时代周刊:梅根的意义(2)

It all made for an uncertain prelude¹ to a wedding

这一切都为婚礼蒙上了一层难以预料的序幕，

that turned out to be an extraordinary celebration of inclusion,

而婚礼的结果证明是对包容的一次非凡的庆祝，

a sun-splashed day that lifted the millions watching into what felt like a new realm.

婚礼当天，阳光明媚，仿佛置身另一国度的数百万观众无不欢呼雀跃。

The Reverend Michael Curry², the first African American to serve as presiding bishop³ of the Episcopal church,

在长达14分钟并深深植根于非裔美国人信教传统的布道中，

quoted Martin Luther King—"Love is the only way"—in a rousing 14-minute sermon

首个担任圣公会主教的非裔美国人迈克尔·库里牧师，

firmly rooted in the tradition of the African-American church.

引用了马丁·路德·金的名言——“爱是唯一的方式。”

A gospel choir⁴ performed Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" under the direction of a black British woman, Karen Gibson,

福音唱诗班在英国黑人女歌手凯伦·吉布森的指导下演唱了本·金的《伴我同行》，

and 19-year-old Sheku Kanneh-Mason played a cello⁵ solo in a ceremony did that double duty

19岁的谢库·坎内-梅森在一场仪式上演奏大提琴独奏，

as both a showcase of black culture and an announcement of generational change.

既展示了黑人文化，也宣告了世代的交替。

It felt like a powerful statement— in full view of the world—that both celebrated⁶ Markle's heritage

他们的演唱——在全世界的瞩目下——仿佛一则强有力的声明，既赞美了马克尔的事迹，

and placed it unapologetically at the heart of Britain's most elite⁷ institution.

又理直气壮地将她的事迹置于了王室这一英国最精英的机构的核心位置。

EVEN BEFORE they exchanged vows⁸, Harry⁹ and Meghan were a metaphor¹⁰ for the state of multicultural¹¹ Britain.

即便交换誓言之前，哈里和梅根就已经是英国多元文化的象征了。

For some black Brits, there was a sense of pride that a woman of color has joined the royal family.

对于英国的部分黑人来说，有色人种梅根加入王室让他们也有了自豪感。

For others, the union is yet another reminder¹² of deeply entrenched¹³ class prejudice and tradition.

其他黑人则认为，二人的结合只会让人们再次联想到英国根深蒂固的阶级偏见和传统。

Markle was not born into poverty, but neither has she lived with aristocratic privilege.

马克尔虽非出身贫寒，但也没享受过贵族特权。

Her career and relationships both appear to have stumbled and then succeeded through a combination of merit and luck.

她之前的事业和人际关系似乎都经历过挫折，但最终她都能凭借自身的优点和运气扭转乾坤。

She built an acting¹⁴ career and embraced her interests,

她不仅发展了演艺事业，也积极投身自己的兴趣，

using her platform to champion causes like feminism and the environment.

利用自己的人气支持女权主义和环保等事业。

She also happens to be marrying Prince Harry,

她要嫁的碰巧还是哈里王子

the fun-loving and somewhat renegade royal who has landed in trouble in the past.

这位爱开玩笑、有点叛逆，过去惹过麻烦的王室成员。

But his recent charity work and openness about his struggle with mental-health issues

不过，王子最近所做的慈善工作和他对自己有心理健康问题一事的直言不讳

has endeared him to a public hungry for authenticity¹⁵.

还是为他赢得了渴望真实的公众的喜爱。

Wrapped up in all this is the question of the British Dream—whether such a thing exists and, if it does,

这一切围绕的都是一个英国梦的问题——英国梦是否存在，以及如果存在的话，

what it means for a class system that is anti-meritocratic and socially immobile at its roots.

对于英国皇室这样一个反精英主义，并且从根本上而言基本不具有社会阶级流动性的体系而言，英国梦究竟意味着什么。

And wrapped up in all that is the changing racial and cultural makeup¹⁶ of Britain.

同时，这一切也表明，英国的种族和文化构成已经有所松动。

1 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

2 curry   

n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革

参考例句：

• Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
• Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。

3 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

4 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

5 cello   

n.大提琴

参考例句：

• The cello is a member of the violin family.大提琴是提琴家族的一员。
• She plays a melodious cello.她拉着一手悦耳的大提琴。

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

8 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

9 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

10 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

11 multicultural   

adj.融合多种文化的，多种文化的

参考例句：

• Children growing up in a multicultural society.在多元文化社会中长大的孩子们。
• The school has been attempting to bring a multicultural perspective to its curriculum.这所学校已经在尝试将一种多元文化视角引入其课程。

12 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

13 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

14 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

15 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

16 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？