The administration prioritized domestic infrastructure spending over foreign aid in the new budget.
Do-mes-tic：Do（做）mes（门）tic（提）：在家里做事，就是“国内的/家庭的”。
The investigation revealed that migrant workers were exploited in the agricultural sector with no legal protections.
Exploit: 把“利”（profit）全“剥”（split）下来，自己独吞，这就是剥削。
The administration's hesitancy to release the full report has fueled speculation about the scandal's true scale.
Hes-i-tan-cy: 像“踩刹车”（Hes）一样，犹豫不决，不敢向前。
The leak of classified documents severely undermined the government's credibility with the international community.
Under-mine: 在“地下”（under）挖“坑”（mine），把对方的地基挖空，导致其倒塌。
The senator's erratic behavior is undermining public confidence in the legislative process.
Under (下面) + mine (挖矿/矿洞)：从地基下面挖洞，墙就倒了。比喻暗中破坏基础。
Medical experts are alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the patient's condition overnight.
Deteriorate: Det (脱离) + er (人) + i (我) + or (哦) + ate (吃)。人脱离了我，哦，食物坏了（变坏） -> 恶化。