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Historic Documents at the National Archives

时间:2005-06-03 16:00:00

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(单词翻译)


By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: October 20, 2003
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
1)The Declaration of Independence helped establish the United States as a new nation. So did the 2)Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The National Archives and Records Administration is again showing these historic documents in its building in Washington, D.C. I'm Faith Lapidus.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Steve Ember. We tell about these important documents on THIS IS AMERICA from VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Until two years ago, America's most important historic documents were moved for their safety. At night, mechanical devices placed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in an underground container. The next day, the documents were lifted back to the place where the public could see them. Their home was a beautiful area of 3)the National Archives building called the 4)Rotunda1 for the Charters of Freedom.
But many visitors said the glass containers made the documents hard to see. Experts also worried that the condition of the very old documents was 5)worsening. The documents were signed in the seventeen-hundreds.
VOICE TWO:
In July, two-thousand-one, the government began improving the National Archives. The project includes structural2 changes and the addition of new public areas. The project costs millions of dollars and probably will continue until the end of two-thousand-five.
After the work began, the research area of the Archives building remained open. But the Rotunda area was closed for restoration for more than two years.
VOICE ONE:
Today, however, crowds of people again gather at the Rotunda to walk by the documents, as they did in earlier years. It is much easier to see the documents now than before. Experts have cleaned and partly restored them. They have also improved the cases in which they are contained.
Last month, thousands of people attended celebrations for the newly restored home of the historic papers. These “papers” are really 6)parchments - specially3 treated animal skins. Officials say the best of modern technology has been used to extend the lives of the documents. For example, devices in the cases measure the temperature, humidity and pressure inside. 7)Argon gas helps protect the parchments.
A special structure makes it possible for people in wheelchairs and small children to easily see the documents.
VOICE TWO:
The central point of the restored Rotunda is the United States Constitution. Officials placed the document in a case in the middle of the room. Before the improvement, visitors could see only two pages of the Constitution. Now they can see all four. On the left of the Constitution is the Declaration of Independence. On the right is the Bill of Rights.
Before the Rotunda was changed, the Declaration of Independence hung on the wall. It was not very close to the other documents. People said it was hard to see. Now experts have placed the cases in positions designed for easier reading.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Thomas Jefferson wrote the first version of the powerful Declaration of Independence in June, seventeen-seventy-six. It announced separation of the thirteen American colonies from Britain. Continental4 Congress members approved the Declaration on July Fourth of that year.
VOICE TWO:
After the colonists5 won the Revolutionary War and gained their independence, delegates were chosen to write rules to establish a government for the new nation. Constitutional Convention members worked out the agreement beginning in May, seventeen-eighty-seven. It was signed on September seventeenth of that year. Historians say the Constitution created the new United States from the spirit of the American Revolution.
The Constitution established a strong central government. It called for this government to have three parts, or branches. The president was to lead the executive branch. Congress formed the legislative6 branch. The courts formed the judicial7 branch. The Constitution also called for each branch to exercise some control over the others. These checks and balances protect against any one branch becoming too powerful. More than two-hundred years later, the United States still operates under this system.
VOICE ONE:
Early American legislators added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution in seventeen-ninety-one. House of Representatives Speaker Frederick A. Muhlenberg signed the document first. Senate President John Adams signed it soon after.
The Bill of Rights contains the first ten amendments8 to the Constitution. It guarantees Americans several important freedoms: These include freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. Freedom of the press. Freedom to gather to express opinions. Today, the Supreme9 Court of the United States hears many cases that are linked to the Bill of Rights.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Visitors to the National Archives also can see other important documents in the Rotunda. For example, there is the agreement permitting the largest land purchase in American history. It is called the Louisiana Purchase Treaty. This let the United States buy more than two-million square kilometers of land from France in eighteen-oh-three. The land extended from west of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to the Gulf10 of Mexico. Two historical paintings hang above the documents. The picture on the left shows Thomas Jefferson. He is giving a version of the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock, the first person to sign the document. The picture on the right shows James Madison giving the Constitution to George Washington, America's first president.
VOICE ONE:
The work on the document area is only part of the major improvement project at the National Archives. For example, exhibit spaces called public 8)vaults12 will be added. The vaults will let visitors walk through areas where records are kept. Another special area, a gallery, will show temporary exhibits.
The National Archives will open a learning center and a theater for films and other presentations. Officials also plan to improve the Archives Web site, w-w-w dot archives dot g-o-v.(www.archives.gov) This will enable people to visit the Archives by computer. They also will be able to connect to Archive records.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Ceremonies, music and dramatizations were held at the Rotunda opening last month. For example, actors representing historical people welcomed visitors. People could question the actors about American heroes like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. A small boy from the state of Oklahoma asked about President Washington's height. The actor performing as George Washington answered that Washington stood taller than one-point-eight meters.
At the same time, the actor playing Thomas Jefferson was talking to a young girl from Baltimore, Maryland. He described how Jefferson designed Monticello, his Virginia home. After writing the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson served as America's third president. He was also known for his skill as an inventor, designer and farmer.
VOICE ONE:
Another actor took the part of black Revolutionary War soldier Edward Hector. He told what it was like to fight in the American War of Independence. Black people were given freedom for joining the American colonial troops.
Ned Hector was a hero of the Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania. The battle took place in September, seventeen-seventy-five. Hector was attacked by many British troops. He reportedly said he would never surrender his horses and wagon13. When the battle ended, he had survived. And, he still had his horses and wagon.
VOICE TWO:
One of the first visitors to the newly re-opened document exhibit was a high school teacher from the state of Oklahoma. Before leaving, the teacher stopped to look back at the Rotunda. She said, “This place helped me remember how hard people struggled to create this country.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Caty Weaver14. I'm Faith Lapidus.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on THIS IS AMERICA from VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)

