(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Phoebe Zimmermann with the VOA Special English program, People in America. Today, we tell the story of Sam Houston. He was a congressman, senator, governor, president of the Republic of Texas and a hero. The United States was seventeen years old when Sam Houston was born in Virginia in seventeen-ninety-three. His father was a soldier during the Revolutionary War. After the war, he served as an officer in the state military forces of Virginia. Sam's mother took care of the family farm while her husband was busy with his duties.
Sam's father died when the boy was fourteen years old. Sam's mother had to sell the farm to pay the money her husband owed. She and the children moved west to Tennessee. Life in Tennessee was not easy. Missus Houston and her children had to build a house and clear trees off the land. Sam did not like such hard work. His mother and brothers decided that the boy was not meant to be a farmer. They sent him to a store to work. Sam did not like this job any better than farming. One morning, he failed to go to work. Sam was gone for weeks. Then his mother heard that he was living with the Cherokee Indians. Sam's brothers found him at an Indian village. Sam refused to leave. He told his brothers that he loved the way the Indians lived. The Cherokee chief, Oolooteka, accepted Sam as his son. Sam was nineteen years old when he left the Indians to return to his own people.
The United States and Britain had begun fighting the War of Eighteen-Twelve and Sam Houston wanted to fight for his country. He left to join the forces of General Andrew Jackson. Houston fought in a battle against a group of Creek Indians who supported the British. He was wounded in the leg. Later in the fighting, General Jackson asked for someone to lead an attack against the Indians. Houston jumped up and led the attack. He was hit by several bullets, and almost died. It was a long time before Houston was well again. The war ended before he could return to action. After several years as a peacetime soldier, the young officer received special orders from Washington, D.C. Some Cherokee chiefs had signed a treaty with the United States. The treaty said that all Cherokees must move west, to an area across the Mississippi River.
Oolooteka, with whom Houston had lived, was not one of the chiefs who signed the treaty. He could not understand why he should honor the agreement. Houston's job was to get Oolooteka to accept the treaty. Houston did not want to do this. He believed it was wrong. However, he also knew it was a soldier's duty to obey orders. The Cherokees were glad to see Sam return. But they were sad when they learned why he had come. After much talk, Oolooteka finally agreed to leave the land. Houston had done his duty, but he was not pleased. Because of this and other reasons, he left the army when he was twenty-five years old. Sam Houston decided to become a lawyer. He went to Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, to study law. Houston completed eighteen months of study in just six months. He surprised everyone by passing the test required to become a lawyer.
He opened a law office in a town near Nashville. Former General Andrew Jackson lived near the city, and Houston visited him often. They became close friends. Jackson was the political leader of Tennessee. He urged his young friend to enter politics. Houston accepted this invitation. Jackson's support meant much to a political candidate in Tennessee. Houston was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served in Congress for four years. Then, Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States and Houston was elected governor of Tennessee. Houston had worked hard for Jackson. Many people believed that Houston would follow Jackson as president. But Houston had something else on his mind -- a young woman. She was Eliza Allen, the daughter of a friend. They decided to marry. For several months, they seemed happy. Then, something happened. Eliza left Sam and returned home. Houston never explained the reason for the break between them. He said only that it was painful and private. Houston resigned as governor and left Tennessee.
Sam Houston traveled to Arkansas, where the Cherokee Indians were living. Chief Oolooteka welcomed him warmly. Houston attempted to forget his sadness by working hard. But work did not make him forget. Houston drank too much alcohol, and was drunk for months. Then he got a letter telling him his mother was sick. Houston went home. Before she died, Missus Houston told her son that she was sure of his strength and that he would succeed in life. Houston had received a letter from a group of New York City bankers. They wanted him to go to the western area called Texas. Houston liked this idea. Many Americans had been moving to Texas for the past few years. The area was then part of Mexico. However, the Mexican government had opened the area to Americans who wished to live there.Houston talked to the bankers, but got no immediate decision from them. He went to Washington to see President Jackson. The President offered him a job. He asked his friend to go to Texas to negotiate peace with the Comanche Indians.
Houston moved to Texas in eighteen-thirty-two. He met with the Indians. The talks were successful, and the Indians agreed to have peace. People told him that a spirit of rebellion was spreading across Texas. The Mexican government had made a number of laws that the Texans did not believe were fair. Houston went to San Felipe de Austin, the capital of a colony of Americans. Stephen Austin had started the colony with Mexico's permission and worked hard to make it a success. Austin feared that Houston had come to lead a struggle against Mexico. Austin did not believe that a war was necessary. He thought new leaders would come to power in Mexico. He believed they would make changes in the laws. Austin was partly right. The Mexican dictator, Anastasio Bustamante, was ousted. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna seized power.
