VOA慢速英语:Obama Administration on the Defensive

短语讲解：

1. Late Wednesday, the president announced that Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had asked for and received the resignation of the acting director of the IRS.

ask for 请求…； 要求
例句：Adults never ask for his advice.
大人们从不征求小孩子的意见。

2. It is inexcusable, and Americans are right to be angry about it, and I am angry about it.

be angry about 为...生气
例句：Don't be angry about what he said.
不要对他说的话生气。

3. On Thursday, the president said he did not know about the abuses until they were described in news reports last week.

not until　直到…才…
例句：Not until you told me.
你告诉了我，才知道。

4. The president is committed to the press’s ability to pursue information, to defending the First Amendment.

be committed to　献身于，致力于；（后接名词或动名词，to是介词）
例句：Be committed to build and sustain a profitable company.
致力于建立和保持一个能盈利的公司。