万花筒 2009-08-29&08-31 美参议员肯尼迪逝世

Paying tribute to the man known as "the Lion of the U.S. Senate", President Barack Obama breaking from a week long vacation said he was heartbroken by the death of Senator Edward Kennedy.

"The outpouring of love, gratitude¹ and fond memories to which we've all borne to witness is a testament² to the way the singular figure in the American history, touched so many lives. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws reflected in millions of lives."

A pillar of the Democratic Party for decades, Kennedy was also a crucial supporter of Obama's presidential run. One of the most influential³ and longest-serving senators in U.S. history, Kennedy had been battling brain cancer, diagnosed in May of 2008.

During his nearly half century in the senate, Kennedy became known as one of Washington's most effective senators, crafting hundreds of bills by working with lawmakers and presidents of both parties and finding unlikely allies. Flags have been lowered to half-staff throughout the US, and tributes have poured in from fellow senators and former presidents, including former rival Jimmy Carter.

"I think that among all the members of our U.S. Senate and the Congress of the United States, he's been preeminent⁴."

President Obama said the man known to so many as Teddy carried the torch left by his brothers, president John F. Kennedy and senator Robert Kennedy, both assassinated⁵ in their prime.

Julian Zelizer is a presidential historian at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School.

"Some will say that the Kennedy dynasty is starting to fade, that he was really one of the great remaining Kennedys, and the other people in the family don't match his stature⁶."

During his 47 years in the U.S. Senate, Kennedy worked to protect civil rights, raise the minimum wage, expand healthcare coverage⁷ and improve America's schools, but his life had its dark side. In 1969, a young woman died when Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. Many analysts⁸ say his troubled personal life probably prevented him from achieving higher office.

Edward Moore Kennedy who was 77 years old will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery⁹.

John Decker, Reuters.
 

1 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

2 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

4 preeminent   

adj.卓越的，杰出的

参考例句：

• Washington was recognized as the preeminent spokesman of American Negroes by 1895. 到1895年,华盛顿被公认为美国黑人的卓越代言人。
• He is preeminent because his articles are well written. 他的文章写得很漂亮,卓尔不群。

5 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

6 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

7 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

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。