2006年VOA标准英语-Fleet Sails Into New York City

By Kane Farabaugh
New York City
30 May 2006
 
watch Fleet Week report
 
  
  
Since 1984, the U.S. Navy has made New York City one of its largest port calls in the days leading up to the U.S. holiday of Memorial Day, which honors those who have died defending the country.  VOA's Kane Farabaugh spent time with some of the thousands of men and women in uniform on the visiting ships in port for Fleet Week, and has this report.

In 1609 Henry Hudson sailed his ship, the Half Moon, up the river that now bears his name, past Manhattan Island.

Almost 400 years later, the USS Kearsarge led a fleet of ships up part of the same Hudson River in an annual event that turns the Big Apple (New York City) into a sea of white.

Sgt. Glenn J. Smith, US Marine¹   
  
Sgt. Glenn J. Smith, a U.S. Marine, says he is delighted to be visiting New York. "I'm from a small town, so New York City is pretty big to me.  I'm from Fayette County, Alabama -- Fayette, Alabama -- and it's a small town, so I enjoy coming to the Big City."

The Big City is also a big change from Sergeant² Smith's recent duty station.  Through the war in Iraq's three years, Smith has served three different deployments there.

Sgt. Smith says, "I've been in [the Marines] for about six years now, and I've been overseas to Iraq three times, and that's my job."

 
World War II veteran Ben Dempsey 
  
World War II veteran Ben Dempsey says, "We've been over there long enough."

Though a lifelong New Yorker and an Army veteran, this is Ben Dempsey's first time visiting the ships making a port call for Fleet Week.

With the Memorial Day holiday Monday, Iraq is on many people's minds. 

Petty³ Officer Brenda Kidd  
  
Petty Officer Brenda Kidd, U.S Navy, says she has been reflecting on the past. "And because we're in a war, it takes time to reflect on the past and the present for the death that's going on in the Iraqi war."

But shore leave is supposed to be a chance to put the job aside for a while. And in typical New York fashion, the city has opened its arms to men and women in uniform.

Some get free drinks, others get free meals, and all get a chance to step off the ship for the main reason Petty Officer Kidd is here. "My biggest thing is going shopping!"

Dempsey adds, "They must have had good times while they were here.  I guess anything besides being on the ship for six months must be a good time!"

But all good things must come to an end.  Memorial Day marks the end of Fleet Week. It also is a salute⁴ to those in uniform who may be called on to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

3 petty   

adj.小的，琐碎的，不重要的，心胸狭窄的

参考例句：

• The removal of petty restrictions has made life easier.对一些琐碎规定的取消使生活更自在了。
• It was petty of her not to accept the apology.她气量太小，连道歉也不接受。

4 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。