voa标准英语2008-Bush, Obama Remember Troops at Christmas

Both U.S. President George Bush and President-elect Barack Obama are spending a quiet Christmas out of the media spotlight¹ with family and friends. They are urging Americans to remember U.S. troops abroad as they celebrate this holiday season.
　

President George W. Bush makes his annual Christmas Eve telephone call to US Armed Forces from his presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, 24 Dec 2008

President Bush is at Camp David - the U.S. presidential retreat in the mountains of western Maryland. President-elect Obama is in Hawaii, where he was born and raised.

They are one in spirit on this Christmas - uniting in calling on all Americans to remember and honor U.S. troops who are far from home for the holidays.

Mr. Bush called nine members of the armed forces on Christmas Eve to thank them for their service. All are deployed² abroad, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan

In his weekly radio address - released early to coincide with the holiday - Mr. Bush reflected on their love of country.

"Every one of them has sacrificed to serve our nation. And with their sacrifices, they preserve the peace and freedom that we celebrate during the season," he said.
　

President-elect Barack Obama (file)

President-elect Obama echoed those thoughts in the official Democratic Party response.

"Our troops and military families have won the respect and gratitude³ of their broader American family," he said. "Michelle and I have them in our prayers this Christmas, and we must all continue to offer them are full support in the weeks and months to come."

But Mr. Obama went on to stress these are also tough times for Americans hit hard by the nation's economic ills. He said there are many who need a job, struggle to pay bills, and worry that they could lose their homes.

"That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship⁴. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americas - that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper," he added.

The Obama family is expected to remain in Hawaii to ring in 2009 on January 1. President Bush will travel from Camp David to his Texas ranch⁵ on Friday and will remain there until New Year's Day.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

4 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

5 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。