Will Hillary Be the Next American President?
Back in 1969，US President Richard Nixon confidently predicted：“In the next 50 years，we shall see a woman president，perhaps sooner than you think1.”
Today，not too far off Nixon’s deadline，America is looking at that possibility. Over the weekend，Hillary Rodham Clinton，wife of former president Bill Clinton，announced her run for 2008 presidency.
US polls indicate that Americans feel comfortable with a female president. A New York Times survey found nearly all Americans saying they would vote for president if she were qualified.
However，accepting the theoretical notion of a female leader is quite different from voting an actual woman. In fact，there is still widespread distrust of a woman in the top position.
This is partly due to the biased thinking that women are weak on national security，though they might be strong on education and health care. This damages their prospects as a presidential contender.
“There’s still an inherent nervousness on the part of voters putting a woman in as the ultimate decision-maker. Control of the army and border security are sorts of traditionally male jobs，” commented Amy Walter，an American campaign analyst. “That’s where! think voters consciously or unconsciously have difficulties with women candidates.”
Women have held the top job in other major Western countries. In 1979，Britain elected Margaret Thatcher prime minister .Last year，Germany made Angela Merkel its first female chancellor.
In the US，no woman has succeeded in being nominated as a presidential candidate. One woman did make the attempt：Elizabeth Dole. In 1999，she tried to get the Republican Party nomination. But Dole could only raise $ 5 million for her bid-compared with the $ 56 million George W. Bush raised.
So Barriers lie ahead for Hillary if she wants to make history by becoming the first female US president. With the Iraqi war underway，she’ll find it even harder.
“I don’t feel that our society is ready for a woman president. The enemy we face does not respect females the same way we have come to see them as equals. If we were not in this war，I would support a woman president2，”said Chris Dildy，a computer engineering student.
词汇：
bias ['baiəs] v.& n.(有)偏见 analyst ['ænəlist] n.分析工作者
chancellor ['t∫ɑ:nsələ] n.(德国、奥地利等)总理
注释：
1. “In the next 50 years，we shall see a woman president，perhaps sooner than you think.”在下一个五十里，我们将会看见一个女总理，或许比我们想的要快些。
2．If we were not in this war，I would support a woman president.如果我们不在打一场战争，我会支持选一位女总统的。意思也就是说，现在不支持。
练习：
1. Up to the present，no woman has been elected president in the US.(一段，二段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
2. Bill Clinton will strongly support Hillary to run for the 2008 presidency. (二段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
3. American people will elect a woman president of the United States in 2008. (四段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
4. One of Hillary’s campaign promises is to reform the nation’s health care system. (五段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
5. Germans elected a woman chancellor last year. (七段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
6. Hillary has already raised a large amount of campaign fund. (八段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
7. Chris Dildy will vote for Hillary. (最后一段)
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
答案与题解：
1.A 句子说的是：迄今为止在美国没有一个女人选举为总统。选A。文章的第一个句子是这么说的：Backin 1969，US President Richard Nixon confidently predicted：“In the next 50 years，we shall see a woman president，perhaps sooner than you think.”早在1969年，美国总统Richard Nixon很有信心地预测：“在下一个五十年里，我们将会看见一个女总统，或许比我们想的要快些。”
2.C 句子说的是：Bill Clinton将强力支持Hillary参加2008年总统选举。文章没有提到。因此选C。
3.B 句子说的是：美国人民在2008年将选一位女总统。这个命题是错的。文章第四段是这么说的：However，accepting the theoretical notion of a female leader is quite different from voting an actual woman. In fact，there is still widespread distrust of a woman in the top position.然而，接受女总统作为一个理论概念跟选举女总统是两回事。事实上，人们仍然普遍不信任女人能任领袖的。
4.C 句子说的是：Hillary的一个竞选许诺是改革国家的医疗制度。文章讲到女人做教育和医疗方面的工作有优势，但没说Hillary的一个竞选许诺是改革国家的医疗制度。
5.A 句子说的是：德国去年选了一个女总理。文章第七段有这么一句话：Last year，Germany made Angela Merkel its first female chancellor.去年，德国选举了Angela Merkel为德国第一位女总理。因此句子表达的命题是正确的。 6.C 句子说的是：Hillary已经筹集到了一大笔竞选款。文章没有提到。
7.B 句子说的是：Chris Dildy要投Hillary的票。从文章的最后一句话我们知道Chris Dildy是一个计算机工程专业的学生，他说了这么一句话：If we were not in this war，I would support a woman president.如果我们不在打一场战争，我会支持选一位女总统的。意思也就是说，现在不支持。