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VOA慢速英语2018--回顾1968年的美国

时间:2018-07-13 23:57来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
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US National Portrait Gallery Looks Back at 1968

The year 1968 was a time of great social and political unrest in the United States.

The Vietnam War had reached a turning point.

The Civil Rights Act was signed into law, which helped guarantee fair housing to all Americans.

On television, people were watching everything from the summer and winter Olympics to the first manned orbit of the moon.

The times, they are a changin’

Newsmakers from 1968 included President Lyndon Johnson, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Junior, and then-presidential candidate Richard Nixon.

It was also the year when the Smithsonian Institution opened the National Portrait Gallery to the public. The museum is a short walk from the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the museum is presenting a show about that memorable1 year and the people who helped shape it.

It is called “One Year: 1968, An American Odyssey2.” The show offers 30 images -- from photographs, paintings and magazine covers that represent that period. Museum director Kim Sajet says the show is especially timely, as the nation is once again dealing3 with major political and social changes.

Bring the troops home

A large part of the dissatisfaction 50 years ago was U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Americans increasingly opposed the war.

President Johnson supported the war effort, and the government in South Vietnam. His unpopularity is represented in a political cartoon that is part of the exhibit. Artist David Levine created the cartoon. The image shows Johnson as King Lear, the lead character of the Shakespeare play of the same name. As theater-goers know, the king slowly loses his ability to think clearly.

Other major social and political issues were entering American culture in 1968, too.

Sajet says she sees many similarities between 40 years ago and today.

“So for example, there is a very dramatic cover that was put on Time magazine in June to describe a story that they were doing about the gun in America, and it’s very confrontational4 because a gun is literally5 pointed6 at you, the reader, (the) viewer. This is, of course, a conversation that continues in America today.”

There is also a photograph of Shirley Anita Chisholm of New York. She was the first African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives. And she was the first African-American woman to compete for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination7.

“We continue to have conversations about our electoral process and how women in politics are faring,” Sajet noted8.

Black power

Another powerful image is of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two members of the U.S. Olympic team. The picture shows them each raising an arm during a medal ceremony at the Mexico City games. The two were protesting the mistreatment of African Americans and racial inequality in the United States.

“So whether it's MeToo or the Black Lives Matter, there was a sense at that time -- that I think we can see now -- of young people stepping forward and saying, 'We want something different, we want a change, we want to be part of the conversation,' and I think that is tremendously interesting...”

The National Portrait Gallery went through a careful process to find images that best represented 1968, said James Barber. He is the museum’s historian.

“We were also looking at major newsmakers from that year,” he said.

Barber added, “People remember 1968. It has not been forgotten. There was no other year in the last 50 years that I know of that could compare to 1968.”

Many images are presented side-by-side to make a point, Barber said. The photo of Shirley Chisholm hangs near one of former Alabama Governor George Wallace. He may be best remembered for policies meant to separate whites from blacks.

And the image of a gun is placed next to a photo of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who was shot to death in June of 1968. Two months earlier, a gunman had shot and killed Martin Luther King, Jr.

Popular culture

The show also has pictures of people who rose to fame that year. They include Peggy Fleming. She was the only American to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics that year in France. Another photo shows tennis player Arthur Ashe, who in 1968 captured the U.S. Open men’s championship. In doing so, he became the first African American to win a major tennis event.

Rock music greats also made news in 1968. Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin are seen in a black-and-white image taken by photographer Irving Penn.

Blue marble

One of the most striking images of 1968 was taken on December 24 by astronaut William Anders, one of three Apollo 8 crew members. The three were part of the first manned flight to orbit the moon. Anders' photo provided a never-before-seen look at planet Earth.

The historic space flight brought a hopeful note to the end of 1968, a year remembered as one of the most eventful in American history.

I'm Dorothy Gundy. And I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

museum – n. a center set up for the care, study and presentation of objects of lasting9 value or interest

character – n. a series of qualities of a person, group of people of things

dramatic – adj. of or relating to a theatrical10 work

confrontational – adj. of or related to a battle or conflict

conversation – n. a one-on-one meeting; a talk or discussion

fare – v. to do something well

photograph – n. an image taken by a camera


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 memorable K2XyQ     
adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的
参考例句:
  • This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
  • The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。
2 odyssey t5kzU     
n.长途冒险旅行;一连串的冒险
参考例句:
  • The march to Travnik was the final stretch of a 16-hour odyssey.去特拉夫尼克的这段路是长达16小时艰险旅行的最后一程。
  • His odyssey of passion, friendship,love,and revenge was now finished.他的热情、友谊、爱情和复仇的漫长历程,到此结束了。
3 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
4 confrontational confrontational     
adj.挑衅的;对抗的
参考例句:
  • Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
  • You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端,你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网
5 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实
参考例句:
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候,她不走到真正要昏厥了,决不肯坐下来。
6 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
7 nomination BHMxw     
n.提名,任命,提名权
参考例句:
  • John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
  • Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。
8 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
9 lasting IpCz02     
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持
参考例句:
  • The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
  • We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
10 theatrical pIRzF     
adj.剧场的,演戏的;做戏似的,做作的
参考例句:
  • The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果,叫人失望。
  • She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。
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TAG标签:   VOA英语  慢速英语
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