美国的婚礼

49 美国的婚礼

DATE=6/11/ 01
TITLE=THIS IS AMERICA #1068 - Weddings

VOICE ONE:
More than two-million (1)marriages are performed each year in the United¹ States.  June is one of the most popular months for these wedding ceremonies.  I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Shirley Griffith.  We tell about weddings on our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((CUT ONE:  INSTEAD OF THEME, "TRUMPET² VOLUNTARY"))
VOICE ONE:
More than four-million Americans get married each year.  Some of these people will have a (2)traditional wedding (3) ceremony in a (4)religious center, a hotel or a social club.  These couples may invite hundreds of people to their (5)celebrations.  
Other couples will have a simple ceremony performed by a judge in a public building. They will invite only close family members and friends.   They may not have the money to spend on a big wedding.  Or they may want to save money for a wedding trip to a faraway place or to help them buy a house.
Americans get married in different ways.  But the meaning of all these weddings is the same.  The bride and groom⁴ promise to spend the rest of their lives together. 
VOICE TWO:
Big weddings have created a huge business in the United States.   A big wedding (6)requires special clothing, flowers, food preparation, photographs and music. Experts say the average American wedding costs about twenty-thousand dollars.  Some (7)estimates say Americans spend as much as seventy-thousand-million dollars a year for everything connected with weddings.
Traditionally⁶, the bride's parents plan and pay for the wedding.  Sometimes the (8) groom 's parents share this (9)responsibility.  Today many Americans are older when they get married.  So they often organize and pay for their own weddings.
VOICE ONE:
For example, a businessman and a nurse in (10)Boston, (11)Massachusetts will marry later this month.  They will have a traditional American church wedding.  The bride will wear a long white dress and a white head covering called a (12) veil⁷.  She also will wear four other traditional things: Something old.  Something new.  Something borrowed.  And something blue.  These four things are supposed to bring her good luck.  
During the ceremony she and her groom will accept each other as husband and wife.  They will promise to love and honor⁸ each other always.  The groom will place a gold wedding ring on the third finger of the bride's left hand. The bride will place a gold wedding ring on the third finger of the groom’s left hand. The (13) clergy⁹ member performing the ceremony will (14)declare that they are husband and wife.  Then the bride and groom will kiss.  
VOICE TWO:  
In the past few months the couple agreed about all the plans for their wedding except the music.  The groom wanted a friend to play a (15)string (16)instrument called a (17) banjo during the ceremony.  The bride wanted a friend to play a string instrument called a harp¹¹.   Now they have (18) compromised¹².   They agreed that another friend will sing one of the most popular songs heard at American weddings. Celine Dion sings this song, "My Heart Will Go On."
((CUT TWO: MY HEART WILL GO ON))
VOICE ONE:
Couples planning their weddings can get wedding advice from married friends. They can study magazines published especially for people getting married.  They can pay a professional¹³ wedding planner to help organize the ceremony and party.  And they can also use the Internet computer system to plan their wedding. 
"Modern Bride" magazine says more than one-million couples buy wedding products and services on the Internet. The bride and groom can (19)communicate with family members and friends who will take part in the celebration³.  
They can look at pictures of clothes they may wear during the ceremony.  They can choose flowers.  They can decide where to hold the wedding party, and what food and drink will be served.  They can study where to take a wedding trip.  They can buy tickets for (20) transportation¹⁴ and hotels.
VOICE TWO:
Some couples also (21)establish their own Web¹⁵ sites.   This way, they can provide needed information to people invited to the wedding from distant places. For example, two-hundred people were invited to a recent wedding in Chicago, Illinois.  The couple had the ceremony in a church near the bride's home.   But more than half of those who attended lived far from Chicago.
The wedding couple's Web site advised these guests about places to stay and things to do in the city.  It provided¹⁶ maps showing how to reach the church and the club where the wedding dinner would be served. The bride said she saved time and money by not having to mail this information to the guests.
VOICE ONE:
Wedding guests traditionally give a gift to the bride and groom.  Computer (22)technology also is making it easier for guests to find the perfect gift.   Sometimes guests can do this without leaving home. 
For example, a couple can go to a store and choose gifts they would like to receive.  These include things for their home like dishes and cooking (23)equipment.  The store can print a list of all these things.  This list also can be found on the Internet.  Guests can buy a gift at the store or on the Internet. 
VOICE TWO:
Sometimes the bride and groom give gifts to their guests. These gifts may be baskets filled with candy and small bottles of wine.  Or the baskets may (24)contain objects that will help guests remember the wedding celebration.   For example, a bride from South Carolina loves to play tennis.  Her gift baskets included tennis balls printed with the couple's names and the date of their wedding.
Another bride and groom were married in a hotel garden.  The ceremony took place on a hot spring day.  Guests received gifts of hats to protect them from the sun.  
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
Experts say about half of American weddings this year will not be costly¹⁷ or require months of planning.  Melinda Reed¹⁰ is a (25)clergywoman at a (26) Protestant church in Bethesda, Maryland.  (27) Reverend Reed says many couples today choose simple, nontraditional weddings.  This is especially true of older people who have been married before.
She recently performed a nontraditional wedding for an older couple. Their wedding ceremony was held in the garden of a private home.  The couple had a total of ten children from their earlier marriages.  Their many grandchildren¹⁸ all took part in their ceremony.  
Reverend Reed also performed a nontraditional wedding ceremony for a bride and groom who were more than eighty years old.   They were married quietly in an office in the church.  But later, the couple danced at a big party for family and friends.  
VOICE TWO:
Couples can have simple wedding ceremonies almost anywhere.  Some people have their weddings on a beautiful beach or in a wooded area.  Others marry in the home of a friend.  Friends and family members help prepare the wedding meal.  A couple in Washington¹⁹, D-C was married almost thirty years ago in a public park.   Now their twenty-seven-year-old son is planning to marry this year. He says he and his bride will be married in the same park.  
VOICE ONE:
Earlier this month, Reverend Reed performed a wedding at a famous (28) monument²⁰ in Washington. The couple had received permission to marry at the Jefferson Memorial²¹. This (29) circular²² white memorial contains a (30) statue of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States.
Visitors to the memorial gathered nearby to watch and listen.  The statue of President Jefferson watched over the wedding couple as they promised to live together for the rest of their lives.  
((WEDDING MARCH FROM A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM INSTEAD  OF THEME))
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson.  It was produced by George Grow.  Our studio²³ engineer was Keith Holmes.  I'm Shirley Griffith.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Steve Ember.  Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

