VOA慢速英语2011--Edward Kennedy, 1932-2009: The 'Liberal Lion' of the Senate

PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Edward Kennedy, 1932-2009: The 'Liberal Lion' of the Senate

 

STEVE EMBER: I'm Steve Ember.

BARBARA KLEIN: And I'm Barbara Klein with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about Senator Edward Kennedy. He served in the United States Senate from the state of Massachusetts for almost forty-seven years. He was one of its longest-serving and most influential² members. He was the Senate's leading liberal Democrat³. But his life was filled with tragedy as well as success.

STEVE EMBER: Edward Kennedy was a member of the most famous political family in America. He was born in nineteen thirty-two in Boston, Massachusetts. Known as Ted¹ or Teddy, he was the youngest of nine children born to the Irish Catholic family of Joseph and Rose Kennedy. His father was a wealthy businessman with powerful connections.

During his childhood, the future senator attended ten different schools in several cities before he started college. He attended Harvard University as had his father and brothers. He served two years in the Army in the nineteen fifties. Then he attended law school at the University of Virginia.

Senator Kennedy discusses children's health insurance legislation during a news conference on Capitol Hill

BARBARA KLEIN: Joseph Kennedy told his friends that his sons would one day run for president. The oldest son, Joseph Kennedy Junior, was expected to be the first to do so. But he was killed in nineteen forty-four during service as a Navy pilot in World War Two. The second oldest son, John Kennedy, became president in nineteen sixty-one.

The next year, Edward Kennedy was elected to the Senate seat formerly⁴ held by his brother John. John Kennedy was killed in nineteen sixty-three after only two years as president.

STEVE EMBER: In nineteen sixty-eight, Robert Kennedy, a senator from New York, sought the Democratic nomination⁵ for president. He was killed in Los Angeles after winning the primary election in California. Edward Kennedy spoke⁶ at his brother Robert's funeral:

EDWARD KENNEDY: "My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it."

Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor7 in 2008

BARBARA KLEIN: After the death of Robert, the youngest Kennedy brother became the family's political leader. It first appeared that he might have a clear path to the White House. But those hopes ended in nineteen sixty-nine.

Senator Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. A passenger in his car, Mary Jo Kopechne, was killed. The car sank in the water but Ted Kennedy was able to escape. He left the accident and waited hours before he reported it to the police.

A week later, he pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving an accident and was given a two-month suspended sentence. This incident greatly harmed his public image. Ted Kennedy asked voters in Massachusetts whether he should resign from the Senate. He received thousands of messages telling him not to quit.

STEVE EMBER: In nineteen eighty, he sought the Democratic presidential nomination. But Democrats⁸ nominated President Jimmy Carter for a second term. Defeated for the nomination, Senator Kennedy spoke at the Democratic Convention.

EDWARD KENNEDY: "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: After the deaths of his brothers, Ted Kennedy became the head of his extended family. He acted like a father to his thirteen nieces and nephews, the children of his dead brothers.

Through the years he dealt with many family problems. His son Teddy lost his leg to cancer at the age of twelve in nineteen seventy-three. His other children, Patrick and Kara, also had health problems. He and his wife Joan ended their marriage in nineteen eighty-two.

Three of Mister Kennedy's nephews died young and tragically⁹. Another was tried and found not guilty of rape¹⁰ charges in nineteen ninety-one. The senator was called to testify at the trial.

Edward Kennedy had his own problems with drinking and women. But his life became more steady after he remarried. He married Victoria Reggie in nineteen ninety-two.

Senator Kennedy takes part in a ribbon cutting ceremony during the opening of the Corson Building in New Bedford, Mass

STEVE EMBER: In the Senate, Ted Kennedy wrote hundreds of bills and supported thousands of others. Early in his career, he continued President Kennedy's desire for social change by helping¹¹ to pass the Civil Rights Act of Nineteen Sixty-four. The law banned racial discrimination in the workplace.