注释:
1) The Declaration of Independence  独立宣言
2) constitution [ 7kCnsti5tju:FEn ] n.宪法, 章程, 惯例
3) the National Archives  国家档案馆
4) rotunda [ rEu5tQndE ] n.圆形建筑, 圆形大厅
5) worsening  恶化
6) parchment [ 5pB:tFmEnt ] n.羊皮纸
7) argon [ 5B:^Cn ] n.(化)氩
8) vault11 [ vC:lt ] n.拱顶

 


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1 rotunda rX6xH     
n.圆形建筑物;圆厅
参考例句:
  • The Capitol at Washington has a large rotunda.华盛顿的国会大厦有一圆形大厅。
  • The rotunda was almost deserted today,dotted with just a few tourists.圆形大厅今天几乎没有多少人,只零星散布着几个游客。
2 structural itXw5     
adj.构造的,组织的,建筑(用)的
参考例句:
  • The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
  • The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
3 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
4 continental Zazyk     
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的
参考例句:
  • A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
  • The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。
5 colonists 4afd0fece453e55f3721623f335e6c6f     
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 legislative K9hzG     
n.立法机构,立法权;adj.立法的,有立法权的
参考例句:
  • Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
  • Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
7 judicial c3fxD     
adj.司法的,法庭的,审判的,明断的,公正的
参考例句:
  • He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
  • Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。
8 amendments 39576081718792f25ceae20f3bb99b43     
(法律、文件的)改动( amendment的名词复数 ); 修正案; 修改; (美国宪法的)修正案
参考例句:
  • The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
  • Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。
9 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • 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。
10 gulf 1e0xp     
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂
参考例句:
  • The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
  • There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
11 vault 3K3zW     
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室
参考例句:
  • The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
  • The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
12 vaults fe73e05e3f986ae1bbd4c517620ea8e6     
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴
参考例句:
  • It was deposited in the vaults of a bank. 它存在一家银行的保险库里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒,他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
14 weaver LgWwd     
n.织布工;编织者
参考例句:
  • She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快,而且布的质量很好。
  • The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

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