(1)      marriage [ 5mAridV ]n.婚姻, 婚姻生活
(2)      traditional [trE5dIFEn(E)l]adj.传统的
(3)       ceremony [`serimEni] n.典礼, 仪式, 礼节, 报幕员
(4) religious [ ri5lidVEs ]adj.宗教的
(5) celebration [ 7seli5breiFEn ]n.庆祝, 庆典
(6)      require [ ri5kwaiE ]vt.需要, 要求, 命令
(7)      estimate<sup>5</sup> [ 5estimeit ] n.估价
(8) groom [^rUm] n. 新郎
(9) responsibility [ ris7pCnsE5biliti ]n.责任, 职责
(10) Boston [ 5bCstEn ]n.波士顿(美国马萨诸塞州首府)
(11) Massachusetts [ 7mAsE5tFu:sits ]n.麻萨诸塞州
(12) veil [veil] n.面纱
(13) clergy [`klE:dVi] n.(集合称)圣职者, 牧师, 僧侣, 神职人员
(14) declare [ di5klZE ]vt.宣称, 宣布
(15) string [ striN ]n.琴弦
(16) instrument [ 5instrumEnt ]n.乐器
(17) banjo [ `bAndV[u] n.班卓琴, 五弦琴
(18) compromise [ `kRmpr[maiz] n.妥协, 折衷 v.妥协, 折衷, 危及...的安全
(19) communicate [ kE5mju:nikeit ]v.联系
(20) transportation [9trAnspC:`teiF[n] n.运输, 运送
(21) establish [ is5tAbliF ]vt.建立v.建立
(22) technology [ tek5nClEdVi ]n. 技术
(23) equipment [ i5kwipmEnt ]n.设备, 器材
(24) contain [ kEn5tein ]vt.包含
(25) clergywoman [ 5klE:dVi7wumEn ]n.女牧师
(26) Protestant [ `prRtistEnt] n.新教, 新教徒 adj.新教的, 新教徒的
(27) reverend [ `rev[rEnd] adj.（对牧师的尊称，前面与the连用）尊敬的
(28) monument [ `mRnjUmEnt] n.纪念碑
(29) circular [ `sE:kjUlE] adj.圆形的, 循环的
(30) statue [ `stAtjU:] vt.以雕像装饰 n.雕像

