THIS IS AMERICA - Mount Vernon

THIS IS AMERICA -August 26, 2002: Mount¹ Vernon

By Jerilyn Watson
VOICE ONE:

Millions of people have visited the beautiful country home of the first president of
the United States. It is Mount Vernon in the state of Virginia. I’m Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. Today we take you to the beloved² home of George

Washington on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

(Photo -Mount Vernon Ladies'
Association³)
((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

The woman who welcomes you to Mount Vernon wears a long dress. On her head is a small white hat that was
popular hundreds of years ago. This guide looks like a picture from the eighteenth century. But then, so does
almost everything else at the country home of America’s first military hero and president. Visiting here is like
traveling more than two centuries into the past.

Everything seems quiet and calm on the green Virginia hillside of Mount Vernon. The long wooden building
looks over the Potomac River. The home is only twenty-four kilometers south of Washington, D -C. But here, you
feel far from the busy city. The warm afternoon sun is starting to sink lower in the sky. Before too long, darkness
will fall on the white house that George Washington helped design.

VOICE TWO:

The woods around the home show the deep green of summer leaves. Birds sing, but there are few other sounds.
No boats sail by on the Potomac River. On the hill leading down from the home to the river, goats sleep in the
grass.Farming still takes place at Mount Vernon, just as it did when George Washington and his wife Martha
lived here. The guide urges you to think what life was life for them in this place, so long ago.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Mount Vernon was home to George Washington for more than forty-five years. But he spent many years away
from his home. In seventeen-seventy-five, he commanded the Continental⁴ Army of the American colonies⁵ in
their war of independence from Britain. After the war he was the most famous leader of the new nation. He was
elected president two times without opposition⁶. And he was offered a third term. But he refused. He wanted to
return to the life he had led at Mount Vernon before the war.

George Washington returned to live on his large farm after serving as president. Mount Vernon tells us about his
informal, unofficial life. During those last years, he led the life of a rich farmer. He planned and directed the work
of the five farms. He supervised⁷ Mount Vernon’s crops and animals. As a farmer, he was always interested in
new ideas and methods.

He and his wife Martha provided⁸ meals for many friends in their beautiful dining room. The Washingtons also
provided sleeping rooms and food for many travelers. Very few hotels existed then. So George and Martha
Washington offered shelter to about six-hundred visitors a year. Many were strangers.

VOICE TWO:

Sadly, George Washington was able to enjoy retirement⁹ at Mount Vernon for less than three years. He died there


Cupola
(VOA Photo -Steve
Ember)
in seventeen-ninety-nine. The sixty -seven-year old American hero became sick with a cold and throat disease¹⁰.
Modern doctors believe he died of a severe infection.

When George Washington died, citizens throughout the new nation mourned. The United States was a very
young country at that time. The American people felt a terrible loss at the death of their revolutionary war hero
and first president. George Washington was often called “the father of his country.”Historians¹¹ say the United
States might never have been created or survived long without him. More than seven-hundred speakers
throughout the country honored¹² him. Small towns and villages held funeral marches. Businesses were closed for
days. Bells rang without stopping.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

There is much to see on more than two-hundred hectares at Mount Vernon. You can walk through the great
house, two museums and more than twelve small buildings. You can also see four gardens, the farm area and
guided nature paths.

The guide suggests we start in the main house. It has three levels. George Washington was responsible for much
of the design. His office is on the ground level. It contains many of his books. This is the room where George
Washington planned the activities of his farm. It also is where he wrote to other political leaders. One writer
called this room “the center of political intelligence for the new world.”

Another guide leads you up the steps to the two higher levels of the main house. Mount
Vernon contains eight sleeping rooms. George and Martha Washington needed all these
bedrooms for their visitors. Above the bedrooms is one of Washington ’s own inventions
–a cupola. This small room has glass on all sides. Hot summer air from inside the house
escaped through these windows.

VOICE TWO:

More than one-hundred-twenty-five black people from Africa worked as slaves at Mount
Vernon. They played an important part in its operation. Slaves and some paid workers
operated the five farms. Each farm had its own buildings, supervisor¹³, workers, equipment
and animals. Together, the farms covered more than one -thousand hectares.

