(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Barbara Klein with People in America in VOA Special English. Today we tell about Eugene McCarthy. His campaign for the presidency in nineteen sixty-eight increased popular opposition to the war in Vietnam. And it changed American history. Eugene McCarthy was a quiet and mentally gifted lawmaker from Minnesota. As a young man, he was interested in being a religious worker – or a baseball player. Later, he was a college professor. He wrote poetry. He also became active in Democratic Party politics. In the nineteen sixties, he was one of the first Democrats in the United States Congress to oppose the party leadership. He expressed opposition to the war Americans were fighting in Vietnam. And he forced a president from office.
Eugene McCarthy was born in nineteen sixteen in the town of Watkins, Minnesota. His father's parents came from Ireland. His father bought farm animals and was a storyteller. His mother raised four children. Eugene completed a study program at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota. There, he completed study programs in economics and sociology. McCarthy taught social sciences in public high schools for a few years. Then he taught economics, education and sociology at two colleges in Minnesota. He married another teacher, Abigail Quigley. They would later have four children.
During World War Two, Eugene McCarthy worked as a technical aide for a military intelligence office of the War Department. He became active in the Democratic Party after the war. In nineteen forty-eight, he became head of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party of Ramsey County, Minnesota. That year he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served five terms.
In nineteen fifty-eight, McCarthy defeated a Republican Party senator and won a seat in the United States Senate. Two years later, he became famous by speaking at the Democratic Party's national nominating convention. He nominated Adlai Stevenson for president. But the Democrats chose John F. Kennedy as their candidate. In nineteen sixty-four, McCarthy easily won re-election to a second term in the Senate. He served in the Senate for a total of twelve years. In nineteen sixty-seven, opposition to the war the United States was fighting in Vietnam was growing. It had begun to harm President Lyndon Johnson's popular and political support. In October, thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington, D.C. to protest the increasing conflict.
Eugene McCarthy was a leader of the anti-war movement. McCarthy announced he would show his opposition to the war and to President Johnson. He asked Democrats for their support in the party's presidential primary elections in nineteen sixty-eight. "There is only one thing to do – take it to the country!" he declared. McCarthy made political campaign stops across the country. He said the American people were against the war for military, economic, diplomatic and moral reasons. And he said they wanted a change. He said: "Party unity is not a sufficient excuse for silence." He also said: "We do not need presidents who are bigger than the country, but rather ones who speak for it and support it." Many young peace activists and college students worked on McCarthy's presidential campaign. During the nineteen sixties, many students wore long hair and unusual clothing. But the students who worked for the McCarthy campaign changed their appearance. They cut their hair and wore nicer clothing. The media said these students became "Clean for Gene." His campaign for president was also called a "Children's Crusade" because of the many young people involved.
Nineteen sixty-eight was a difficult year for the nation. It was filled with surprises, tragedy, violence and sadness. The primary election in New Hampshire was the first step of the presidential nominating process. McCarthy surprised experts by winning forty-two percent of the Democratic vote in the New Hampshire primary. That was just seven percentage points behind President Johnson. The results of this vote helped the anti-war movement. They showed the deep division within the Democratic Party. A few days after McCarthy's success, Senator Robert Kennedy entered the race for the Democratic nomination for president. Robert Kennedy was a brother of President John Kennedy, who had been murdered in nineteen sixty-three. Robert Kennedy had served as the top government lawyer in his brother's administration. Senator Kennedy also opposed the Vietnam War. Many people were pleased when he announced his plans to be a candidate. But McCarthy and his supporters were angry that Kennedy had entered the race. On March thirty-first, President Johnson spoke to Americans about the war in Vietnam and his efforts to limit it. At the end of his speech, President Johnson surprised the nation. He announced that he would not seek or accept the nomination of his party for another term as president.
Another shocking event took place a few days later. On April fourth, the nation's top civil rights leader, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Junior, was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. His death led to riots in more than one hundred cities. After the riots, Vice President Hubert Humphrey decided to seek the presidential nomination. Traditional Democrats supported him. McCarthy won Democratic primaries in four states. On June fourth, he lost the important California primary to Senator Kennedy. Then another tragic event happened. Kennedy was shot and killed in Los Angeles shortly after giving his victory speech.
In August, Democrats gathered in Chicago, Illinois for their nominating convention. Thousands of McCarthy supporters and war protesters also went to Chicago. Rioting and violent clashes broke out between the protesters and the city's police force. Inside the meeting place, delegates voted for the party's presidential candidate. But having forced President Johnson out of office, McCarthy failed to win the nomination. The Democrats nominated Humphrey as their candidate to face the Republican candidate, former Vice President Richard Nixon. Nixon defeated Humphrey in the election and became president. The war in Vietnam would continue for seven more years. After losing the fight for the nomination, McCarthy did not offer to help Vice President Humphrey. In fact, he did not express support for the Democratic candidate until a few days before the election. The next year he gave up his seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He separated from his wife of twenty-four years. He also announced he would not seek reelection to the Senate in nineteen seventy.
After retiring from the Senate, McCarthy moved to Rappahannock County, Virginia. He lived alone near the Blue Ridge Mountains. He wrote books, poetry and stories for newspapers. McCarthy was a candidate for President four other times. But he was not taken seriously as a candidate. McCarthy became increasingly critical of the two-party system and traditional politicians, even Democrats. In nineteen eighty, he supported the Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan, for president over the Democrat, President Jimmy Carter. McCarthy remained active until the end of his life. In two thousand five, he published a collection of stories and poems. It is called "Parting Shots from My Brittle Bow: Reflections on American Politics and Life." Eugene McCarthy died in two thousand five in Washington. He was eighty-nine years old. A memorial service was held at the Washington National Cathedral. Hundreds of people came to remember him. Among them were people who had worked on his campaign as college students. They said McCarthy had touched their lives with a message of hope. Former President Bill Clinton was one of the speakers at the service. He remembered that difficult year of nineteen sixty-eight. He said it all started when Eugene McCarthy was willing to stand alone and change history.
