VOA常速英语2018--美国人纪念总统日

On the third Monday of February, Americans celebrate Presidents' Day, when Americans honor all their national leaders, past and present. The Day was originally meant to honor the First President, and arguably the country's most influential¹ founder², George Washington, who was born on February 22, 1732. The date became an annual, unofficial day of remembrance in the year 1800, the year after President Washington died. It finally became a federal holiday in 1885.

2月的第三个星期一是美国的总统日。这一天，美国人会纪念所有的国家领袖，无论是已经离任的还是现在在任的。最开始设立总统日是为了纪念第一任总统，也是美国当之无愧的最有影响力的开国元勋乔治 华盛顿(George Washington)。他生于1732年2月22日。这一天在1800年确立为年度非官方纪念日，因为1799年华盛顿总统去世。1885年，这一天最终确认为联邦假日。

Since then, about half the States have modified the observance to include the celebration of another President. On this day, about half the U.S. states also commemorate³ the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It is a fitting choice.

从那以后，近半数州修改了纪念的对象：增加了另一位总统。这一天，美国有半数州也纪念着第16任总统亚伯拉罕 林肯(Abraham Lincoln)。这样做很合理。

Born on February 12, 1809, Lincoln, like Washington, was enormously influential in the foundation and development of the United States. Washington led the rebel army that won the country's independence from the British Crown, put the nation on a sound financial footing and led the young United States of America through the initial labor⁴ pains that quickly gave birth to a stable, democratic, and lawful⁵ government. By leaving office voluntarily after two four-year terms, and by ensuring the peaceful transfer of power to the leader elected to succeed him, George Washington set an important precedent⁶ for all future presidents.

出生于1809年2月12日的林肯和华盛顿总统一样对美国的奠基和发展产生了巨大的影响。华盛顿领导叛军从英国的统治下恢复了独立，让美国有了坚实的经济基础，并领导年轻的美国渡过了起初的阵痛，从而迅速催生了稳定、民主、合法的政府。任期两届四年的华盛顿在确保权力和平移交给当选的接班人后就自愿卸任，他为以后的所有总统做了重要的先例示范。

Lincoln, on the other hand, was the glue that held together a country torn by a vicious civil war, and set the stage for a peace-time shift in power distribution between federal and state government entities⁷. Ultimately, his actions turned a loose federation⁸ of states united under a weak central government, into a true union headed by a strong federal government. This change began with slavery laws.

另一方面，邪恶的内战使美国分崩离析，而林肯却像胶水一般将美国重新凝聚起来，并促成了联邦政府和州政府实体间权力分配的和平转变。终于，他的行动将一盘散沙的联邦各州团结起来，虽然当时位于其上层的中央政府孱弱不堪：林肯将各州团结为真正的、受强健联邦政府领导的联盟。转变是从禁止奴隶制法律开始的。

Prior to the Civil War, some states allowed slavery by law. Others outlawed⁹ slavery. On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation¹⁰ Proclamation, abolishing slavery in the rebellious¹¹ states. This led to the passage of the 13th Amendment¹² to the Constitution, which abolished slavery nation-wide.

内战开始之前，有些州认为奴隶制合法，有些州认定奴隶制非法。1863年1月1日，林肯总统发布了《奴隶解放宣言》，废除了叛乱各州的奴隶制。该宣言助力了美国宪法第十三条修正案的通过，该修正案废除了美国各州的奴隶制。

We honor Presidents Washington and Lincoln because they embodied¹³ the values and character that ennoble public service. On Presidents' Day, we honor Presidents past and present as they continue to uphold their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

我们纪念华盛顿总统和林肯总统是因为他们代表了使公共服务神圣的价值观和品性。总统日这一天，我们纪念已经离任和现在在位的总统，因为他们一直都在履行自己的诺言：维持、保护、捍卫美国的宪法。

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

6 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

7 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

8 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

9 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

10 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 rebellious   

adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的

参考例句：

• They will be in danger if they are rebellious.如果他们造反，他们就要发生危险。
• Her reply was mild enough,but her thoughts were rebellious.她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 embodied   

v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth 代表黑人青年希望的政治家
• The heroic deeds of him embodied the glorious tradition of the troops. 他的英雄事迹体现了军队的光荣传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》