2016年12月大学英语四级听力在线练习(78)思维导图

MinnesotaElectsFirstFemaleSomaliAmericanLawmaker

美国明尼苏达州，选出第一位索马里裔女议员

Historywasmadethisweekwhena34-year-oldformerrefugeewaselectedtotheMinnesotastatelegislature.

Thewoman,IlhanOmar,willbecomethecountry’sfirstSomali-Americanlawmaker.

OmarwastheMinnesotaDemocratic-Farmer-LaborPartycandidateforthelegislatureinMinnesota’s60thdistrict.SheeasilydefeatedherRepublicanopponentonTuesday.

OmartoldsupportersTuesdaynightthathervictorymeansalot."MysuccessisnotonlyformebutforeverySomali,Muslimandminority,particularlytheyounggirlsintheDadaabrefugeecampwhereIlivedbeforecomingtotheU.S.,"shesaid.

FromRefugeetoRepresentative

Asagirl,OmarfledherhomeinSomaliabecauseofthecountry’scivilwar.ShespentfouryearsattheDadaabCampinKenya,beforemovingtotheUnitedStateswithherfamily.Shewas12yearsoldatthetime.

HerfamilyfirstbegantheirnewlifeinArlington,Virginia,andthensettledintheircurrenthomeinMinneapolis.

Omarbeganhercareerasacommunityactivist.SheiscurrentlydirectorofpolicyattheWomenOrganizingWomenNetwork.Thegroupworkswithimmigrantwomen,helpingthembecomeengagedcitizensandcommunityleaders.

ConcernsaboutTrump

MinnesotaishometothelargestpopulationofSomalirefugeesandimmigrantsintheUnitedStates.ManySomaliswhospoketoVOAbeforetheelectionsaidtheyweresupportingHillaryClintonforpresidentbecausetheyfeltthatDonaldTrumpwasanti-Somali.

Earlier,TrumphassaidthereareproblemsinMinnesotacausedbypoorvettingofrefugees.HesaidtherewerelargenumbersofSomalirefugeesenteringthestate,andthatthiswasunknowntostateofficials.HealsosaidthatsomeoftherefugeeshadjoinedtheIslamicStategroup.Heaccusedthemofspreadingtheirextremistideas“alloverourcountryandallovertheworld.”

AshaAhmed,aSomaliAmerican,said"WeareshockedthatTrumpispresident,butwegotreliefthatIlhanwillberepresentingusatourstateHouseofRepresentatives.Forme,Americaismycountry,itiswheremyfutureanddreamsalwaysdependedonandtheonlyhomeformychildren...[Omar's]successmeansalottomeandmyfamily,threechildrenandahusband."

JibrilMohamed,alectureratOhioStateUniversity,expressedsatisfactionatOmar’selectiontotheMinnesotastatelegislature.

"Itislikeananti-painrelieffortheSomalis,whovotedagainstTrumpbecauseofTrump'santi-Somalirhetoricthatcontinuedeventothelastdaysoftheelectioncampaign,"hesaid.

AhmedHirsi,Omar'shusband,toldVOAthatthecampaignwasalongstruggleforhisfamilytowitnessthisday.

"ItisabighistoricdayforusandIlhan,asymbolandrolemodelformanySomalirefugeegirls.ItisasuccessthatcamethroughhardworkandthesupportofourMinnesotapeople,"hesaid.

I’mPhilDierking.

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WordsinThisStory

concentration–n.alargeamountofsomethinginoneplace

engage–v.togetandkeepsomeone'sattentionorinterest

relief–n.apleasantandrelaxedfeelingthatsomeonehaswhensomethingunpleasantstopsordoesnothappen

rhetoric–n.theartorskillofspeakingorwritingformallyandeffectivelyespeciallyasawaytopersuadeorinfluencepeople

vet–v.tochecksomethingcarefullytomakesureitisacceptable