantage.
Amir: Yeah, incumbents always have an easier time with fundraising, and everybody already knows them because they've been in office for a while.
Sharon: Yeah, but judging by what a bad job he's done, I don't think that name recognition is going to help him!
看來這次選舉競爭很激烈。現在選舉結果是tossup - 就像扔硬幣一樣，勝選機會是一半一半，哪個候選人都不會有landslide--壓倒性勝利。
Professor: Exactly. But one candidate has an advantage, right?
對，那就是the incumbent--在職者。Amir說，他在fundraising--籌款，和name recognition--知名度方面，都有優勢。
Professor: That's true, but name recognition isn't always a good thing, right?
對，知名度不一定都是好事，因為不知道是好名還是罵名!
Amir: A lot of analysts are saying that the election is going to be decided by turnout. The more people vote, the more it's likely to benefit the Democrat.
Sharon: (Sigh) .... Amir, can we stop talking about politics? I just want to eat my breakfast in peace.
Amir: But Sharon, this is my first time voting in an American election. Can't you understand how excited I am?
Sharon: Look, if you're really into the election, why don't you listen to the pundits talk about it?
Amir: Come on Sharon, how can you think about eating breakfast at a time like this? This election is going to decide the future of our country!
Sharon: Amir, if you don't stop talking about politics, it's going to decide the future of your marriage!
professor, 什么叫“turnout”？
Professor: Turnout is the number of people who actually go out and vote on election day. In the US, turnout is usually about 50 percent across the country.
哦，turnout就是投票人數。那么，什么叫pundits呢？
Professor: Pundits are professional commentators. They are famous people who spend all their time talking about their views on current events.
哦，就是那些專門在電視廣播里對時事發表看法的評論家! 這么說，我同意Sharon的觀點。現在，只要一開電視，到處都是pundits，已經夠煩人了，誰還想自己家里的老公也每天大談政治呢？
A: 原來，Amir和Sharon都是moderate voters, 溫和選民，他們更注重的不是partisan黨派，而是誰的政策更合理。兩人覺得，這次的選舉會是個tossup, 兩黨機會旗鼓相當，哪個候選人都不會有landslide, 壓倒性勝利。
B: Yeah, I guess that's the situation today. The new poll shows that Obama and Romney's support rate are incredibly close.
A: So who are you going to vote for?
B: Hmm....楊琳, let me give you some sensitivity training. In America, we don't ask people this kind of question. Anything involving the politics are extremely sensitive.
A: 哦對了，政治問題不能隨便問! 不過……咱倆都這么鐵了，你就告訴我嘛!
B: Haha, I'm a moderate voter, I will vote for whoever with the best policy for my country. But...remember don't ask other people such questions, you might offend them without even realizing it!
A: 嗯，謝謝你的忠告！
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