2007年VOA标准英语-Rice Taps Baseball's Cal Ripken as US Public Di

By David Gollust
State Department
13 August 2007

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has named retired¹ baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. to be a U.S. public diplomacy² special envoy³. Ripken, inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame last month, will begin the non-paying diplomatic role with a trip to China in October. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Cal Ripken Jr., (l), becomes a 'special sports envoy' during ceremony with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State Department in Washington, 13 Aug 2007

Ripken, best known for playing in an all-time record 2,600 and 32 consecutive⁴ regular season games, has devoted⁵ himself to promoting youth baseball since his retirement⁶ from the major leagues in 2001.

At a State Department press event launching his new career as a U.S. sports envoy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Ripken's integrity, iron man work ethic⁷, and commitment to young people commend him for international dialogue.

"That dialogue must be sought out and conducted not only by people like us in government, but by committed Americans from all walks of life, Americans like Cal Ripken Jr., she said. "He truly exemplifies America at its best, our aspirations⁸ to be a better nation, and to help build a better world."

Ripken has built the United States' largest baseball academy in Aberdeen, Maryland, near Baltimore where he played for 21 years with the American League's Baltimore Orioles.

Twelve aspiring⁹ baseball coaches from China, currently attending the Ripken baseball school, were at Monday's event in Washington and Ripken's first overseas trip as sports envoy will be a two-week visit to China beginning in late October.

The 19-time Major League Baseball All-Star said he views his mission as non-political and an opportunity to reach more young people through that he termed the magic of sports and especially baseball.

"This is not a political statement for me necessarily," he said. "This is about the kids and planning you know, using baseball for good reasons. And just as we are able to cross cultural lines, I think it is amazing to watch kids interact that cannot speak and cannot communicate, but do have sport in common."

Ripken is the second prominent athlete recruited by the State Department's public diplomacy chief, Karen Hughes. Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, a Chinese-American, joined the program last November and has made trips to Russia and China.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

4 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

5 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

6 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

7 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

8 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

9 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句