 

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

3 celebration   

n.庆祝，庆祝会；典礼

参考例句：

• The celebration passed off successfully.庆祝活动圆满结束。
• The celebration of Christmas is a custom.庆祝圣诞节是一种习俗。

4 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。

5 estimate   

n.估计，估量；评价，看法；vt.估计，估量

参考例句：

• We estimate the cost to be five thousand dollars.我们估计费用为5000美元。
• The lowest estimate would put the worth of the jewel at ＄200.按最低的评估这块宝石也值200美元。

6 traditionally   

adv.传说地；传统地

参考例句：

• Traditionally,people clean the house before the Spring Festival.传统上，人们在春节前打扫房子。
• Medicine is traditionally the first of the Nobel prizes awarded each year.根据传统，医学奖是诺贝尔奖每年颁发的第一个奖项。

7 veil   

n.面纱，掩饰物，修女；vt.给...戴面纱或面罩；vi.带面纱或面罩

参考例句：

• Please veil your face.请用面纱遮住脸。
• There was a veil of mist over the mountains.山上覆盖着一层薄雾。

8 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。

9 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

10 reed   

n.芦苇，芦丛，簧舌，簧片

参考例句：

• The river banks were overgrown with reed.河岸长满了芦苇。
• They inhabit reed huts built on stilts above the water.他们住在建于水中木桩之上的芦苇草屋里。

11 harp   

n.竖琴；天琴座

参考例句：

• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
• He played an Irish melody on the harp.他用竖琴演奏了一首爱尔兰曲调。

12 compromised   

[医]妥协，让步的，缺乏抵抗力的，缺乏免疫力的，妥协的

参考例句：

• They compromised by going to the cinema. 他们采取折中的办法去看电影。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has compromised with its critics over monetary policies. 政府已经就货币政策向批评人士作出让步。 来自辞典例句

13 professional   

adj.专业的；职业的；n.专业人员；职业运动员

参考例句：

• He is a professional tennis player.他是一名职业网球运动员。
• I need a professional to sort out my finances.我需要专业人士为我管理财务。

14 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

15 web   

n.网，蛛丝，蹼，织物，圈套，卷筒纸；vi.生蹼，形成网；vt.织蜘蛛网于，使落入圈套

参考例句：

• The spider weaves a web.蜘蛛织网。
• You mean the World Wide Web?你是说国际互联网？

16 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

17 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

18 grandchildren   

n.孙子；孙（女），外孙（女）( grandchild的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He left a bequest to each of his grandchildren. 他给他的孙辈每人留下一笔遗产。
• His grandchildren afforded him his greatest pleasure in his old age. 他的孙子和孙女们在晚年的时候给了他最大的欢乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。

20 monument   

n.纪念碑；遗址，遗迹；有永久价值的作品，不朽的功业

参考例句：

• A monument was set up as a memorial to the dead soldiers.为阵亡将士立了一个纪念碑。
• The monument bears the mark of age.纪念碑上有年深日久的痕迹。

21 memorial   

adj.记忆的；纪念的；n.纪念碑，纪念堂

参考例句：

• We visited the Lincoln Memorial.我们参观了林肯纪念堂。
• He wrote a memorial of the late author.他写了一篇纪念这位已故作家的文章。

22 circular   

adj.圆(形)的，环形的；循环的；n.传单，通报

参考例句：

• The bright boy altered it to a circular form.这个聪明的男孩把它改成了圆形。
• The lamp stands on a circular base.这盏台灯是装在圆形底座上的。

23 studio   

n.摄影棚（场）；演播室；画室；工作室

参考例句：

• They are building a modern studio.他们正在修建一座现代化的摄影室。
• He had to spend long hours in the recording studio.他不得不花很长的时间在录音室里。