VOA标准英语--美国新任国务卿克里的第一次公开演讲

 

Historic University, City, Prepare for Kerry Speech

This international dance group practices in the back of a local coffee shop - in a city that prides itself as being sophisticated and historic.

The dances are from countries like Russia or Turkey, nations a U.S. secretary of state might visit.

Sue Chase is with the Charlottesville International Folk Dancers. She says they reach out to other countries through their dance.

“We choose to see that as a peaceful process, to enhance world peace and peace between countries and cultures," said Chase. "I can only say I hope John Kerry sees it [the world] that way too.”

Secretary Kerry will speak just down the road from C'ville Coffee, at the University of Virginia.

Maintenance workers at the university are straining to remove seats to make way for the TV cameras.

Those seats haven't been moved for nearly 20 years - but the university's history starts long before that. It was founded and designed in the early 1800's by the country's third president and writer of the Declaration of Independence.

And Thomas Jefferson's likeness¹ is all over this university which now enrolls² 21,000 students. Connor Smith is a first year student who plans to attend Kerry's speech.

“Just a cool experience to finally be eighteen and vote in my first election and kind of be more involved in politics and learning more about foreign policy," said Smith.

Kerry is expected to speak about what America gets in return when it invests in foreign policy.

Jeff Legro handles global issues at the university.

“What I think he wants to say is 'We do important things. Investing in what we do helps grow jobs here, it helps keep us out of trouble in situations in the future, that is little bit of prevention a little bit of good foreign policy ahead of time may prevent a problem that will engulf³ us later,'" said Legro.

The university's global student council met to talk about Wednesday's speech. Some of them are in the ticket lottery⁴ to see it, like Paula-Anne Omiyi from Nigeria and Annabelle Larose from Germany.

"For the international committee it is a big sign because we feel like it will emphasize our voice," said Larose.

"I think it will definitely be very important to all of us, in light of our school work, in terms of writing papers and in applying what we have understood and learned from him," said a Nigerian student.

And that type of teaching from a live historical event will echo throughout these classrooms. 

1 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

2 enrolls   

v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的第三人称单数 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• Enrolls the newborn register of names to print afterward and to mail. 录取新生名册随后打印并寄发。 来自互联网
• The association enrolls 100, 000 members. 该协会拥有10万名会员。 来自互联网

3 engulf   

vt.吞没，吞食

参考例句：

• Floodwaters engulf a housing project in the Bajo Yuna community in central Dominican Republic.洪水吞没了多米尼加中部巴杰优那社区的一处在建的住房工程项目。
• If we are not strong enough to cover all the minds up,then they will engulf us,and we are in danger.如果我们不够坚强来抵挡大众的意念，就会有被他们吞没的危险。

4 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。