奥巴马总统执政已进入第二年。奥巴马是美国第44任总统，也是第一位非裔美国总统，于去年12月20日就职。
奥巴马：“今天我告诉大家，我们面临的挑战非常真实，非常严峻，也非常多。这些挑战在短期内可能不会解决，可能也不容易解决。但是美国人一定能够将这些挑战解决。”
这些挑战包括经济低迷，阿富汗和伊拉克战争以及医疗改革的承诺。
国会已经迅速功过了经济复苏法案。但是失业率仍然高达10%。现在，奥巴马政府在海地面临着地震救援，在国内面临着恐怖主义威胁。圣诞节当天，一架飞往密歇根州底特律的航班上还发生一起爆炸未遂事件。
奥巴马：“作为总统，我有庄严的责任来保护我们的国家和人民。一旦该体系失败，我必须承担责任。”
奥巴马总统竞选时承诺“我们可以相信的变革”。近几个月，他的公众支持率下滑。康乃狄格州昆尼匹克大学进行的一项调查发现，美国人民对奥巴马总统执政第一年的表现毁誉参半。Peter Brown是这所大学的工作人员。
PETER BROWN：“对于奥巴马个人来讲，他们是喜欢他的。他们认为奥巴马是值得信任的，是诚实的。他们认为他是一位强有力的领袖。他们说，在他们最关心的问题上，他们不一定与奥巴马的看法一致。他们希望奥巴马能够在经济方面花费更多时间。他们不喜欢医疗改革法案。”
参议院和众议院代表已经各自通过了自己版本的医疗改革立法。但是还没有最终的法案。而民主党则遇到了他们意料之外的问题。
一位新当选的参议员是共和党人，他反对该立法。Scott Brown最近当选了马萨诸塞州的参议员，该职位已有民主党人Ted Kennedy担任了接近50年时间。
但是更重要的是，参议院民主党人失去了第60张选票。参议员可能通过无限制的辩论限制该法案，除非有60名参议员投票支持才可能避免。
周二在马萨诸塞州举行的特别参议院选举上，奥巴马总统曾帮助民主党候选人竞选。专家表示，即使经济状况已经得到改善，仍然需要更多的关注。
华盛顿Cook Political Report的David Wasserman做客VOA的Encounter节目。
David Wasserman：“我认为奥巴马总统和民主党人原本不想花费这么多时间在医疗改革上面的，因为医改现在受到拖延。在许多美国人的心目中，这与经济没有什么真正的联系。这并不能增加就业机会。”
在执政的第一年，奥巴马总统激怒了一些保守派人士，因为他们认为在医改等问题上奥巴不愿妥协。在向阿富汗增军和不关闭关塔纳摩监狱方面，他们感到非常失望。
许多政治专家则意见不一。但是佛吉尼亚大学的Larry Sabato认为，不能针对他执政的第一年做太多评价。
LARRY SABATO：“回顾一下历史，你会发现，许多在第一年非常受欢迎的总统后来都成为失败的总统。其他在第一你啊不是那么受欢迎的颇具争议的总统则担任了两届任期，并以非常积极的方式离开政坛。”
国会选举将在11月份举行，共和党人可能会获胜。民主党大多数可能会迫使总统向党内的反对派和保守派伸出橄榄枝。
1.inaugurate v.开创,举行…开幕典礼
例句：He will be inaugurated as president in January.
他将在一月就任总裁。
2.span n.指距,全长,跨距,径距,广度
例句：The arch has a span of 60 metres.
那个拱的跨度为60米。
动词形式：
span vt.以手指测量,跨越,架设,弥补
例句：His research in cancer that spanned 15 years has made considerable headway in the end.
他对癌症持续15年的研究终于取得了极大的进展。
3.downturn n.低迷时期
例句：Nursed the fledgling Business through an economic downturn.
