美洲－军礼拉开了美国总统就职典礼的帷幕

 

US Inauguration¹ Events Begin with Salute² to Military

 

President Bush honored America's military as the celebration of his second inauguration began in Washington.

 

Thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines packed a sports arena³ near the White House.  With their families at their side, they cheered their commander-in-chief.  He returned their salute.

 

Mr. Bush: Each of you has stepped forward to serve. You have risked your lives in far away mountains and arid⁴ deserts, in perilous⁵ skies and on the high seas to defend liberty and to free those trapped by tyranny.

 

White House officials said it was only fitting to launch days of inauguration ceremonies and celebration with an event honoring U.S. military personnel.

 

This one featured music, tributes to the individual branches of the military, and readings from letters written by members of the armed forces - past and present.

 

George H. W. Bush: September 3rd, 1944...dear mother and dad… yesterday was a day that will long stay in my memory.

 

Former President George H. W. Bush as he read a letter he had written home as a young pilot serving in WWII.

 

The current president looked on as his father spoke⁶, and later offered his own thanks to all who have served, particularly those now on duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

President Bush: The road ahead will be difficult and dangerous, but we can proceed with courage and confidence. History moves toward freedom because the desire for freedom is in every human heart. And the cause of freedom is in the best of hands - the hands of the United States armed forces.

 

Military personnel will play a prominent role in this inauguration.   In addition to this event, a special inaugural⁷ ball is planned for members of the armed services.  They will also be much on view marching in the inaugural parade, and helping⁸ to provide security as the president takes the oath of office for a second term on Thursday.

 

Paula Wolfson, VOA New, for White House.

 

 

注释:

commander in chief  总司令

arid [5Arid] adj. 干旱的

perilous [5perilEs] adj. 充满危险的

tyranny [5tirEni] n. 专治

personnel [7pE:sE5nel] n. 人员

branch [brB:ntF] n. 部门

in addition to 除......之外

parade [pE5reid] n. 阅兵 

 

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

3 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

4 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

5 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

6 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。

7 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。