高中英语 voa常速听力2012年09月合辑文本colorado-may-determine-2012-presidential-election素材.docVIP

VOA常速英语听力2012年09月合辑（文本）：Colorado-May-Determine-2012-Presidential-Election DENVER, COLORADO — This years presidential election may be decided in a handful of so-called swing states, where President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney are running neck and neck in public opinion polls. The western state of Colorado has only nine electoral votes, which will all go to the candidate who wins a majority of the states popular votes in November. And Colorado is one of the few states that could go either way, so it is being hotly contested. Thousands of Obama supporters were on the streets of the Denver suburb of Golden, Colorado recently, when the president came to visit. Obama won here four years ago and many of his supporters remain enthusiastic. Those who identify with a party here are evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. So, independent voters like Sherry Toms are the key to victory. And she still likes the president. To switch everything and do a 360 with the Republican Party might not be the best thing right now, said Toms. The Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, was not here this day, but his son, Josh Romney, met with supporters not far from the Obama event. While young voters helped elect Obama in 2008, some, like Alex Insco, now favor Romney. I havent seen any change. I was hoping for change, but I still havent gotten it yet, said Insco. Around 80 percent of Colorados population is now located in cities and suburbs. In a state once characterized by sparsely-populated areas such as the Rocky Mountains, demographic change turned Colorado from reliably Republican to a so-called battleground. Many of the people who moved to Colorado from other states in recent years were drawn by its scenic beauty. But, to live here, they also need jobs. Colorados unemployment rate is slightly higher than the national average and economic anxiety could sway many independent voters. If the issues get framed in terms of economic conditions and that is how they are feeling about thin