奥巴马准备最后一次在白宫过圣诞节

Obamas Prepare for Their Final White House Christmas 奥巴马准备最后一次在白宫过圣诞节

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President Barack Obama and his family will celebrate their eighth and final Christmas in the White House next month.

On Tuesday, White House staff and first lady Michelle Obama revealed² this year’s holiday decorations.

They include nearly 70,000 ornaments⁴, 63 Christmas trees, 56 gingerbread houses, and two very large statues of the Obama family’s dogs, Sunny and Bo.

An estimated⁶ 68,000 people will visit the White House during the holiday season. There is no cost to enter.

But, the very first people to see this year’s decorations were military members and their families. Michelle Obama welcomed them to the White House Tuesday.

The first lady said the gold ornaments on the official White House Christmas tree honor⁷ military heroes. The Christmas tree is almost six meters tall and stands in the Blue Room.

This year’s theme is “The Gift of the Holidays.” Many of the decorations represent important gifts in America, including the “gift of a great education,” Michelle Obama said.

In the White House Library, another Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments that honor girls. The word “Girls” is printed in a different language on each ornament³.

A program called Let Girls Learn has been a major effort of Michelle Obama’s. It aims to help girls and young women around the world get a quality education.

Another “gift” is the gift of good health. A tree in the White House Green Room is hung with fruit grown in the White House Garden. Healthful eating and exercise have also been important issues during Obama’s eight years as first lady.

Most of the ornaments and other decorations were reused, the White House said. Just 10 percent were new.

More than 90 volunteers worked on the decorations. On Tuesday, the first lady thanked the volunteer decorators.

“We can’t wait to start welcoming people into their White House this holiday season. To everyone who created these stunning⁸ displays…. I want to once again say thank you. You all did a phenomenal job of turning this house into a magical place.”

Words in This Story

staff - n. a group of people who work for an organization or business?

reveal¹ - v. to show (something) plainly or clearly?

decorations - n. ?things that are added to something else to make it more attractive

ornaments - n. ?small balls, figures, etc., that are hung on a Christmas tree for decoration?

gingerbread - n. ?a cake or cookie made with molasses and ginger⁵?

theme - n. ? the main subject that is being discussed or described in a piece of writing, a movie, etc.?

stunning - adj. very beautiful or pleasing?

phenomenal ?- adj. ?very good or great?

1 reveal   

vt.揭露，泄露；展现，显示

参考例句：

• The journalist did not want to reveal the identity of his informant.那个新闻工作者不想透露消息提供人的身份。
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes.它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。

2 revealed   

v.显示( reveal的过去式和过去分词 )；揭示；泄露；[神学]启示

参考例句：

• They revealed to me that the experiment had failed. 他们向我透露试验失败了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His insincerity is revealed by the quick goggle of his eyes. 他眼睛的快速转动泄露了他的不诚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

4 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

6 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

7 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

8 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。