VOA标准英语2011--Obama Helps Dedicate King Memorial

Obama Helps Dedicate King Memorial

Delayed by Hurricane Irene in August, the day finally came. U.S. President Barack Obama, the country’s first black president, dedicated¹ a $120 million statue and memorial park Sunday to the slain² civil rights leader who helped pave the way for him and many others in the United States.
Renowned³ civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. galvanized the U.S. civil rights movement with his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, his non-violent message calling for an end to racial segregation⁴.
Almost half a century later, thousands convened⁵ on Washington’s National Mall to give his new memorial a proper dedication⁶.
Joyce Hayward flew from the island of Bermuda to be here. “I wanted to be part of the celebration of the person who helped me be free," she said.
For Jeanine Hill, it was a long bus ride from Ohio. “This is a special day because African Americans, we need something like this, especially for an election year ... this is a very important endeavor, and I am proud very proud to be a part of history," she said.
Revered⁷ civil-rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson greeted reporters before his formal remarks, saying King’s fight must go on. “We have the obligation to not just glow in this but to keep raising the challenging and disturbing moral questions of economic justice and fairness," he said.
Stevie Wonder added to the chorus with his song, and members of King’s family orated, including Reverend King's sister, Dr. Christine King Farris. "I witnessed a baby become a great hero to humanity, who provides hope and inspiration for freedom-loving people everywhere," she said.
And designer Tommy Hilfiger, who supplied an ocean of white baseball caps to the crowd, was swarmed⁸ by journalists before speaking.
But the day’s big speaker was no doubt U.S. President Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president, who was just six-years old when King was assassinated⁹. “Because of that hopeful vision because of Dr. King’s moral imagination, barricades¹⁰ began to fall and bigotry¹¹ began to fade. New doors of opportunity swung open for an entire generation. Yes laws changed, but hearts and minds changed as well," he said.
The 10-meter-tall statue of Dr. King reminds the world of his fight for equality.
And his ultimate belief that great dreams can come true.

1 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

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 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

4 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

5 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

6 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

7 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

8 swarmed   

密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
• When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。

9 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

10 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

11 bigotry   

n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等

参考例句：

• She tried to dissociate herself from the bigotry in her past.她力图使自己摆脱她以前的偏见。
• At least we can proceed in this matter without bigotry.目前这件事咱们至少可以毫无偏见地进行下去。