时间:2019-01-14 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2009年(八月)


英语课

U.S. President Barack Obama has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian 1 honor, to 16 people who have made a difference in the nation and the world. They come from diverse backgrounds, but have one trait in common.
 
President Barack Obama (l) places a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of Muhammad Yunus at the White House, 12 Aug 2009


The list of recipients 3 includes activists 5, scientists, actors, humanitarians 6 and athletes.


President Obama says they are all agents of change. "They remind us that we each have it within our power to fulfill 7 dreams, to advance the dreams of others, and to remake the world for our children," he said.


Several of the winners are well known champions of human rights. Among them: retired 8 Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.


"The glint in the eye and the lilt in the voice are familiar to us all. But the signature quality of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, says Nelson Mandela, is a readiness to take unpopular stands without fear," Mr. Obama said.


Joseph Lowrey, an icon 9 of the American civil rights movement, was also honored. So was Senator Edward Kennedy, who is suffering from brain cancer.


And there was a posthumous 10 award to Harvey Milk, the slain 11 gay rights activist 4 and politician. "He would become, after several attempts, one of the first openly gay Americans elected to public office. And his message of hope, hope unashamed, hope unafraid could not ever be silenced," Mr. Obama said.


In choosing his first group of Medal of Freedom recipients, the president selected several women who have made their mark on American life. He honored former Supreme 12 Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, cancer researcher Dr. Janet Davison Rowley, actress Chita Rivera, and tennis great Billie Jean King, who devoted 13 years to opening opportunities for woman and girls in sports.


He also awarded the Medal of Freedom to Mary Robinson, Ireland's first female president and a former U.N. high commissioner 14 for human rights. "Today, as an advocate for the hungry and the hunted, the forgotten and the ignored, Mary Robinson has not only shone a light on human suffering, but illuminated 15 a better future for our world," Mr. Obama said.


Sidney Poitier, the first black actor to win an Academy Award, was honored by the president, as was world renowned 16 physicist 17 and author Stephen Hawking 18.


And a medal was placed around the neck of Muhammed Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient 2, who pioneered a way to lift people out of poverty through a community banking 19 program that gives small loans to entrepreneurs with no collateral 20.


Yunus started the micro-loan program in his native Bangladesh. Before the award ceremony, he told reporters that he hopes the Medal of Freedom award will help spread the word about the micro-loan concept. "It is a very exciting moment for me because this is a big recognition for the ideas that I have been promoting, trying to let people pay attention to it. This recognition brings a lot of attention to those ideas so I am very happy about it," Yunus said.


The Medal of Freedom was established in 1945 to recognize civilians 21 for their efforts during World War II. It was revived in 1963 as a way to honor individuals for distinguished 22 service from all walks of life.



adj.平民的,民用的,民众的
  • There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
  • He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
  • Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
  • Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。
adj.接受的;受领的;容纳的;愿意接受的n.收件人;接受者;受领者;接受器
  • The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
n.活动分子,积极分子
  • He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
  • He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
  • 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》
n.慈善家( humanitarian的名词复数 )
  • Finally, humanitarians saw it as a means of helping to feed the hungry of the world. 人道主义者把这一计划看成是为世界上那些忍饥挨饿的人提供粮食的一项措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
  • All humanitarians fought against slavery. 所有人道主义者都为反对奴隶制而斗争过。 来自互联网
vt.履行,实现,完成;满足,使满意
  • If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了,你就要履行你的诺言。
  • This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
n.偶像,崇拜的对象,画像
  • They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
  • Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。
adj.遗腹的;父亡后出生的;死后的,身后的
  • He received a posthumous award for bravery.他表现勇敢,死后受到了嘉奖。
  • The legendary actor received a posthumous achievement award.这位传奇男星在过世后获得终身成就奖的肯定。
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词)
  • The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
  • His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员
  • The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
  • He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
  • Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
  • the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的
  • He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
  • She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。
n.物理学家,研究物理学的人
  • He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
  • The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。
利用鹰行猎
  • He is hawking his goods everywhere. 他在到处兜售他的货物。
  • We obtain the event horizon and the Hawking spectrumformula. 得到了黑洞的局部事件视界位置和Hawking温度以及Klein—Gordon粒子的Hawking辐射谱。
n.银行业,银行学,金融业
  • John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
  • He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。
adj.平行的;旁系的;n.担保品
  • Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
  • Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押,这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓
  • the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
  • At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后,至少有300名平民下落不明。
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。