VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Pays Tribute to Martin Luther King on Eve

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, on the eve of his inauguration¹, is paying tribute to the late civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Obama also used the day to urge Americans to become involved in community service.
　
President-elect Barack Obama visits a renovation² project at Sasha Bruce Youthwork, a shelter for homeless or runaway³ teens, in Washington, 19 Jan 2009

Mr. Obama helped paint walls at a shelter for homeless teenagers and had lunch with volunteers supporting American troops at home and overseas on Monday.

The president-elect also visited injured military veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Obama's inauguration, coming the day after Monday's federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., adds to the deep symbolism of the first African American to be sworn in as President of the United States.

The president-elect, joined by his wife Michelle, thanked volunteers and said such service is an appropriate way to remember the legacy⁴ of Reverend King.

"It is fitting that all of you and hundreds of thousands, maybe more than a million people through 11,000 service projects all across the country, today commemorated⁵ Dr. King and got involved in this process of remaking America," said Barack Obama.

The 47-year-old president-elect is the son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia.

Mr. Obama will be sworn in as the nation's 44th president on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and will deliver a much-anticipated inaugural⁶ address.

He joked about saving his best lines for Tuesday's ceremony and then seemed to hint at what are expected to be some major themes and goals of his presidency⁷.

"I am making a commitment to you as your next president that we are going to make government work," said Mr. Obama. "[Applause and Cheers] We are going to make sure that government is listening to you and focused on you, making sure that people have health care, kids can go to college and people can pay their bills and folks are able to stay in their homes and get good jobs that pay a living wage. That is my job."

Mr. Obama says all Americans must take responsibility for improving their communities and pledged that he and his family will continue working on service projects after he becomes president.

Excitement is already building in Washington and officials are expecting as many as two million people to arrive on the National Mall to witness Mr. Obama's inauguration.

African American Vanessa Wiltz, from Houston, Texas, had tears in her eyes as she described coming to Washington to, as she put it, "soak up history".

"I just think about my grandmother, and I think about how far we have come as a country and how amazing it is to be here as Americans," said Vanessa Wiltz. "This is awesome⁸. It really is."

Vanessa's sister, Jeneda Wiltz, says she believes the country will unite behind President-elect Obama.

"We are out here witnessing a big step for the citizens of the United States," she said. "We are finally united, not by color, but by people. What our forefathers⁹ have fought for so long has finally come to truth."

All around Washington, final preparations are underway for the inauguration and security is expected to be very tight. Parties, balls and other celebrations will follow Mr. Obama's oath-taking and the inaugural parade.

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 renovation   

n.革新，整修

参考例句：

• The cinema will reopen next week after the renovation.电影院修缮后，将于下星期开业。
• The building has undergone major renovation.这座大楼已进行大整修。

3 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

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 commemorated   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Lincoln commemorated the soldiers killed in the battle in his address. 林肯在演说中表扬阵亡将士。 来自辞典例句
• You'll be commemorated for killing a spy, and be specially discharged. 你们每杀一个间谍将会被记录到特殊档案。 来自电影对白

6 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。

7 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。

8 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

9 forefathers   

n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人

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。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。 来自《简明英汉词典》