2016年12月大学英语四级听力在线练习(82)思维导图

Theelectionmaybeover,butforPresident-electDonaldTrump,theworkisjustbeginning.

Thepresident-elect’stransitionteamnowneedstochoosewhowillworkinhisadministration.

Itisabigjob.Therearepositions,suchascabinetsecretaries,thatmustbeconfirmedbytheU.S.Senate.Inall,thereareabout4,000jobsintheexecutivebranchoftheU.S.federalgovernment.

Theyincludeeverythingfromtop-leveladvisersandcabinetmemberstoambassadors,agencydirectors,andpeoplewhoanswerthetelephones.

DorranceSmithknowsaboutworkingattheWhiteHouse.TheformerseniorWhiteHouseadvisorhasworkedtheretwotimes,forRepublicanPresidentsGeraldFordandGeorgeBush.Later,hewasasenioradvisorattheDefenseDepartmentforPresidentGeorgeW.Bush,thesonofPresidentGeorgeBush.

Smithsaysfillingallthosejobsisnotaseasyassaying,“Iwantthispersoninthisjob.”TheFederalBureauofInvestigationandgovernmentlawyersfirstmustinvestigatethem.

“Theywillgothroughyourbackgroundforthepast20yearstodeterminewhetherornotyouarefittoserve…Andyoualsoaregoingtohavetorevealpubliclyasapublicservantyourassetsandmanypeoplewouldprefernottohavethatbepublicinformation.”

Ifthepersonhasfinancialinvestmentsinarelatedarea,theymayhavetosellthembeforetakingthejob.Smithdidwhenhetookamedia-relatedjobintheadministration.

“Therearesacrificesandtherearedecisionsthatpeopleofmeansaregoingtohavetomakeinordertoserveandthey’llhavetomakethedeterminationifit'sifit'sworthit.”

Traditionally,theincomingWhiteHouseteamhirespeoplefromtheirpartywhohaveworkedatthetoplevelsofgovernment.However,DonaldTrumpisdifferent.Heranacampaignthatwasnottraditional.

SmithsaysthereareRepublicanswhodonotwanttoworkinTrump’sadministration.

Beforetheelection,TrumpdidnothaveasmanypeopleworkingonatransitionplanasdemocratHillaryClinton.Sourcessayshehadmorepeoplechosenforgovernmentjobs.Shortlyafterhiselection,TrumpalsoreplacedChrisChristieastheheadofhistransitionteam.Henamedvice-president-electMikePenceastheleaderoftheteam.

Thepresident-electhassaidhewantsto“draintheswamp.”Aswampisawetmuddyarea.Byusingthatphrase,hemaymeanhewantstogetridofgovernmentworkershethinksarenotdoingagoodjob.ButSmithsaysthatnotusingpeoplewhoalreadyhavestronggovernmentexperiencemakesTrump’sjobharder.

“Partofwhatheranonwasdrainingtheswampandpartofbeingthefactthathe'selectedwasthefirststepandpullingtheplugontheswamp.Butnowhe'sgottofillthepond.Andit'sanoverwhelminglydauntingtask.”

PresidentialelectionsmeanbigchangesformanyworkersintheexecutivebranchoftheU.S.government.

In1992,GeorgeBushwasnotre-elected.So,DorranceSmithhadtodecidewhattodowhenhelefttheWhiteHouseinJanuary.

Thesameyear,DemocraticCongressionalofficialJohnAngellwasmovingtotheWhiteHouse.Hisboss,LeonPanetta,hadbeennamedheadoftheWhiteHousebudgetoffice.

Angellexplains,afterthepresident’sinaugurationspeechandparadeareover,hewalksintotheOvalOfficeoftheWhiteHouse.Thenheisinchargeofoneoftheworld’slargestorganizations.

“Youdon'tknowwhat'sgoingtohappenthatafternoon.Thenextmorningtherecouldbeafinancialcrisis.Therecouldbeaforeignpolicycrisis.So,youreallyhavetobeupandrunningisthephrase.OnJanuary21st.”

ForAngell,gettingreadyforthatdaymeantmanymeetingsinWashingtontoprepareanewbudgetfortheClintonpresidency.ItalsomeantflyingdowntoArkansasinaprivatejettomeetwiththenPresident-ElectBillClinton.

Itisa“verystressfulprocess”hesays.Asagovernmentofficialwithmanyyearsofexperience,bothinCongressandtheWhiteHouse,AngellsayshethinksTrumpisfacingaverydifficulttransition.Thatisbecauseofhislacktogovernmentexperience.

AngellsayspreparingabudgetatthebeginningoftheClintonpresidencywasaverydifficultexperience.

“Andwewereworking18hoursaday,andthrowingtogethertwoorthreemeetingsadayforthepresidentandtheteam.Andithadtobedoneveryquicklyandintheendtheworstthingwasyoudidn'twanttofail.Becauseyou'dbefailingatalevelyou'veneverfailedatbefore.”

AsaformertopCongressionalofficial,AngellsaysTrumpfaceshardchoicesaboutcuttinggovernmentandcuttingprogramsthatarepopularwithAmericans.TrumpwillbeworkingwithaRepublicanCongress.Somememberswillhavetheirownideasofwhattocut,andwhattokeep.

DorranceSmithgivesafunnyexampleofhowthesethingscanwork.

Afterlosingthe1992election,PresidentBush’sadministrationwantedtocuttheyearly“pardoning”ofaliveturkeyatThanksgivingtimeinNovember.Intheceremony,thepresidentappearswitharealturkeyattheWhiteHouseandsaystheturkeywillbepardoned—notkilledforameal.

Butwhentheytooktheeventoffthepresident’sschedule,theywereinforasurprise.SmithsaysTheWhiteHousewas“swamped”byturkeyindustrysupportersdemandingthatthepardonceremonycontinue.

“Iguesstherearealotofturkeysinalotofcongressionaldistrictswithaverystronglobbybecausewehadtoputitbackon.Andthelameduckpresidenthadtogopardontheturkeyonemoretime.”

Whatwillhappennextinthecurrentpresidentialtransitionishardtopredict.SmithsaysTrump’scampaignandelection“blewupallofthemodels.”

TheTrumptransitionteamwillworkonfillingthose4,000jobs.TheirnewadministrationwillneedtobereadyforwhateverhappensonJanuary21,thefirstfulldayoftheTrumppresidency.

I’mAnneBall.

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transition–n.achangefromonegrouporstateorconditiontoanother

assets–n.investmentsorotheritemsworthmoney

swamp–n.awetandmuddyplaceoutside

pond–n.abodyofwater

daunting–adj.difficult

task–n.ajobforsomeonetodo

inauguration–n.theceremonywhenthenewpresidentisswornintooffice

pardon–v.tobeforgiven,soonewillnotfacepunishment

lobby–v.totrytoinfluencegovernmentofficialstomakedecisionsfororagainstsomething