Begin with the fuss over wiretapping．According to Robert Byrd, a Democratic senator from West Virginia, George Bush has assumed unchecked power that is reserved only for kings and potentates.Barbara Boxer of California says there is no excuse for Mr Bushs actions．A growing chorus of outrage, including Congressman John Lewis and John Dean (of Watergate fame), has suggested impeachment．Over at the Nation, Jonathan Schell argues that Bushes abuses of presidential power are the most extensive in American history．The administration is not a dictatorship, he concedes, before adding that it does manifest the characteristics of one in embryonic form．”
　　And the proof of dictatorship? On more than 30 different occasions, Mr Bush authorised the tapping of telephone calls made by American citizens．Tapping domestic telephone calls without getting a warrant is illegal．But Mr Bush claims that his constitutional powers as commander-in-chief allowed him to do so because all these calls were international ones．He maintains that going to the courts would have been cumbersome and that his first priority was to prevent another terrorist attack．
　　You can pick at this reasoning--for instance, there are retrospective warrants that might have donethe trick．But it is hard to claim that Mr Bush is being outlandish on any of these scores．John Schmidt, an associate attorney-general under Bill Clinton, thinks Mr Bush has the constitutional power to approve such taps; General Michael Hayden, the deputy director of national intelligence, has argued that the programme has been successful in detecting and preventing attacks inside the United States．
　　That assertion is for Congress to probe, but the real argument here is surely one of nuance: it has to do with how much freedom you should reasonably curtail in the name of security．Mr Bush may have crossed a line, but he has hardly smashed through it．Most European countries have more intrusive surveillance regimes than Americas．As for impeachment, the prospect of having to defend Mr Bush against the charge that he went a tad too far trying to avert a terrorist attack is the sort of thing Karl Rove salivates about．[353 words]
　　1．What led to the challenge to President George Bushes power?
　　A．His abuses of presidential power．
　　B．The characteristics of his administration．
　　C．A growing chorus of outrage to his recent actions．
　　D．His authorization of tapping of telephone calls．
　　2．Bush’s excuse for wiretapping is that
　　A．he has constitutional power to do so
　　B．the prevention of terrorism is the top priority
　　C．international calls might be made by terrorists
　　D．no warrant is needed for tapping telephone calls
　　3．______least supports Bushes authorization of wiretapping．
　　A．The press
　　B．John Schmidt
　　C．Michael Hayden
　　D．Jonathan Schell
　　4．The author believes that______
　　A．freedom must be sacrificed to certain extent to safeguard security
　　B．even Congress has no more power to wiretap than the President
