VOA常速英语2018--美国为老布什举行国葬

I’m the resurrection and I am the life, says the Lord.

复活在我，生命也在我。上帝曾这样说过。

The state funeral for former President George H. W. Bush was attended by American and international dignitaries, politicians, family and friends, also present all living former US presidents from Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter.

前总统乔治·布什的国葬有很多人参加，包括美国和国际上的高官、政客、亲友。到场的还有在世的美国前总统，从巴拉克·奥巴马到吉米·卡特不一而足。

Tradition dictates¹ the current present delivers the eulogy².

按照惯例，现任总统会致念悼词。

But at the wishes of the late 41st president, it was given by his son the 43rd.

但应已故第41任总统布什的意愿，由自己的儿子，即第43任总统致念悼词。

We’re gonna miss you, your decency³, sincerity⁴ and kind soul will stay with us forever.

我们会想念您的，想念您的正派、真诚以及善良的灵魂，这些都将与我们永远同在。

So through our tears, let us know the blessings⁵ of knowing and loving you ---a great and noble man ,the best father a son or daughter could have.

在我们的眼泪中，我们明白了认识您并爱着您是一件多么幸福的事情——您是一位伟大高尚的男人，是这世上最好的父亲。

President Trump⁶ was present to pay his respects despite an acrimonious⁷ relationship with the Bush Family.

特朗普总统也到场表达了敬意，虽然他本人跟布什家族的关系十分紧张。

This stemmed from the 2016 Republican primary campaign when Trump mocked his rival son Jeb Bush.

这关系起源于2016年的共和党的一次主要总统竞选活动，当时特朗普嘲笑竞争对手老布什的儿子，即杰布·布什。

I think he’s a very low energy person. And also the late Bush.

我觉得这个人病怏怏的。特朗普也曾嘲笑过老布什。

When you have an ex-president dying, no matter what you might think of them, don’t extend the feud⁸ into the mourning period.

前总统已故，这时候，不管你对他们家族可能有怎样的看法，都不应该将这种怨怼表现在服丧期间。

But it’s probably a passing truce⁹, you’re not going to see much love between President Trump and the Bush family six months from now.

但这很有可能是转瞬即逝的休战，因为我们不会看到特朗普跟布什家族在接下来的6个月里有什么友爱的情节出现。

He said the smaller the country, the longer the speech.

他说，越小的国家，演讲越长。

But the love and respect was evident for the late president who left behind a legacy¹⁰ felt not just at home but around the world.

但人们对这位已故总统的爱戴和敬意是非常明显的，毕竟他留下的财富在美国乃至全球都能感受的到。

He led an international coalition¹¹ against Saddam Hussein after the Iraqi leader invaded Kuwait.

布什曾引领国际组成联盟，反对萨达姆，因为伊拉克入侵了科威特。

And it was under his watch that the US and the Soviet¹² Union ended the Cold War.

而且也正是在老布什的任期期间，美国和苏联结束了冷战。

Bush was the perfect man for a seamless transition, low pressure.

布什完美展现了什么是无缝过渡，可谓毫无压力。

He recognized that there was no point in rubbing it, in insulting the the Russians while they were down.

他认识到在伤口上撒盐是毫无意义的，俄罗斯人已经毫无斗志，就不必再侮辱他们了。

But despite his triumphs abroad, Bush failed to get reelected in 1992 losing to Bill Clinton.

不过，虽然布什在国外战功累累，但他还是没能在1992年连任，输给了比尔·克林顿。

As great as George H. W. Bush was and foreign policy, he didn’t have the same kind of vision and the same kind of skill when it came to policy at home.

虽然老布什功勋卓著，在外交政策方面也颇有建树，但他没能将同样的远见与技能用在内政上。

He never really strongly responded to the recession that came right before the presidential election of 1992.

他从来没能真正地以强硬的方式应对经济衰退。而这场经济衰退恰好出现在1992年的总统大选之前。

The National Cathedral spell told 41 times signifying the late leader’s place among past and current Presidents.

国家大教堂鸣钟41下，以表明这位已故总统在过去和现任总统中的地位。

He will be buried at the family grave site at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Texas next to his wife Barbara who passed away in April.

老布什将被安葬在家庭墓地里，这个墓地位于德克萨斯州乔治·H.W·布什总统图书馆内，挨着她妻子芭芭拉的墓碑。芭芭拉是今年4月去世的。

1 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 eulogy   

n.颂词；颂扬

参考例句：

• He needs no eulogy from me or from any other man. 他不需要我或者任何一个人来称颂。
• Mr.Garth gave a long eulogy about their achievements in the research.加思先生对他们的研究成果大大地颂扬了一番。

3 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

4 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

5 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

7 acrimonious   

adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的

参考例句：

• He had an acrimonious quarrel with his girlfriend yesterday.昨天他跟他的女朋友激烈争吵了一番。
• His parents went through an acrimonious divorce.他的父母在激烈吵吵闹闹中离了婚。

8 feud   

n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇

参考例句：

• How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？
• The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

9 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

11 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

12 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。