例句-1:This is America. Just as we fight hard when the stakes are high, we close ranks and come together when the contest is done.
在这几句话里他用了两个习惯用语第一个是:The stakes are high. 。Stakes可以指在竞选或者比赛中获胜的人所赢得的东西。Stakes也可以有另一种意思:赌注。人们在赌场赌博的时候得在柜台买筹码,用来下赌注。当参加赌博的人把堆得高高的筹码放在自己面前的赌台上的话,那意味着他下了很大的赌注。人们这样说:
This is a high-stakes gamble,意思是:这是场输赢很大的赌博。换句话说就是:the stakes are high. 当然参加这样的赌博是输还是赢关系重大。你注意到了吗?Stake这个词指胜利成果或者赌注的时候往往是复数形式:stakes。
众所周知,美国大选中的stakes正是这个在全世界实力最强的大国的最高领导权,即美国总统的职位,所以选战胜负当然关系极其重大。我们听个例子来体会习惯用语the stakes are high是什么意思。这是一名时事评论员在评论当选总统布什的胜利:
例句-2:The stakes for the year 2000 Presidential election were high for the Republicans. The victory of the party's Presidential candidate governor George W. Bush means they have taken back the White House after eight years.
例句-3:After he thanked everyone who had worked on his campaign, in his concession speech, Mr. Gore urged Americans of both sides to close ranks behind Mr. Bush, the man who defeated him, and stand behind him as our next President.