Senator Kennedy worked for improved health care, education and immigration reform. He worked for civil rights, voting rights and workers' rights. He worked to end discrimination against people with physical and mental disabilities. His efforts resulted in the Americans with Disabilities Act in nineteen ninety.

Senator Kennedy also helped create health and nutrition programs for pregnant women, babies and children in low-income families. He led efforts to increase aid for higher education and increase wages for the lowest-paid workers.

He often worked with senators from the Republican Party to get laws passed. Republican Senator John McCain, the party's presidential candidate in two thousand eight, praised him for his ability to reach across party lines to pass important legislation.

JOHN MCCAIN: " When we agreed on an issue and worked together to make a little progress for the country on an important issue, he was the best ally you could have. You never even had a small doubt that once his word was given, and a course of action decided¹², he would honor the letter and the spirit of the agreement."

BARBARA KLEIN: Senator Kennedy worked closely with President George W. Bush to pass an important education bill in two thousand one. But he was a critic of the Bush administration on many other issues, including the war in Iraq. He was one of only twenty-three senators who voted in two thousand two against supporting the invasion of Iraq.

While he was best known for his legislative¹³ battles for America's poor and disabled people, Senator Kennedy was also a leader in foreign policy. He was a strong voice for ending America's war in Vietnam in the nineteen seventies.

In nineteen eighty-five, he led the congressional effort to order economic restrictions¹⁴ on South Africa because of its racial separation policy. His Refugee Act of Nineteen Eighty aided refugees around the world. He helped negotiate the peace agreement for Northern Ireland in nineteen ninety-eight.

Ted Kennedy was well liked in the Senate because of his hard work, friendliness¹⁵ and sense of humor. In two thousand six, Time magazine chose him as one of "America's Ten Best Senators." The magazine noted¹⁶ that he had supported a huge amount of important legislation that affected¹⁷ the lives of just about every man, woman and child in the country. He became known as "the liberal lion of the Senate."

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: In two thousand eight, Ted Kennedy was one of the first top Democrats to support a young senator seeking the party's nomination for president.

EDWARD KENNEDY: "My friends, I ask you to join in this historic journey to have the courage to choose change. It is time again for a new generation of leadership. It is time now for Barack Obama."

Then Senator Barack Obama and Senator Edward Kennedy watch President Bush's State of the Union address in 2007

STEVE EMBER: That same year, doctors discovered a deadly brain tumor, which limited his ability to work. He spent time with his family, sailing on his beloved boat. However, he made a surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention to support Barack Obama's candidacy for president.

Senator Kennedy also asked for support for the cause of his life, "that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American … will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege."

BARBARA KLEIN: Edward Kennedy died on August twenty-fifth, two thousand nine, at the age of seventy-seven. Three former American presidents were among the mourners who attended his funeral at a Catholic church in Boston.

Ted Kennedy's children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews spoke at the funeral service. They included his son Patrick, a member of the House of Representatives from Rhode Island. The young people offered prayers for some of his beloved causes.

President Obama was the last speaker at the funeral. He said Ted Kennedy has gone home to join the loved ones he had lost.

BARACK OBAMA: "At last he is with them once more, leaving those of us who grieve his passing with the memories he gave, the good he did, the dream he kept alive, and a single, enduring image. The image of a man on a boat, white mane tousled, smiling broadly as he sails into the wind, ready for whatever storms may come, carrying on toward some new and wondrous¹⁸ place just beyond the horizon."

BARBARA KLEIN: Edward Kennedy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery¹⁹ in Virginia near his brothers, John and Robert.

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: Our program was written by Shelley Gollust and produced by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

BARBARA KLEIN: And I'm Barbara Klein. You can download this program and others from our Web site, voanews.cn. Join us again next week for PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English.

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

5 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

6 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。

7 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 tragically   

adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地

参考例句：

• Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。
• Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。

10 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

14 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

15 friendliness   

n.友谊，亲切，亲密

参考例句：

• Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面，我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
• His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

18 wondrous   

adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地

参考例句：

• The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
• We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

19 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。