2007年VOA标准英语-Memorial Day Concert Honors Sacrifice

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
22 May 2007

Memorial Day (May 28th) is a US holiday that honors members of the armed forces who have died in the service of their country.  The three-day Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial start of summer, with picnics and family events.  But in Washington D.C., a concert Sunday evening will remind the nation of the holiday's meaning.  Mike O'Sullivan spoke¹ with actor Joe Mantegna, who will co-host the commemoration.

Joe Mantegna

The concert is a huge event, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the West Lawn of the Capitol building in the heart of Washington.  It will be seen throughout the United States on public television, and around the world on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.

Joe, a versatile² actor known for his work on stage, film and television, was asked six years ago to take part in the ceremony.  It was just eight months after a national trauma³, the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th, 2001.

Mantegna says the commemoration that year made clear for him the meaning of Memorial Day.

"I wasn't familiar with the concert," he said.  "I hadn't seen it at that point.  I go up on the stage.  In front of me is the Capitol Building, the United States Capitol, lit beautifully.  The American flag is flying on top.  In front of me is a live audience of about 300-thousand people."

Mantegna says his job was to read the words of four New York firemen who were in the audience with their wives.  All had lost sons on September 11th.

"And I was speaking the words of these four men about what it was like to look for the bodies of their sons in the rubble," he added.  "Behind me, the Washington Symphony Orchestra is playing Mozart's Requiem⁴."

That moment brought home to Mantegna the meaning of heroism⁵ and sacrifice.

For most American families, Memorial Day weekend is a time for picnics and watching a celebrated⁶ auto⁷ race, the Indianapolis 500, on television.

Many families also display flags on their homes, and some take time to visit a veterans' cemetery⁸. Since 1990, some have made the annual concert a part of their weekend.

Mantegna says he often encounters fans at charity events, and expects them to talk about roles they have seen him in.

dedicated9 to veterans’ causes, will once again co-host the National Memorial Day Concert" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070606/1446491.jpg" width="202" vspace="2" border="0" />

Joe Mantegna (left) and Gary Sinise, actors dedicated to veterans’ causes, will once again co-host the National Memorial Day Concert

"But when they say, 'We just want you to know we watch that Memorial Day concert every year.  It's a big part of our life, and we just appreciate so much you being part of it.'  And I say, oh no, thank you.  You have no reason to thank me.  I'm privileged and honored to be part of it, which I am," he said.

The concert has a serious purpose, but it is also a celebration.  There is lively entertainment from Broadway hits to jazz and country music.

Mantegna says it brings together people of divergent viewpoints - "red" voters, that is, Republicans, and "blue" voters, or Democrats¹⁰ - in a musical celebration that transcends¹¹ politics.

"I don't care what a person's political feelings are," he noted¹².  "I have my own, and everyone is entitled to their own.  But this is not about that.  And it shouldn't be confused in thinking that this is either a red concert or a blue concert.  It's a red, white and blue concert."

The concert has a special segment that changes each year.  This year's will focus on the many veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have survived the war, but must now cope with traumatic injuries.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 versatile   

adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的

参考例句：

• A versatile person is often good at a number of different things.多才多艺的人通常擅长许多种不同的事情。
• He had been one of the game's most versatile athletes.他是这项运动中技术最全面的运动员之一。

3 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

4 requiem   

n.安魂曲，安灵曲

参考例句：

• I will sing a requiem for the land walkers.我会给陆地上走的人唱首安魂曲。
• The Requiem is on the list for today's concert.《安魂曲》是这次音乐会的演出曲目之一。

5 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

9 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。