VOA慢速英语--晚到5个月的美国劳动节

American Labor¹ Day Arrives Five Months Late

September 3 is Labor Day in the United States. The national holiday began more than 100 years ago to honor² low-paid factory workers.

Labor Day also informally marks the end of summer. Many students return to school after Labor Day. The hot days of summer turn cooler. Many Americans celebrate the holiday with an outdoor family barbecue.

But Labor Day started with a struggle. On May 1, 1889, workers demonstrated³ on the streets of Paris, France. International Labor Day was born. Most industrialized⁴ countries in the world -- except the United States and Canada -- celebrate Labor Day on the first of May.

The first American Labor Day celebration was held on September 5, 1882, in New York City. About 10,000 workers marched through the streets to show the strength of labor organizations.

For many years after that, American workers used the first Monday in September to demand better working conditions and pay. Music was a part of many of those marches.

Labor songs traditionally tell stories of conflict and hopes for a better life. Here is Pete Seeger’s “We Shall Not Be Moved.”

Many classic⁵ American labor songs came from workers in the coal mines of the South. Mine owners bitterly opposed workers’ unions. In Kentucky, company police searched for union leaders. They waited outside a worker’s home for several days to block him from organizing.

The coal miner’s wife, Florence Reece, stayed inside with her children. She wrote this song, “Which Side Are You On?” Here is Natalie Merchant singing the song.

Another American labor song is called “Bread and Roses.” It is based on a poem by James Oppenheim, published in December of 1911.

The poem speaks about the women’s labor movement. At that time, conditions in factories, where many women worked, were horrible. A fire at a clothing factory in New York killed 146 people. Most of the victims were immigrant⁶ women.

A month after Oppenheim’s poem was published, textile⁷ workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts went on strike. Their protest⁸ won them higher pay and better working conditions. Oppenheim’s poem gained more attention.

Here is singer Judy Collins' version⁹ of "Bread and Roses."

Even though Labor Day demonstrations¹⁰ are not as common in the U.S., the song reminds us to celebrate the effort and love that many people give to their work.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

3 demonstrated   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• All of those demonstrated the correctness of his analysis. 这一切都证明了他分析的正确性。
• The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child. 那位消防队员在抢救孩子的过程中，表现了极大的勇气。

4 industrialized   

adj.工业的，工业化的

参考例句：

• Pollution is the price we pay for an overpopulated, over industrialized planet. 污染就是我们为这个人口过密，过度工业化的星球所付出的代价。 来自新概念英语第三册
• Industrialized countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 工业化国家必须减少二氧化碳的排放。

5 classic   

n.经典作品；adj.经典的，一流的；古典的

参考例句：

• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
• The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。

6 immigrant   

adj.(从国外)移来的，移民的；n.移民，侨民

参考例句：

• Life in the USA was very hard for almost every new immigrant.美国的生活几乎对每一个新移民都很艰难。
• I'd like to obtain some information about applying for an immigrant visa.我想取一些申请移民签证的资料。

7 textile   

n.纺织品；adj.纺织的

参考例句：

• Japan imports textile materials from Britain.日本从英国进口纺织材料。
• He haunted textile mills, and learned all he could.他常到纺织厂去，尽可能多学点东西。

8 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

9 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。