VOA慢速英语:Missouri's Request for Statehood Reopens Question of Slavery - The Making of a Nation No. 4

短语讲解：

1. That we would keep out of their affairs but they must keep out of our affairs.

keep out of 置身于外
例句：The little child could not keep out of the way of the horse.
那小孩无法躲开那匹马。

2. And they were not going to accept this.”

be going to 要，会
例句：They tend to be going to school.
他们都将去上学。

3. Supporters of the amendment also said small farmers of the North and East could not compete with the southern farmers and the free labor of slaves.

compete with 与…抗争
例句：Africa will compete with asia.
非洲将与亚洲展开竞争。

4. They argued that these northern and eastern farmers had as much right to the land of Missouri as anyone else. The Louisiana Territory had been paid for by the taxes of all Americans.

pay for 赔偿；为…付钱
例句：Taxpayers should not pay for bank failures.
纳税人不应该为银行的错误买单。

5. The United States would no longer be a union of equal states.

no longer 不再
例句：You no longer need them.
你不再需要诸多借口。

6. A number of lawmakers in Congress immediately opposed the state constitution.

a number of 许多的；一些
例句：This suggests a number of things.
这说明了几件事。