Other slaves built houses and furniture. Still others cooked and performed many services in the house. You can
see the burial places of George Washington ’s slaves on Mount Vernon property.

Historians say George Washington must carry the blame and dishonor of having kept slaves. Still, as he grew
older he came to disapprove¹⁴ of slavery. He ordered that his slaves be freed after he and his wife died.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

After George and Martha Washington died, Mount Vernon was given to other family members. By the eighteen-
fifties, the person who owned it did not have enough money to keep it in good condition. He offered to sell
Mount Vernon to the state of Virginia or to the federal¹⁵ government. Both refused the offer.

That is when an organization called the Mount Vernon Ladies Association rescued the home. The group was able
to buy the property with gifts of money from citizens.

The Mount Vernon Ladies Association still operates the property today. It manages the home, farm and
museums. It also operates libraries and teaching¹⁶ and research centers.

VOICE TWO:

Mount Vernon officials recently began a campaign to add three more buildings. They are working to raise eighty-
three-million dollars for new learning¹⁷ centers and technologies. The officials want visitors to have a better idea of


George Washington’s personal life. They say Mount Vernon should better describe him as a man. They also say
Mount Vernon needs technology that will increase its interest among young people. This means devices¹⁸ that
young visitors can operate to get information.

One new building would be a visitors’center. There, people could see a film about the life and times of
America ’s first president. A George Washington Education Center would present exhibits¹⁹. The exhibits would
show the first president’s life in the military, in politics and in business. A new museum would show documents
and personal goods linked to George Washington’s life.

Also included in the plans for Mount Vernon are educational programs for schools and communities across the
nation. Published materials, C-D-Roms and Internet Web sites would tell about President Washington’s life and
work.

VOICE ONE:

The Mount Vernon Ladies Association has made a number of changes over the years. Many visitors praise the
organization for keeping the historical spirit of Mount Vernon while improving the property.Now, however, some
experts question if that spirit will survive the planned changes. They express concern that the changes could
make Mount Vernon seem too modern.

As you end your visit to Mount Vernon, the sun is setting²⁰. You turn around for one more look at George
Washington’s home. You close your eyes and picture George and Martha Washington reading in their library.
Then you walk away, into the gathering²¹ darkness and the twenty-first century.

((THEME))

VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Caty Weaver²². I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I’m Sarah Long. 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 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

2 beloved   

adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人

参考例句：

• She longs for the early return of her beloved.她盼着心上人早日归来。
• She is Tom's beloved wife.她是汤姆的爱妻。

3 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

4 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

5 colonies   

n.殖民地( colony的名词复数 )；（侨民等）聚居区；（动植物的）群体；（来自同一地方，职业或兴趣相同的）聚居人群

参考例句：

• They amassed huge wealth by plundering the colonies. 他们通过掠夺殖民地聚敛了大笔的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• But throughout the colonies, people relied primarily on small farms and self-sufficiency. 但就整个殖民地来说，人们主要依靠小型农场，过着自给自足的生活。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 supervised   

v.监督，管理( supervise的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The architect supervised the building of the house. 建筑工程师监督房子的施工。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He supervised and trained more than 400 volunteers. 他指导和培训了400多名志愿者。 来自辞典例句

8 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

9 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

10 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

11 historians   

n.历史学家，史学工作者( historian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Historians seem to have confused the chronology of these events. 历史学家好像把这些事件发生的年代顺序搞混了。
• Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。

12 honored   

adj.光荣的：荣幸的v.尊敬，给以荣誉( honor的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I hope to be honored with further orders. 如蒙惠顾，不胜荣幸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is a time-honored custom. 这是一个古老的习俗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

14 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

15 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

16 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

17 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

18 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

19 exhibits   

v.陈列，展览( exhibit的第三人称单数 )；表现；显示；[法律]当庭出示（证件、物证等）

参考例句：

• Many exhibits with characteristics of the Chinese art are on display. 许多具有中国艺术特色的展品陈列出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One is dazzled by the endless array of beautiful exhibits. 展品琳琅满目，美不胜收。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

21 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

22 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。