万花筒 2008-11-06&11-07 奥巴马创造历史

Barack Obama making history, as the first African American US president elect. From his home state of Illinois to his father's homeland in Kenya, on Main Street to Wall Street and outside the gates of the White House, elation¹ and celebration, Obama's simple call for change answered, and his defeated opponent John McCain humbled².

 

This is a historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

 

Tears from the last African American to seek the office, (Everybody is singing ) and the realization³ from other activists⁴: the world has changed. 

 

What Barack said tonight is true; this is the only place in the world where this is gonna happen, AMERICA! 

 

While it was clearly a moment of celebration for Obama's supporters, the president elect delivered a sobering message.

 

I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years, block by block, brick by brick, calloused⁵ hand by calloused hand. 

 

One thing that really stood out last night in Barack Obama's speech was the tone and the call for, really the need to move forward here and to do it rather quickly in this transition, it was a rare, a rather somber⁶ speech. They talked about change, and they talked about everything that needs to be done. But he really set the stage here for a transition that needs to happen very quickly. He talked about Afghanistan. He talked about Iraq, the soldiers settled there. He talked about the economic crisis. 

 

And so you really got a sense that this is a team that's gonna roll up their sleeves and get to work right away. I talked to his chief of staff last night they needed done who said expected I should get some announcements about the team members on the transition, not White House positions necessarily this week but certainly in the weeks to come .You are going to hear those kinds of things coming out of this group. It is obviously a very serious tone. Not a lot of the…You saw the celebration outside it, but Barack Obama pretty much focused on what needs to be done.

 

1 elation   

n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She showed her elation at having finally achieved her ambition.最终实现了抱负，她显得十分高兴。
• His supporters have reacted to the news with elation.他的支持者听到那条消息后兴高采烈。

2 humbled   

adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低

参考例句：

• The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。
• I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。

3 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 calloused   

adj.粗糙的，粗硬的，起老茧的v.（使）硬结，（使）起茧( callous的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）冷酷无情

参考例句：

• A most practical and emotionally calloused Youth interrupted. 一个非常讲究实际而心肠很硬的年轻人插了一嘴。 来自辞典例句
• McTeague exhibited his hard, calloused palms. 麦克梯格摊开那双生满老茧坚硬的手掌。 来自辞典例句

6 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。