VOA标准英语2011--Anti-Wall Street Protest Spreads To Wash

Anti-Wall Street Protest Spreads To Washington

The anti-capitalist protests that began near Wall Street in New York are spreading to other cities. Unlike the Tea Party movement, which blames big government for America's economic problems, the so-called Occupy movement holds big business responsible. Our reporter went to its first rally in Washington, DC.
The drumbeat of the so called "Occupy" movement is getting louder, as it spreads from Wall Street to Washington, and spans generations.
"We have spent $3-trillion to send our kids to war," a group of older women sang from the stage. "Well no not all the kids, just the brown, the black, the poor."
Susan Arnett came from California to be at the protest.
"It is about the war," she said. "It is about the corruption¹. It is about the greed."
As in New York, anti-capitalism was a key theme of Occupy DC. The rally was symbolically² held amidst the edifices³ of the U.S. government on Washington's Freedom Plaza⁴.
There are a lot of different kinds of people here. There are war veterans, students, artists, even government employees, who feel that there is a lot wrong with America in areas like education, infrastructure⁵, the spending on the war. And they are blaming a lot of it on the corporations in this country."
Jim Goodnow says America has changed since he was drafted for the Vietnam War.
"When I grew up we thought this was a country of 'We the people. Of the people, by the people, for the people.' Today, it is not. It is a corporation. It is a country of the corporations," said Goodnow.
Many young protesters say they were inspired by the Arab Spring and the "indignados" of Spain.
Lourdes Parallobre of Miami says she is about to graduate from university owing $20,000 in student loans.
"I have an endless amount of friends who have masters degrees, bachelors degrees, and are working in restaurants," said Parallobre. "And I am terrified that is going to happen to me."
The protesters marched to the U.S. Chamber⁶ of Commerce and decried⁷ the power of the business interests it represents.
"They are sitting on $2-trilliion in profits right now, corporations are," said a protester. "Their taxes are at their lowest level in 50 years. Our unemployment rate is at nine percent."
The marchers, many of whom voted for Barack Obama, also stopped at the White House. Inside, the president acknowledged the movement for the first time.
"I think it expresses the frustrations⁸ that the American people feel," said President Obama. "
The Occupy protesters also got the support of organized labor⁹ on Wednesday. They are now setting up camp in Washington and hoping their movement gains momentum¹⁰.

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

3 edifices   

n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句
• Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句

4 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 decried   

v.公开反对，谴责( decry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The measures were decried as useless. 这些措施受到指责，说是不起作用。
• The old poet decried the mediocrity of today's writing. 老诗人抨击了现代文体的平庸无奇。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。