Laura Bush and Other First Ladies

By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: September 29, 2003
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The wife of the United States president has no duties or powers under the law, but has an important place in America. I'm Faith Lapidus.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Steve Ember. We tell about First Lady Laura Bush and other wives of presidents, this week on the VOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio, recently opened an education and research center. Laura Bush spoke¹ at the event. Missus Bush, the wife of the forty-third president, talked about other first ladies in history. She remembered how Bess Truman, the wife of the thirty-third president, had described the duty of a first lady.
Harry² Truman served in office from nineteen-forty-five until nineteen-fifty-three. His wife said the job of the first lady is to sit quietly in public next to her husband and make sure her hat is on straight.
Missus Bush said some people agree with this. But, she added, the fact is first ladies have made and changed history.
VOICE TWO:
In two-thousand-one, for example, Laura Bush became the only first lady to give a full presidential radio message. She spoke in place of her husband in his weekly talk. She described the poor conditions for women and children in Afghanistan under Taleban rule.
Laura Bush is a former teacher and librarian. She and her husband moved into the White House in January of two-thousand-one. Since then she has spent a lot of time on educational issues.
Missus Bush has launched³ a national campaign called Ready to Read, Ready to Learn. It places great importance on reading to children to prepare them for school.
VOICE ONE:
Laura Bush has also started the National Book Festival in Washington. The first one took place on September eighth, two-thousand-one. About thirty-thousand people came to enjoy storytelling, readings, musical performances and book-signings. The Library of Congress⁴ gathered writers and artists from across the United States.
The third National Book Festival will be held this year on October fourth.
This interest in reading follows a tradition set by another first lady, Barbara Bush -- the mother of the current president.
Barbara Bush is the wife of George Herbert Walker Bush, America's forty-first president. They lived in the White House from nineteen-eighty-nine until nineteen-ninety-three. She continues to serve as honorary chairman of the Barbara Bush Foundation⁵ for Family Literacy⁶. That group has awarded millions of dollars to programs across the country.
VOICE TWO:
Laura Bush was born Laura Welch in Midland, Texas, in nineteen-forty-six. She developed an interest in reading as a young child. She completed her studies in education at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in nineteen-sixty-eight. Then she taught school until nineteen-seventy-two. The next year she earned a master's degree in library science at the University of Texas at Austin.
She met George Walker Bush in Austin in nineteen-seventy-seven. They married in Midland a few months later. In nineteen-eighty-one they had twin daughters. Jenna and Barbara are now college students.
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VOICE ONE:
Historically, many first ladies limited their activities. They organized dinners for important guests. Or they welcomed groups to the White House.
But other first ladies have been activists⁸. Hillary Rodham Clinton is now a United States senator⁹ from New York. No other first lady has ever been elected to office.
She campaigned for the Senate¹⁰ during her last days in the White House. Her husband, Bill Clinton, was America's forty-second president. He served two terms, from nineteen-ninety-three until two-thousand-one.
Hillary Clinton led the efforts in her husband's administration¹¹ to 1)enact¹² a health care reform plan. That plan died in Congress. As first lady she was also active in children's issues. And she supported her husband during his 2)impeachment¹³ trial in nineteen-ninety-nine. The Senate cleared him of charges that he lied about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, a young White House worker.
Hillary Clinton and her husband also both faced 3)accusations¹⁵ of dishonesty in their past financial dealings. She was called to give evidence while first lady. The accusations never resulted in charges.
Hillary Clinton has many critics. But she also has many supporters. Many people believe she will run for president herself someday.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Eleanor Roosevelt was another activist⁷. She was married to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was elected president four times, and served until his death in nineteen-forty-five. (The Constitution now says presidents can serve only two terms.) Franklin Roosevelt guided the nation through the great economic depression and most of World War Two.
Much of the public also liked Eleanor Roosevelt. She did humanitarian¹⁶ work. She worked to improve human rights for women and minorities. She spoke throughout the country about major issues.
But she, too, was often criticized¹⁷. Some people did not think a first lady should influence public policy.
VOICE ONE:
Sometimes President Roosevelt joked about his wife's influence. In nineteen-thirty-three, he named a woman to the Cabinet¹⁸ for the first time ever. Union leaders opposed the appointment of Frances Perkins as labor¹⁹ secretary. But Missus Roosevelt supported her.
Later Missus Roosevelt said she was sorry for the problems her husband had with the union officials. But Franklin said he would rather have an hour of trouble with union officials than trouble with Eleanor for the rest of his life.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Early in American history, Abigail Smith Adams was first lady. Her husband, John Adams, was the second president of the United States. This was in the late seventeen-hundreds. Missus Adams expressed strong opinions. Critics had a name for her. They called her "Missus President."
But one first lady did more than influence her husband's decisions. For months, Edith Wilson made the decisions. Her husband was Woodrow Wilson, America's twenty-eighth president. He suffered a stroke²⁰ in nineteen-nineteen.
Edith Wilson performed many presidential duties while her husband was sick. So, for a time, Missus Wilson was America's unofficial president.
VOICE ONE:
Social duties are a part of life for any first lady. Dolley Payne Madison was famous for her parties even before she became first lady.
She was the wife of James Madison, America's fourth president. He had been secretary of state to President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson's wife died, so Dolley Madison helped him entertain visitors.
Dolley Madison probably is best known for what she did when the British invaded²¹ Washington. That happened during the War of Eighteen-Twelve. When the British burned the White House, Dolley Madison fled with important government documents. She also removed a painting of America's first president, George Washington.
Martha Washington had not enjoyed being first lady as much as Dolley Madison did. Martha Washington once said, "I am more like a state prisoner than anything else. There are limits set for me which I must not move past. And, as I cannot do as I like, I resist and stay home a great deal."
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
One modern first lady said she wanted to live a private life. Instead Jacqueline Bouvier (boo-vee-AY) Kennedy became one of the most famous first ladies ever.
She was married to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. They moved into the White House in nineteen-sixty-one.
Jackie Kennedy was young and beautiful. Her picture was always in the press. During a state visit to France, she became very popular with the French people.
This caused the president to describe himself as the man who came with Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.
VOICE ONE:
Each time the wife of a new president enters the White House, she 4)redefines the job of first lady. Someday there may be a complete redefinition. If so, Americans will have to decide what to call the person married to the president. "First gentleman" perhaps?
(MUSIC)
Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Caty Weaver²². I'm Faith Lapidus.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more about life in the United States, on the VOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.
注释：
1) enact [i5nAkt] v.颁布
2) impeachment [im5pi:tFmEnt] n.弹劾
3) accusation¹⁴ [Akju(:)5zeiFEn] n.谴责
4) redefine [5ri:di5fain] v.重新定义