经济衰退中精心料理刚起步的生意。
4.solemn a.严肃的,郑重的,庄严的
例句：He made a solemn promise to do better.
他郑重保证要做得更好。
5.equally ad.相等地,相同地,公平地,平均地
例句：Bill and BoB shared the work equally Between them.
比尔和鲍勃两人把工作平分了。
The muse does not inspire all poets equally.
诗神并非一视同仁地赐给所有诗人以灵感。
6.divided a.分开的,分裂的
7.oppose v.反对,以…对抗,抗争
例句：Jimmy makes enemies with those who oppose him.
杰姆与那些反对他的人为敌。
8.compromise vi.妥协处理
例句：We must compromise on this issue for the sake of unity.
为了团结，我们必须在这件事上作出让步。
9.enormously ad.非常地,巨大地
例句：Madagascar's environment fluctuates enormously from year to year.
马达加斯加环境的巨大波动年复一年。
1.Those challenges included an economic downturn, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a promise to reform the health care system.
a promise to reform是动词不定式做后置定语。如：
The next train to arrive was from NewYork.下一列到站的火车是从纽约开来的。
I have nothing to say on this question.在这个问题上，我没有什么话要说。
We are looking for somewhere to live.我们正在找一个地方住。
某些动词或形容词后可接不定式时，它相应的同根名词也常用不定式做定语。
如：He made an attempt to learn English well.他试图学好英语。(attempt to do sth)
His ability to get on with people is his chief advantage.他能和人相处是他的主要优势。(be able to do sth)
I don't trust his promise to come for a visit.我不相信他来访的诺言。(promise to do sth)
Her anxiety to succeed led her to work hard.她迫切想成功，这促使她努力工作。(be anxious to do sth)
2.They say they don't necessarily agree with him on the issues they are most concerned about.
not necessarily未必，不一定
例句：Clouds do not necessarily forecast rain.
云层未必预示下雨。
3.But more importantly, Senate Democrats lost their sixtieth vote.
more importantly插入语
插入语用法很多,在句子中的位置比较灵活,在学习中应当认真去体会。大体而言,插入语可以分为以下几类:
1)用简短的句子结构作插入语。这类短语有:I think, I hope, I guess, I believe, I suppose, I wonder, I tell you, I say, I'm afraid, I'm sure, you see, you know, as you know, that is, that is to say, what's more等等,它们可以置于句中或句尾。如:
I suggest you choose someone who you think is kind and friendly.
This diet, I think, will do good to your health.
It won't be raining long, I hope.
You will have to work harder, you know, if you want to succeed.
2)副词或副词短语用作插入语,这类插入语一般放在句首或句尾。如:
Happily for him, his father's second wife was kind to him too.
You'll be able to pass the coming exam, surely.
Luckily for him, he didn't hurt in the accident.
Honestly, I don't need it at the moment.
3)介词或介词短语作插入语,这类插入语一般放在句首,有时也可放在句中。如:
Like most of my schoolmates, I have neither brothers nor sisters-in other words, I'm an only child.
By the way, Bob sends his best wishes.
On the other hand, I didn't know you were there.
In short, things have begun to improve since schools were called on to reduce learning load.
4)分词短语作插入语。如:
Judging from your accent, you must be from England.
Generally speaking, he is the best student in our class.
Compared with China, the USA is smaller.
5)不定式短语作插入语。如:
To put it mildly, he was not up to the mark.
To tell you the truth, I don't want to see her.
To be sure, Jim is a faster skater, but he is not good at doing figures.
To conclude, it was a great success.
4.Smaller Democratic majorities could force the president to reach out to the opposition and to conservatives in his own party.
reach out to向某人伸出橄榄枝，与某人联系
例句：I try to reach out to my daughter but she doesn't want to have anything to do with me.
我努力和我女儿进行联系，但她一点都不想与我来往。
The organization is trying to reach out to the areas where poor people live.
这个组织正在深入调查那些穷人居住的地区。