譯 / 陳式方程
VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
美國之音慢速英語介紹美國總統(tǒng)欄目节沦。
Today we are talking about George Washington.
今天灸促，我們來談?wù)搯讨巍とA盛頓。
He was the first president of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1797.
他是美國第一任總統(tǒng)炼幔，任職于1789-1797年涌乳。
But he had many other accomplishments[1], too.
但他除了總統(tǒng)還有許多其他成就瞒滴。
He owned thousands of hectares of land in his home state of Virginia.
在他的家鄉(xiāng)弗吉尼亞州他擁有數(shù)千公頃的土地。
He was a famous general, who led the American colonists to freedom from British rule.
他是一位著名的將軍肉迫，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)美國擺脫英國殖民統(tǒng)治并恢復(fù)自由。
And he presided over the convention that created the U.S. Constitution.
并且主持了美國的制憲會議稿黄。
For Washington, that was enough. He said he wanted to retire from public service and return home.
對于華盛頓來說昂拂，這些已經(jīng)足夠。他曾經(jīng)說過抛猖，他想從公職退休返回家鄉(xiāng)格侯。
But the country’s new electors had other ideas. They wanted him to move to New York and invent the American presidency.
但是美國的新選民有其他的想法鼻听，他們想讓華盛頓去紐約創(chuàng)立美國總統(tǒng)。
Washington accepted the job as his duty.
華盛頓接受了這項(xiàng)職責(zé)工作联四。
Washington as president 總統(tǒng)時期的華盛頓
Washington was sworn in as president in 1789. At the time, a truly united states was still just an idea. Americans were unconnected groups.
華盛頓于1789年宣誓成為總統(tǒng)撑碴。那個時候，一個真正的聯(lián)合眾國僅僅是一個想法朝墩。美國人民處于分隔的團(tuán)體醉拓。
They came from different countries, had different religions, and spoke different languages. For example, a quarter of the people in the state of Pennsylvania spoke only German.
他們來自于不同的國家，懷有不同的宗教信仰收苏，以及說著不同的語言亿卤。例如，賓夕法尼亞州四分之一的人只講德語鹿霸。
Doug Bradburn is the founding director of the Washington Library at Mount Vernon. He says when Washington took office, the country was “fragile.”
道格·布拉德伯恩是弗農(nóng)山莊華盛頓圖書館的創(chuàng)立主任排吴。他說，華盛頓執(zhí)政時懦鼠，國家正處于支離破碎的狀態(tài)钻哩。
“The chances that it would even survive were probably very, very slim.”
“國家能夠存活的機(jī)會也許會非常非常渺茫「匾保”
Bradburn explains that Washington had to establish social and political unity. But the Constitution did not say how the president could do that.
布拉德伯恩解釋說街氢，華盛頓必須要建立起社會和政治統(tǒng)一。但是睦袖，憲法并沒有告訴總統(tǒng)該怎樣去做珊肃。
So, Bradburn says, George Washington invented the job for all future presidents.
所以，布拉德伯恩說道馅笙，喬治·華盛頓為以后的總統(tǒng)建立了總統(tǒng)這項(xiàng)工作的雛形近范。
He established a group of advisors — called the cabinet—as well as the nation’s official money. He appointed a six-member Supreme Court. And he created the Department of Foreign Affairs, now called the State Department.
他成立了一組顧問 — 叫做內(nèi)閣 — 如同國家的官方資金。他認(rèn)命了一個6人組的最高法院延蟹，并且成立了外交部评矩，現(xiàn)在叫做國務(wù)院。
However, Washington said it was the president’s responsibility to set foreign policy.
不管怎樣阱飘，華盛頓說設(shè)置外交政策是總統(tǒng)的責(zé)任斥杜。
Historian Doug Bradburn explains that Washington established the president not just as a figurehead[2], but as a decision maker.
歷史學(xué)家道格·布拉德伯恩解釋說，華盛頓創(chuàng)建的總統(tǒng)不僅僅只是掛個虛名而已沥匈，而是一個實(shí)實(shí)在在的決策者蔗喂。
But he always used the Constitution as his guide.
而且他總是以憲法作為準(zhǔn)則。
“He wasn’t just trying to establish an office and then figure out a way to justify it, he was trying to work with his Constitution.”
“他不只是試圖去建立一個政府部門高帖，然后想出一個方法去證明它缰儿，他試圖去依據(jù)憲法來工作∩⒅罚”
Washington as a young man 年輕時的華盛頓
Courtesy of[3]
George Washington was born in 1732 in the colony of Virginia. His father died when George was 11 years old. As a boy, he learned reading, writing and math. Then he worked as a land surveyor[4] in western Virginia.
喬治·華盛頓于1732年出生于弗吉尼亞殖民地乖阵，他的父親在他11歲時便去世了宣赔。作為男孩，他學(xué)習(xí)了閱讀瞪浸，寫作和數(shù)學(xué)儒将，然后他在西弗吉尼亞做了一名土地勘測員。
Historian Joseph Ellis points out that Washington did not have a formal education. Instead of going to college, Ellis says, Washington went to war. He fought against the French and Indians as a British Army officer.
