VOA标准英语2013--Widow of Slain Civil Rights Leader Delivers Inaugural Invocation

 

Widow of Slain¹ Civil Rights Leader Delivers Inaugural² Invocation

It was a shining moment for Evers-Williams, as she delivered the invocation at Barack Obama’s second Inauguration³.

Fifty years ago, Evers-Williams' husband, Medgar Evers, was shot and killed by a white supremacist while fighting for equal rights for blacks in Mississippi. Now, decades later, she evoked⁴ the spirit of her husband and other civil rights leaders during the second inauguration of the nation's first African-American president.

"The vision of those who came before us and dreamed of this day. They are a great cloud of witnesses unseen by the naked eye but all around us, thankful that their living was not in vain," she said.

For years Evers-Williams has carried on the causes her husband fought and died for. While she remains⁵ conscious of the past she also holds great hope for the future.

"I think we have the challenge today of using all of the strengths that we have. It is about humanity its about giving, its about helping⁶ each other those were the things civil rights leaders fought for," Evers-Williams said.

Evers-Williams says she takes away from the inauguration a sense of pride, justice and hope for a nation that's inclusive to all people.

"There is so much we can do in reaching out to other people of getting issues on the table, and that is where my interest and that's where my desire is, at this point, to make a better world [and] to make a better America," Evers-Williams said.

After her moment in the spotlight⁷, Evers-Williams says she wants young people to learn about the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s and continue the struggle for equal rights.

"It is time to utilize⁸ the brain power of our youth in a positive way, of going back into the community in working to change things. You don't have to be an old civil rights leader. You can be a new improved leader in your community," Evers-Willaisms said.

Evers-Williams says she will continue to champion the cause of civil rights and do whatever she can to help America become an even stronger country. 

1 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

2 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。

3 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。

4 evoked   

[医]诱发的

参考例句：

• The music evoked memories of her youth. 这乐曲勾起了她对青年时代的回忆。
• Her face, though sad, still evoked a feeling of serenity. 她的脸色虽然悲伤，但仍使人感觉安详。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

8 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。