　　C．Mr Bush has been successful in fighting against terrorism
　　D．Mr Bush went too far trying to avert another terrorist attack
　　5．The author______Mr Bushes authorization of wiretapping in many occasions．
　　A．despises
　　B．discusses
　　C．appreciates
　　D．approves of

　难句透析
　　①The administration“is not a dictatorship”，he concedes，before adding[that“it does manifest the characteristics of one in embryonic form．”examda]
　　【结构】本句中，“he concedes”是插入语。动名词短语“adding…”用做介词“before”的宾语；方括号所标示的部分是动名词“addin9”的宾语从句。
　　【释义】他勉强承认，本届政府“还不是独裁机构”，但接着又补充说，“确实有些特征显示政府正开始走向独裁。” 
　　②He maintains”[that going to the courts would have been cumbersome]and[that his first priority was to pre— vent another terrorist attack]．
　　【结构】两个方括号所标示的部分是谓语动词“maintains”后并列的两个宾语从句。动名词短语“90ing to the courts”是第一个宾语从句中的主语。
　　【释义】布什坚持认为，去法庭申请许可证太麻烦，他首先要做的是防止另一次恐怖袭击。
　　③You can pick at this reasoning--for instance，there are retrospective warrants[that might have done the trick]．
　　【结构】本句中，“pick at”的意思是“找…的岔子”。破折号后面的部分是补充说明。方括号所标示的后置定语从句修饰“warrants”。
　　【释义】听到这样的推理逻辑，你可能会去挑错。比如，那是在强词夺理为过去所做的事情辩护。
　　④”That assertion is for Congress to probe。butthe real argument here is surely one of nuance：it has to do with[how much freedom you should reasonably curtail in the name of security]．
　　【结构】本句是由“but”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。冒号后面的部分是对第二个分句的补充说明。方括号所标示的部分是介词“with”的宾语从句。
　　【释义】这种说法要靠国会去做调查，但是此处辩论的实质确实涉及一个容易被忽略的问题，那就是，为了安全的名义我们究竟应该牺牲多大程度的自由。
　　⑤As for impeachment，the prospect of having to defend Mr Bush against the charge[-that he went a tad too far try— ing tO avert a terrorist attack]is the sort of thing[Karl Rove salivates about]．
　　【结构】本句主句的主语是“the prospect”，谓语动词是“is”。第一个方括号所标示的部分是“charge”的同位语从句。第二个方括号所标示的后置定语从句修饰“the sort of thing”。
　　【释义】至于说到弹劾，指控布什的罪名是，为了避免受到恐怖攻击，他做得有点过分。将来可能要为布什先生辩护，洗清这个罪名，那则是卡尔·罗夫所垂涎已久的事。全文翻译
　　首先从搭线窃听事件引发的争论谈起。根据来自西弗吉尼亚州的民主党议员罗伯特·白垩德的观点，乔治·布什已经行使了一些“只留给国王和集权统治者”才会使用的“未受监控的权利”。来自加利福尼亚州的芭芭拉·伯克斯则指出布什所采取的行动“毫无根据”。来自社会各界的愈演愈烈的愤慨之声，其中包括国会议员约翰·刘易斯和约翰·迪安(因水门事件而知名)等人，都暗示要行使弹劾总统的权力。在《国家》杂志上，乔纳森·谢尔指出“布什对总统职权的滥用在整个美国历史上堪称前无古人”。他勉强承认，本届政府“还不是独裁机构”，但接着又补充说，“确实有些特征显示政府正开始走向独裁。”
　　那指证其独裁的证据在哪儿呢?布什曾不下30次授权对美国普通公民的电话通讯进行窃昕。在没有取得法庭的许可证的前提下窃听国内电话是违法的。但是布什声称宪法赋予他作为总司令的权力即允许他采取这些行动，因为被窃听的电话都是国际通话。布什坚持认为，去法庭申请许可证太麻烦，他首先要做的是防止另一次恐怖袭击。    听到这样的推理逻辑，你可能会去挑错。比如，那是在强词夺理为过去所做的事情辩护。但同样我们也很难在这些事情上就断言布什的做法有问题。曾作为比尔·克林顿幕僚的副司法部长约翰·施密德就认为布什完全有宪法所赋予的权力来批准这些窃听；国家情报局副主任迈克尔·海登将军也认为窃听行动“在侦察及预防美国本土受袭”方面是较为成功的。
　　这种说法要靠国会去做调查，但是此处辩论的实质确实涉及一个容易被忽略的问题，那就是，为了安全的名义我们究竟应该牺牲多大程度的自由。④布什或许有些越权越界，但他并非蛮横地冲破其界限。很多欧洲国家都还在采用比美国更具侵犯性的监控体制。至于说到弹劾，指控布什的罪名是，为了避免受到恐怖攻击，他做得有点过分。将来可能要为布什先生辩护，洗清这个罪名，那则是卡尔·罗夫所垂涎已久的事。
　　超纲词汇
　　attorney general n．首席检察官，司法部长
　　dictatorship n．独裁，专政
　　cumbersome adj．讨厌的，麻烦的，笨重的 
　　curtail vt．缩短，减缩，限制
　　embryonic adj.[生]胚胎的，开始的，初期的
　　impeachment n．弹劾，指摘 
　　intrusive adj．闯入的，插入的
　　nuance n．细微差别
　　outlandish adj．奇怪的，古怪的
　　potentate n．当权者，统治者 
　　retrospective adj．回顾的，回想的
　　salivate v．过量分泌唾液
　　smash v．(网球等)扣球，杀球
　　surveiJlance n．监视，监督 
　　tad n．微量，少量
　　tap v．窃听电话
　　wiretap v．搭线窃听，窃听或偷录  
　　参考答案：1．D    2．B    3．D    4．A    5．B