1 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。

2 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。

3 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

4 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

5 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

6 literacy   

n.识字，有文化，读写能力

参考例句：

• I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
• The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。

7 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。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 senator   

n.参议员，评议员

参考例句：

• The senator urged against the adoption of the measure.那参议员极力反对采取这项措施。
• The senator's speech hit at government spending.参议员的讲话批评了政府的开支。

10 senate   

n.参议院，上院

参考例句：

• They feel deeply the honour of belonging to the Senate.他们为作为参议院的成员而深感荣幸。
• His unsuccessful senate run was his last hurrah.这次失败的参议员竞选是他最后的尝试。

11 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

12 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

13 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

14 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

15 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

16 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

17 criticized   

vt.批评(criticize的过去式)v.评论，批评( criticize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The decision was criticized by environmental groups. 这个决定受到了环保团体的批评。
• The movie has been criticized for apparently legitimizing violence. 这部电影因明显地美化暴力而受到了指责。

18 cabinet   

n.内阁，内阁会议；(带玻璃门存物品的)橱柜

参考例句：

• I keep my collection of old china in the cabinet.我把古瓷器收藏品存放在橱子里。
• He had held many important offices in the French cabinet.他在法国内阁中任过许多重要职务。

19 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

20 stroke   

n.笔画，击打，连续的动作，中风，心跳；vt.奉承，轻抚； vi.击打，心跳...

参考例句：

• He drove in a nail with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把钉子敲进去了。
• He broke the lock with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把锁砸坏了。

21 invaded   

v.侵入，侵略( invade的过去式和过去分词 )；涌入；侵袭；侵犯

参考例句：

• Troops invaded on August 9th that year. 军队是在那年的8月9日入侵的。
• The diseased tissue can be easily invaded by these microorganisms. 有病的组织容易被微生物侵袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 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。