英語聽力小短文走遍全世界35: 首位黑人第一夫人會給我們帶來什么？
英語聽力原文：
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they'll change America. Rightly so. But selfishly, I'm more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman.
在這輪耗時的、緊張的競選活動中，大家都在關注總統(tǒng)候選人和他們將如何改變美國。這也是理所當然的事情。但我個人卻更加被米歇爾·奧巴馬所吸引，更加關注她為這個國家也為我這樣的非裔美國女性所能做的事情。
As the potential First Lady, she would have the world's attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
作為未來的第一夫人，她將引起世界矚目。這也意味著人們第一次有機會近距離了解他們很少見到的非裔美國女性。
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we're all hot-tempered single mothers who can't keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can't excape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic(酗酒)mothers.
通常，對黑人女性生活的描述都未經核實。人們普遍認為我們都是脾氣暴躁、留不住男人的單親媽媽。即使在虛擬的世界中，黑人女性仍舊難逃眼睛亂翻、性欲過剩，由酗酒的單身母親撫養(yǎng)的刻板印象。
These images have helped define the way all black women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simply to be herself.
這種形象被套用在所有黑人女性身上，包括米歇爾·奧巴馬。在她有機會作為第一夫人去追求一個目標、奉獻于慈善事業(yè)或基金會之前，她最緊迫的、最復雜的任務也許只是做好自己。
It won't be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.
要改變這一刻板印象并非易事。因為主流出版刊物很少深入了解普通的非裔美國女性，對我們幾乎一無所知，不知道我們經常所想的和所面對的。不論好壞，米歇爾都將代表我們所有非裔美國女性。
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they'd like to see Michelle bring to the White House - mainly showing the world that a black can support her man and raise a strong black family.
正如她將面對很多批評一樣，她也將獲得許許多多擁護者的支持，這些人以往對第一夫人通常沒什么興趣。很多非裔美國女性已在博客中表達了她們期望米歇爾給白宮帶去怎樣的變化，主要是向世界展示一位黑人女性有能力支持丈夫，照顧好一個黑人家庭。
Michelle will have to work to please everyone - an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that's been around for far too long.
米歇爾必須努力做到讓每個人都滿意——一項不可能完成的任務。但對很多像我一樣的非裔美國女性來說，她只要稍微展現出一點沉著、自信和智慧，就大大有助于改變長久以來人們對黑人女性的刻板印象。
英語詞匯整理：
1. tense adj. 緊張的，拉緊的
eg: That was a very tense time.
那是一個非常緊張的時刻。
短語：
tensed up 緊張;憂慮不安
at prime tense 立即;起先，起初
past tense 過去式
2. election n. 選舉
eg: During his election campaign he promised to put the economy back on its feet.
在競選活動期間他承諾要重振經濟。
短語：
carry an election 舉行選舉;競選獲勝，當選
by election 通過選舉
general election 大選，普選
3. prevailing adj. 盛行很廣的
eg: A glance at prevailing wind patterns confirmed their fear.
盛行風的方向讓他們如墜冰窟。
短語：
prevailing rate 市價;現行匯率S
prevailing party 勝訴的一方
prevailing wind 主風;恒風;盛行風
4. stereotype n. 刻板印象
eg: There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.
對成功的商人們總有一種成見。
短語：
stereotype behavior 刻板行為
stereotype women 婦女定型觀念
5. charity n. 仁慈，寬厚
eg: True charity doesn't consist in almsgiving.
真正的慈善不在于施舍。
短語：
out of charity 出于仁慈
in charity 出于惻隱之心
(as) cold as charity 寒冷的，冰涼的;(像慈善機關對窮人那樣) 冷冰冰的，冷漠無情的
6. mainstream n. 主流
eg: Nobody could go completely against the mainstream of the history.
沒有人能夠完全逆歷史主流而行。
短語：
to have mainstream 具有主流風格成分;構成主流風格的組成部分
mainstream economics 主流經濟學;新古典經濟學
7. critic n. 批評家
eg: Mather was a film critic for many years.
馬瑟做過多年的電影評論家。
短語：
art critic 藝術評論家
critic for ......的評論員
literary critic 文學評論家
佳句采摘：
Michelle will have to work to please everyone - an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that's been around for far too long.
米歇爾必須努力做到讓每個人都滿意——一項不可能完成的任務。但對很多像我一樣的非裔美國女性來說，她只要稍微展現出一點沉著、自信和智慧，就大大有助于改變長久以來人們對黑人女性的刻板印象。
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