肯尼迪中心本周将举行31周年庆典

60 肯尼迪中心本周将举行31周年庆典

THIS IS AMERICA - September 10, 2001: Kennedy Center AnniversaryBy Jerilyn Watson

VOICE ONE:
This week, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., begins its thirty-first year of presenting cultural events. Millions of people have visited this large white building on the Potomac River. I'm Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Sarah Long. The Kennedy Center is our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts just (1)celebrated its thirtieth (2)anniversary. As many as forty-thousand people (3)attended the birthday party on Sunday. They enjoyed examples of programs the Kennedy Center will present in the future.
Visitors chose from many free programs at this Open House Arts Festival. For example, the National Symphony¹ Orchestra² played music by Ludwig van Beethoven. The Billy Taylor Trio played jazz. The Coulibaly (COOL-ah-bah-lee) Brothers told stories and played music of West Africa.
VOICE TWO:
More than two-million people attend plays, (4)concerts, musical (5)dramas and other shows each year at the Kennedy Center. Some are produced at the Kennedy Center for the first time.
The Center is a (6)memorial to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was America's thirty-fifth president. It also is the official national performing arts center.
VOICE ONE:
The Kennedy Center also serves as an educational (7)headquarters. It supports and teaches people about the performing arts in America. It creates programs for teachers and students of all ages. It supports (8)competitions and training programs for students. It pays young performing artists to create new works³. And it presents many programs for children.
About three-million people visit the Kennedy Center each year. Visitors can see a large (9)statue of the head of President Kennedy. In the Hall of States they can see the flags of all the states and (10)territories of the United States. In the (11)Hall of Nations they can see the flags of more than one-hundred-sixty countries. Visitors can see gifts that more than forty countries have given to the Kennedy Center. These include beautiful floor coverings, wall coverings and works of art.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
The (12)campaign to build a cultural center in Washington began before John Kennedy was elected president. In Nineteen-Fifty-Eight, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Cultural Center Act. He said the United States needed a place to show its artistic⁴ successes.
One of the earliest problems was finding⁵ a place for the building. Board members of the cultural center chose an area called Foggy (13)Bottom. It is low and sometimes wet. This caused some people to say the building would sink in the (14)mud.
VOICE ONE:
Another problem was money. Workers for the cultural center had to gain millions of dollars from gifts. The government would (15)supply the same amount as these gifts.
John F. Kennedy took office as president in Nineteen-Sixty-One. He campaigned for the national cultural center. His wife Jacqueline helped gain money for the center. So did Mamie Dowd Eisenhower, the wife of former President Eisenhower.
President Kennedy was killed in Nineteen-Sixty-Three. Congress⁶ soon (16)declared the cultural center a memorial to him. The National Park Service was to operate the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a national (17)monument.
VOICE TWO:
It was not easy to gain enough money for the Kennedy Center. Workers for the center had to have more than fifteen-million dollars by June Thirtieth, Nineteen-Sixty-Five. If this did not happen, they would not receive money from the United States government. They would not be able to build the center. Most of June passed, and the campaign still had not reached its (18)goal. Then on June Twenty-Ninth the people of Italy gave more than one-million dollars (19)worth of (20)marble to build the center. Other countries also gave money. These gifts rescued the project.
VOICE ONE:
Building finally began on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Nineteen-Sixty-Seven. Four years later, the completed Kennedy Center stood along the Potomac River. Architect Edward Durrell Stone had designed a simple and beautiful building. It cost about seventy-million dollars.
The Kennedy Center's opening night was September Eighth, Nineteen-Seventy-One. Guests heard a new musical work by a major American (21)composer. Leonard Bernstein wrote Massto honor⁷ President Kennedy. Here is Mister⁸ Bernstein (22)conducting Gloria Tibi from his Mass.?
((TAPE CUT ONE: FROM MASS BY LEONARD BERNSTEIN))
VOICE TWO:
Today, the Kennedy Center has several performing areas. The Concert Hall is the largest. The National Symphony Orchestra performs there. So do popular entertainers. The Washington Opera performs in the (23)Opera House. (24)Ballets and musical comedies are performed in the Opera House, too. Plays and some opera and dance productions take place in the Eisenhower Theater. Smaller theaters in the Kennedy Center present music groups, plays, children's performances and films.
Some of the world's finest artists have performed in the Kennedy Center over the years. These include great classical musicians like pianist Vladimir Horowitz and(25) violinist Isaac Stern⁹. They also include great jazz artists like Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock and Sarah Vaughan.
VOICE ONE:
The Kennedy Center will continue to present excellent performers this year and next year. They will include members of The New National Theatre of Japan. They will appear in the play Pacific (26)Overtures.Dancers from Russia, Cuba and Australia will present ballet. American composer Stephen Sondheim will be (27)honored with performances of six of his musical plays. They include A Little Night Music.?
VOICE ONE:
Arts expert Michael Kaiser recently became president of the Kennedy Center. He wants to make the center larger. Mister Kaiser has proposed¹⁰ adding two new buildings to the Kennedy Center. One building would contain a performing arts museum. The other building would provide space for the Washington Opera. A committee is studying the environmental effects of the proposed additions.
VOICE TWO:
The Kennedy Center recently opened a show for visitors about President Kennedy. Part of the exhibit¹¹ is called The Living Memorial. A picture collection introduces President Kennedy抯 life. Sound (28)devices in eight computers contain parts of the former president's most important (29)speeches. Films and his voice bring to life some of America's most historic¹² moments. For example, President Kennedy sounds hopeful as he gives his (30)swearing-in speech in January, Nineteen Sixty-One. The speech called on Americans to serve their country.
((TAPE CUT TWO: Excerpt¹³ from Kennedy inaugural¹⁴ speech))
And so, my (31)fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you ?ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.?
VOICE ONE:
Americans hope the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will continue serving the public for many more years. President Kennedy once said that America would not be remembered for (32)victories or (33)defeats in (34)battle or in politics. Instead, he said the nation would be remembered for its gifts to the human (35)spirit.
((THEME))
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Caty Weaver¹⁵. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I am Sarah Long.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

