VOA标准英语2009年-World Leaders Pay Tribute to Kennedy

World leaders are honoring veteran U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy who died at 77, after a long battle with a brain tumor¹. The senator was the brother of former President John F. Kennedy.
　
Edward Kennedy addresses Democratic National Convention

On the world stage, Ted³ Kennedy had a lot of friends and his passing has generated a long list of warm, heartfelt condolences.

In nearly 50 years in the Senate, Kennedy, a liberal Democrat², served alongside 10 presidents, his brother John Fitzgerald Kennedy among them. He was known for his legislative⁴ achievements on health care, civil rights, education, immigration and more.

From Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd summed up his sentiments.

"Ted Kennedy was a great American, a great Democrat, but also a great friend of Australia," said Kevin Rudd. "He has made an extraordinary contribution to American politics, an extraordinary contribution to America's role in the world."

In London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Senator Kennedy was admired around the world and he would be mourned on every continent.

Former British leader Tony Blair said Kennedy inspired devotion and respect everywhere. Mr. Blair specifically noted⁵ his role in helping⁶ to navigate⁷ the negotiations⁸ that led to a lasting⁹ peace in Northern Ireland.

U.S. Ambassador to Britain Louis Susman called Kennedy a lion in the Senate. A person, Susman added, who was beloved and trusted on both sides of the [political] aisle¹⁰, and one who had a marvelous capacity to bring people together.

In Ramallah in the West Bank, former President Jimmy Carter spoke¹¹ to the BBC about the man he knew for a long time.

"Well, like all Americans, and I think people around the world, we are distressed¹² at the death of a great man," said Jimmy Carter. "I think that among all the members of our U.S. Senate and the Congress of the United States, he has been preeminent¹³. He has been staunch, and honest and open, and very able to express his views to the American people. And my own hope is that his deep commitment to a comprehensive health plan in our country will be honored now by his contemporaries, by his peers, in the near future."

Mr. Carter said Kennedy was someone who worked tirelessly for the under privileged.

"I think Ted Kennedy, although he came from a very affluent¹⁴ family, a very prominent family, successful in politics, I think his first commitment was always to the people who were most in need," he said. "And he worked for those who were deprived in the American society and not only did he work for them, but he was very effective in his legislative work."
　
In this 28 Jan. 2008 file photo, then-Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Obama smiles with Sen. Kennedy, during rally at American University in Washington

President Barack Obama, of whom he was an active supporter, said he was "heartbroken" to hear of his death. "An important chapter in our history has come to an end," he said. "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time."

American political icon¹⁵ Edward Kennedy dead at 77 of cancer, a man warmly remembered as a champion of social justice around the world.

1 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 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。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 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。

10 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

13 preeminent   

adj.卓越的，杰出的

参考例句：

• Washington was recognized as the preeminent spokesman of American Negroes by 1895. 到1895年,华盛顿被公认为美国黑人的卓越代言人。
• He is preeminent because his articles are well written. 他的文章写得很漂亮,卓尔不群。

14 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

15 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。