＊閱讀全文請點擊此連結
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19976820
＊新聞標題
Obama hits back in fiery second debate with Romney
＊標題解說
‧ hit back (at somebody/something)：反攻，反駁（動詞片語）
to reply to attacks or criticism
同義詞：retaliate
In a TV interview she hit back at her critics.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/hit+back#hit_1__78
‧ fiery：激烈的（形容詞）
showing strong emotions, especially anger
同義詞：passionate
a fiery look
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/fiery
‧ debate with X：跟 X 辯論
＊內文解析
■ 歐巴馬跟共和黨總統選戰挑戰者羅姆尼（Mitt Romney）在紐約的第二場總統候選人辯論賽中針鋒相對, 歐巴馬積極進攻的態勢抹去了他第一次表現不佳的印象。
A more aggressive Barack Obama buried the memory of a poor first showing as he and Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney clashed in the second presidential debate in New York.
‧ 簡化來看：A more aggressive Barack Obama did X as he and Y clashed in Z.
X= buried the memory of a poor first showing
Y= Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney
Z= the second presidential debate in New York
‧ aggressive：積極進取，勇於冒進的（形容詞）
acting with force and determination in order to succeed
an aggressive advertising campaign
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/aggressive
‧ bury the memory of something：掩蓋了某事的記憶（印象）
‧ showing：表現（名詞）
evidence of how well or how badly somebody/something is performing
the strong/poor showing of the Green Party in the election
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/showing
‧ clash：公開針鋒相對（動詞）
to argue or disagree seriously with somebody about something, and to
show this in public
The leaders and members clashed on the issue.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/clash_2
■ 被認為在第一度交鋒時輸給了對手的歐巴馬，這次摩拳擦掌針對經濟，稅收和外交政策積極迎戰。
Mr Obama, perceived to have lost their first encounter, came out swinging on the economy, tax and foreign policy.
‧ 簡化來看：
Mr Obama came out swinging on the economy, tax and foreign policy.
用逗點隔開的內容說明他被認為輸了第一回合（who was省略）
perceived to have lost their first encounter,
‧ encounter：與對手相遇的賽場（名詞）
a sports match against a particular player or team
She has beaten her opponent in all of their previous encounters.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/encounter_2
‧ come out swinging：摩拳擦掌積極迎戰準備反攻（動詞片語，慣用語）
如果一般字典找不到，上網查google：come out swinning可以在
wiktionary找到）
(idiomatic) To display spunk and strength of character, especially when
rising above or when fighting back against trouble or adversity.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/come_out_swinging
■ 辯論後的多項即時民意調查顯示歐巴馬「贏」了這回合，雖然贏的幅度比他的對手被認為贏得了第一次辯論的幅度小些。（也就是歐巴馬微微勝出）
Snap polls after the debate suggested Mr Obama "won" the contest, although by a narrower margin than his opponent was perceived to have won the first.
‧ 簡化來看：Polls suggested Mr Obama won the contest by a narrower
margina than X
歐巴馬贏的幅度 比 X 的幅度更小
（narrow 的比較級：narrower 更窄的（形容詞））
X=his opponent was perceived to have won the first 他的對手被認為贏
得了第一次辯論賽
‧ snap：立即的，即時的（形容詞）
made or done quickly and without careful thought or preparation
It was a snap decision.
They held a snap election.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/snap_3
‧ poll：民意調查（名詞）polls（複數型）
‧ snap polls：多項即時民意調查
‧ by：這個介係詞有很多意思
在此要找到合適的解釋：差距，相差（介係詞）
used to show the degree or amount of something
The bullet missed him by two inches.
House prices went up by 10%.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/by
‧ margin：差數，幅度（名詞）
the amount of time, or number of votes, etc. by which somebody
wins something
He won by a narrow margin.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/margin
■ 但分析師們表示，賽況仍然勢均力敵。
But analysts say the race stays tight.
