VOA常速英语2008年-Americans Crowd Streets to Welcome Pope Benedic

By Alex Villarreal
Washington
17 April 2008

Pope Benedict is in Washington, marking his first visit to the United States since he was elected pope three years ago. As he left the White House in his first motorcade, the pontiff received a warm welcome from a crowd of thousands. VOA's Alex Villarreal reports.

Celebrating his 81st birthday in Washington, Pope Benedict XVI greeted thousands of screaming devotees lined up to see him along Pennsylvannia Avenue.

The pontiff waved to the crowd from his Popemobile, a custom-built white Mercedes-Benz with a bullet-proof chamber¹ to shield the pope as he stands for people to see him.

Many of the onlookers² were Catholics, some of whom traveled thousands of miles just to catch a glimpse of Pope Benedict.

Elizabeth Puccio brought her family all the way from California. "We are very happy to be here and to bring our children so that they will remember this day, that Pope Benedict is celebrating his birthday with us, and what an honor because he could have chos[en] another country," she said.

Many, like Mary Beth LaDuca of Rochester, New York, hold high hopes that the pontiff's visit will help revive the American Catholic community. The scandal that erupted several years ago involving sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergymen has forced the removal of hundreds of priests and cost the church at least two billion dollars since 1950, the majority since 2002.

"I have two boys that go to Catholic school and they're closing more than half of the schools in our hometown, and it really hurts and we don't understand it, and you know, I hope that the Pope and the bishops³ can really stress the importance of Catholic education these days," she said.

Not everyone is happy about the pope's visit. Activists⁴ gathered earlier this week to protest against the sex abuse cases that have rocked the church in recent years and urge the pope to do more for the victims. Eighteen-year-old Juan Cruz said he and the group of more than 100 Catholic youth he traveled with had come to lend their voices against the negativity. "We're here to say that we are here, Catholics are here to stay."

Before making his way onto the street, Pope Benedict met with President Bush at the White House, where a crowd of thousands, including U.S. dignitaries, nuns⁵ and priests, welcomed him with a ceremony. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church will be in Washington until Friday when he is set to travel to New York.

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

3 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 nuns   

n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句