VOA标准英语2009年-Inauguration Festivities Begin in Washington

It is a four-day weekend in the U.S. capital city of Washington, with a holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday and Inauguration¹ Day on Tuesday. The significance of the back-to-back holidays honoring the slain² civil rights leader and the swearing-in of the first African-American president is not lost on President-elect Barack Obama. With a solemn tribute to the nation's war dead, and a musical celebration of America's past and future, Barack Obama prepared to take the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States.

Two days before his inauguration, the president-elect made a pilgrimage to a spot many Americans consider holy ground.
　
President-elect Barack Obama and Vice³ President-elect Joe Biden during the playing of Taps as they lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery⁴, 18 Jan 2009

At Arlington National Military Cemetery, Barack Obama placed his hand over his heart, in silent tribute to America's war dead.

It was a quiet prelude⁵ to four days of celebrations in the Nation's Capital - a welcoming concert at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, the swearing in on Tuesday, and a prayer service Wednesday morning.

Mr. Obama will take the oath of office as the nation's first African-American president in front of a Capitol built centuries ago by slaves. In an interview on CNN's State of the Union program, he reflected on the significance of the moment.

"If you think about the journey that this country has made, then it cannot help but stir your heart," he said.

He will be sworn in with his hand on a bible used by Abraham Lincoln - the president who ended slavery in the United States. Last Saturday, shortly after he brought his two daughters, Sasha and Malia, to Washington, Mr. Obama took them to the Lincoln Memorial and showed them words from President Lincoln's second inaugural⁶ address etched on the stone walls.

"Sasha looks up and she says: 'Boy, that is a long speech, do you have to give one of those?' I said: 'Actually, that one is pretty short, mine may even be a little longer.' At which point then Malia turns to me and says: 'First, African-American president, [it had] better be good," said Mr. Obama.

Incoming White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says Mr. Obama wrote the bulk of the speech last weekend. During an appearance on the Fox News Sunday television program, Gibbs gave a preview.

"I think the themes that you will hear on Tuesday around noon will be very familiar to people that have watched the campaign. But they will be heavily infused with this notion of responsibility, and getting our country back on track," said Mr. Gibbs.

Mr. Obama will inherit a nation at war and in the midst of an economic crisis. Top aides stress one of his first acts as president will be to sit down with military leaders to discuss Iraq and Afghanistan. They also note work on his economic recovery package began weeks before Inauguration Day.

Obama senior advisor⁷ David Axelrod told ABC's This Week that getting the massive plan through Congress is a priority.

"We believe this is a well conceived approach to the problem we face. It is extraordinary and painful to have to do in terms of our debt. But it is something we have to do," said Axelrod.

Public opinion polls show high levels of support for the incoming president and dramatic action to get the economy back on track.

Enthusiasm for Mr.Obama is translating into large crowds for inaugural events - perhaps as many as two million people for the swearing-in ceremony.

Security is already high in the central part of Washington, D.C. where the festivities are taking place. By Tuesday, major streets and bridges leading to the area will be closed to all but official vehicles. Among them: a new presidential limousine⁸ already seen ferrying the Obama family around town, with the license⁹ plate number "44."

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 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。

5 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

6 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。

7 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

8 limousine   

n.豪华轿车

参考例句：

• A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。
• We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。

9 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。