VOA标准英语2008年-US Observes Holiday Honoring Slain Civil Rights

By Robert Raffaele
Washington
17 January 2008
 

On Monday, January 21st, Americans will celebrate the life of an African-American and civil rights pioneer, Martin Luther King, Junior on the U.S. holiday commemorating¹ his birth. King's actual birthday is January 15th.

King was a key figure in bringing about change at a time when much of the American South was still segregated² - and millions of African-Americans faced discrimination, violence and intimidation³. VOA's Robert Raffaele has more.

King's speech in Washington, August 28, 1963: "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed⁴. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

With that speech before hundreds of thousands of people in Washington in August 1963, Martin Luther King, Junior galvanized the American public with his eloquent⁵ plea for equality for all.

During the 1950s and 1960s, King rose to prominence⁶, preaching non-violence, and participating in many protests and boycotts⁷ calling for an end to segregation⁸ and racial discrimination.

"There were those who said we would get here only over their dead bodies. Well, all the world today knows that we are here, and that we are standing⁹ before the forces of power in the state of Alabama saying we ain't gonna let nobody turn us around."

Those demonstrations¹⁰ were pivotal moments in the civil rights movement in America that led to the passage of laws guaranteeing equal treatment for African-Americans and other minorities.

Each year on the national holiday commemorating his birth, Americans honor King's memory.

Kurt Schmoke was elected in 1987 as the first African-American mayor of the northeastern U.S. city of Baltimore, Maryland.

Schmoke points to this year's U.S. presidential race involving two U.S. senators -- one an African-American man, the other, a powerful former first lady. He says the fact that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are atop the field of Democratic Party nominees¹¹ should serve as more than a celebration of four decades of a changing American landscape.

Schmoke says, "And the issue that arises this year is 'Are we there yet? Are we there where people are being judged not on their color, but on their principles, their ideals, their character?' Every year [it] is important to think about the ideals that Doctor King talked about, and he essentially¹² was saying, 'Have we lived out the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution?' "

On April 4th, 1968, King was assassinated¹³ in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 39 years old. The night before, he acknowledged the constant threats to his life, vowing¹⁴ that one man's death could never derail the hopes of millions.

"And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight, I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

1 commemorating   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网

2 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

3 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

4 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。

5 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

6 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

7 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

8 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

12 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

13 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

14 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。