VOA慢速英语:Madison Declares War on Britain in 1812 - The Making of a Nation - James Madison, Part 2

1. The United States had not fought a war, or needed an army, for a long time.

for a long time 长久
例句：He is away from home for a long time.
他好久不在家了。

2. A majority of them supported the Madison administration, and agreed that they tried the embargo and it failed, and that something had to be done because national honor, they felt, was at stake.

at stake 濒于险境，处于成败关头
例句：Two lives are at stake.
两条生命遭到威胁。

3. They not only didn’t want to contribute to the war effort, but they wanted to block it as best they could.”

not only...but...不但...而且...
例句：This is not only unfair, but self-destructive.
这不仅有失公平，同时具有自我破坏性。

4. They captured more than 300 British trade ships.

more than 不止
例句：She was no more than 16.
她是不超过16个。

5. The British soldiers broke through the American lines, and the Americans began to run away.

run away 逃跑，走掉
例句：If this is true, do not run away just yet!
如果真是这样的话，不要就这么逃跑了！

6. The commanders of the British force, General Robert Ross and Admiral George Cockburn, took a group of men to the Capitol building and set fire to it.

set fire to 放火烧
例句：Rioters set fire to a whole row of stores.
暴徒们放火点燃了整排商铺。