VOA标准英语2011-Obama Pays Tribute to Arizona Shooting Vi

In an emotional visit to Tucson, Arizona late Wednesday, President Barack Obama has visited the wounded from last Saturday's mass shooting and with families of the six people killed. The president and first lady Michelle Obama attended a memorial honoring victims of the shooting spree, and urged Americans toward more civility amid ongoing¹ national debate sparked by the tragic² event.

The president, his wife, and other officials accompanying them went almost immediately to the University of Arizona Medical Center.

There, they briefly³ visited U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who remains⁴ in critical condition in the early days of recovery from a gunshot to the head suffered in last Saturday's attack.

Altogether, the Obamas visited with five of the 13 people wounded in the shooting, and with family members of the six people killed, and hospital staff.

Like other presidents before him at moments of national trauma⁵, Mr. Obama in remarks at a memorial called "Together We Thrive" focused on a process of national healing, and on honoring and paying respect to the lives of those killed and wounded.

But he did not shy away from addressing the national debate in the wake of the shootings. Referring to what he called a "sharply polarized" national discourse⁶, he urged Americans not to allow the tragedy to create additional divisions.

"Yes, we have to examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen⁷ the prospects⁸ of violence in the future. But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on each other. That we cannot do," he said.

Results of a new USA Today/Gallup poll found that only 20 percent of Americans believe heated political rhetoric⁹ was a major factor influencing the alleged¹⁰ gunman in Tucson.? Forty two percent said it was not a factor, 22 percent said it played a minor¹¹ role.

As the president was visiting shooting victims and families, a university student, Greg McKormack, commented to reporters about the national debate and what the president's visit meant to him. "You know what, I don't think tonight has anything to do with that. I think it's basically just saying we in the United States, we're going to stand up against this, it's moments like this that actually pull our country together and who better to be at the center of that than the president of the United States of America," McKormack said.

In his remarks, President Obama cautioned against "simple explanations" for the tragedy. Referring to Christina Taylor Green, the nine-year-old girl killed in the shootings, he urged Americans toward reflection that avoids what he called "the usual plane of politics, point scoring and pettiness."

"If, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher¹² in more civility in our public discourse, let us remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy. It did not. But rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation, in a way that would make them proud," he said.

Others taking part were Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer¹³, Attorney General Eric Holder¹⁴, and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, all of whom read bible portions. Also addressing a crowd estimated at over 14,000 was Daniel Hernandez, the young volunteer credited with saving congresswoman Giffords life.

Mr. Obama said the selflessness of the heros on the day of the shootings, along with the loss of the fallen, pose a challenge to Am,ericans to be true to the memories of those who died.

The comparisons for Mr. Obama in Tucson were to speeches other presidents delivered in times of national trauma. But the national debate surrounding the Arizona shootings has only intensified¹⁵.

Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice¹⁶ presidential candidate in 2008, released a video statement on her Facebook page criticizing journalists and political pundits¹⁷ for suggesting that heated political rhetoric was to blame for the Tucson shootings. "Especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite¹⁸ the very hatred¹⁹ and violence they purport²⁰ to condemn²¹. That is reprehensible," she said.

Palin was sharply criticized before the November congressional elections for posting a map containing what appeared to be gunsight crosshair symbols marking districts of Democratic lawmakers, including that of Democratic Congresswoman Giffords.

There is now also renewed debate about gun control and security for members of Congress. Some lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban certain types of high capacity ammunition²² magazines for guns.

From Tucson, President Obama and his wife Michelle headed back to Washington where among other things the president will be preparing for next week's state visit by China's president.

But he will also be working on drafts of the State of the Union Address he will deliver on January 25, a speech he may use to amplify the strong points he made in Arizona about civility and the tone of the nation's politics

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

6 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

7 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

8 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

9 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

10 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

11 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

12 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

13 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

14 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

15 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 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。

17 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

18 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

19 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

20 purport   

n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...

参考例句：

• Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

21 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

22 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。