VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Speaks at Start of Inaugural Celebrations

Four days of celebrations and festivities surrounding the inauguration¹ of President-elect Barack Obama have begun in Washington with an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
　
President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at the Lincoln Memorial concert, 18 Jan 2009

Tens-of-thousands of people braved freezing temperatures to attend a star-studded gala featuring performances by music legends Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Bono, addresses by famous Hollywood personalities², and video presentations of previous inaugurations³ and key moments in American history.

President-elect Obama emerged from behind a bullet-proof glass shield to stand on the steps of the memorial housing the larger-than-life marble statue of Abraham Lincoln. It was President Lincoln who, in 1862, issued the Emancipation⁴ Proclamation to free slaves in the United States. On Tuesday, Mr. Obama will place his hand on Lincoln's Bible while taking the oath of office.

As he has done repeatedly in recent months, the president-elect spoke⁵ openly of the challenges facing the United States, noting that the nation is at war and its economy in crisis. But Mr. Obama suggested there is no cause for despair.

"I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail - that the dream of our founders⁶ will live on in our time," said Barack Obama. "What gives me that hope is what I see when I look out across this mall. It is you - Americans of every race and region and station - who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there."

Vice⁷ president-elect Joe Biden also spoke, lauding⁸ the value of work and the dignity it brings. His wife, Jill Biden, and America's future first lady, Michele Obama, were also present.
　
President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden during the playing of Taps as they lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery⁹, 18 Jan 2009

Earlier in the day, Mr. Obama paid tribute to America's war dead with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

As many as two million Americans are expected be on hand to witness and take part in the coming inaugural¹⁰ events - from the swearing-in ceremony to a massive parade to inaugural balls across the city. Security is exceedingly tight and will only grow more so by Tuesday, when major bridges and roads leading to the central part of the city will be blocked to all but official vehicles.

But transportation delays and other inconveniences do not seem to be dampening the enthusiasm of visitors and residents in the nation's capital.

The historic nature of Mr. Obama's rise to the nation's highest elective office is not lost on African-American Melba Clarke of Mississippi, who experienced racial segregation¹¹ in her youth.

"This is, indeed, the realization¹² of a dream," said Melba Clarke. "And for someone who was just a young bride when the civil rights movement began, it is such an honor for me to have lived through it, and to see it materialize in the election of the first African-American president. I am very excited. My husband was a civil rights worker. He passed [died] in March, so I am here for him and for everybody who was on the frontlines during the civil rights movement in Mississippi."

Mr. Obama prepares to take office with some of the highest approval ratings on record for a president-elect, which he hopes to translate into quick action to revive the beleaguered¹³ U.S economy, chart a course toward energy independence, and other ambitious goals.

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

3 inaugurations   

n.就职( inauguration的名词复数 )；就职典礼；开始；开创

参考例句：

4 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 lauding   

v.称赞，赞美( laud的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Let sing out our own song lauding life, lauding world. 让我们以我们自己的歌来咏赞生命，咏赞世界吧！ 来自互联网
• Vice President-elect Joe Biden also spoke, lauding the value of work and the dignity it brings. 副总统当选人乔·拜登经常说，要赞颂工作的价值及其带来的高贵。 来自互联网

9 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。

10 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

11 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。

12 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

13 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》