VOA标准英语2013--Backdrop of Kerry's First Speech as Secretary of State Rich in Its Own History

 

Backdrop of Kerry's First Speech as Secretary of State Rich in Its Own History

Column after white column. Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian stand before a backdrop of red brick. Serpentine¹ Walls and domes³ round out the architecture of the University of Virginia, designed by the nation's third president, Thomas Jefferson.

A statue of Jefferson overlooks the grounds that carry reminders⁴ of a time long ago. Jefferson was also the first secretary of state, appointed by the nation's first president, George Washington. Alexander Gilliam is the school's history officer.

“After the Revolutionary War, he was appointed Minister of France - minister would be equivalent to ambassador now - and when he came back, Washington asked him to be secretary of state," said Gilliam.

Jefferson was a visionary, who ignored the tradition of building a school around a church. Instead, the university was designed around a library housed in this rotunda⁵, a one-fourth sized model of the Pantheon in Rome.

This was Jefferson's favorite view of the university - out the center window at the top of the rotunda dome² to the lawn.

The lawn is nearly a hectare long....and is the focus of what's called the academic village, a grouping of buildings. Students and professors both live along the sides of the lawn and some classes take place here.

Jefferson promoted global knowledge. A practice carried on by the university's vice⁶ provost of global affairs, Jeff Legro.

“Jefferson was an iconoclast⁷ [non-conformist] in terms of fierce independence," said Legro. "But he was a student of the world. To better understand U.S. challenges, he also looked at how others handled their challenges.”

As an international student, Jonathan Lim reaps the rewards of that global viewpoint.

“I'm from Singapore," said Lim. "I think being here at this university and getting to hear him firsthand, about American foreign policy from within the American perspective really gives me a lot to think about. Really prepares me to serve my own community, wherever I am in the future.”

Thomas Jefferson was in his 70s when he started to work on the university design. He called it his hobby of old age. Today, his hobby enrolls⁸ 21,000 students and ranks number- two out of the nation's public institutions. 

1 serpentine   

adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的

参考例句：

• One part of the Serpentine is kept for swimmers.蜿蜒河的一段划为游泳区。
• Tremolite laths and serpentine minerals are present in places.有的地方出现透闪石板条及蛇纹石。

2 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

3 domes   

n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场

参考例句：

• The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
• Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网

4 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

5 rotunda   

n.圆形建筑物；圆厅

参考例句：

• The Capitol at Washington has a large rotunda.华盛顿的国会大厦有一圆形大厅。
• The rotunda was almost deserted today,dotted with just a few tourists.圆形大厅今天几乎没有多少人，只零星散布着几个游客。

6 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。

7 iconoclast   

n.反对崇拜偶像者

参考例句：

• Cage was an iconoclast.He refused to be bound by western musical traditions of harmony and structure.凯奇是个反传统的人，他拒绝接受西方有关和声和结构的音乐传统的束缚。
• But he shows little sign of being an iconoclast.但他表现出他是一个信念很强的人。

8 enrolls   

v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的第三人称单数 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• Enrolls the newborn register of names to print afterward and to mail. 录取新生名册随后打印并寄发。 来自互联网
• The association enrolls 100, 000 members. 该协会拥有10万名会员。 来自互联网