美国有线新闻 CNN 2012-09-27

 A lot of people stay up a little later onthe weekends. I know I do. The U.S. Senate was up past midnight on Fridayworking in a late session in which they passed two pieces of legislation. Thefirst one had to do with funding the federal government. Senators approved thatfor the next six months so that avoids the possibility of a government shutdown until early next year. That vote passed by a margin¹ of 62 to 30.

 

The other piece of legislation that the Senate approved this weekend passed bya vote of 90 to 1. This one was about the U.S. taking a tough position againstIran`s controversial nuclear program. And on taking steps to prevent Iran fromdeveloping nuclear weapons. The one Senator who voted against the resolutioncompared it to the idea of declaring preemptive war.

 

See if you can ID me? I`m a program that`s associated with the U.S. Military.I`m offered at college. And I train students to become officers in themilitary.

I`m ROTC, the Reserve Officer Training Corp. 

You might have a Junior ROTC at your high school. There are more than 1,000ROTC programs at colleges and universities around the United States. HarvardUniversity had one of the first army ROTC programs in the United States. Butback in 1971, the school dropped the ROTC. At the time it was because ofstudent protests against the Vietnam War. But later, Harvard said it wascontinuing the ban because of the military`s don`t ask, don`t tell policy. Thatprevented gay and lesbian troops from serving openly in the U.S. military.Cadets could still study at Harvard, but they had to go to a different schoolto do their ROTC courses.

Now, 41 years after Harvard banned ROTC from its campus the program and itscadets are back and back in training.

Start in position, move.

We are doing PT training.

ROTC is one of the mechanisms² that we produce officers through the UnitedStates Army.

 

Hey.

This year with the official agreement between the Department of Defense³ andHarvard -- 

Position Attention, move.

We now are able to conduct our PT, right here officially on Harvard grounds.

This is our second Monday here just outside the Harvard stadium.

It`s previously⁴, we do everything at MIT. So, people would just assume thatthere was no R.O.T.C. for Harvard.

I think the fact that it is back on the Harvard campus broadens theperspectives of many people in the area.

The Nation`s top institutions are again recognizing that military service issomething which should be respected. And which should be cherished andencouraged.

When I walk around in my uniform, several times I have been thanked for myservice. And the funny thing about that is I`m not actually serving yet. Butit`s nice to know that there are people out there. You know, especially here inthe Harvard community that are still willing to thank us even though. Justbecause they see us in uniform.

 

To be back at Harvard especially in that uniform is a humbling⁵ experience forme and something I will cherish.

1 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

2 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 humbling   

adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气

参考例句：

• A certain humbling from time to time is good. 不时受点儿屈辱是有好处的。 来自辞典例句
• It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-buildingexperience. 据说天文学是一种令人产生自卑、塑造人格的科学。 来自互联网