VOA慢速英语2017--特朗普主持白宫复活节彩蛋活动

 

President Donald Trump¹ returned to Washington, DC on Monday for a very important event.

It was not for a meeting with an international leader.

And it was not for a joint² session of Congress.

No, on this day, Trump greeted thousands of children. They had come to the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll.

The event has been a U.S. tradition for more than a century. In the late 1800s, local children gathered on the hill beside the president’s house to play a game with their colored eggs following the Easter holiday.

The White House Easter Egg Roll was of special interest this year. The Trump administration was very late to organize it. Some people who hoped to attend the event were even worried that it would be canceled.

Political observers said the Easter Egg Roll would show how well Trump’s administration could plan and operate a complex public relations event.

Talk about the event also brought attention to the first lady, whose office usually plans the White House Easter Egg Roll. First Lady Melania Trump has not yet moved to Washington, DC. She says she will remain in New York City until her son finishes the school year.

So, how did the White House Easter Egg Roll go this year?

Just fine, early reports say.

About 21,000 children and their families received tickets to this year’s event. They came in small groups to the lawn near the president’s house. They played soccer, tossed³ bean bags and, of course, pushed hard-boiled eggs down the hill.

The event was smaller than in previous years. Last year, for example, about 36,000 people attended.

This year’s Easter Egg Roll also did not include performances by top celebrities⁴ or professional athletes. Instead, children were invited to draw pictures for U.S. soldiers.

The Easter Bunny made an appearance, though, as did both Trump and the first lady. They were there with their 11-year-old son, Barron. The president welcomed his young guests and promised them that the nation was getting stronger, bigger, and better.

Words in This Story

joint – adj. combining two or more people or groups

century – n. one hundred years

bean bag – n. a small cloth bag that is filled with dried beans or small pieces of another material and used as a toy to toss

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 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。

3 tossed   

v.（轻轻或漫不经心地）扔( toss的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）摇荡；摇匀；（为…）掷硬币决定

参考例句：

• I tossed the book aside and got up. 我把书丢在一边，站了起来。
• He angrily tossed his tools and would work no longer. 他怒气冲冲地扔下工具不肯再干了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目