CNN News: 2016年美国总统选举即将进入白热化

First up, happy New Year. Scenes from cities around the world lit up by fireworks just after midnight on January 1st.

首先，祝大家新年快乐。午夜过后，2016年1月1日世界各大城市点燃了烟花。

2016 is a leap year. That means it has 366 days in it, the extra one being on February 29th. So, folks born on that date in a leap year will get to celebrate their birthdays on their actual birth date.

2016年是闰年，也就是说今年有366天，额外的那一天是2月29号。所以啊，那天出生的小家伙们需要在自己的实际出生日期才能够庆祝生日。

2016 is also an election year in the U.S. President Obama has reached the two-term limit, so American voters will be choosing a new leader in November. Before that can happen, though, each major party has to nominate one candidate for president, and the president to whittle down the Democratic and Republican fields starts next month.

2016年是美国的选举年。美国总统奥巴马已经连任两期，所以，美国公民要在11月份选举新的领导人。所以11月份之前，每个主要的政党都需要提名一名总统候选人，总统削弱民主党。

For the Democrats, three candidates are still in the race. Polls indicate that the frontrunner is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

有三位民主党候选人仍在角逐。民意调查表明，主角的领头人是美国前国务卿希拉里克林顿。

For the Republicans, 12 candidates are still in. Polls indicate that the frontrunner is businessman Donald Trump. Two GOP candidates dropped out of the race over the Christmas break. On December 21st, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced the end of his run for president. And on December 29th, former New York Governor George Pataki suspended his campaign.

有12名共和党候选人仍在角逐。民意调查表明，共和党的领跑人是房地产大亨唐纳德·特朗普。两位共和党候选人在圣诞假期间退出了比赛。12月21日，南卡罗来纳州的参议院Lindsey Graham宣布退出总统选举。12月29日，前纽约州州长乔治·帕卡基退出竞选。

President Obama will give his final State of the Union Address in just a few days. Could his agenda motivate Republicans or divide the Dems?

美国总统奥巴马在未来几天将结束自己最后的工会演讲。可是他的行程会激励共和党人或其分党吗?

Then, there are more debates dotting the calendar. January alone will see more face-to-face confrontations.

每个月会有更多的辩论。仅1月份就会有很多次面对面的辩论。

February 1st is the critical day, the Iowa caucuses.

2月1日是重要的一天，爱荷华州举行举行党内提名。

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the big potato.

唐纳德·特朗普，总统候选人：这是一个大人物。

BASH: The winners and losers from Iowa will face each other again for another debate, wedged in just before the next vote in New Hampshire.

巴什:来自爱荷华州的赢家和败者们将再次面对面，在新罕布什尔州举行下次投票之前跻身而入。

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I appreciate the men and women of New Hampshire.

卡莉·费奥莉娜，总统候选人：我非常感谢新罕布什州的公民们。

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It`s great to be in beautiful New Hampshire.

杰布·布什，总统候选人：非常高兴能来到新罕布什州。

BASH: A win by an establishment Republican in New Hampshire could set the stage for a South Carolina showdown. The Palmetto State`s GOP primary is just days later, February 28th.

巴什：新罕布什州的共和党人赢得了一场胜利，这将为南卡罗来纳州对决奠定基础。南卡罗来纳州的共和党初选2月28日举行。

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It`s great to be back in South Carolina, a place that believed in me.

马可卢比奥，总统候选人：很高兴回到南卡罗来纳，一个相信我的地方。

BASH: And don`t forget the Nevada caucuses for the GOP, just three days.

巴什：不要忘了内华达州共和党党团会议，还有三天就到了。

It`s exhausting just thinking about it, but no rest for the political weary. One week later, the first day of March, Super Tuesday, when no fewer than 13 states will cast their primary votes.

只要想想就让人精疲力尽，但是政治没有疲倦。一周之后，3月的第一天，超级星期二(总统竞选的第一天)，13州将进行初选。

So, put the pedal to the metal, the race to the White House is full speed ahead.

踏上油门，角逐白宫的比赛正在全速前进。