2007年VOA标准英语-Widow of Former US President Lyndon Johnson Die

By Scott Herron & Ken¹ Schwartz
Washington
12 July 2007
 

A former first lady of the United States -- Lady Bird Johnson -- has died. She was 94. A family spokeswoman says the widow of President Lyndon B. Johnson died Wednesday at her home in Austin, Texas of natural causes. During her husband's presidency², Mrs. Johnson urged Congress to pass the Highway Beautification Bill, and she pushed to improve the look of the nation's capital. The couple had two daughters. Mrs. Johnson was admitted to the hospital last week with a fever and other undisclosed symptoms. VOA's Deborah Block has more.

Lady Bird Johnson (2002 photo)

Lady Bird Johnson's lasting³ legacy⁴ was her public grace in the face of tragedy, her tireless efforts to make America more beautiful and her steadfast⁵ support of her husband's political career.

She was born Claudia Alta Taylor on December 22, 1912, and got her nickname as an infant when a nurse said she was "purty [pretty] as a lady bird."

The rancher's daughter studied art and journalism⁶ at the University of Texas and graduated in 1934, the same year she met Mr. Johnson.

"I think we both knew that we were better together, than we were -- would be -- apart," she said in an interview with the television program 20/20.

Mrs. Johnson is credited with persuading her husband to support the early childhood development program known as "Head Start," and she campaigned with him for the war on poverty.

Mrs. Johnson was riding in a motorcade with her husband in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963 when an assassin killed President John F. Kennedy.

Soon afterwards, Mrs. Johnson stood next to her husband aboard Air Force One as he took the oath of office as president.

"I felt like I was walking onto a stage for a part I had never rehearsed, hadn't even read," she said. 

While President Johnson struggled with the Vietnam War, civil rights and social upheaval⁷, Mrs. Johnson began her crusade to beautify America.

Lyndon Johnson left office in 1969 and died four years later. After her husband's death, Mrs. Johnson worked for environmental causes.

1 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 lasting   

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。

4 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

5 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

6 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

7 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。