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78 詹姆士·麦迪逊与蒙比利埃市
DATE=7-30-01
TITLE=THIS IS AMERICA #1075 - James Madison's Montpelier
BYLINE=George Grow
VOICE ONE:
The American state of (1)Virginia is sometimes called the Mother of Presidents. Eight American Presidents were born there. I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. The Virginia home of President James Madison - (2)Montpelier (mont-PEEL-yer) -- is our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
Montpelier is a huge (3)property in the middle of Virginia's farm country. The property covers more than one-thousand-one-hundred (4)hectares of land. Montpelier is about one-hundred-thirty kilometers south of Washington, D-C. The Madison home is a short drive from Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. It also is only about forty-five kilometers from Monticello, the home of President (5)Thomas Jefferson.
James Madison was the fourth President of the United States. He is known as the Father of the American (6)Constitution. Mister Madison wrote the first plan for union of the new nation. He also was mainly (7)responsible for the first ten (8)amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
VOICE TWO:
This year, Americans are observing the two-hundred-fiftieth (9)anniversary of James Madison's birth. He was born at Port Conway, Virginia, on March Sixteenth, Seventeen-Fifty-One. Young James grew up in Orange County, on the Madison family home at Montpelier. James Madison's grandfather, Ambrose Madison, first settled the land in Seventeen-Twenty-Three.
James spent the first nine years of his life in a house built by his grandfather. James Madison's father built the main house at Montpelier in about Seventeen-Sixty. The family moved there a short time later.
((MUSIC FROM "CRYSTAL FLUTE"))
VOICE ONE:
James Madison was the oldest child in a family of twelve children. He was educated at home and at schools in Virginia until he was eighteen years old. Then he attended the College of (10)New Jersey, now called (11)Princeton University. James completed his college education in just two years. He stayed in New Jersey almost one year longer for (12)independent studies.
James Madison returned to Montpelier in Seventeen-Seventy-Two. He was unsure of his future. He considered and then (13)rejected positions in law, (14)religion or business.
(15)Tensions between Britain and its American (16)colonies increased in the early Seventeen-Seventies. This is about the time that James Madison's political (17)activism began. He served in local government before being elected to Virginia's first House of (18)Delegates. There he helped to write a new state constitution.
VOICE TWO:
Mister Madison represented Virginia at the Second (19)Continental (20)Congress during the American war of (21)independence. After the war, he attended the Constitutional (22)Convention in (23)Philadelphia, (24)Pennsylvania in Seventeen-Eighty-Seven. Mister Madison successfully (25)proposed the creation of a strong central government. He led efforts in Virginia and other states to (26)approve the (27)proposal. He helped write The (28)Federalist, a series of reports explaining the strength of the proposed Constitution.
After the Constitution was approved, Mister Madison continued as a leading member of the new (29)federal government. He was elected to the first Congress. He led the fight to approve the first ten amendments to the constitution - the (30)Bill of Rights. A few years later, he and Thomas Jefferson formed the political party known today as the (31)Democratic Party.
((MUSIC FROM "CRYSTAL FLUTE"))
VOICE ONE:
While in Congress, James Madison met a young woman named Dolley Payne Todd. Her husband had died from (32)yellow fever the year before. Mister Madison proposed marriage to the young woman a short time after they met. They were married on September fifteenth, Seventeen-Ninety-Four.
Dolley Madison often seemed larger in life than her famous husband. James was a small, quiet man. His wife was best known for her (33)friendliness and for (34)organizing large parties. Their marriage lasted forty-one years. But they had no children. James Madison left Congress in Seventeen-Ninety-Seven. He and Dolly retired to Montpelier. The retirement did not last long, however. Thomas Jefferson became President in Eighteen-Oh-One. Mister Jefferson (35)appointed his friend James Madison as (36)Secretary of State. Mister Madison served as America's top (37)diplomat for eight years.
VOICE TWO:
The Jefferson presidency was a period of growth for the new nation. In Eighteen-Oh-Three, the American government agreed to pay France about fifteen-million dollars for a huge piece of land. This agreement was called the (38)Louisiana (39)Purchase. It increased the area of the United States by one-hundred percent.
However, there were some problems. Secretary of State Madison failed to force France and Great Britain to (40)honor the rights of Americans on the (41)high seas. (42)Trade relations with these nations was the government's biggest problem when James Madison became President in Eighteen-Oh-Nine.
President Madison served for eight years. He led the United States through the War of Eighteen-Twelve. British (43)troops (44)invaded the country and burned Washington. The war ended in Eighteen-Fifteen with an American victory.
VOICE ONE:
President Madison's second term in office ended in Eighteen-Seventeen. He and Dolley returned home to Montpelier. The former President remained active and interested in politics. He founded a group to help free slaves and transport them to Africa. He also took part in Virginia's constitutional convention in Eighteen-Twenty-Nine.
James Madison died at Montpelier on June twenty-eighth, Eighteen-Thirty-Six. He was eighty-five. His wife Dolley died thirteen years later. They are buried on the property.
((MUSIC FROM "CRYSTAL FLUTE"))
VOICE TWO:
Today, Montpelier is a peaceful place. However, it has experienced many changes over the years. Two hundred years ago, the Madison had about one-hundred slaves. Some worked in the fields or on the grounds. Others did housework.
In Seventeen-Sixty, Montpelier's main building started as an eight-room home. It had four rooms on the first floor, and four on the second floor. James Madison made two major additions and (45)structural changes to his father's home. He built (46)private areas for family use. He also united existing rooms to create larger, public spaces for dinners and parties.
VOICE ONE:
Dolley Madison sold Montpelier to a friend in Eighteen-Forty-Four, eight years after her husband died. The property had five other owners before it was bought by William and Annie Dupont in Nineteen-Oh-One.
