纽约时报 旗帜陨落 两位总统与另一位截然不同的表现(1)

Hailing McCain, Two Presidents Diverge¹ from a Third

致敬麦凯恩，两位总统与另一位截然不同的表现

By Peter Baker²

文/彼得·贝克

He drove them crazy.

他让大家抓狂。

He berated³ them on the way to the White House and badgered them once they got there.

在去白宫的路上他就斥责了他们，到了白宫就开始纠缠着他们不放。

He stood by them when he thought they were right and tore at their heels when he was convinced they were wrong.

认为他们是对的那会儿，他支持他们；确信他们错了的时候，他就搅得他们鸡犬不宁。

And when it came time to depart this world, John McCain wanted them to tell his story.

而当他是时候告别这个世界时，约翰·麦凯恩希望他们公开自己的故事。

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama,

前总统乔治·W·布什和巴拉克·奥巴马，

the two men who thwarted⁴ Mr. McCain’s ambitions to become commander in chief,

两个熄灭了麦凯恩先生成为总统的抱负的人，

stood one after the other before the nation’s elite⁵ at Washington National Cathedral on Saturday to honor the man they beat,

于周六先后站到了聚集在华盛顿国家大教堂的各界精英面前，纪念曾经被他们击败的这位对手，

extolling⁶ him as a one-of-a-kind figure the likes of which will not be seen again anytime soon.

称他是举世无双的奇人，而他这样的人近期已经不会再出现了。

That they were asked, and not the current president, spoke⁷ volumes about the man and the moment.

被邀请的是两位前总统，而非现任总统，这一点充分说明了麦凯恩先生的为人以及当下的问题。

And while neither explicitly⁸ mentioned President Trump⁹,

尽管两人均未明确提到特朗普总统，

who, uninvited and unwelcome, went golfing instead,

这位未被邀请且不受欢迎的总统当时打高尔夫去了，

their tributes could hardly be heard without the unspoken contrast to the current occupant of the Oval Office,

但他们的致辞处处洋溢着与现任总统之间不言自明的对比，

a message amplified¹⁰ by a more overt¹¹ rebuke¹² from the senator’s daughter.

而麦凯恩参议员的女儿公开的斥责又放大了这一点。

"So much of our politics, our public life, our public discourse¹³, can seem small and mean and petty,

“我们的政治，公共生活，公共话语的很多地方都可能很微小、很低劣、很琐碎，

trafficking in bombast¹⁴ and insult, in phony controversies¹⁵ and manufactured outrage," Mr.Obama said.

“在吹嘘和侮辱中，在虚假的争议和人为制造的愤怒中被贩卖。”奥巴马先生说道。

"It’s a politics that pretends to be brave, but in fact is born of fear.

“我们的政治只是在假装勇敢，实际上不过是源于恐惧的政治。

John called us to be bigger than that. He called us to be better than that."

约翰呼吁我们做得更好，他呼吁我们突破这种政治。”

Mr. Bush praised Mr. McCain for his "courage and decency,"

布什先生赞扬麦肯先生“勇敢、体面，”

an exemplar of the storied American values of standing¹⁶ up to bullying¹⁷ and oppression.

称他是“不畏强权、反抗压迫”这一著名美国价值观的典范。

"If we are ever tempted¹⁸ to forget who we are, to grow weary of our cause,

如果有一天我们禁不住忘了我们的身份，或者厌倦了我们的国家大业，

John’s voice will always come as a whisper over our shoulder —

约翰的声音就会一直回荡在我们的耳边——

we are better than this, America is better than this," Mr. Bush said.

我们可以更好的，美国可以更好的，”布什先生说到。

If their better-than-this eulogies¹⁹ were widely seen as an implicit²⁰ reproach of Mr. Trump,

如果两人悼词中的“可以更好”被大家广泛解读成了委婉谴责特朗普的意思的话，

Meghan McCain left no mystery who she had in mind with a powerful, emotional, sobbing²¹ remembrance of her father

那么，梅根·麦凯恩在情绪激动、十分悲伤地缅怀父亲时就彻底揭下了自己指涉的人的面纱，

that also sounded like a defiant²² cridecoeur against the tycoon-turned-president who once belittled²³ the senator’s wartime service.

仿佛是对那位出身大亨，曾经贬低她父亲战时的服役的总统发出了公开的挑衅。

"We gather here," she said, "to mourn the passing of American greatness, the real thing,

“我们聚集在此，”她说，“是为了哀悼美国式伟大的逝去，这种伟大才是货真价实的东西，

not cheap rhetoric²⁴ from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly,

而不是某些人廉价的说辞，像父亲那样欣然做出的伟大牺牲，他们是永远难以望其项背的，

nor the opportunistic appropriation²⁵ of those who lived lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served."

