VOA标准英语2008年-Americans Honor Their War Dead

By Paula Wolfson
White House
25 May 2008

Americans are marking the Memorial Day holiday weekend - a time set aside to honor the nation's war dead. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports, in Washington, this is also a time for the roar of motorcycle engines - as one group of veterans remembers not just the dead, but the missing.

They call it rolling thunder - the din¹ created when thousands of high-powered motorcycles fill the streets of Washington for an annual act of remembrance.

The drivers are military veterans - many from the Vietnam War era - accompanied by family and friends.

They converge² on Washington every year on Memorial Day weekend to honor their fallen colleagues and to call attention to those still listed as missing in action.

Leaders of the Rolling Thunder event began this year's observance at the White House, where they got an official send-off from President Bush.

"You've done a lot for the country," said President Bush. "The troops appreciate you. The veterans appreciate you. And your president appreciates you."

Mr. Bush will make a formal Memorial Day address Monday at Arlington National Cemetery³, just across the Potomac River from Washington.

Smaller scale events are expected in cities and towns across the country on Memorial Day - a holiday that is also seen by many as the start of the summer season in the United States.

America's military leaders say they hope the real meaning of Memorial Day will not be lost this year. Major General Mark Hertling, the commander of multi-national forces in northern Iraq, says at a time when political and economic matters dominate⁴ the headlines, Americans run the risk of forgetting the men and women now serving far from home.

"I hope everybody just takes a few minutes on this Memorial Day to just thank a soldier - or more importantly, thank a family member of a soldier, because they are sacrificing just as much," said General Hertling.

Hertling appeared on CNN's Late Edition program.

1 din   

n.喧闹声，嘈杂声

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。

2 converge   

vi.会合；聚集，集中；(思想、观点等)趋近

参考例句：

• The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。
• Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。

3 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

4 dominate   

v.支配，统治，高出，俯视，在...中占首地位

参考例句：

• They had the ambition to dominate this small country.他们有控制这个小国的野心。
• The strong usually dominate over the weak.强者常常支配弱者。