美国国家公共电台 NPR NPR Host Robert Siegel Signs Off

 

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

The Bureau of Labor¹ Statistics says the median number of years that American workers have been working for their current employer is a little over four. I say that to acknowledge how unusual it is that I've been working at National Public Radio for a little over 40 years - 41, to be precise. And for the past 30 years, I've been doing the same job - this one, hosting ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - and doing it very happily. No one is more surprised by my tenure² than I am.

I came to NPR on what I thought was an unfortunate but necessary detour³ that I hoped and figured would last just a couple of years. I am a native New Yorker, and the New York FM radio station where I worked was sold in 1976. And to put it mildly, I did not figure in the new owners' plans. Leaving New York City felt like what I imagine it feels like when a player for the Yankees was sent down to play for the Toledo Mud Hens. No matter, I figured I would work my way back to civilization.

Well, the fact that I am still here is a tribute to how colossally⁴ wrong I was about that. At the NPR of the 1970s, I found myself among a team of young, creative people as uncynical a group of broadcasters as I could possibly have imagined. At a time when our audience research was by today's standards limited and primitive⁵, we operated on what I still consider a healthy instinct. We put on a program that we ourselves would listen to. We didn't imagine a great distinction between people like us who reported the news and people like you who listened to it.

We weren't the only curious people in the country. There had to be millions more Americans out there who would welcome a smart, conversational⁶ program about politics, culture, science the arts and just plain fun. Despite some near-death experiences many years ago, NPR is still here - much bigger, much more listened to and much more important than it was way back then. But what remains⁷ the same is that authentic⁸ sense of purpose still undimmed by cynicism or by commercialism.

A very accomplished⁹ friend of mine used to speak of the last paragraph in a story, the windup, as the and-so. And so for the last time, I'm signing off proud of my association with this unique institution, mindful of things I might have done better, grateful for the company of thousands of gifted colleagues and thankful to you for being, as we used to say in those hackneyed but truthful¹⁰ fundraising messages, for being the public in public radio.

(SOUNDBITE OF CHARLES MINGUS' "FAREWELL, FAREWELL")

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Robert, this studio is now full of some very emotional people who love you very much - your friends, your family, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED employees past and present - holding glasses of champagne¹¹ to salute¹² you and congratulate you on your retirement¹³. On the count of three, everybody - one, two, three...

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: Yay, Robert.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

SIEGEL: Thank you. Thank you, all. You're a great lot. And, Ari, thanks to you. Thank you. I'm just trying to hold it together here...

(LAUGHTER)

SIEGEL: ...For another few seconds. It's been a great - it's been a fabulous¹⁴ run. And I'm grateful to all of you for being such wonderful colleagues and good friends. I guess here it comes. I'm Robert Siegel, and you're listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. Thank you.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

3 detour   

n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道

参考例句：

• We made a detour to avoid the heavy traffic.我们绕道走，避开繁忙的交通。
• He did not take the direct route to his home,but made a detour around the outskirts of the city.他没有直接回家，而是绕到市郊兜了个圈子。

4 colossally   

参考例句：

• After making all those colossally dumb loans, financial institutions are now punishing you for their sins. 在放出了那些数额巨大的愚蠢的贷款后，现在金融机构正在因为他们的过失而惩罚你。 来自互联网

5 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

6 conversational   

adj.对话的，会话的

参考例句：

• The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。
• She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。

7 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。

8 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

9 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

10 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

11 champagne   

n.香槟酒；微黄色

参考例句：

• There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
• They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

12 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。

13 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

14 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。