聽一段美國全國廣播公司（NBC）關於“拜登宣佈退選後首次公開講話”的新聞報道，再學幾個地道表達。
先聽新聞：
1
The president, by all accounts, resisted coming off the ticket for days as people lined up to show him polling data.
據所有報道，總統拜登堅決不肯退出競選陣營，即使人們紛紛向他展示民調資料。
by all accounts 意思是“據所有人所說”或“據各方面的說法”，其中，account 表示報告、描述、說法。
ticket 在這裡是個政治術語，指“候選人名單”，文中 coming off the ticket 是說，退出候選人名單、不再參選。
ticket 這個含義在美國大選的話題中經常能遇到，例如：
Joe Biden's decision to put a black woman on the ticket.
喬·拜登決定讓一位黑人女性參選。
There is a massive question about whether Joe Biden is going to remain a top the ticket for the Democratic party.
關於喬·拜登是否會繼續作為民主黨候選人的問題存在很大的爭議。
line up to do 是動詞片語，意思是“排著隊做某事”，這裡比喻人們“迫切希望”或“爭先恐後做某事”，例如：
Investors are lining up to get a piece of the new tech startup.
投資者們爭先恐後地想要投資這家新的科技初創公司。
Customers lined up to buy the latest smartphone as soon as it was released.
顧客們迫不及待地想購買最新發布的智慧手機。
另外，形容人們迫切做某事，也可以說：
1）flock to do
Fans flocked to buy tickets for the concert.
粉絲們蜂擁而至購買演唱會的門票。
2）rush to do
Investors rushed to invest in the promising startup.
投資者們爭相投資這個有前途的初創公司。
3）jostle to do
Media crews jostled to interview the celebrity after her scandalous revelation.
醜聞曝光後，媒體團隊爭先恐後地採訪那位名人。
4）scramble to do
Students scrambled to sign up for the popular elective course.
學生們爭先恐後地報名參加這門受歡迎的選修課程。
2
And just taking a step back, this was a speech for the history books, just as when LBJ announced he wasn't going to run for re-election in 1968.
退一步講，這是一場載入史冊的演講，就像當年林登·約翰遜(Lyndon Johnson)在1968年宣佈不會競選連任時那樣。
for the history books 意思是“載入史冊的、值得銘記的”，也可以用 go down to history 替換，比如加州州長加文·紐森（Gavin Newsom）在社交媒體平臺X上是這麼評價拜登的：
譯文：拜登總統是一位非凡的、創造歷史的總統——一位為廣大勞動人民奮鬥併為全體美國人民取得了驚人成就的領導者。他將被載入史冊，成為影響深遠、無私奉獻的總統之一。
3
It is clear that President Biden wanted to convey that he had come to terms with the reality of the situation.
很明顯，拜登總統想要表達他已經接受現實。
come to terms with 意思是“接受、與…妥協”，尤指接受不愉快或困難的事情，此外也可以說：
1）accept
She finally accepted the loss of her job.
她最終接受了失去工作的事實。
2）reconcile oneself to
Henry had more or less reconciled himself to Don's death.
亨利差不多已經接受了唐的死亡。
3）face up to
You need to face up to the reality that things have changed.
你需要面對現實，接受情況已經發生變化。
4
I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merit a second term, but nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving the world, our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.
我相信，我作為總統的政績，我在世界的領導地位，以及我對美國未來的遠見，理應獲得連任。但拯救世界和我們的民主，是任何事都無法阻擋的，這其中也包括個人抱負。因此，我決定，前進的最佳方式，是將火炬傳遞給新一代。
record 此處指某人在某個職位上的“成就、業績、履歷”，如 academic record 學術成績，employment record 工作履歷，track record (個人或組織的)業績記錄。看個例句：
The company's track record in customer service is outstanding.
這家公司在客戶服務方面的過往業績非常出色。
merit 在這裡是動詞，表示“值得，配得上”，相當於 deserve，看兩個例句：
The results have been encouraging enough to merit further investigation.
結果令人振奮，值得進一步調查研究。
It's a fascinating book which merits attention.
這是本引人入勝的書，值得關注。
此外，warrant 也可以作動詞表示“值得”，但這個用法不算常見，看個例句瞭解即可：
Another area that warrants attention is that of funding for universities.
另一個值得注意的是為大學提供資金的問題。
come in the way of 意思很好理解，指“阻礙，妨礙”，就像某物擋在路上一樣。可以同 hinder, obstruct 等詞替換。
the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation，這句話意思是：前進的最佳方式，是將火炬傳遞給年輕的一代。“pass the torch”比喻為將責任、領導權或權力交給下一代，也可以說 pass on the mantle to a new generation 或 pass / hand over the baton，mantle 指“責任，職責，衣缽”，baton 是“接力棒、指揮棒”的意思。看個例句：
The President handed over the baton (= passed responsibility) to his successor.
總統把權杖傳給了他的繼任者。
5
Stunning to hear him talk about personal ambition and to acknowledge that he clearly wrestled with this decision.
聽到他談論個人抱負，承認這是他掙扎許久的決定，這很讓人震驚。
stunning 指“震驚的、驚訝的”，可以用 astonishing、shocking 替換。
wrestle with 字面意思是“與…摔跤”，引申為“與某事物作鬥爭”或“努力解決一個難題”，非常形象生動。此處 wrestled with this decision 突出了拜登在做出決定時內心的矛盾和鬥爭。
同義替換有：
1）struggle with
He struggled with the decision to change careers.
他在是否轉行的決定上苦苦掙扎。
2）grapple with
She is grappling with the ethical implications of her research findings.
她正在努力解決她的研究發現所帶來的倫理問題。
3）contend with
The team is contending with unexpected setbacks in their project.
團隊正在應對專案中的意外挫折。
今天就到這裡，感謝閱讀！
關鍵詞
美國
總統
聽力
to do
for the