 

(1) celebrate[ 5selibreit ]v.庆祝, 祝贺, 表扬, 赞美, 举行
(2) anniversary[ 7Ani5vE:sEri ]n.周年纪念
(3) attend[ E5tend ]vt.出席, 参加, 照顾, 护理, 注意vi.专心, 留意
(4) concert[ 5kCnsEt ]n.音乐会, 一致
(5) drama[ 5drB:mE ]n.(在舞台上演的)戏剧, 戏剧艺术
(6) memorial[ mi5mC:riEl ]n.纪念物, 纪念馆, 纪念议事, 请愿书adj.记念的, 记忆的
(7) headquarter[ 7hed5kwC:tE ]v.以...作总部, 设总公司于...
(8) competition[ kCmpi5tiFEn ]n.竞争, 竞赛
(9) statue[ 5stAtju: ]vt.以雕像装饰n.雕像
(10) territory[ 5teritEri ]n.领土, 版图, 地域
(11) hall[ hC:l ]n.会堂, 礼堂, 大厅, 走廊, 门厅
(12) campaign[ kAm5pein ]n.[军]战役, (政治或商业性)活动, 竞选运动vi.参加活动, 从事活动, 作战
(13) bottom[5bRtEm]n.底, 底部, 尽头, 末端adj.底部的vt.装底, 查明真相, 测量深浅vi.到达底部, 建立基础
(14) mud[ mQd ]n.泥, 泥浆, 泥泞
(15) supply[ sE5plai ]n.补给, 供给, 供应品vt.补给, 供给, 提供, 补充, 代理vi.替代他人职务
(16) declare[ di5klZE ]vt.断言, 宣称, 宣布, 宣告, 声明, (向海关)中报进口应纳税之货物
(17) monument[ 5mCnjumEnt ]n.纪念碑
(18) goal[ ^Eul ]n.目的, 目标, 守门员, 球门, (球赛等的)得分
(19) worth[ wE:W ]prep.相当...价值n.价值, 财产adj.值钱的, 值的看中的
(20) marble[ 5mB:bl ]n.大理石, (玩具)弹球.石弹子, 雕刻品adj.大理石的, 冷酷无情的, 坚硬的
(21) composer[ kCm5pEuzE ]n.作家, 作曲家, 设计者, 著作者
(22) conduct[ 5kCndQkt, -dEkt ]n.行为, 操行v.引导, 管理, 为人, 传导
(23) opera[5RpErE]n.歌剧
(24) ballet[ 5bAlei, bA5lei ]n.芭蕾舞, 芭蕾舞剧, 芭蕾舞乐曲
(25) violinist[ 5vaiElinist ]n.小提琴演奏者, 小提琴家
(26) overture[ 5EuvEtjuE ]n.建议
(27) honor[ 5CnE ]n.尊敬, 敬意, 荣誉, 光荣vt.尊敬, 给以荣誉
(28) device[ di5vais ]n.装置, 设计, 图案, 策略, 发明物, 设备
(29) speech[ spi:tF ]n.演说, 讲话语音
(30) swear[ swZE ]vi.诅咒v.宣誓, 发誓
(31) fellow[5felEJ]n.人, 家伙, 伙伴, 学会特别会员, 朋友, 同事adj.同伴的, 同事的, 同道的
(32) victory[ 5viktEri ]n.胜利, 战胜, 克服, [罗神]胜利女神
(33) defeat[ di5fi:t ]n.击败, 战胜, 失败vt.击败, 战胜, 使失败, 挫折v.击败
(34) battle[ 5bAtl ]n.战役(指大规模会战), 战争vi.作战, 战斗, 搏斗, 斗争
(35) spirit[ 5spirit ]n.精神, 灵魂, 幽灵, 妖精, 勇气, 火力, 热情, 情绪vt.诱拐, 鼓励, 鼓舞

1 symphony   

n.交响乐（曲），（色彩等的）和谐

参考例句：

• The Ninth Symphony of Beethoven is a famous one.贝多芬的第九交响乐非常有名。
• They play over the whole symphony.他们把整个交响乐重新演奏了一遍。

2 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

4 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

5 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

6 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。

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 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

9 stern   

adj.严厉的，严格的，严峻的；n.船尾

参考例句：

• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。
• The headmaster ruled the school with a stern discipline.校长治校严谨。

10 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

11 exhibit   

vt.展览，展出，陈列；n.展览品；陈列品

参考例句：

• Next week those goods will exhibit in that shop. 下个星期，这些货物将在那家商店展出。
• The economy continued to exhibit signs of decline in September.9月份，经济继续呈现出衰退的迹象。

12 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。

13 excerpt   

n.摘录，选录，节录

参考例句：

• This is an excerpt from a novel.这是一部小说的摘录。
• Can you excerpt something from the newspaper? 你能从报纸上选录些东西吗？

14 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。

15 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。