也不是某些人投机取巧的拨款，父亲受苦受难为国家为人民服务的时候，他们却在享受着荣华富贵。”

Mocking Mr. Trump’s favorite slogan, she later declared:

接着，她又嘲讽起了特朗普最爱喊的口号：

"The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great."

“约翰·麦凯恩时代的美国不需要复兴，因为美国一直都很强大。”

The audience then burst out in applause, something that rarely happens during the traditionally solemn funerals held at the cathedral.

此语引发了观众雷鸣般的掌声，在大教堂举行庄严的传统式葬礼时，此情此景，实属少见。

While Mr. Trump was absent, political figures from both parties made their way to the house of worship on a dreary²⁶, overcast²⁷ and humid morning.

在那个沉闷、阴暗而潮湿的上午，尽管特朗普缺席了追悼会，还是有议会两党的代表前往礼拜堂参加悼念，

They came to bid farewell to John Sidney McCain III,

他们前去告别约翰·西德尼·麦凯恩三世，

son and grandson of admirals, naval²⁸ aviator²⁹, tortured prisoner, congressman³⁰, six-term senator,

一名海军上将的儿子，海军上将的孙子，他担任过海军飞行员，也曾作为阶下囚遭受酷刑，他是国会议员，是六任参议员，

two-time presidential candidate, patriot³¹, maverick³², reformer, warrior³³, curmudgeon³⁴, father, husband and finally, in death, American icon³⁵.

也是两届总统候选人，他忠心爱国，特立独行，崇尚改革，他是一名勇士，也是一个守财奴，他为人父，为人夫，最后，他作为美国的旗帜，离开了这个世界。

1 diverge   

v.分叉，分歧，离题，使...岔开，使转向

参考例句：

• This is where our opinions diverge from each other.这就是我们意见产生分歧之处。
• Don't diverge in your speech.发言不要离题。

2 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

3 berated   

v.严厉责备，痛斥( berate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Marion berated Joe for the noise he made. 玛丽昂严厉斥责乔吵吵闹闹。 来自辞典例句
• It berated Mussolini for selling out to Berlin. 它严厉谴责了墨索里尼背叛、投靠柏林的行径。 来自辞典例句

4 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

5 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。

6 extolling   

v.赞美( extoll的现在分词 )；赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He never stops extolling the virtues of the free market. 他不停地颂扬自由市场的种种好处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They kept extolling my managerial skills. 他们不停地赞美我的管理技能。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

10 amplified   

放大，扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 )； 增强； 详述

参考例句：

• He amplified on his remarks with drawings and figures. 他用图表详细地解释了他的话。
• He amplified the whole course of the incident. 他详述了事件的全过程。

11 overt   

adj.公开的，明显的，公然的

参考例句：

• His opponent's intention is quite overt.他的对手的意图很明显。
• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。

12 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

13 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

14 bombast   

n.高调，夸大之辞

参考例句：

• There was no bombast or conceit in his speech.他的演讲并没有夸大其词和自吹自擂。
• Yasha realized that Wolsky's bombast was unnecessary.雅夏看出沃尔斯基是在无中生有地吹嘘。

15 controversies   

争论

参考例句：

• We offer no comment on these controversies here. 对于这些争议，我们在这里不作任何评论。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The controversies surrounding population growth are unlikely to subside soon. 围绕着人口增长问题的争论看来不会很快平息。 来自辞典例句

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

17 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

19 eulogies   

n.颂词，颂文( eulogy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her latest film has brought eulogies from the critics. 她最近的这部电影获得影评界的好评。 来自互联网

20 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

21 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

22 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

23 belittled   

使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She felt her husband constantly belittled her achievements. 她觉得她的丈夫时常贬低她的成就。
• A poor but honest man is not to be belittled. 穷而诚实的人是不该让人小看的。

24 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

25 appropriation   

n.拨款，批准支出

参考例句：

• Our government made an appropriation for the project.我们的政府为那个工程拨出一笔款项。
• The council could note an annual appropriation for this service.议会可以为这项服务表决给他一笔常年经费。

26 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

27 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。

28 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。

29 aviator   

n.飞行家，飞行员

参考例句：

• The young aviator bragged of his exploits in the sky.那名年轻的飞行员吹嘘他在空中飞行的英勇事迹。
• Hundreds of admirers besieged the famous aviator.数百名爱慕者围困那个著名飞行员。

30 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

31 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

32 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

33 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

34 curmudgeon   

n. 脾气暴躁之人，守财奴，吝啬鬼

参考例句：

• The old curmudgeon found a new scapegoat and that let me out.那个老守财奴找到一个新的替罪羊，这样我就脱身了。
• The old curmudgeon was talking about the smothering effects of parental duty on creative lives.那些坏脾气的老人们喋喋不休于父母生儿育女之责任的妨碍性效应。

35 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。