THIS IS AMERICA - Presidential Medal of Freedom

THIS IS AMERICA -August 5, 2002: Presidential Medal of Freedom

By George Grow
VOICE ONE:

President Bush recognized twelve people at a White House ceremony last month. The twelve were officially
honored with the nation’s highest civilian¹ award. I ’m Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. We tell about the people who received this award --the

Presidential Medal of Freedom --on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS
AMERICA.
(THEME)
VOICE ONE:

President Bush with
baseball great Hank Aaron.
(Photo -White House)
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is America’s highest government honor given to civilians². It recognizes
people for their special efforts for national security, world peace, culture or other public service.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom was created in nineteen-forty-five. President Harry³ Truman established the
award to honor civilians for their service during World War Two. After the war, the medal was not given until
the early nineteen-sixties. That is when President John F. Kennedy decided⁴ to re -start the program as a peacetime
honor.

VOICE TWO:

President Kennedy was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his death. Every president since then has
presented the award. Recent honorees have included former President Ronald Reagan and former German leader
Helmut Kohl. American civil rights activist⁵ Rosa Parks and racecar driver Richard Petty also have received the
medal.

Last month, more than one-hundred people gathered in the East Room of the White House for the award
ceremony. President Bush presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to eight men and one woman. Another
woman honored, Katharine Graham, died last year. Two other honorees, Placido Domingo and Nelson Mandela,
were unable to attend.

VOICE ONE:

The twelve honorees were recognized for their leadership in the arts, politics, science, business and sports. One of
the honorees is Hank Aaron. He is one of the most famous players in baseball history. He played for twenty-three
years in North American baseball’s Major Leagues. He holds a number of Major League records, including the
most homeruns hit by any player.

As a young man, Mister Aaron played with a baseball team for African Americans. Then, he joined a Major
League team, the Milwaukee Braves. The Braves sent him to a small team in Jacksonville, Florida. He was one of
the first African Americans to play for a professional team in the southern United States. Over the years, Hank
Aaron experienced racial hatred⁶. Yet it did not stop him from becoming one of the game’s great players.

(MUSIC BRIDGE
–
The Cosby Show Theme)

VOICE TWO:

A famous funnyman also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Bill Cosby became one of the most
popular television performers in the United States during the nineteen-eighties. His program, The Cosby Show,


changed the way American television programs showed African Americans.

Bill Cosby once said that you cannot bring racial groups together by joking about their differences. He wanted to
talk about their similarities instead. Mister Bush praised him for using the power of laughter to heal wounds and
build bridges among people.

(MUSIC BRIDGE
–
Placido Domingo)

VOICE ONE:

Opera singer Placido Domingo was honored for his forty-four years as an entertainer. He has performed in one hundred-
eighteen different opera parts. That is more than any other tenor⁷ in the history of opera performance.

Placido Domingo also has directed performances at famous opera houses like the Metropolitan⁸ in New York
City. He currently serves as the artistic⁹ director of the Washington Opera and the Los Angeles Opera.

VOICE TWO:

President Bush also honored Peter Drucker, one of the world’s top experts on operating businesses. Mister
Drucker is a leading supporter of ideas such as privatization and giving powers from a central leadership to local
officials. Over the years, he has advised many governments, public service organizations and businesses. He
currently offers advice to religious organizations.

VOICE ONE:

Newspaper publisher Katharine Graham, who died last year, also was honored. Missus Graham helped lead the
Washington Post to its position as one of the country’s leading newspapers. During her leadership, the Post
aggressively reported on secret documents that described American involvement in the Vietnam War. The
newspaper also investigated and reported about the break-in at the Democratic Party’s headquarters at the
Watergate building. This investigation¹⁰ led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

VOICE TWO:

Another honoree, D.A. Henderson, is best known for his work for the World Health Organization. Between
nineteen-sixty-six and nineteen -seventy-seven, Doctor Henderson led the W-H-O campaign to end the threat
from the disease smallpox¹¹. He also helped establish the W-H-O’s program to stop the spread of six major

diseases. This program now provides vaccine¹² medicines to eighty percent of the world’s children. Currently,
Doctor Henderson serves as the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies in
Baltimore, Maryland.

(MUSIC BRIDGE)

VOICE ONE:

Conservative American thinker and writer Irving Kristol also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Professor Kristol taught at New York University and its Graduate School of Business Administration.

Mister Kristol helped influence conservative thought in the United States. His thinking mixed traditional
conservative ideas with important issues in modern society. Mister Bush said Irving Kristol’s writings have
helped change American politics.

VOICE TWO:

Nelson Mandela also was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mister Mandela led the fight to end
the system of racial separation in South Africa. The South African government jailed Mister Mandela in
nineteen-sixty-two. He was released in nineteen-ninety. Later, Mister Mandela was elected president of the
African National Congress. He was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in nineteen-ninety-three. The following
year, he became South Africa’s first democratically elected president.


VOICE ONE:

Inventor and businessman Gordon Moore also was honored. He helped establish the Intel Corporation. Intel
successfully developed the microchip, an important part in computers. Mister Moore retired¹³ from the company in
nineteen-ninety-five. Since then, he and his wife have become involved in activities to help others. They have
given thousands of millions of dollars to create a foundation that supports education, scientific research and the
environment.

VOICE TWO:

Another honoree is Nancy Reagan, the wife of former President Ronald Reagan. During her husband’s
presidency¹⁴, Missus Reagan traveled around the country and urged young people to “Just Say No”.. to illegal
drugs. In recent years, she has continued her work against illegal drug use. She also has increased support for a

program that involves older adults and children with special needs.

(MUSIC BRIDGE – “Mister Rogers Neighborhood”)

VOICE ONE:

Fred Rogers produced and appeared in a popular children ’s television show for more than thirty years. It is
called “Mister Rogers’.. Neighborhood.”.. The goal of his work is to help support the healthy emotional growth
of children and their families. “The whole idea,”.. he says, “is to look at the television camera and present as
much love as you possibly could to a person who needs it.”.. President Bush said this message has won Fred
Rogers a very special place in the hearts of mothers and fathers across America.

VOICE TWO:

Another Medal of Freedom honoree, A.M. Rosenthal, worked as a reporter, editor and writer for the New York
Times newspaper. He reported about the suffering of oppressed people, especially religious minorities. He was
honored with the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting from Poland in nineteen-sixty. Three years later, Mister
Rosenthal returned to New York City to help supervise the newspaper. He supervised daily news operations of
the New York Times for almost sixteen years.

At the White House ceremony, President Bush noted¹⁵ that each honoree has improved the life of America and the
world. He said all twelve have left a lasting¹⁶ influence of hope, strength and action.

(THEME)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written and produced by George Grow. I’m Sarah Long.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA
Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

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1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 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。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

7 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

8 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

9 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

12 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

14 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

16 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。