VOA标准英语2009-Allies Set to Celebrate D-Day Anniversary

When President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy jointly¹ commemorate² the 65th anniversary of the allied³ landing in Normandy, France on June 6 they will turning the page on another war that bitterly divided the two countries - in Iraq.
　
American soldiers pour out of plywood, shallow-draft "Higgins Boat" landing craft onto the beach in France, and into the teeth of German machine-gun fire, on "D-Day, June 6, 1944"

The last major D-Day celebration five years ago marked one of the lowest points in U.S.-French relations in years. But much has changed between the United States and France - including their leaders. Here is our report from the Normandy town of Sainte Mere⁴ Eglise.

Sainte Mere Eglise residents remember American parachute landings

This tiny town is gearing up for D-Day celebrations that will be taking place across France's bucolic⁵ Normandy region. But memories of the allied landing 65 years ago are on display here year round - on the church steeple for example, where the figure of an American parachutist still hangs. Those memories are also still fresh for residents like Andree Auvray, who was 18 years old when American troops parachuted into Sainte Mere Eglise.
　
Andree Auvray

Auvray said it was an incredible experience. She and other Sainte Mere residents cared for wounded soldiers. French and Americans lived together in fear the Nazis⁷ would return. They did, but the Americans recaptured Sainte Mere Eglise.

D-Day carries a special resonance⁸ in Normandy - even for the younger generation, like 35-year-old Stephan Cachard. This year's commemoration is particularly special, not only because it marks the 65th anniversary, but because President Barack Obama will be in Normandy June 6 to commemorate it.
　
Stephan Cachard

Cachard says Mr. Obama offers the face of America that Europeans like - that of initiative, of courage, of hope for a better world.

President Obama'd visit opens new chapter in French-American relations

This is not Barack Obama's first trip to France as president. In April, he attended a NATO summit in the eastern city of Strasbourg. And he met French President Nicolas Sarkozy last July as a candidate for the White House.

But Mr. Obama's visit to the Normandy beaches not only commemorates⁹ Europe's liberation from Nazi⁶ Germany but it also opens a new chapter in a long and sometimes rocky relationship.
　
President Bush in Normandy (2004 photo)

In 2004, former U.S. president George Bush stood side-by-side with then-French president Jacques Chirac in Normandy to mark D-Day's 60th anniversary. It came as US-French relations were at a low point. The year before Washington had led another invasion - into Iraq, to topple long-time dictator Saddam Hussein.

French opposition¹⁰ to Iraq war angered many Americans

And France led international opposition to the Iraq war, which angered many Americans. France and other Europeans were also staunchly against the US detention¹¹ camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and the Bush administration's stance on global warming.

For a while, the classic French fry got a new name in the United States - "freedom fries." Americans boycotted¹² brie cheese and Bordeaux wine.
　
Jacques Mistral

Analyst¹³ Jacques Mistral says ties between the two countries plunged¹⁴ to lows not seen in years. Mistral, who is an expert in US-French relations at the French Institute of International Affairs in Paris said relations between the two governments soon improved. But public perception was another matter.

"There has always been a big difference in French minds and more generally in the European public opinion between the appreciation¹⁵ of the president and his policy, and the feeling of people toward America," said Jacques Mistral. "The former president Bush has never been appreciated on this side of the Atlantic for many reasons."

But the times - and the leaders - have changed. France's Sarkozy, who took office in 2007, is a self-proclaimed Americanophile. And Mr. Obama, who took office in January, has vowed¹⁶ to pull U.S. troops from Iraq - and to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center by next January. Jacques Mistral.

"Naturally, the election of Barack Obama is a major change in terms of perception and of political relationship," he said. "The candidate Barack Obama was extremely popular in Europe and in every European country, Barack Obama exemplifies a renaissance¹⁷ of America - [the] America that everyone loves that is completely in line with its best ideals."

Paris and Washington still have major policy differences - on ways to fight the financial crisis, for example, or whether to send more European troops to Afghanistan. But, Mistral says, perception counts for a lot.
　
Francine Duchemin

In Sainte Mere Eglise, Francine Duchemin is looking forward to Mr. Obama's visit to Normandy.

"Everyone is very happy to see Mr. Obama and we can feel the relationship between the French government and the United States [is] much better than it was during the 60th anniversary," said Francine Duchemin. "But my feeling is that was just politics. People really love and venerate¹⁸ the Americans."

So as Americans and French mark D-Day, they will also be celebrating a relationship that has weathered a few bad patches - and, many hope, is stronger as a result.

1 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

2 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

3 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

4 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

5 bucolic   

adj.乡村的；牧羊的

参考例句：

• It is a bucolic refuge in the midst of a great bustling city.它是处在繁华的大城市之中的世外桃源。
• She turns into a sweet country girl surrounded by family,chickens and a bucolic landscape.她变成了被家人、鸡与乡村景象所围绕的甜美乡村姑娘。

6 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

7 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

9 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

12 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

13 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

14 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

15 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

16 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

17 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

18 venerate   

v.尊敬，崇敬，崇拜

参考例句：

• They came to venerate him as a symbolic figure.他们把他当作偶像来崇拜。
• We were taught to venerate the glorious example of our heroes and martyrs.我们受到教导要崇敬英雄、烈士的光辉榜样。