VOA常速英语2014--美国纪念民权法案诞生50周年

 

50th Anniversary of Civil Rights Act Remembered 美国纪念民权法案诞生50周年

WASHINGTON —

A milestone¹ in American history is being remembered this week as the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (July 2, 1964).  The landmark² federal legislation outlawed³ racial discrimination and ended segregation⁴ in schools, the workplace and at public accommodations. 

华盛顿 — 本星期美国纪念1964年签署的民权法案50周年，1964年7月2日签署的这个法案是美国历史上的一个里程碑，它取缔了种族歧视，并结束了学校、工作场所以及公共设施的种族隔离。到底是什么原因导致通过标志着美国历史中一个转折点的民权法案呢？

In 1963, Civil rights demonstrations⁵ in the U.S. south turned violent.  President John Kennedy called the situation  "a moral crisis".  

1963年拉巴马州伯明翰市。民权示威演变成暴力。约翰.肯尼迪总统称，这种局势是美国的一个道德危机。

"This is not a sectional issue. Difficulties over segregation and discrimination exist in every city, in every state in the union, producing in many cities a rising tide of discontent that threatens the public safety," Kennedy said.

前美国总统说：“这不是教派问题。美国联邦的每个州，每个城市都存在因种族隔离和歧视而导致的困难，在很多城市产生引发了不满趋势，危及公共安全。”

Historical meeting

President Kennedy met civil rights leader Martin Luther King to discuss ending the demonstrations.  The meeting was arranged by Kennedy advisor⁶, Harris Wofford.

肯尼迪总统同民权领袖马丁路德金会面，讨论结束示威。这次会面由肯尼迪的顾问哈里斯·沃福德安排。

"Martin Luther King deliberately⁷ said part of what non-violent direct action does is it creates crisis that people in power, whether it is government or corporations or others, they have to listen to," said Wofford.沃福德说：“马丁路德金审慎地说，这场非暴力直接行动能发挥的部分作用，是制造一种危机，让权势者，无论在政府、公司或其他领域，必须要倾听。”

President Kennedy responded in a nationally televised address.

肯尼迪总统在全国电视讲话中做出了回答：

"In too many communities in too many parts of the country wrongs are inflicted⁸ on Negro citizens and there are no remedies of law. Unless the Congress acts, their only remedy is the street. I am therefore asking the Congress to enact⁹ legislation giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities that are open to the public," he said.

“在我们国家太多的地方，太多的社区，黑人公民的权益受到侵害，却没有法律改变这种情况。除非国会采取行动，否则他们唯一的办法就是走上街头。因此，我要求国会通过法案，给予所有的美国人在所有公共场所享受服务的权利。”

The Civil Rights Act outlaws¹⁰ racial segregation in schools, the workplace and at public accommodations such as restaurants. The legislation faced strong opposition¹¹ from mostly white southern lawmakers who tried to block its passage.

民权法案取缔了在学校、工作场所、以及餐厅等公共设施的种族隔离。法案遭到大部分来自南方白人议员的强烈反对，他们试图阻止法案的通过。

Right conditions

Harris Wofford said the ongoing¹² demonstrations and President Kennedy's assassination¹³ created the conditions for passing the Civil Rights Act.

沃福德说，正在进行的示威抗议，以及肯尼迪总统的遇刺，为民权法案的通过创造了条件。

"I don't think it would have necessarily have passed if he [President Kennedy] had not been killed and a wave of sympathy and understanding sweep the majority of the people in the United States," he said.

他说：“我认为，如果肯尼迪总统没有遇刺身亡，如果没有美国大多数人都表示的同情和理解，那么民权法案就不一定会获得通过。”

July 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law.  Former Congressman¹⁴ Ron Dellums said it is a crowning achievement for so many African Americans.

1964年7月，约翰逊总统签字后，民权法案开始生效。前国会议员戴伦斯说，这是很多非洲裔美国人取得的最高成就：

"The Civil Rights Act was a very significant event in American history.  I maintain it was a time when the people in this country actually bent¹⁵ the political process to their will," said Dellums.

“民权法案在美国历史上是个重要事件。我认为，这是美国人民真正地让政治进程顺从他们意志的时刻。”

Reaping the benefits

Five decades later, Jack¹⁶ Jones reaps the benefits of the anti-discrimination laws. He grew up in the segregated¹⁷ south and was denied opportunities, but went on to run a small nationwide company.

50年过去了，杰克.琼斯享受到反歧视法的好处。他生长在种族隔离的南部，机会被剥夺，但他后来经营了一个全国性的小公司。

"I have absolutely no doubt that the Civil Rights Act changed America.  It changed for all of us, it changed mostly for us, the black people, but it also sought out to make this country a better country," he said.

琼斯说：“毫无疑问，民权法案改变了美国，改变了我们所有人，尤其是改变了黑人，也使我们国家更加美好。”

Activists¹⁸ say the support of so many who demonstrated for freedom and justice in the 1960s helped make the Civil Rights Act a reality and a cornerstone of racial justice.

民权活动人士说，1960年代，很多人参加了为争取自由和正义的抗议示威，是他们的努力使民权法案成为现实，成为种族正义的基石。

1 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

2 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

3 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

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 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

6 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。

7 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

8 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

9 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

10 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

11 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。

12 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

13 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

14 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

15 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

16 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。

17 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

18 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》