美国国家公共电台 NPR--The pageantry of Biden's first state dinner with French President Macron

The pageantry of Biden's first state dinner with French President Macron

Transcript¹

A recap of the glamor², entertainment, toasts and celebrity³ sightings — and a bit of the diplomacy⁴, too — of President Biden's first state dinner honoring French President Emmanuel Macron.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

When the White House hosts a state visit, there's obviously politics, like President Biden saying yesterday he wouldn't rule out a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. But there are also certain traditions to keep - a 21-gun salute⁵ on the South Lawn, a meeting in the Oval Office and the glamour⁶ of a state dinner. NPR's Deepa Shivaram reports on President Biden's first state dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron.

DEEPA SHIVARAM, BYLINE⁷: In a large glass pavilion on the South Lawn, more than 300 invited guests took part in one of the oldest traditions at the White House. State dinners go as far back as 1874, according to the White House Historical Association. But they took more shape in the 1950s and '60s when the first lady in the White House social team started planning elaborate invitations, menus and floral arrangements. And this week, with French President Macron in town, it was no different. Here's first lady Jill Biden earlier this week.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JILL BIDEN: It's an expression of welcome and friendship, a way to connect through a language that sort of transcends⁸ words. As each dish comes to the table, so too does the meaning behind it.

SHIVARAM: The dishes on the menu incorporate ingredients from all over the United States. There was poached lobster⁹ from Maine, cheeses from Oregon and Wisconsin and wine from Napa Valley. The decor for the dinner was meant to show the longstanding ties between the U.S. and France. The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the U.S., was displayed on the menus and inside the pavilion on the South Lawn. The flowers had connections to France, too. The arrangements had irises¹⁰, the national flower of France, and piano roses because of Macron's love of the piano. Attending the dinner last night were celebrities¹¹ like comedian¹² Stephen Colbert, singer John Legend and actress Jennifer Garner¹³. And some guests, like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, took the opportunity to show off their French.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CHUCK SCHUMER: I took a course in high school called (speaking French), ALN. They taught you to read French exquisitely¹⁴. So I can go, (speaking French), but I don't know what the hell it means.

SHIVARAM: As traditional as state dinners are, it's not common that they're held during A holiday season. In a short time, White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo and his team made arrangements for the president's granddaughter's wedding at the White House, the Christmas decorations and a state dinner. But as Elizondo told reporters earlier this week, we're not tired. We're just full of caffeine. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News, the White House.

(SOUNDBITE OF AVER AND MOVE 78'S "MIDDLING")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 glamor   

n.魅力，吸引力

参考例句：

• His performance fully displayed the infinite glamor of Chinese dance.他的表演充分展示了中华舞蹈的无穷魅力。
• The glamor of the East was brought to international prominence by the Russion national school.俄罗斯民族学派使东方的魅力产生了国际性的影响。

3 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

4 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

5 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

6 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

9 lobster   

n.龙虾，龙虾肉

参考例句：

• The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。
• I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾，但它不适宜于我的健康。

10 irises   

n.虹( iris的名词复数 )；虹膜；虹彩；鸢尾（花）

参考例句：

• The cottage gardens blaze with irises, lilies and peonies. 村舍花园万紫千红，鸢尾、百合花和牡丹竞相争艳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The irises were of flecked grey. 虹膜呈斑驳的灰色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

12 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

13 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

14 exquisitely   

adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地

参考例句：

• He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分