VOA标准英语2010年-US Progressives March for Peace And Re

Advocates of liberal political positions have converged² in the nation capital Saturday to express their concerns before Congressional elections in November. Many said they hoped Democrats⁴ will retain control of Congress, but that reform and change has been too slow since President Barack Obama took office last year.

A drummer called on tens of thousands of protesters to converge¹ onto the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial.

Speeches took place around the National Mall, including one against war by a group called the United National Antiwar Committee.

A group called Code Pink chanted "I like justice with my tea, but funding war is not for me", in reference to the anti-big government but mostly pro-military movement called the Tea Party.

The conservative grassroots movement held their own march called 'Restoring Honor' at the same location several weeks ago. So-called Tea Party candidates have won several important primary opposition⁵ Republican elections, worrying both their Democratic Party competition in November as well as some members of the Republican Party establishment.

Saturday's march for liberal principles was called 'One Nation'. Participant Lance Pyburn explained, saying "We have all these different people from all these different organizations coming out for this rally, and I think that it is really important for us to realize that we are one nation, we have one voice, and we just want really similar things to come about."

Protesters said they wanted an end to U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, more government spending on job creation programs, renewable energy initiatives and public education, a new immigration law and more extensive health care reform than what the Democrats have been able to pass.

Many wore tee-shirts of the unions they represented.

A retired⁶ automobile⁷ industry worker from Detroit, Al Glaeyck, said he has been trying to help Democratic candidates in the state of Michigan. "They are afraid. They think they are twenty points down. It will be an interesting thing to see but I think whoever wins, we fight on," he said.

Another protester, Kimberly Greene, had some advice for President Obama. "He is trying to be a centrist and make sure the Democrats and Republicans get along," she said. "But I mean when we have the Republicans opposing you on everything you do, and the Democrats are not really proving that people can depend on them, that is why people are running to the Tea Party and back to the Republicans. Basically, in a nutshell he needs to stand up to them and let people know, 'hey, I can run this country, you do not need the Tea Party.'"

Artist Gio Andollo sang peace songs under a tree as protesters filed by. He said he was neither a Republican, a Tea Party activist⁸, nor a Democrat³.

Andollo said he was looking forward to another rally at the end of October, this one called the 'Rally to Restore Sanity⁹'. It is being organized by U.S. television comedian¹⁰ Jon Stewart, who says not just the loudest voices should be the ones being heard as the United States faces lingering war abroad and high unemployment and deficits¹¹ at home.
 

1 converge   

vi.会合；聚集，集中；(思想、观点等)趋近

参考例句：

• The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。
• Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。

2 converged   

v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的过去式 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集

参考例句：

• Thousands of supporters converged on London for the rally. 成千上万的支持者从四面八方汇聚伦敦举行集会。
• People converged on the political meeting from all parts of the city. 人们从城市的四面八方涌向这次政治集会。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 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》

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

8 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

9 sanity   

n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确

参考例句：

• I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。

10 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

11 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句