VOA慢速英语:Tea Party Conservatives Make Their Voices Heard

1.Others say the activists are independent thinkers who will oppose any politician they see as supporting big government and big spending.   

see as把...看做

例句：I see it as a portent of thing to come.
      我把它看作是将要到来的事物的前兆。

还可以用regard as,view as,consider as

2.The new movement took shape last year.

take shape成形, 变得有条理

例句：The new building is beginning to take shape.
      新大楼已初具规模。

      His intention took shape in action.
      他的意向已付诸行动。

相当于come into being形成，成立

例句：When did the Roman Empire come into being?
      罗马帝国是什么时候形成的?

3. She spent many days last summer yelling at her television, she says, in reaction to the health care debate.

spend some time doing sth花费多少时间做某事

in reaction to以应对，作为对……的回应

4.We would rather make our own decisions.

would rather宁愿, 宁可

例句：I would rather have the small one than the big one.
      我宁愿要小的, 不要大的。

      I would rather go out tonight, if you don't mind.
      如果你不介意的话, 我宁愿今晚出去。