VOA慢速英语2013 THIS IS AMERICA - Springtime in D.C.

 

THIS IS AMERICA - Springtime in D.C.

From VOA Learning English, welcome to THIS IS AMERICA. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

And I’m Bob Doughty¹. It is here at last: the Washington D.C. spring, when America’s capital bursts into color. We can ride a bus, a bicycle, a Segway, a horse-drawn carriage, a taxi or a pedicab around the historic² city. But to see some of the most important places, walking is best. Do not forget to wear your walking shoes.

The first things we notice are the people – crowds and crowds of people. These visitors fill -- and sometimes overflow³ -- the trains, buses and restaurants. They increase traffic and sometimes block it.

But the District of Columbia -- called D.C. -- is pleased to welcome tourists, especially at this time of year. City officials say more than one million people visit Washington during the two-week period surrounding the Cherry Blossom⁴ Festival. Hotels, tour guides and eating places all benefit from the guests.

“Yeah, our business today is okay. Weather is good, work is good. We’re selling hot dogs, you know, like this is something is like national food.”

“This is Nini’s Soft Serve, located right here in DC. We serve soft serve ice cream, the vanilla⁵, the chocolate, and the twist. So far it’s been great, I mean a lot of people from different places, we’ve met a lot of different people. So tourism seems to be booming⁶ right now.”

Many in the crowds in the city for the festivities are young people on spring vacations from school. Some come with groups from their schools, wearing similar T-shirts. That lets their teachers and guides count heads, and make sure nobody gets lost. 

Younger children are also touring with their parents and grandparents. The first stop for many visitors is the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, southwest of the National Mall. The easiest way to get there is on foot after using Washington’s Metro⁷ system. 

The famous cherry trees bloom around the waters of the basin, which reflect the trees’ images. More cherry trees grow in East Potomac Park and around the Washington Monument. 

The National Park Service suggests that cherry blossoms⁸ should be seen during three time periods. The first is when the light pink flowers swell⁹ their buds¹⁰ as they wait for warmth and sunshine to fully¹¹ open. The second is the peak time, when the blossoms are fully “out.” At that time the blossoms look like they do on postcards. The third is when the blossoms have fallen, covering the ground with a beautiful snowy blanket. 

“Hi my name is Danielle, I’m from New York, and I’m on my way to the Cherry Blossom festival. I’m expecting that it will be beautiful, because I’ve seen them in person in Japan, so it’ll be interesting to see them here.”

At the Tidal Basin, visitors from all over the world are moving along the sidewalk and between the graceful¹² trees. Their branches appear to reach out to the people. Some of the trees were given to the United States by Japan and planted as long ago as 1912. Others developed much more recently.

People seem to be holding an unannounced parade on the sidewalks and around the trees. They move along like a colorful human chain. Parents and grandparents push babies in strollers. Dogs trot¹³ along on the pleasant march.

The animals are permitted so long as they are on a leash¹⁴. Some families bring food and eat picnics under the trees.

With official permission, you can have a big picnic – or get married– in nearby East Potomac Park.

“My name is Amelia, I’m from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. We’ve having a sushi and like matsuri sort of lunch type thing for the Cherry Blossom Festival, which is another reason why we’re here.”

“Hi my name is Ramir, and I’m with my family and my friends. We’re visiting from New Jersey¹⁵. We’re eating sandwiches with tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges, watermelon.”

“My first name is Grant, and I’m having pretzels, a sandwich, and some Kool-Aid.”

The waters of the Tidal Basin reflect the Jefferson Memorial, the huge white monument celebrating America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson. His statue stands inside a stone memorial. Some of his most important words line the walls. Among them: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty…”

Some people in the cherry-blossom crowd are going to the Jefferson Memorial to read those words.

There are still more cherry trees at the Washington Monument, not far away. The obelisk¹⁶ – the tall, slender column of marble -- honors the United States’ first president. George Washington also led the Continental¹⁷ Army that won the country’s independence from Britain.

Unfortunately, the inside of the Washington Monument is closed for repairs because of damage from a 5.8-strength earthquake in August 2011. Scaffolds are being built on the outside so the work can be done. But there are other things to do outside the monument.

The breezes near the stone column show great energy. They blow so hard that you can hear them as they toss¹⁸ the American flags that surround the monument. They represent the country’s 50 states and its six territories. 

