英语名人堂：约翰·麦凯恩

约翰·席德尼·麦凯恩三世（John Sidney McCain III，1936年8月29日－），美国政治家、共和党重量级人物，现为亚利桑那州资深联邦参议员，属于党内的“温和派”，曾于2008年参选过美国总统。

麦凯恩生于美国控制的巴拿马运河区域，父亲小约翰·席德尼·麦凯恩（John Sidney McCain Jr.）和祖父老约翰·席德尼·麦凯恩（John Sidney McCain Sr.）皆曾晋阶至美国海军上将，并共同成为编号DDG-56的阿利·伯克级驱逐舰“约翰·席德尼·麦凯恩号”（USS John S. McCain）的冠名缘由。麦凯恩在维吉尼亚州的亚历山德里亚圣公会中学和安那波利斯的美国海军学院接受教育。他接着担任海军的飞行员，在越战执行战斗任务，被俘并拘禁了长达五年半的时间，也使他成为全国知名人物。

获释回国后，麦凯恩在1982年当选亚利桑那州第一选区的联邦众议员，并在1986年当选该州联邦参议员。他目前已经连任至第四届参议员任期了。

麦凯恩在2000年美国总统选举中曾经角逐共和党的提名，但被乔治·沃克·布什击败。2007年宣布参加2008年美国总统选举并在初选中迅速击败党内对手成为共和党总统候选人，最终在与民主党的奥巴马参议员的对决中落败。

 

John McCain is the United States Senator for Arizona and the Republican Party’s nominee¹ for U.S. President in the 2008 election. He had a distinguished² military career and won a Purple Heart medal in Vietnam. He entered politics in 1981 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He is a conservative who has his own views on key issues.

 

McCain was born in 1936 in Panama to a U.S. naval³ officer. In 1951, his family returned to the USA and he attended a private school. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the military. He loved boxing and showed many leadership skills during his training. He graduated from his naval academy in 1958.

 

McCain's combat duty began in 1967 when he was 30 years old. He was assigned to be a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War. His plane was shot down on his twenty-third bombing mission. Badly injured, he was taken to the infamous⁴ “Hanoi Hilton” prison and tortured. He spent almost six years there, two in solitary⁵ confinement⁶. He returned to America as a hero.

 

McCain retired⁷ from the Navy in 1981 and set his sights on a political career. He spent four years in local politics in Arizona before becoming the state’s Senator in 1986. He won re-election by large majorities in 1992, 1998, and 2004. He has worked to restore relations with Vietnam during his time in office. Three of his sons have entered the military.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

3 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

4 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

5 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

6 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

7 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。