2007年VOA标准英语-Americans Pay Their Respects to Former Presiden

By Jeff Swicord
Washington, D.C.
01 January 2007
 
watch report on Mourners

Thousands of people are expected to pay their respects to former President Gerald Ford¹ at the U.S. Capitol on Sunday and Monday before a memorial service on Tuesday at Washington National Cathedral.  Mr. Ford died last week at the age of 93.  Jeff Swicord talked to a few of the people waiting in line early Sunday morning to pay their respects to the late former president.

 
Visitors head toward the Capitol to pay their respects to former President Ford
They have come from near and far to pay tribute to the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford.  People like Joe Guarino from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. "We were in town and I wanted to see President Ford.  He seemed to be a very upstanding individual who came up the hard way."

Mr. Ford became president in 1974 when Richard Nixon resigned because of the Watergate political scandal. 

The lines began to form on this chilly², winter morning at 5:00 a.m.  The U.S. Park Service estimates there are fewer people in attendance today than when former President Reagan lay in state in 2004.  But many braved the hour-long wait in the cold with the sense of duty and tradition that comes with American citizenship³. 

 
A military honor guard watches over Mr. Ford's coffin⁴ as thousands of visitors file by paying their respects to the former president
Harry⁵ Reynolds drove eight hours in his car from the state of Ohio to Washington to pay his respects.  "We were here for Reagan's funeral and started a tradition.  And we plan on being here for everybody, out of respect for the office," he said.

Others were more philosophical⁶.  Al Felzenberg is an American history professor at Princeton University in the state of New Jersey⁷.  "I think he is one of those presidents that will be remembered more for who he was, rather than what he did.  He didn't have a great deal of time, but brought a great deal of decency⁸ and respect to the office." 

Mr. Ford's flag-draped coffin will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda⁹ until early Tuesday when the late president's remains¹⁰ will be moved to the Washington National Cathedral for a memorial service.  President Bush has designated Tuesday as a national day of mourning.

1 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

2 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

3 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

4 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

7 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

8 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

9 rotunda   

n.圆形建筑物；圆厅

参考例句：

• The Capitol at Washington has a large rotunda.华盛顿的国会大厦有一圆形大厅。
• The rotunda was almost deserted today,dotted with just a few tourists.圆形大厅今天几乎没有多少人，只零星散布着几个游客。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。