VOA标准英语2010年-Survey Shows Nearly Twice as Many Afri

A new survey shows that African-Americans' assessment¹ of progress and race relations in America has improved more dramatically than at any time in the last quarter century. And Barack Obama's presidency² appears to be the spark that ignited this rise in optimism and hope. 

Nicole Cunningham says it was difficult growing up in the southern U.S. state of Georgia.

It was a time of tense racial animosity, school desegregation, the Ku Klux Klan still active in its displays of hate. But Cunningham says seeing the inauguration³ of the first black president shows that times have changed.
 
"When I was in the fifth grade having the KKK [Ku Klux Klan] march on my school, and wanting to have all the black kids brought outside, I was thinking about all of that when I was looking up there," said Nicole Cunningham. "So we have definitely come a long way."
 
Cunningham and her husband, Vurtis, are both in the military. They took their two children to the inauguration last January to witness the historic event.

"I feel proud because he's the very first," said Tarik Cunningham. "And I know some people they didn't like the idea of having an African American president and he persevered⁴ through all that."
 
"It was a very emotional day," said Nicole Cunningham. "You know, I can look up there and see someone who looks like me."

A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that nearly twice as many African-Americans than in 2007 say the situation for black people in the United States has improved over the previous five years. This jump in optimism is the highest since 1984. Pew also says a majority of African-Americans say that Mr. Obama's election has improved race relations in America. But civil rights pioneer Julian Bond says it was one moment in a long chain of events.

"It's arguable you could say, that we should have been able to do this years and years and years ago," said Julian Bond. "But perhaps it had to wait for the moment, for the man, for the moment - it did have to wait for the man and the moment, and had to wait for an awful lot of work that had to be done leading up to this moment."

President Obama's inauguration at the steps of the Capitol was more than just a beginning to a new presidency. For the Cunninghams and many African-Americans, it was an example of endless possibilities.

"So to grow up, and to tell my kids that they can be anything they want to be in the world, there's no barriers anymore, you can go as far as you want to go, and to have this culminate⁵ before us, and we're there to see it,  just...," said Vurtis Cunningham.

And for the next generation of Cunninghams, the realization⁶ of the first black president is already taking effect.

"It lets me know that I can run for president, because I am an African American and, and I can become the first female president," said Gwen Cunningham.
 
The Cunninghams are still thrilled about Mr Obama winning the White House. But they say he faces tough problems.
 
"There's still life going on, but we are still very excited," said nicole. "And we wish the president well.

"He definitely has his work cut out for him.  He definitely does," said Vurtis Cunningham.

That work involves winning the war in Afghanistan and protecting America, reviving the nation's beleaguered⁷ economy and passing health care reform. Mr. Obama will present his plans for the country in his State of the Union address.

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 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。

4 persevered   

v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
• Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句

5 culminate   

v.到绝顶，达于极点，达到高潮

参考例句：

• The celebration of the centenary will culminate with a dinner.百年庆典活动将以宴会作为高潮。
• Everyone feared that the boundary dispute between these two countries would culminate in a war.人人都担心,这两国间的边境争端将以一场战争到达顶点。

6 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

7 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》