The Texans called a meeting to write a letter to Santa Anna. They asked him to change the cruel laws ordered by Bustamante. Austin agreed to carry the letter to the new Mexican leader. Months after Austin left, the Texans learned that he had been arrested in Mexico City and put in prison. They now felt that Santa Anna was no better than Bustamante. Finally, the Mexican leader freed Austin and let him return to Texas. Austin now believed that peaceful methods would not help the Texans. The Texans held another meeting. There was a deep split among the delegates. Many believed the only answer was complete independence from Mexico. Others believed Texas should fight for a democratic Mexican government. After much debate, the delegates decided to try to keep Texas a Mexican state. They quickly wrote a new state constitution and agreed to meet again. A temporary governor was elected. Sam Houston was chosen commander-in-chief of the Texas Army.
There was little time to get an army ready. Santa Anna's forces already were in Texas, in San Antonio. A group of Texas volunteer soldiers wanted to go to San Antonio to fight the Mexicans. Houston opposed this idea. He believed the soldiers needed more training. However, the volunteer soldiers left for San Antonio. There was a violent five-day battle. The small Texas force won a surprise victory.
Most Texans believed the war had been won. But Houston knew Santa Anna would not give up Texas so easily. Houston continued to build an army. Several Texas officers formed a small army and planned to attack Mexico without Houston's permission. He believed the planned attack on Mexico was wrong, so he resigned. But before he did, he ordered Texans in San Antonio to destroy the old Spanish fort called the Alamo. Houston did not think the Alamo could be defended against a strong Mexican attack. That will be our story next week.
重点解析
1.take care of 照顾
Don't worry yourself about me, I can take care of myself
你别担心我，我能照顾好自己。
2.owe 欠
The company owes money to more than 60 banks.
这家公司欠六十多家银行的钱。
3.refuse 拒绝
He refused to comment after the trial.
该审判之后他拒绝发表评论。
4.fight for 为…而战
He readied himself to fight for freedom.
他准备为自由而战斗。
5.honor the agreement 遵守协议
The swindler's offer was in bad faith as he never expected to honor the agreement.
那个骗子的提议是不守信义的，因为他压根儿就没想照协议办。
6.obey 服从，顺从
Cissie obeyed her mother without question.
茜茜绝对服从她的母亲。
参考译文