Higher up against the skies are colorful kites.

Some have colorful designs or pictures of animals. A few seem to be on their way to low hanging clouds. Men, women and even young children raise their cellphones and cameras and take pictures.

After seeing Washington’s memorial, walk to the Lincoln Memorial. Many people consider Abraham Lincoln to have been America’s greatest president. His monument contains a larger-than-life statue of him seated in a chair. The statue is more than five and one half meters high. 

Some of his most famous words appear on the monument – the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural¹⁹ Address. Lincoln guided the country through the Civil War. He saved the Union from dividing into two nations – North and South -- and ended slavery.

Major events have taken place around this monument and the long Reflecting Pool. Crowds of people have listened to speeches, demonstrated and protested here. They have also listened to music. 

“This concert is presented under the auspices²⁰ of Howard University, of Washington, DC. Miss Anderson will sing from a stage built on the steps of this impressive memorial to America’s Civil War president, looking out over the beautiful Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument.”

One of the most memorable²¹ musical events took place here in 1938. At that time, the great American contralto Marian Anderson sang to a huge crowd from the Lincoln Memorial steps. She appeared there after being denied permission to perform in the Daughters of the American Revolution Hall because she was African-American. 

“I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed²²: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Years later, Martin Luther King Junior gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. 

“…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 at the table of brotherhood²³. I have a dream…”

His struggle for civil rights changed the lives of millions of Americans.

Not far away, Martin Luther King is remembered in a memorial whose centerpiece is a nine-meter white statue. It is the latest addition to Washington’s major monuments. It is the only one that honors a non-president. The sculpture is called the “Stone of Hope.” It shows Dr. King seeming to look out into a future that his life and work continue to help build.

There are many more things to see in Washington, D.C. –- in the spring, or at any time. We have visited just a few. But we have walked a long way now, and the time for our visit is over. 

Please come back!

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

3 overflow   

v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出

参考例句：

• The overflow from the bath ran on to the floor.浴缸里的水溢到了地板上。
• After a long period of rain,the river may overflow its banks.长时间的下雨天后，河水可能溢出岸来。

4 blossom   

n.花，开花；vi.开花，发展

参考例句：

• The blossom on the trees looks lovely in springtime.春天树上的花很漂亮。
• Let a hundred flowers blossom,let a hundred schools of thought contend.百花齐放，百家争鸣。

5 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。

6 booming   

adj.急速发展的v.激增( boom的现在分词 )；猛涨；发出隆隆声；以低沉有力的声音说话

参考例句：

• The opera singer has a deep, booming, masculine voice. 这位歌剧演唱家有一副深沉而又浑厚有力的嗓音。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He is booming as a teacher. 作为一位教师，他日趋成功。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

8 blossoms   

n.（尤指果树的）花( blossom的名词复数 )；花丛，花簇v.（植物）开花( blossom的第三人称单数 )；发展；长成；变得更加健康（或自信、成功）

参考例句：

• It was springtime and the slopes were ablaze with almond blossoms. 时当春季，怒放的扁桃花使那片山坡鲜红似火。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The spring comes and peach blossoms [flowers] are all open. 春天了，桃花都开了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

10 buds   

芽( bud的名词复数 )； 苞； 半开的花； 未长大的叶

参考例句：

• the first buds appearing in spring 春天的初芽
• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring. 柳枝绽青报春来。

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

13 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

14 leash   

n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住

参考例句：

• I reached for the leash,but the dog got in between.我伸手去拿系狗绳，但被狗挡住了路。
• The dog strains at the leash,eager to be off.狗拼命地扯拉皮带，想挣脱开去。

15 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

16 obelisk   

n.方尖塔

参考例句：

• The obelisk was built in memory of those who died for their country.这座方尖塔是为了纪念那些为祖国献身的人而建造的。
• Far away on the last spur,there was a glittering obelisk.远处，在最后一个山峦上闪烁着一个方尖塔。

17 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

18 toss   

n./v.突然抬起，摇摆，扔

参考例句：

• Let's toss to see who pays it.让我们来掷钱币决定谁付账吧。
• The matter made him toss in the bed.那件事使他在床上翻来覆去。

19 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

20 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

21 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

22 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。

23 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。