2007年VOA标准英语-Yoko Ono Gives ‘Wish Trees’ to Washington DC

By Zulima Palacio
Washington, D.C.
03 April 2007
 
Watch Wish Tree report

The late rock musician John Lennon's widow, artist Yoko Ono, helped celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. Monday by presenting her interactive¹ project known as the "Wish Tree".  Producer Zulima Palacio has the story.  Jim Bertel narrates².

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Yoko Ono at dedication ceremony on April 2, 2007

Write a wish and hang it on a potted cherry tree, here at the base of the Jefferson Memorial not far from the White House.  These are the first of 10 "wish trees" that Yoko Ono presented in the U.S. capital.  And as she explained, it was also part of a larger project that she started in the 1990s: the Imagine Peace Tower.  It will be based in Iceland and house peace wishes from around the world.  

"Imagine peace.  And I am going around the world saying that you should imagine peace, because I think the power of imagination is very strong," she says.

It was a beautiful spring day in Washington, and visitors of all ages and origin joined the festivities.  Some wrote expressions of friendship, love and peace.

"We wrote for respect, peace, love and tolerance⁴ for each other," one woman says.

"Peace," a young boy says.  "Just peace, no more fighting," says a young girl.

Yoko Ono also presented "wish trees" in other parts of the city.  Washington's annual, two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates⁵ the gift of 3,000 cherry trees that the mayor of Tokyo, Japan gave to the city in 1912.  The gift was meant to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan.  Nearly one million people visit the U.S. capital each year to see the cherry trees in bloom, and to attend the many public events that surround them.

1 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

2 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

3 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

4 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

5 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》