奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统庆祝美国非裔博物馆开幕（01）

Hi everybody. This weekend, we'll dedicate the newest American icon¹ on our National Mall - the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

嗨，大家好。本周末，我们将在国家广场把时间留给美国标杆建筑--非洲裔美国人历史和文化国家博物馆

It's a beautiful building, five stories high and some 70 feet below the ground, situated² just across the street from the Washington Monument.

这是一个美丽的建筑，五层楼高，地下建筑约有70 英尺深，位于华盛顿纪念碑的街道的正对面。

And this museum tells a story of America that hasn't always taken a front seat in our national narrative³.

这个博物馆所讲述的美国故事，在美国历史中关注度靠前的极为罕见。

As a people, we've rightfully passed on the tales of the giants who built this country.

作为国民，我们理所当然耳熟能详开国元勋们的故事。

But too often, willful or not, we've chosen to gloss⁴ over or ignore entirely⁵ the experience of millions upon millions of others.

但太多的时候，有意或无意间，我们无视或完全忽略了数百万人的经历。

But this museum chooses to tell a fuller story.

但这家博物馆会给我们还原一个完整的历史故事。

It's doesn't gauze up some bygone era or avoid uncomfortable truths.

不再用纱布遮掩一些重大往事或回避尴尬的史实。

Rather, it embraces the patriotic⁶ recognition that America is a constant work in progress;

而是认同了一个爱国的理念，美国在不断发展进步着；

that each successive generation can look upon our imperfections and decide that it is within our collective power to align⁷ this nation with the high ideals of our founding.

每一代人都都能正视我们的不足之处，并决心以我们集体的力量使国家向建国理想迈进。

1 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

2 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

3 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

4 gloss   

n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰

参考例句：

• John tried in vain to gloss over his faults.约翰极力想掩饰自己的缺点，但是没有用。
• She rubbed up the silver plates to a high gloss.她把银盘擦得很亮。

5 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

7 align   

vt.使成一线，结盟，调节；vi.成一线，结盟

参考例句：

• Align the ruler and the middle of the paper.使尺子与纸张的中部成一条直线。
• There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals.有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。