VOA慢速英语:Obama Signs Spending Bill to Protect Teachers' Jobs

1.Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took the rare step of calling House lawmakers back to Washington to vote on the bill and send it to President Obama without delay.

without delay毫不迟延地,立刻,马上

例句：They will start without delay.
      他们将立刻开始。

      We should communicate with each other without delay.
      我们要及时沟通思想。

2.President Obama said educational success and economic well-being are linked, especially in a world economy driven by information and technology.

especially对前面做进一步的补充说明。driven by information and technology是过去分词做后置定语，修饰economy。

3.The president said the federal government has already reformed the student loan system and increased tax credits for families struggling to pay college education costs.

The president said是这句话的主语和谓语，后面是宾语从句。struggling to pay college education costs是现在分词做后置定语，修饰families。

4.Democrats in Congress say spending for the new bill will not add to the federal budget deficit.

add to增加, 加强

例句：This lesson adds to the value of the book.
      这一课增加了这本书的价值。

      Since then, the palace has often been added to, rebuilt and repaired.
      从那以后, 那座宫殿不断得到扩建和修缮。

5.The American people are screaming at the top of their lungs.

at the top of their lungs用尽量大的声音， 声嘶力竭

例句：I heard the baby crying at the top of his lungs.
      我听见那婴儿在放声大哭。

      We bumped into him while he was rowing the boat at the Venetian and singing at the top of his lungs and that caught our attention !
      他在”威尼斯”划着筏子高声唱着歌时是那么引人注目，那时我们遇到了他!