VOA标准英语2009年-Europe has Praise and Great Expectations for Ob

More than a million people braved the bitter cold in Washington to see Barack Obama take the oath of office as America's 44th President, millions more around the world watched live TV coverage¹ of the event.
　
Visitors crowd to pose with a wax figure of Barack Obama in London's Madam Tussaud's wax museum, 20 Jan 2009

It was a regular work day in Europe and darkness had fallen by the time Barack Obama took the oath of office, but that did not diminish the interest or the eagerness with which so many Europeans awaited the event.

There were celebrations in the far corners of the world. Feasts were prepared in Kenya, the homeland of President Obama's father; students in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, gathered to watch the inauguration² in the elementary school Barack Obama attended as a child. Black-tie dinners and champagne³ parties were being held in the capitals of Europe.
　
Kenyans react as Barack Obama is sworn-in as US President, 20 Jan 2009

Barack Obama has long been a favorite in Europe - young, energetic, full of charisma⁴ and words that promised change.

German Chancellor⁵ Angela Merkel sent words of congratulations.

"It is a very special day, not only for the United States of America, but a special day also for billions of people all over the world," she said.

Mrs. Merkel said it is historic to have this first African-American president, and she said she looks forward to a strong, intensive trans-Atlantic cooperation.

Her French counter-part, President Nicolas Sarkozy also sent his congratulations.

"We are anxious to see him get to work so we can change the world with him," President Sarkozy said.

French political analyst⁶, Etienne Schweisguth of the prestigious⁷ political science university in Paris, said there has been an almost euphoric mood about Mr. Obama.

He said the sentiment in France is a bit like the liberation after World War II - the idea that we are entering a new world, that everything is possible.

Schweisguth acknowledged that this dream of an ideal world may not be realistic, but he said there is a fundamental expectation in France that under Barack Obama, America will find its way again to work for a new world order.

In his inaugural⁸ address President Obama outlined the work that must be done, saying the problems are many and complex from a global economic crisis, to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the challenges of strengthening old alliances and building new ones.

1 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

2 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。

3 champagne   

n.香槟酒；微黄色

参考例句：

• There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
• They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

4 charisma   

n.(大众爱戴的)领袖气质，魅力

参考例句：

• He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man.他有超凡的个人魅力，是个伟人。
• I don't have the charisma to pull a crowd this size.我没有那么大的魅力，能吸引这么多人。

5 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

8 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。