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　　The inauguration¹ of President-elect Barack Obama is expected to bring millions of people to Washington, D.C. on January 20 to see the new president take the oath² of office and to party. But this year one inaugural³ ball will salute⁴ the new president with a global audience.
美国当选总统奥巴马1月20号的就职仪式预计会吸引数百万人来到首都华盛顿特区，人们将目睹奥巴马宣誓就职并举行庆祝晚会。总统就职舞会是美国几十年来的传统，不过今年的舞会将吸引来自全球各地的观众。
For 200 years U.S. presidents have celebrated⁵ on their first night in office. Presidents spend the evening being entertained by performers and dancing in front of thousands of guests.
二百年来，美国历任总统都在就职当晚举行庆祝活动。他们观赏表演，并在数千位客人面前跳舞。
Letitia Baldrige, who served as Social Secretary for first lady Jackie Kennedy, has been attending inaugural balls since the 1940s.
利蒂希亚.鲍德里奇曾经担任美国第一夫人杰奎琳.肯尼迪的社交秘书，她从上个世纪40年代就开始参加总统就职舞会。
"Well of course the whole word 'ball', means party, celebration, it is a festive⁶ and exciting word," said Baldrige. "It makes everybody feel good and say, 'Oh, I want to see pictures of that.' It is a happy thing."
她说：“‘舞会’这个词当然意味着聚会、庆祝，这是个喜庆的、令人激动的词。它令所有人感到高兴，并说‘哦，我想看看舞会的照片。’这是件高兴的事情。”
This year there will be 10 official balls to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. But there will also be other balls and celebrations held throughout the city, including the Africa and International Friends Inaugural Ball. Event chairman Walter Fauntroy says his ball at the Gaylord National Convention⁷ Center will bring people from all over the world together to celebrate.
今年将有10场官方舞会来庆祝奥巴马就职。不过，在华盛顿，还有一些非官方的舞会和庆祝活动，非洲人和国际朋友就职舞会就是其中之一。组织这一活动的主席方特罗伊说，这场舞会将在盖洛德国家会议中心举行，它将把来自世界各地的人们聚集在这里参加庆祝活动。
"The world wants to be here to say, 'You are not the only ones happy here in the United States, but we are.' Let us do it together as a global family," said Fauntroy.
他说：“世界各国的人民想到这里来说：‘感到高兴的并不仅仅是美国人，我们也同样高兴。’所以让我们像个全球大家庭一样共同庆祝。”
He says guests at the ball will see a taped address from former South African President Nelson Mandela, before being entertained by performers from around the world.
他说，参加他们舞会的客人将观看前南非总统曼德拉的一段讲话录像，然后再观赏世界各地表演者的演出。
"They are going to send a festival of cultures. We are going to have for example, from America, the O'Jays at the ball, singing 'People all over the world, join hands, join the love train," said Fauntroy.
他说：“这些表演者将带来一场文化节。比如，我们会邀请美国的欧杰斯合唱团在舞会上演唱‘世界各国人们，让我们手拉手，踏上爱之火车。’”
Amie Gorrell, Public Relations Director at the Gaylord Convention Center says the chef at the center is planning the menu for more than 12,000 guests.
盖洛德会议中心的公关主任戈雷尔说，中心的厨师正在为一万两千多位客人制定菜单。
"He has already ordered 2,000 pounds of beef tenderloin," said Gorrell. "So, literally⁸ a ton of beef is on order, coming in to help feed all these guests who are going to be joining us on January 20."
她说：“厨师已经买了两千磅牛腩。所以酒店实际上购入一吨牛肉，准备在1月20号供宾客们享用。”
While the hotel staff prepares for the unprecedented⁹ number of international guests, Gorrell says event organizers have not heard if the new president will choose to attend this ball.
虽然酒店员工们在为数量空前多的国际宾客的光临作准备，不过戈雷尔说，活动组织者还不知道新总统是否会出席这场舞会。
But no matter which inaugural balls Mr. Obama attends, Letitia Baldrige says all the events are an exciting way to celebrate a new presidency¹⁰.
鲍德里奇说，无论奥巴马出席哪一场舞会，所有的活动都是在以令人兴奋的方式庆祝新总统就职。
"They are to get people's attention and to get press, and nice press. Because when you are having a ball you are not fighting a political struggle on the middle of the dance floor," said Baldrige. "Well, hopefully you are not."
她说：“这些活动将得到人们的关注，得到媒体的关注，以及充满赞赏的报导。因为当你举办舞会时，你不能在舞池中央进行政治斗争。希望你不打算这么做。”
Even though the inaugural balls are a chance for new presidents to have fun and showcase their moves on their first night in office, Baldrige says the first lady's dress choice often steals the show.
虽然就职舞会是为了让新总统们渡过欢乐的时光，并在就职当晚展示他们的舞姿，但是鲍德里奇说，最引人注目的往往是第一夫人的晚礼服。