VOA慢速英语2016--教皇弗朗西斯访问美墨边境引围观

AS IT IS 2016-02-18 Pope¹ Francis Attracts Crowds at US-Mexico Border 教皇弗朗西斯访问美墨边境引围观

Pope Francis is finishing a six-day trip to Mexico by saying Mass near the Mexican-United States border.

The pope will say Mass in the city of Cuidad Juarez. The city that sits next to El Paso, Texas, is known as a transit² point to the north. 

Mexicans and Central Americans will also be watching with hope. For them, the pope is their advocate for the chance of immigration to the United States.

Pope Francis has said immigration is an important issue to him. When he visited the United States in 2015, he told immigrants³, “do not be discouraged by whatever challenges and hardships you face.”

The pope is hugely popular in Mexico and where Mexicans live in America. Mass was broadcast inside a sports stadium in El Paso, called the Sun Bowl, to a crowd of immigrants and Catholics. Many lined the American side of the Rio Grande, the river between Mexico and the U.S., to hear the pope speak.

Following Mass at the border, Francis will return to Rome.

Words in This Story

pope – n. the head of the Roman Catholic⁴ Church

transit point – n. a stop on a trip, normally⁵ one made only to change flights or form of transportation

discourage – v. to make someone less hopeful or sure of themselves

stadium – n. a very large sports center

1 pope   

n.（罗马天主教的）教皇

参考例句：

• The Pope is the spiritual leader of many Christians.教皇是众多基督徒的宗教领袖。
• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。

2 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

3 immigrants   

n.移民( immigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Illegal immigrants were given the opportunity to regularize their position. 非法移民得到了使其身份合法化的机会。
• Immigrants from all over the world populate this city. 这个城市里生活着来自世界各地的移民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

5 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。