The duPonts (47)enlarged the main building to its (48)present size. Their daughter, Marion duPont Scott, added two large (49)tracks for horse racing. The home remained in the duPont family until Nineteen-Eighty-Three. Then it was given to the (50) National Trust for (51)Historic (52)Preservation. Montpelier was opened to the public in Nineteen-Eighty-Seven. Last year, an independent group called the Montpelier (53)Foundation accepted responsibility for the property.
((MUSIC INSERT:"CRYSTAL FLUTE"))
VOICE TWO:
This music was recorded at Montpelier a few years ago. One of the (54)instruments, the (55)crystal (56)flute, belonged to President Madison.
((MUSIC INSERT:"CRYSTAL FLUTE"))
VOICE ONE:
Today, James Madison's Montpelier includes more than one-hundred-thirty buildings, a large flower garden and farmland. Some trees on the grounds were alive when James Madison was alive. The James Madison Landmark Forest includes eighty hectares of wooded land near the back of the property. It is recognized as the best example of an old-growth forest in central Virginia.
In March, Montpelier (57)launched a year-long (58)celebration of the life of James Madison. The main building now has two rooms with (59)furniture used by the Madison's and other objects from the period. In another room, visitors can see a film about the President's life.
In April, family members of slaves who once worked at Montpelier gathered for their first meeting ever. The visitors could see where the former slaves are buried. Plans are (60)currently being made for the observance of Constitution Day, a national holiday in September. Officials are inviting members of the United States armed forces to Montpelier to honor the Father of the Constitution.
((MUSIC FROM "CRYSTAL FLUTE" INSTEAD OF CLOSING THEME))
VOICE TWO:
This program was written and produced by George Grow. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I'm Shirley Griffith.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
(1)Virginia [ vE(:)5dVinjE ]n.维吉尼亚
(2)Montpelier [mCnt`pi:ljE(r)]蒙彼利埃[美国佛蒙特州首府]
(3)property [ 5prCpEti ]n.财产
(4)hectare [ 5hektB: ]n.公顷（等于1万平方米）
(5)Thomas [ 5tCmEs ] Jefferson [ 5dVefEsn ] 托玛斯 杰斐逊
(6)constitution [ 7kCnsti5tju:FEn ]n.宪法
(7)responsible [ ris5pCnsEbl ]adj.有责任的
(8)amendment [ E5mendmEnt ]n.修改
(9)anniversary [ 7Ani5vE:sEri ]n.周年纪念
(10)New Jersey [ nju: 5dVE:zi ]n.新泽西州(美国太平洋沿岸)
(11)Princeton [ 5prinstEn ]n.普林斯顿
(12)independent [ indi5pendEnt ]adj.独立自主的
(13)reject [ ri5dVekt ]vt.拒绝
(14)religion [ ri5lidVEn ]n.宗教
(15)tension [ 5tenFEn ]n.紧张(状态)
(16)colony [ 5kClEni ]n. 侨民
(17)activism [ 5AktivizEm ]n. 激进主义
(18)delegate [ 5deli^it ]n.代表
(19)continental [ 7kCnti5nentl ]adj.大陆的
(20)congress [ 5kCN^res ]n.(美国等国的)国会, 议会
(21)independence [ 7indi5pendEns ]n.独立
(22)convention [ kEn5venFEn ]n.大会
(23)Philadelphia [ 7filE5delfjE ]n.费城(美国宾西法尼亚州东南部港市)
(24)Pennsylvania [ pensil5veinjE, -niE ]n.宾夕法尼亚州（美国州名）
(25)propose [ prE5pEuz ]vt.建议
(26)approve [ E5pru:v ] vt.批准, 通过
(27)proposal [ prE5pEuzEl ]n.提议
(28)federalist联邦制拥护者 [Federal ]北部联邦同盟盟员
(29)federal [ 5fedErEl ]adj.联邦的
(30)Bill of Rights n.权利和自由法案,<美>美国宪法前十条修正案
(31)democratic [ 7demE5krAtik ]adj.民主的
(32)yellow fever n.黄热病
(33)friendliness n.友谊, 友善, 亲切, 亲密
(34)organize [ 5C:^Enaiz ]vt.组织
(35)appoint [ E5pCint ]vt.任命
(36)Secretary of State n. (AmE.)国务卿
(37)diplomat [ 5diplEmAt ]n.外交官
(38)Louisiana [ lu(:)7i:zi5AnE ]n.路易斯安那, (美国南部的州名)
(39)purchase [ 5pE:tFEs ]n. 购买
(40)honor [ 5CnE ]vt.尊敬
(41)high seas 远海
(42)trade [ treid ]n.贸易
(43)troop [ tru:p ]n. 军队
(44)invade [ in5veid ]vt.侵略
(45)structural [ 5strQktFErEl ]adj.结构的
(46)private [ 5praivit ]adj.私人的
(47)enlarge [ in5lB:dV ]v.扩大
(48)present [ pri5zent ] adj.现在的
(49)track [ trAk ]n.赛道
(50)National Trust n.国民托管组织
(51)Historic [ his5tCrik ]adj.历史上著名的, 有历史性的
(52)preservation [ 7prezE(:)5veiFEn ]n.保存
(53)foundation [ faun5deiFEn ]n. 基金会
(54)instrument [ 5instrumEnt ]n.乐器
(55)crystal [ 5kristl ]n.水晶
(56)flute [ flu:t ]n.长笛
(57)launch [ lC:ntF, lB:ntF ] vt.发起
(58)celebration [ 7seli5breiFEn ]n.庆祝, 庆典
(59)furniture [ 5fE:nitFE ]n.家具
(60)currently [5kQrEntlI]adv.现在
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