VOA双语新闻 Blair:Clinton Presidential Library Opens

President Bush took part in ceremonies Thursday opening the presidential library of his predecessor¹, Bill Clinton.

布什总统参加了他的前任比尔·克林顿的总统图书馆的开馆仪式。

It was "Hail to the Chief" for four presidents in Little Rock as President Bush and former President Clinton were joined by former President Jimmy Carter and former President George Herbert Walker Bush.Thousands of people gathered under a heavy rain along the Arkansas River for the dedication² of the privately-funded, $165 million museum housing more than 80 million documents from the Clinton administration.

小石城对四位总统莅临表示敬意。除了布什总统、前总统克林顿之外，前总统卡特以及前总统老布什也参加了图书馆的开馆仪式。成千上万的人们冒着大雨聚集在阿肯色河边，参加这个由私人赞助的、价值一亿六千五百万元的博物馆的落成典礼。博物馆内珍藏着克林顿政府时期的八千多万份文件。

President Bush praised the former Arkansas governor for his optimism and affection, calling him a serious student of policy and a man of great compassion³.

布什总统对阿肯色州的这位前州长的乐观以及热情大为赞赏，称他是个对政策严肃认真，同时又很有慈悲之心的人。

"Visitors to this place will be reminded of the great promise of our country and the dreams that came true in the life of our 42nd president," he said. "The William J. Clinton Presidential Library is a gift to the future by a man who always believed in the future. And today, we thank him for loving and serving America."

布什总统说：“来到这里参观的人会意识到，我们国家的希望和梦想在第四十二任总统的生活中变成了现实。比尔·克林顿总统图书馆是一个永远相信未来的人奉献给未来的礼物。今天，我们谢谢他对美国的热爱， 也谢谢他对美国的奉献。”

President Clinton thanked President Bush for attending the ceremony, joking that by winning re-election, Mr. Bush has delayed the opening of his own library by four more years.

克林顿感谢布什能够参加图书馆的落成典礼，并且开玩笑说，因为赢得了第二个任期，布什把自己图书馆的开馆仪式推迟了四年。

"I congratulate you on your election and I wish you God's speed, especially in a new and more hopeful time for peace in the Middle East," he said. "I remember the first time I every heard George W. Bush give a speech in Iowa, and I called a friend of mine and said, 'My God, that guy can beat us. He is a good politician.' "

克林顿说：“我祝贺你赢得大选。我祝你一切顺利，特别是在一个新的和更有希望的时刻为中东赢得和平。我还记得我第一次听到乔治·布什在爱奥华州发表演讲时， 我给我的一个朋友打电话说：‘我的上帝，这个家伙会击败我们。他是一个不错的政治家。’”

Like nearly all the speakers, President Clinton and his wife, New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke⁴ of the need for Americans to unite following a tough election season.

几乎和所有的演讲者一样，克林顿总统和他的妻子、纽约国会参议员希拉里·克林顿在演讲中表示，在经过艰难的大选之后，美国人有必要团结起来。

Visitors to this new glass and steel museum can see exhibits highlighting the former president's efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and the Middle East. For the $7 admission fee, people can see a full-scale replica⁵ of the Oval Office and many of the gifts Mr. Clinton received abroad.

来到这座玻璃和钢结构的崭新博物馆的参观者们会发现，博物馆着重展示了克林顿总统在任期间为北爱尔兰、巴尔干以及中东地区带去和平所作的努力。只要花七美元，人们就可以看到一个跟实物一样大小的、复制的白宫椭圆型办公室，并且还可以看到克林顿接受的许多国外的礼物。

There is also a section entitled "The Fight For Power" portraying⁶ the president's battles with Congressional Republicans, his impeachment⁷, and his affair with White House intern⁸ Monica Lewinsky.

博物馆内还有一个叫做“权力的斗争”区域，展示的是克林顿在任期间与国会的共和党人的种种冲突，他的弹劾案以及他与白宫实习生莱温斯基的诽闻事件。

The museum dedication brought together many former members of the Clinton administration and leading figures in the Democratic Party, including President Bush's last two unsuccessful challengers: former Vice⁹ President Al Gore¹⁰ and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

克林顿政府时期的许多成员也参加了博物馆的开幕仪式，其中包括挑战布什总统宝座的两位民主党候选人：前副总统戈尔和马塞诸塞州国会参议员克里。

Following the ceremonies, the president now heads for Santiago, Chile and a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum¹¹, after a stopover at this Texas ranch¹².

在出席落成仪式之后，布什总统会在德州的牧场短暂停留，然后前往智利的圣地亚哥，参加在那里举行的亚太经合组织领导人会议。
 
 

1 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

2 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。

3 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

6 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

7 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

8 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。

9 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。

10 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

11 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

12 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。