VOA标准英语2010年-US Looks Toward Memorial Day

More than 600 from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan lie in section 60 of the Arlington National Cemetery¹

The last Monday in May is "Memorial Day" in the United States, a day of remembrance for the country's military war dead.  This year's observance comes as the number of casualties in Afghanistan has surpassed 1,000. 

Row upon row of headstones in America's Arlington National Cemetery. Ten thousand people are expected to visit here in observance of Memorial Day.  The cemetery started as a burial ground for American Civil War dead.   And now more than 330,000 are buried here.  On Memorial Day, the day Americans remember the fallen, the president or vice² president traditionally lays a wreath at the Tomb of the  Unknown - this is the scene from last year.  Kaitlin Horst is the cemetery's spokeswoman.

"As Americans, I think we have a sense of pride, pride in our country, pride in what we stand for and we also have a sense of pride in our military - what our military has done over the course of our nation's history, to defend the rights and freedoms that we hold dear," said Kaitlin Horst.

More than 600 from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan lie in section 60.  It is called "the saddest acre in America."

It is here that U.S. Joint³ Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, U.S. and NATO Commander General Stanley McChrystal and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai strolled through the rows earlier this month.  It was Mr. Karzai's first visit to this section. 

American casualties in the nine-year Afghan conflict surpass 1,000. Half of those have died in the past two years.

Analysts⁴ blame the sharp increase on the turbulent national elections and a re-emerging Taliban facing a surge of U.S. troops, determined⁵ to take the provinces.  Military leaders expect this level of violence to continue.

"I have said we expect this to be a tough year," said Joint Chief's Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen. "And in fact, the insurgents⁶ - you know, the poppy season is over - they have gone back to get their weapons.  It's that time of year.  So that the violence level would rise doesn't - doesn't surprise me at all."

General McChrystal said during this visit to Arlington, he found the headstones of soldiers who had worked with him.

"Every single casualty affects people, it affects leaders, but more importantly, it affects families, it affects children, it affects parents, spouses⁷, so each one of them is sacred and I think we all know that," said General McChrystal.

Former Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah ran unsuccessfully for president last year.  He says the key for getting out of Afghanistan is to gain the trust of the Afghan people and to explain the exit strategy.

"There is still support, but at the same time, there is growing desire to know how long this support should continue and the result," said Abdullah Abdullah.

Only then will Section 60 stop expanding...to hold more mourners for future Memorial Days.

 

1 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

7 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句