我是史蒂夫·恩贝尔。我是菲比·齐默尔曼。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天我们将讲述山姆·休斯顿的故事。他是一名国会议员、参议员、州长、得克萨斯共和国总统，也是一位英雄。1793年，美国建国17年时，山姆·休斯顿在弗吉尼亚州出生。他的父亲在革命战争期间当过兵。战后，他服役于弗吉尼亚州州武装军，是一名军官。在丈夫忙于职务的时候山姆的母亲打理家族农场。
山姆的父亲在他14岁的时候去世了。山姆的母亲不得不卖掉农场偿还丈夫欠下的债。她和孩子们搬去了西边的田纳西州。在田纳西州的生活不易。休斯顿太太和她的孩子们搭建了一所房子并清理掉土地上的树枝。山姆不喜欢这种重活。他的母亲和兄弟们认为这个孩子不适合当农民。他们将他送至商店工作。和农耕一样，山姆也不喜欢这份工作。一天清晨，他没有去上班，消失了好几个星期。然后，他的母亲听说他和切罗基族印第安人生活在一起。山姆的兄弟们在一个印第安村庄发现了他。山姆拒绝离开。他告诉他的兄弟，他喜欢印第安人生活的方式。切罗基部落首领Oolooteka认山姆做了他的儿子。山姆19岁的时候离开了印第安部落回到自己的群族中。
英美1812年战争开始，山姆·休斯顿希望为国家而战。他前去加入了安德鲁·杰克逊将军率领的军队。休斯顿在与支持英军的克里克族印第安人的战争中伤到了大腿。之后，杰克逊将军命人带头攻击印第安人。休斯顿跳了出来，领队袭击。他被几颗子弹击中，差点丧命。休斯顿修养了很长时间才恢复。在他返回战场前战争就结束了。当了几年和平时期的士兵之后，这位年轻的军官收到了来自于华盛顿特区的一项特殊任务。一些切罗基部落首领和美国签署了一项条约。条约规定所有切罗基人必须向西迁移，搬到跨过密西西比河的区域。和休斯顿一起生活过的Oolooteka是几位没有签条约的首领之一。他无法理解为什么他应该遵守这项协议。休斯顿的任务就是让 Oolooteka接受这份条约。休斯顿不想这么做。他认为这么做是不对的。但他也知道士兵的职责就是服从命令。切罗基人很高兴看到山姆回来了。但当他们知道他来次的原因时很难过。经过交谈后，Oolooteka最终同意离开这里。休斯顿完成了他的任务，但是他却不开心。因为这件事和其他原因，他在25岁的时候离开了军队。
山姆·休斯顿决定成为一名律师。他去了田纳西州的首都那什维尔学习法律。休斯顿在六个月里就完成了18个月的学习。让所有人都感到惊奇的是，他通过了律师资格证的考试。他在那什维尔附近的一个小镇上开了一家律师事务所。前安德鲁·杰克逊将军住在这个城市的附近，休斯顿经常拜访他。他们成了密友。杰克逊是田纳西州的政治领袖。他力邀他这位年轻的朋友从政。休斯顿接受了他的邀请。杰克逊的支持对这位田纳西州政治候选人意义重大。休斯顿入选美国众议院。在国会任职四年。然后安德鲁·杰克逊当选美国总统，休斯顿当选田纳西州州长。休斯顿为杰克逊勤恳工作。很多人认为休斯顿会是杰克逊的总统接班人。但是休斯顿想着其他的事情—一个年轻的女性。她是埃莉萨·艾伦，一位朋友的女儿，他们决定结婚。几个月来，他们很开心。然后发生了一些事情。埃莉萨离开了山姆并回到家中。休斯顿从未解释过他们分开的原因。他只说很痛苦。休斯顿辞去州长一职并离开了田纳西州。山姆·休斯顿来到了阿肯色州，这里是切诺基印第安人居住的地方。Oolooteka首领热情的欢迎了他。休斯顿想要通过努力工作忘记悲伤，但是工作无法让他忘记。休斯顿开始酗酒，一连好几个月都是醉醺醺的样子。然后他收到了一封信告知他母亲生病了。休斯顿回到了家中。在去世前，休斯顿太太告诉她的儿子，她坚信他是一个有力量的人，他将取得成功。休斯顿收到了一群纽约银行家的来信。他们希望他去西部一个叫做克萨斯州的地方。休斯顿喜欢这个想法。过去几年来，很多美国人都搬去了德克萨斯州。当时这个地方属于墨西哥。但是墨西哥政府向想搬来居住的美国人敞开了大门。
休斯顿和银行家进行了交谈，但并没有立刻得到答案。他去了华盛顿看望杰克逊总统。总统给了他一份工作。他让他的朋友去德州和科曼奇族印第安人进行和平谈判。休斯顿在1832年搬到了德州。他和印第安人见了面。他们的谈话很成功，印第安人同意和平。人们告诉他一种反抗精神正在德州蔓延。墨西哥政府制定了许多法律，德州人认为这些法律不公平。休斯顿来到了美国一个殖民地首府—圣费利佩。史蒂夫·奥斯汀在墨西哥的允许下经过很多努力才成功建了这个殖民地。奥斯汀担心休斯顿来此是为了领导反抗墨西哥。奥斯汀认为战争是不必要的。他认为新的领袖将执政墨西哥。他认为他们将更改法律。但奥斯汀对了一半。墨西哥独裁者安纳斯塔西奥·布斯塔曼特下台。安东尼奥·洛佩斯·德·桑塔·安纳将军夺取了政权。德州人召开会议给桑塔·安纳写信。他们要求他更改布斯塔曼特制定的残酷法律。奥斯汀同意将信带给新的墨西哥领导人。奥斯汀离开几个月后，德州人才知道他在墨西哥城被捕并被关押。他们现在觉得桑塔·安纳并没有比布斯塔曼特好多少。
最后，墨西哥领导人释放了奥斯汀并让他返回德州。奥斯汀现在认为和平的方法帮不了德州人。德州人进行了另一次会议。代表之间发生分歧。很多人认为唯一的方法就是从墨西哥取得完全独立。其他人认为德州应该为了一个民族墨西哥政府而战。经过辩论后，代表们决定放弃独立。他们迅速起草了一份州宪法并同意再次进行会议。一个临时政府被选了出来。山姆·休斯顿被选为德军总司令。组成军队的时间不多了。桑塔·安纳的军队已经到了德州圣安东尼奥市。一群德州自愿兵想去圣安东尼奥市与墨西哥军对抗。休斯顿反对这个想法。他认为士兵们需要更多训练。但是志愿兵动身前往圣安东尼奥市。这是一场惨烈的五天战争。德州小军队惊喜地赢得了胜利。多数德州人认为战争已经赢了，但是休斯顿知道桑塔·安纳不会这么容易放弃德州。休斯顿继续组建军队。
几位德州官员组建了一小只军队并计划不经休斯顿允许袭击墨西哥。他认为拟议袭击墨西哥的计划是错误的，所以他离职了。但他离职前，他命令圣安东尼奥市的德州人摧毁旧时的西班牙堡垒Alamo。休斯顿认为Alamo无法抵御强大的墨西哥军的袭击。这将是我们下周要讲述的故事了。
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