VOA标准英语2008年-Bob Kerrey, War Hero, Politician, Educator

Bob Kerrey was born in 1943, in the Midwestern state of Nebraska. He says he had an uneventful, middle class childhood far removed from the struggles over civil rights and the Vietnam War that were roiling¹ Americans in other parts of the nation during the late 1950s and early 1960s. "The first black person I met was working for my father. He delivered coal," he recalls, "and in 1965, my awareness² of the Vietnam War was practically zero."
　

Bob Kerrey has had a long and varied3 career as naval4 hero, businessman, governor, senator and now, university president

That lack of awareness was short-lived. Soon after graduating college, Kerrey enlisted⁵ in the Navy. He was trained as an officer and inducted into the elite⁶ Navy SEALS special forces unit and sent to Vietnam. Before long, Kerrey earned the Bronze Star for combat action that would later prove controversial because it involved civilian⁷ casualties.
　

Kerrey was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for "For conspicuous8 gallantry and intrepidity9 at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" while serving as an officer in the Navy SEALS special forces unit in Vietnam

Soon after that, he found himself in a fierce gun battle in which he single-handedly saved the men in his unit and defeated the enemy, but suffered the loss of his lower leg. Those actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor"…for conspicuous gallantry."

Kerrey is modest when he recalls his military service. He says he is far more proud of what he did in the hospital following his own recovery "… when I sat down with somebody who was beginning the voyage of trauma¹⁰, having lost an arm or a leg or some loved one or something like that."

He asserts that someone who faces, or has faced, physical handicaps has an enhanced capacity to understand the suffering of others. "It gives you the capacity to understand people who are suffering. They may reject it. But if you're able to reach them, you can help!"
　

Kerrey served as governor of Nebraska from 1983-1987

In 1982, after a decade building up a successful chain of restaurants and fitness centers in Nebraska, Kerrey decided¹¹ to try his hand at politics. He ran for Nebraska state governor and was elected. He recalls that the issues he had to wrestle¹² with, from the funding of the public schools to guaranteeing access to abortion¹³ services, were deeply meaningful, if sometimes unglamorous and unpopular.

"It takes a certain bravery to get engaged in political issues, to get involved because you are going to provoke somebody," he says. "If you want to get engaged civically¹⁴ and have an impact on democratic outcomes, you've got to be prepared for the controversy¹⁵ that comes with it."

In spite of his achievements as governor -- he balanced the budget, and saw the state through the after-effects of a calamitous¹⁶ tornado¹⁷ -- Kerrey chose to return to private life rather than seek a second term.

But his plans changed in 1987, when the senior U.S. senator from Nebraska died, and Democratic Party officials urged Kerrey to run for the seat. He did, and he won.

Kerrey is a confident man. "I have never run in a political race where my dominant¹⁸ worry was 'what am I going to do if I lose?'" he asserts with a chuckle¹⁹. "It's the consequences of winning you've got to be prepared for!"

Kerrey often warns even seasoned lawmakers never to underestimate the enormous responsibility that comes with elective office: "There's real power in those offices," he says. "If you see someone out there that needs help, just one person, and if a letter or a phone call can get them out of those chains, do it."
　

Bob Kerrey gives a commencement speech as president of the New School in New York City

In 1992, Senator Kerrey sought the Democratic Party's nomination²⁰ for president, but lost to a young Arkansas governor named Bill Clinton. In 2001, Kerrey left the Senate to take the job of president of the New School in New York. Twenty-five percent of the university's students are foreign-born.
　

Bob Kerrey at a meeting of the India China Institute at the New School. Since becoming its president in 2001, Kerrey has brought a global perspective to the university's curriculum

Kerrey says he is excited and challenged by immigration issues and America's relationship to the world."What we're trying to do [at the New School] is simultaneously²¹ teach people about 'here' (the United States), the place, the history, the politics, the sociology, all the various things that make here 'here,' but also confront this human tendency to erect²² a barrier between us and the people from 'there.'"

Under Kerrey's guidance, the New School formed the India China Institute, and launched graduate programs in Global English and Global Finance. His leadership of the New School has been one more success in a remarkable²³ life devoted²⁴ to learning and public service.

1 roiling   

v.搅混（液体）( roil的现在分词 )；使烦恼；使不安；使生气

参考例句：

• Now, all that could be seen was the roiling, lead--coloured sea, with its thunderously heaving waves. 狂风挟着暴雨如同弥漫大雾，排挞呼号，在海上恣意奔驶。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• Rather, it is a roiling, seething cauldron of evanescent particles. 相反，它是一个不断翻滚、剧烈沸腾的大锅，内有逐渐消失的粒子。 来自互联网

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 conspicuous   

adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的

参考例句：

• It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
• Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

9 intrepidity   

n.大胆，刚勇；大胆的行为

参考例句：

• I threw myself into class discussions, attempting to dazzle him with my intelligence and intrepidity. 我全身心投入班级讨论，试图用我的智慧和冒险精神去赢得他的钦佩。 来自互联网
• Wolf totem is a novel about wolves intrepidity, initiation, strong sense of kindred and group spirit. 《狼图腾》是一部描写蒙古草原狼无畏、积极进取、强烈家族意识和团队精神的小说。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

13 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

14 civically   

爱嘲笑地，冷笑地

参考例句：

• "Holding down the receiver,'said Daisy cynically. “挂上话筒在讲。”黛西冷嘲热讽地说。
• The Democrats sensibly (if cynically) set about closing the God gap. 民主党在明智（有些讽刺）的减少宗教引起的问题。

15 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

16 calamitous   

adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重

参考例句：

• We are exposed to the most calamitous accidents. 我们遭受着极大的灾难。 来自辞典例句
• Light reveals the subtle alteration of things, the sly or calamitous impermanence or mortal life. 事物的细微变动，人生的狡猾，倏忽无常，一一都在光中显露出来。 来自辞典例句

17 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

18 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

19 chuckle   

vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

参考例句：

• He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
• I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

20 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

21 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

22 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

23 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

24 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。