VOA慢速英语2011--A Memorial Fit for a King Opens in Washi

AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ - A Memorial Fit for a King Opens in Washington

DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English. I’m Doug Johnson. Today on our show, we play new music from Jay-Z and Kanye West. We also answer a question about Martin Luther King, Jr. And we tell about a memorial honoring the civil rights leader.
(MUSIC)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
DOUG JOHNSON: A memorial to honor Martin Luther King opened to the public this week in Washington. An official dedication² ceremony with President Obama was set for this Sunday. But the event has been postponed³ because of the threat to the East Coast from Hurricane Irene.
Sunday marks the forty-eighth anniversary of an historic protest in Washington. On that day, Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
MARTIN LUTHER KING: “I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed⁴: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood⁵. I have a dream.”
Katherine Cole tells us about the memorial.
KATHERINE COLE: The new monument sits on one point six hectares of land on Washington’s National Mall. It is a short walk from memorials to two presidents: Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.
Two large stones stand on each side of the entrance to the Martin Luther King memorial. Together they make up what is called the “Mountain of Despair.” The name was taken from Dr. King’s most famous speech.
The centerpiece of the memorial is a nine meter tall statue called the “Stone of Hope.” The stone image shows the likeness⁶ of the man considered one of the most influential⁷ civil rights leaders of the twentieth century.
Words from Dr King’s “I Have a Dream” speech also appear on one side of the statue. They read: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” The other side of the statue recognizes his efforts. It reads: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” Other famous words from his speeches appear on a granite⁸ wall that circles the memorial.
It has taken more than twenty-five years to plan for and build the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. During that time, the project has faced its own “mountains of despair.” These include delays because of money problems, disagreements about the design and questions over the choice of a Chinese artist to make the statue. Lei Yixin was the lead sculptor⁹ for the memorial.
Harry¹⁰ Johnson heads the foundation that was responsible for raising the one hundred twenty million dollars needed to complete the project. He explains why his group chose Lei Yixin to do the work.
HARRY JOHNSON: "We chose him because we really believe that Dr. King’s message is true, that you should not judge a person by the color of his skin but by the content of his character. In these terms, we are thinking artistic¹¹ character.”
The new monument is the first on the National Mall to honor a man of peace, and a person of color. Mr. Johnson says the memorial will make a powerful statement about the progress the country has made on civil rights.
MARTIN LUTHER KING: "I just want to do God’s Will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.”
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON: Our question this week is also about Dr. King. Van Nguyen of Vietnam and Sobhei Jemma Belal of Sudan want to know about the life of the civil rights activist¹².
Martin Luther King, Junior was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January fifteenth, nineteen twenty-nine. He attended Morehouse College. At the time, Morehouse was one of the few southern colleges that accepted blacks. He studied Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi and the American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau. He thought their ideas about nonviolence and disobedience could be used to win equal rights for black Americans. Gandhi believed in peacefully refusing to obey unjust laws. Thoreau had written that people should to be prepared to go to prison for their beliefs.
Martin Luther King’s life as a civil rights leader began with the famous protest by Rosa Parks in nineteen fifty-nine. At that time, black people in Montgomery, Alabama had to sit in the back of public buses. Rosa Parks took a seat near the front and refused to move. She was arrested.
Martin Luther King organized a protest to support Rosa Parks. He urged black people to boycott¹³ the buses in Montgomery. That boycott lasted three hundred eighty-two days.
Finally, the United States Supreme¹⁴ Court ruled that racial separation in the Montgomery bus system was unconstitutional. The ruling gave black Americans a new feeling of satisfaction and unity¹⁵. They saw that peaceful protest could be used as a tool to win their legal rights.
The civil rights movement spread fast. A group of black clergymen formed an organization to guide it. Dr. King became president of this organization, the Southern Christian¹⁶ Leadership Conference. In the years that followed, he helped organize many protests in the South.
A nineteen sixty-three protest in Birmingham, Alabama brought unwanted attention to the city. Many protesters were beaten and arrested. Soon, white politicians saw that it was easier to meet the demands of the protesters than to fight them.
That victory for Dr. King and his followers¹⁷ marked another turning point for the civil rights movement. Shortly after that, he organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
About two hundred fifty thousand people gathered in the capital. They heard Martin Luther King give his most famous speech, “I Have a Dream.” He talked about his dream for the future.
Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in nineteen sixty-four. In the years that followed, he continued to work for equality for all Americans.
On April fourth, nineteen sixty-eight, Dr. King was shot in the neck as he stood on the balcony of a Memphis hotel. He had gone there to lead protests in support of black sanitation¹⁸ workers. Dr. King always felt he would die a violent death. But he never believed that his life was more important than the civil rights movement.
MARTIN LUTHER KING: “So I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON: “Watch the Throne” is a new album from two of the biggest stars in the world of music today, Jay-Z and Kanye West. The two have worked together on several projects in the past. But, “Watch the Throne” is their first joint¹⁹ album. Barbara Klein plays some of the new music.
BARBARA KLEIN: Kanye West started talking publicly about plans for a recording²⁰ with Jay-Z a year ago. He and Jay-Z started recording “Watch the Throne” in November of last year. And they did the work in several cities around the world.
The new album was released on August eighth. But the song “Otis” was released in late July. It uses some of Otis Redding’s recording of “Try a Little Tenderness.”
(MUSIC)
Last month, Jay-Z asked a few reporters to listen to the new music. He said his favorite song on the album at the time was this one, “No Church in the Wild.”
(MUSIC)
We leave you Kanye West and Jay-Z performing “Made in America,” from their album “Watch the Throne.”
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON: I’m Doug Johnson. Our program was written by June Simms and Caty Weaver²¹, who was also our producer. Join us again next week for music and more on AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

1 mosaic   

n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的

参考例句：

• The sky this morning is a mosaic of blue and white.今天早上的天空是幅蓝白相间的画面。
• The image mosaic is a troublesome work.图象镶嵌是个麻烦的工作。

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 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

4 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。

5 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

6 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

7 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。

8 granite   

adj.花岗岩，花岗石

参考例句：

• They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。
• The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。

9 sculptor   

n.雕刻家，雕刻家

参考例句：

• A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
• The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。

10 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

11 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

12 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

13 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

14 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

15 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

16 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

17 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

18 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

19 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

20 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

21 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。