歷史學(xué)家約瑟夫·埃利斯指出对蒲，華盛頓沒有接受過正規(guī)教育钩蚊，沒有去上大學(xué)，而是去參加了戰(zhàn)爭蹈矮。他作為一名英國軍官與法國印第安人戰(zhàn)斗砰逻。
That experience informed Washington’s world view. Ellis describes the first president as “a realist.” At the same time, Washington was a “very passionate man” with “extremely strong emotions.” He was known to get angry, but he showed his temper[5] to only a few people.
這段經(jīng)歷使他了解了世界觀。埃利斯描述這第一位總統(tǒng)是“一個現(xiàn)實(shí)主義者”泛鸟。同時蝠咆，華盛頓也是一位帶有“強(qiáng)烈情感”的“富有激情的人”。他易怒谈况，但只在部分人面前展現(xiàn)過。
Washington not only acted like a great leader – he looked like one. George Washington stood about 1.9 meters tall. That was a head taller than the average man of his time.
華盛頓不僅僅行為舉止像一位偉大的領(lǐng)袖——他看起來也很像递胧。喬治·華盛頓有1.9米高碑韵，在當(dāng)時比平均男人身高還要高一個頭。
He was very strong, and very graceful[6]. He was known as one of the best horseback riders and best dancers in Virginia.
他非常強(qiáng)壯缎脾，也很優(yōu)雅祝闻。在佛吉尼亞，他是最好的馬背上的騎手以及最好的舞者之一遗菠。
But he had a problem: bad teeth.
但是他有一個問題：糟糕的牙齒联喘。
Unlike his wife, Martha, who was known for her lovely smile, George Washington began losing his teeth in his twenties. When he was sworn in as president, he had only one tooth left.
不像他的妻子瑪莎擁有甜美的微笑，喬治·華盛頓在20幾歲時就開始牙齒脫落辙纬。當(dāng)他宣誓當(dāng)總統(tǒng)時豁遭，只剩一個牙齒了。
Washington as a myth 神化的華盛頓
Washington remains an important figure in the American imagination. Even today people tell stories about him.
華盛頓一直是美國人心目中的一位重要人物贺拣，即使到今天人們還在敘說著他的故事蓖谢。
One popular story, that he had wooden teeth, is not true. But he did wear dentures[7]. They were made, in part, from hippopotamus[8] ivory[9].
一個流行的故事是關(guān)于他的假牙不是木頭制作的。但是他確實(shí)戴著假牙譬涡，只是部分是由河馬牙和象牙雕刻而成的闪幽。
And he did not chop down a cherry tree as a child and then admit it by saying, “I cannot tell a lie.” In fact, historian Joseph Ellis says George Washington “l(fā)ied many times.”
他少年時砍掉一顆櫻桃樹并承認(rèn)自己的過犯，他說：“我不能撒謊涡匀《㈦纾” 事實(shí)上，歷史學(xué)家約瑟夫·埃利斯認(rèn)為華盛頓 ”撒過很多次謊言陨瘩⊥蠊唬“
But it is true that as Washington became more famous, his reputation grew. People thought of him as a man who always did the right thing.
但是隨著華盛頓越來越有名氣级乍，他的聲譽(yù)也變得越來越好。人們會認(rèn)為他做的事情總是正確的燕少。
Joseph Ellis says even Washington understood people would look at his writings and judge him.
約瑟夫·埃利斯認(rèn)為華盛頓甚至知道人們會看他的作品來評判他卡者。
“Washington went from being a man to a monument. He was aware of the fact that he had a role to play and that all emerging nations need mythical heroes.”
“華盛頓從一個男人變成了紀(jì)念碑。他很清楚地知道他所需要扮演的角色以及新興國家需要神話英雄的事實(shí)客们〕缇觯”
Washington became very protective of his personal thoughts. His wife burned most of their letters.
華盛頓很注重保護(hù)他的個人思想底挫。他的妻子燒毀了他們之間的大部分信件恒傻。
Yet we know a little bit about George Washington’s thoughts from other writing. One of his regrets, he said, was that he had not done something to end slavery.
但是我們還是會從喬治·華盛頓其他的作品中知道一些他的思想。他說建邓，他的一個遺憾是沒有為結(jié)束蓄奴制做一些事情盈厘。
Like many plantation owners, Washington was a slave holder. More than 300 enslaved people lived on his property.
就像許多農(nóng)場主一樣，華盛頓是一個蓄奴主官边，有超過300個奴隸生活在他的農(nóng)場上沸手。
By the end of his life[10], Washington opposed slavery. He left a will[11] ordering his survivors to free his slaves after his wife’s death.
華盛頓晚年時期是反對奴隸制的。他留下一份遺囑注簿，在他的妻子死去之后釋放他的奴隸契吉。
Washington’s will became relevant sooner than he might have liked.
華盛頓的遺囑比他可能期望的更早。
Three years after he finished his second term as president, Washington fell ill. He had been outside riding his horse on a cold, wet day. When he came home, he complained of a sore throat.
