VOA标准英语2014--Civil War Re-enactors Honor Ancestors Who Forged Modern America

 

Civil War Re-enactors Honor Ancestors Who Forged Modern America

GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA—

The echo of the American Civil War of the 1860s still resonates in the United States. The descendants of those who made history come together every year to remember the greatest battles and to discuss the military campaigns of the war that almost divided this nation.

The re-enactment of one of the war's most significant battles takes place each year on the streets of the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg.

To the naked eye, the view of this little Pennsylvania town looks like a flashback to the past. The only difference is these soldiers and officers of the Union and Confederate armies are not on a battlefield, but peacefully discussing the military campaign of 1863 that took place over a three-day period here, 150 years ago.

The people who do this call it "living history." They come together every year to re-create and commemorate¹ the battle of Gettysburg.

Living history

Each re-enactor has a role. We met the famous Confederate General Robert E. Lee. And also the heroes of the battle of Gettysburg, the regimental and battalion² commanders, and the ordinary soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies.

President Abraham Lincoln of course is center stage. In this interview, he repeats the message of his famous "Gettysburg address" -- delivered at the dedication³ of a cemetery⁴ four-and-a-half months after the battle.

"This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth," said the actor portraying⁵ Lincoln.

Many participants in this reenactment say the battle of Gettysburg  -- one of the bloodiest⁶ battles of the war -- decided⁷ the future of the United States and preserved the country as the founding fathers had designed it -- united and strong.

"The Eagle flag has a banner that says in Latin 'E pluribus unum', which means 'Out of many, one'. That is what we are. We are a lot of people from different countries in one nation," said one of the re-enactors.

Confederate troops advancing on Gettysburg hoped to defeat the Union forces, take Washington and force the president to recognize the rights of the Southern states. Instead, they were forced to retreat.

Standing⁸ united

The Civil War is largely seen as a dispute over slavery. But there was also disagreement on other issues -- such as taxes, tariffs⁹ and internal improvements, as well as states’ rights versus¹⁰ federal power.

Re-enactor Jim Getty said he thinks that even if the South had won, the country eventually would have come back together.

"I think by now we would be one nation. We would have reunited by World War I and World War II. We would have settled our differences shortly after the war. We could not remain divided and survive," said Getty.

For many Americans, historical reconstructions¹¹ like these are not just a hobby, but also an opportunity to pay tribute to their ancestors, to remember the heroes who fought to create present-day America.

And here in a small-town -- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania -- the descendants of those who made history -- on both sides -- are marching down the main street in one united column.

1 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

2 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

3 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

4 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。

5 portraying   

v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The artist has succeeded in portraying my father to the life. 那位画家把我的父亲画得惟妙惟肖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ding Ling was good at portraying figures through careful and refined description of human psychology. 《莎菲女士的日记》是丁玲的成名作，曾引起强烈的社会反响。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

6 bloodiest   

adj.血污的( bloody的最高级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
• It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

10 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

11 reconstructions   

重建( reconstruction的名词复数 )； 再现； 重建物； 复原物

参考例句：

• Multicolored reconstructions have been formed using (black and white) volume holographic plates. 利用黑白体积全息片已经做成了彩色重建象。
• The method gives ways to evaluate collision speed in traffic accident reconstructions. 该模型为交通事故再现推算碰撞速度提供了有效实用的方法。