‧ race：競賽（名詞）
‧ tight：勢均力敵的（形容詞）
with runners, teams, etc. that seem to be equally good
同義詞：close
a tight race
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/tight
■ BBC北美版的編輯Mark Mardel說，歐巴馬已經遏止他陣營了恐慌。
BBC North America editor Mark Mardell says Mr Obama has stopped the panic in his camp.
‧ stop the panic：停止恐慌（動詞片語）
‧ camp：陣營（名詞）
one of the sides in a competition and the people connected with it
There was an air of confidence in the England camp.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/camp
■ 華盛頓郵報標題：Snap polls give Obama slim edge in town hall debate
（give a slim edge：a 在標題被省略）
即時民意調查給與歐巴馬在大會堂式的辯論賽中僅僅些微優勢
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/10/17/snap-polls-give-obama-slim-edge/
‧ slim：微渺的（形容詞）
not as big as you would like or expect
同義詞：small
a slim chance of success
The party was returned to power with a slim majority.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/slim
‧ edge：些微優勢，稍佔上風（名詞）
a slight advantage over somebody/something
The company needs to improve its competitive edge
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/edge
■ 週二晚的大會堂辯論後的各項即時民意調查顯示，觀眾認為歐巴馬總統的表現比共和黨總統候選人羅姆尼好 - 但兩人的差距不如第一次總統候選人辯論後共和黨擁有的壓倒性的差距 。
Instant polls taken after Tuesday night’s town hall debate suggest that viewers believe President Obama performed better than GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney — but not by the overwhelming margins the Republican enjoyed after the first presidential debate.
‧ 簡化來看：X suggested that viewers believe President Obama performed
better than Mitt Romney but not by the overwhelming margins (that) the
Republican enjoyed after Y.
X= Instant polls (that were) taken after Tuesday night’s town hall debate
大會堂辯論後的即時民意調查
Y= the first presidential debate
‧ GOP：共和黨（縮寫）
Grand Old Party (the Republican political party in the US)
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/GOP
‧ nominee：被提名人（名詞）
‧ presidential nominee：總統大選被提名人（名詞）
‧ by the overwhelming margins：以壓倒性的差距（片語）
‧ enjoy：不是享受，這裡要理解成→擁有，享有某種好處（動詞）
enjoy something (formal)to have something good that is an advantage to you
People in this country enjoy a high standard of living.
He's always enjoyed good health.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/enjoy
‧ town hall debate：大會堂式的辯論方式，候選人跟民眾面對面，不站在講台後面回答由民眾（非由主持人）所提出的問題
華盛頓郵報報導了這種辯論方式如何運作：
How the town hall debate will work
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/10/16/how-the-town-hall-debate-will-work/
■ 大會堂的參與者，是由蓋洛普組織選出的未表態選民 ，將由他們開始提問。
Then town hall participants, undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization, will start asking questions.
‧ undecided voters：未決定，未表態的選民（名詞）
＊字彙整理
美國大選全球矚目，我們藉此學習一些談論選舉辯論結果的用語：
‧ 反攻：hit back（動詞片語）
‧ 摩拳擦掌積極迎戰準備反攻：come out swinging（動詞片語，慣用語）
‧ 積極進取，勇於冒進的：aggressive（形容詞）
‧ 陣營：camp（名詞）
‧ 激烈的：fiery（形容詞）
‧ 第二場總統候選人辯論賽：the second presidential debate（名詞）
‧ 未表態的選民：undecided voters（名詞，複數型）
‧ 多項即時民意調查：snap polls（名詞，複數型）
‧ 些微優勢：a slim edge（名詞）
‧ 以些微差距：by a narrow margin（名詞）
‧ 勢均力敵的：tight（形容詞）a tight race
‧ 被提名人：nominee（名詞）
‧ 總統大選被提名人：presidential nominee（名詞）
‧ 共和黨：GOP (Grand Old Party), the Republican Party
‧ 以壓倒性的差距：by the overwhelming margins（片語）
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