2016年12月英语六级听力在线练习(73)思维导图

HOUSTON,TEXAS—Pollsshowthatanoverwhelmingmajorityofnon-denominationalChristianevangelicalsplantovoteforRepublicanPresidentialcandidateDonaldTrump,despitechargesofimmoralbehavior.Manynationallyknownleadersoftheso-calledChristianrightwerecriticalofTrumpwhenheraninprimariesearlierthisyear,butmostofthemnowbackhim,despitehisallegedsins.

ManyChristianpastorsfavoredothercandidates,likeTexasSenatorTedCruz,intheRepublicanprimarycontestsearlierthisyear.TheycitedDonaldTrump’stwodivorces,hiscasinoownershipandwhatsomeofthemsawashis“unChristian”statementsaboutimmigrantsandrefugees.

ButvoterswhoidentifywiththeChristianrighthelpedTrumpwininmanystateswherenationalpunditsthoughthewouldnotfarewell,likeSouthCarolina,whichwassupposedtohavebeenaneasywinforCruz.

NowthatheistheRepublicanpresidentialnomineeandisinatightracewithDemocraticnomineeHillaryClinton,manyreligiousleadershavechangedtheirtune.

EvenafterseveralwomenhaveaccusedTrumpofsexualmisconduct,alargemajorityofconservativeChristianssupporthim.VOAspoketoafewofthemoutsideanon-denominationalchurchinHouston.

“Iamnotexcusinghim,okay?”saidJulio.“ButIdon’tseewhytheycondemnhimwhenalotofothermenprobablydoworsethanhim,youknow.”

Julio,animmigrantfromGuatemalawhoisnowasuccessfulbusinessmaninHouston,alsodismissesTrump’sharshrhetoricconcerningillegalimmigrants.HesaysheisalsoagainstcrimeandthinksthereshouldbeawayforpeopletocomelegallyratherthanbreakingU.S.lawwhenenteringthecountry.

Alan,anotherchurchgoer,sayshelikesTrump’sbusinessbackgroundandhiseconomicplansandisnotbotheredmuchbyhismoreoutlandishstatements.

“Sometimeshesaysmorethanheshould,buthehasgoalsandvaluesthatalignwithmine,”saidAlan.

Formanyofthesevotersoneissueisdominant,asstatedbybusinessownerandchurchvolunteerRandy.

“TheonlypersonthathassaidanythingthatisreallyimportanttomeisDonaldTrumpasfarastryingtobanabortion,”hesaid.

RandythinksthecountryhastakenamoraldownturnsincetheSupremeCourt’s1973Roev.Wadedecisionthatupheldawoman’srighttochoosewhethertohaveanabortion.He,likemanyotherChristianconservatives,believesabortionismurder.

ButtherearemanyChristianwomen,especiallyyoungerwomen,whoareoffendedbyTrumpandplantovoteforHillaryClinton.Nineteen-year-oldClaudiaisoneofthem.

“Idon’tbelievethethingsheissaying;Idon’tthinkheisrespectingwomen,”shesaid.

Thisweek,universityprofessorsandresearcherswhofocusonreligionandpoliticsdiscussedtheseissuesataRiceUniversityforuminHouston.

DianeWinstonfromtheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniasaysmanyChristianshaveaccommodatedthemselvestoTrump.

“Hesupportssomeoftheirbasicsocialandpoliticalpositions,”shesaid.“Hemaybeimmoral,buthehasamoralagenda.”

Shesaidthebiggestsplitamongevangelicalsintermsofpoliticsisracial.

“Accordingtomostpolls,”shesaid,“between60and70percentofwhiteevangelicalsaregoingtovoteforTrump.MostevangelicalsofcoloraregoingtovoteforClinton.”

ArecentstudybytheBrookingsInstitutionshowsthatmoralquestionshavebecomelessrigidamongwhiteevangelicals.In2011,only30percentofthembelievedpersonalmoralitywasseparatefromethicsinpublicoffice,whereasthemostrecentpollsshow72percentbelievethat.

Religiousleadershavebeenpulledalongbytheircongregants,whoarereactingtoanumberofsocietalchangesandeconomicconditions.

PattonDodd,aresearcherfromSanAntonio,saysthenewsmediahassometimesoverstatedtheinfluenceofevangelicalpreachers.

“Idon’tthinkthecrowdsarefollowingtheminlockstep,”hesaid.

Bothcandidates,ClintonandTrump,havebeeninthepubliceyefordecades,butTrumphostedarealityTVshowcalled"TheApprentice"between2004and2015,whenhebeganhisrunforthepresidency.

DoddsaidTrump’scelebrityhasboostedhispopularitywithevangelicalsdespitequestionsabouthispersonallife.

“Theydon’tjustlistentowhattheirpastorssayandbehaveaccordingly.Theyarealsointerestedinpopculturelikeeveryoneelseis,”Doddsaid.

Howthisplaysoutintheelectionwillnotbeknownuntilthevotesarecountedandtheanalysisoftheresultsbegins.