美国国家公共电台 NPR Mar-A-Lago Offers Trump And Abe A Spectacular Place To Get Acquainted

 

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

The White House says Prime Minister Abe will be the president's guest at Mar-a-Lago this weekend. That word guest helps avoid a possible violation¹ of the Emoluments² Clause in the Constitution, which forbids U.S. officials from taking payments from foreign governments. This hasn't been the only tricky³ situation around Mar-a-Lago since Trump⁴ was elected. And it's not just the president's winter home, it's a fully⁵ functioning private club with nearly 500 members. NPR's Greg Allen has this report from just outside the South Florida estate.

GREG ALLEN, BYLINE⁶: This is as close as most people ever get to Mar-a-Lago. From the bridge to Palm Beach, the estate built by serial⁷ heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post is a few hundred yards over the Intracoastal Waterway. Today, it's a private club, usually open only to members like Robin⁸ Bernstein.

ROBIN BERNSTEIN: It's exquisite⁹. I mean, everything is done to perfection from the imported stones from Europe. I don't think Marjorie Merriweather Post spared any expense when she designed and had it built.

ALLEN: The magnificent home was built in the 1920s as a showstopper with its red-tiled roof, arched doorways¹⁰ and soaring tower. It's been described as a Moorish¹¹ fantasy. When she died in 1973, Post left her home to the federal government for use as a winter White House. Several years later, the high expense of maintaining the property led the government to return it to Post's foundation, and it was put up for sale.

In 1985, Donald Trump became the buyer, picking up the estate and an adjacent beach property for some $10 million. Darryl Huffines, who covers real estate for the island's paper, the Palm Beach Daily News, says Trump got a deal.

DARRELL HOFHEINZ: If you can imagine 17 acres that has been really beautifully maintained, the house itself - the estimates ranged 124 rooms. The rooms have soaring ceilings. The stonework from the exterior's amazing, plus it has a tower.

ALLEN: In 1995, Trump converted the residence into a private club with tennis courts, its own beach, a dining room and guest rooms for members. Recently, the club doubled the price of memberships to $200,000. Trump also put in a ballroom¹², helping¹³ make the club a prime venue¹⁴ for Palm Beach society. Bernstein has been to many charity events there.

BERNSTEIN: I've been to concerts there - Bocelli, Beach Boys, Kenny G, Jay Leno. Throughout the years it's just been really fun.

ALLEN: Trump's organization earns income from all those events. Hofheinz of the Palm Beach Daily News says the charities pay a hefty fee to hold their events at Mar-a-Lago.

HOFHEINZ: I think sometimes people forget that private clubs are open to make money, and that's what President Trump opened the club to do.

ALLEN: For groups that hold fundraisers at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's presidency¹⁵ has created problems. The American Red Cross had to defend its decision to hold its event last week at the club. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is going ahead with its fundraiser later this month, but it's promising¹⁶ to avoid controversial venues¹⁷ in the future.

For Palm Beach residents, Trump's decision to make Mar-a-Lago his winter White House is turning out to be a headache. Trump's visit last weekend shut down the island's main thoroughfare, paralyzing traffic and hurting businesses during the tony enclave's peak season. The town's former mayor, Jack¹⁸ McDonald, says locals are starting to understand what hosting a president means.

JACK MCDONALD: I've actually seen some comments from members of the club who are very upset about what this has come, and it's going to get worse.

ALLEN: Palm Beach officials say they're working to improve traffic when Trump is in town. And he's doing his part. He's putting in a helipad to get him from the airport to his estate without a motorcade. Greg Allen, NPR News, Palm Beach.

1 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

2 emoluments   

n.报酬，薪水( emolument的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The emoluments of this profession is not satisfactory. 此行业的报酬不令人满意。 来自辞典例句
• Emoluments connected with this position include free education for the children. 与这职务有关的酬劳包括为子女提供免费教育。 来自互联网

3 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 serial   

n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的

参考例句：

• A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
• Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

8 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

9 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

10 doorways   

n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The houses belched people; the doorways spewed out children. 从各家茅屋里涌出一堆一堆的人群，从门口蹦出一群一群小孩。 来自辞典例句
• He rambled under the walls and doorways. 他就顺着墙根和门楼遛跶。 来自辞典例句

11 moorish   

adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的

参考例句：

• There was great excitement among the Moorish people at the waterside. 海边的摩尔人一阵轰动。 来自辞典例句
• All the doors are arched with the special arch we see in Moorish pictures. 门户造成拱形，形状独特，跟摩尔风暴画片里所见的一样。 来自辞典例句

12 ballroom   

n.舞厅

参考例句：

• The boss of the ballroom excused them the fee.舞厅老板给他们免费。
• I go ballroom dancing twice a week.我一个星期跳两次交际舞。

13 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。

14 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

16 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

17 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

18 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。