當(dāng)華盛頓結(jié)束他第二屆總統(tǒng)任期后的3年诡渴，他病倒了捐晶。他在一個寒冷潮濕的天氣外出騎馬，當(dāng)返回家中時妄辩，他抱怨喉嚨痛惑灵。
Over the next two days, his condition became worse. On December 14, 1799, he died in his bed, surrounded by his wife, enslaved maids, and friends. He was 67.
接下來的兩天，他的狀況越發(fā)糟糕眼耀。1799年12月14號英支，在他妻子、女傭和朋友的圍繞下哮伟，他去世了潭辈，享年67歲。
Washington’s legacy 華盛頓的遺產(chǎn)
Historian Joseph Ellis says one of the best things about George Washington was his ability to give up power. At the end of the Revolutionary War[12], General Washington returned his sword. And at the end of his administration, President Washington simply returned home.
歷史學(xué)家約瑟夫·埃利斯認(rèn)為喬治·華盛頓最為人稱道的一件事是他能夠放棄權(quán)利把敢。獨(dú)立戰(zhàn)爭結(jié)束后，華盛頓將軍收回了他的寶劍谅辣。在他的任期結(jié)束后修赞，華盛頓總統(tǒng)返回了家鄉(xiāng)。
“You could trust Washington with power because he was so conspicuously[13] willing to give it up.”
“你可以信任華盛頓擁有的權(quán)利，因?yàn)楹?strong>顯然他愿意放棄權(quán)利柏副」窗睿”
Doug Bradburn says Washington was the right man at the right time. Bradburn, like many historians, calls George Washington the “indispensable[14] man.”
道格·布拉德伯恩說華盛頓是正確的時間正確的人割择。跟許多歷史學(xué)家一樣眷篇， 布拉德伯恩也認(rèn)為喬治·華盛頓是“不可或缺的人”。
In other words, Washington was essential to the American experiment in self-government. He made ideas about American freedom real, and he showed that even the president would operate under the rule of law.
也就是說荔泳，華盛頓對于美國實(shí)驗(yàn)性自治政府是必須的蕉饼。他使美國人民自由的想法成真，并且展示了即使是總統(tǒng)也要在法治下運(yùn)作玛歌。
原文鏈接
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/americas-presidents-washington/3714877.html
-
accomplishment – n. something done or achieved successfully -- 成就 ?
-
figurehead – n. a person who is called the head of something but who has no real power -- 掛名的首腦, 傀儡 ?
-
Courtesy of -- 我們經(jīng)常會在瀏覽英文網(wǎng)站時注意到這樣的一個現(xiàn)象昧港，在一些網(wǎng)站的配圖旁邊，往往會出現(xiàn)這樣的字樣：Photograph Courtesy of （someone’s name）支子。你知道這句話代表什么意思嗎创肥？其實(shí)，這句英文用語表達(dá)的意思是：“感謝某某提供配圖值朋√局叮” Courtesy of在這里的意思是：thanks to；as a result of昨登。（感謝…）為什么要表達(dá)感謝呢趾代？因?yàn)檫@類配圖是對方無償贈與、或免費(fèi)貢獻(xiàn)的（Someone contributed the image, and it is given to you for free.）篙骡。
注意Courtesy有兩種主要的含義稽坤，一種是：禮貌丈甸，禮節(jié)（polite behavior）糯俗；另一種是：幫忙、協(xié)助睦擂、慷慨（favor, help, generosity）得湘。在courtesy of這個短語中，取第二種含義顿仇。另外淘正，你也會見到by courtesy of…的用法，參考這個例句：The costumes for the play were by courtesy of the local department store.（感謝百貨大樓為本劇提供服裝臼闻。）下次你在博客上提供朋友或熱心人提供的免費(fèi)圖片鸿吆，你也可以在圖片底部注明：courtesy of …，以表達(dá)你的謝意哦述呐。 ? -
surveyor – n. a person whose job is to measure and examine an area of land -- 勘測員 ?
-
temper – n. the tendency of someone to become angry -- 性情惩淳，怒氣 ?
-
graceful – adj. moving in a smooth and attractive way -- 優(yōu)雅的，得體的 ?
-
denture(s) – n. a set of artificial teeth --（一副）假牙 ?
-
hippopotamus ivory -- 河馬牙 ?
-
ivory -- n. 象牙;象牙色;象牙制品;象牙質(zhì) adj. 象牙色的;象牙制的 ?
-
By the end of his life = in one's later years = old age -- [old age;one's evening (later,remaining) years] 老年人一生中最后階段即晚年乓搬。 ?
-
will – n. a legal document in which a person states who should receive his or her possessions after he or she dies -- 遺囑 ?
-
(American) Revolutionary War --（美國）獨(dú)立戰(zhàn)爭思犁，革命戰(zhàn)爭 ?
-
conspicuously – adv. very easy to see or notice -- 顯眼的;引人注目的 ?
-
indispensable – adj. extremely important and necessary -- 不可或缺的 ?
