VOA标准英语2011--Wedding Celebrations Held in Streets Acr

Wedding Celebrations Held in Streets Across Britain

 For those not lucky enough to get an invitation to the royal wedding itself, there were thousands of street parties across Britain on Friday. With the day declared a public holiday, many people dressed up for the occasion and joined the celebrations.
In parks and streets across London, people turned out in the hundreds of thousands to celebrate the royal wedding.
Here in Clapham Common - just a few miles from Westminster Abbey - the service played on a big screen to 2,000 flag-waving fans.
For a country normally reserved about overt¹ shows of patriotism², Britain became a sea of Union Jack³ flags.
As Prince William and Catherine Middleton read their vows⁴, cheers rippled⁵ across the crowd. Partygoers we spoke⁶ to had nothing but praise for the newly-wed couple.
"Lovely! She looked brilliant!"
"She looked absolutely stunning⁷. Not over the top at all."
"It's been really, really good. And everyone here, too, sitting silently and listening to the vows. It feels very British."
"I didn't think I'd feel so moved by it. Neither of us did. But it was actually quite emotional."
From fish and chips served from a traditional London bus, to strawberries and cream, every facet⁸ of British culture seemed to be on show.
Thousands of street parties have taken place across Britain. Battersea in London is one of the most diverse communities in the capital. Here neighbors and businesses came together to celebrate - and in some cases, make a bit of money.
Party organizer Valeria Ruzzon said people have turned out whether they're interested in the wedding or not. "This is not about having an opinion about the monarchy⁹, this is about having a party on a day that we should all enjoy because we live in this country. So it's really about embracing the culture we live in. I'm Italian, I've been here for 20 years but I couldn't beat it, so I decided¹⁰ to join it!"
This also was a chance to show off some fancy outfits¹¹ - from the patriotic¹² to the hopeful.
VOA found one young woman wandering around in a wedding dress looking for her own Prince William.
"And I am actually called Kate," she said. "No, I really am called Kate! It's the only time in my life that I've had to argue, ‘No, I really am called Kate!'"
Many of the street celebrations were local, low-key affairs, a chance for neighbors to get together and chat in a city that's often accused of lacking community spirit.
For the younger crowd, the party went on into the night. Many said they planned to keep going all weekend. These young women from the Netherlands told VOA they have another idea.
"We're going to find Harry¹³, that's our plan actually," said one.
"Harry, if you're available, we're single!" exclaimed another.
It seems many people are already making plans for the next royal wedding.

1 overt   

adj.公开的，明显的，公然的

参考例句：

• His opponent's intention is quite overt.他的对手的意图很明显。
• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。

2 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

5 rippled   

使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The lake rippled gently. 湖面轻轻地泛起涟漪。
• The wind rippled the surface of the cornfield. 微风吹过麦田，泛起一片麦浪。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

8 facet   

n.(问题等的)一个方面；(多面体的)面

参考例句：

• He has perfected himself in every facet of his job.他已使自己对工作的各个方面都得心应手。
• Every facet of college life is fascinating.大学生活的每个方面都令人兴奋。

9 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

12 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

13 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。