重点解析
1.sufficient a. 足够的,充分的
The pension is not sufficient for living expenses.
该退休金不够应付生活费。
2.riot n. 暴动,喧闹,奔放
The students broke out in a riot of laughter.
学生们突然放声大笑。
3.but rather 而宁可说是,而是
This dish is delicious but rather a trouble to prepare.
这种菜好吃不好做。
4.be filled with 充满着
His voice is filled with emotion.
他说话时情绪激动。
5.break out 突发,爆发,叫嚷
The students broke out in a riot of laughter.
学生们突然放声大笑。
6.oppose 反对
He threw all those that opposed him into prison.
他把所有反对他的人都投进了监狱。
参考译文
我是史蒂夫·恩贝尔。我是芭芭拉·克莱恩。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天我们将讲述尤金·麦卡锡的故事。1968年，麦卡锡竞选总统导致反对越南战争的热度增加，并改变了美国的历史。来自明尼苏达州的尤金·麦卡锡是一名资质相当优异的立法者。作为一名年轻人，他对宗教工作或棒球很感兴趣。之后，他成为了一名大学教授。他会写诗，还是民主党政治的积极分子。1960年代，他成为了美国国会首位反对政党领导的民主党人。他反对美国对越南的战争，并且他迫使一名总统辞职。
1916年，尤金·麦卡锡出生于明尼苏达州的沃特金斯镇。他的祖父母来自爱尔兰。他的父亲买卖家畜，此外也是一名短篇小说作家。他的母亲养育着四个孩子。麦卡锡在明尼苏达州科利奇维尔圣约翰大学完成学业。他继而又在明尼苏达大学继续学业。在那里他完成了经济学和社会学课程。麦卡锡在公立高校教了几年书。然后又在明尼苏达州的另两所大学里教授经济学、教育学以及社会学。他和另一名老师阿比盖尔·奎格利结婚，之后有了四个孩子。二战期间，尤金·麦卡锡成为美国陆军部军事情报官的一名技术助手。战后，他在民主党内非常活跃。1948年，他成为明尼苏达州拉姆西县民主-农民-劳工党领导人。那一年他被选入美国众议院，在众议院内为五届政府服务。
1958年，麦卡锡击败共和党参议员获得美国参议院席位。两年后，他因在民主党全国提名大会上的演讲而出名。他提名阿德莱·史蒂文森为总统，但是民主党人选择约翰·肯尼迪作为他们的候选人。1964年，麦卡锡在参议院内，轻易赢得第二任期重选。他在参议院总共呆了12年。1967年，反对美国对越南战争的呼声愈演愈烈。已经开始威胁到了林登·约翰逊总统的受欢迎程度和政治支持度。10月，数千名示威者在华盛顿游行反对不断增长的冲突。尤金·麦卡锡成为反对战争运动的一名领袖。麦卡锡宣布他将反对战争和约翰逊总统。1968年，党内总统初选时，他寻求民主党人的支持。“要做的只有一件事—为国家带来和平！”他公开宣布。麦卡锡在全国各地进行政治竞选活动。他说美国人民为了军队、经济、外交和道德原因反对战争。他还说他们希望获得改变。他说：“党内统一并不是沉默的有力借口。”他还说：“我们不需要大于国家的总统，而需要那些为国家发声，支持国家的总统。”很多年轻的和平积极分子和大学学生都在麦卡锡总统竞选阵营工作。1960年代，很多学生留长发，穿着奇装异服。但是为麦卡锡阵营工作的学生改变了他们的外貌。他们剪了短发，穿着得体。媒体报道称这些学生是“为了吉恩打扮自己。”他的阵营也被称为“孩子改革运动”，因为阵营中有很多年轻人。
1968年是美国艰难的一年。这一年充满了惊喜、悲剧、暴力和悲伤。新罕布什尔的初选时总统提名过程中的第一步。麦卡锡在新罕布什尔的初选中获得了民主党42%的投票。只落后于约翰逊总统7个百分点。本次投票结果为反战运动提供帮助，展现了民主党内的分歧。麦卡锡获胜的几天后，罗伯特·肯尼迪参议员加入竞选成为民主党提名的总统候选人。罗伯特·肯尼迪是约翰·肯尼迪总统的哥哥，他在1963年被谋杀。罗伯特·肯尼迪成为了他哥哥那届政府的一名高级政府律师。肯尼迪参议员也反对越南战争。当他宣布自己成为候选人的计划时，很多人都感到很高兴。但是麦卡锡和他的支持者们对肯尼迪加入这次竞选很生气。3月31日，约翰逊总统就越南战争以及他为限制战争而做的努力发表全国演讲。演讲结束时，约翰逊总统的举动震惊全国。他宣布他将不再寻求或接受党内总统提名。
另一件令人震惊的事情发生在几天后。4月4日，国家高级民权领袖马丁·路德·金教士在田纳西州孟菲斯市遭遇枪杀。他的死亡造成一百多个城市内的暴乱。暴乱之后，副总统休伯特·汉弗莱决定寻求总统提名。传统民主党人支持他。麦卡锡获得了四个州的民族党初选。6月4日，他在加利福尼亚州的重要初选中输给了肯尼迪参议员。然后另一个悲剧发生了。在肯尼迪发表获胜演讲不久后，他便在洛杉矶被射杀。8月，民主党人为提名大会聚集伊利诺斯州芝加哥。数千名麦卡锡的支持者和战争反对者同样前往芝加哥。反对者和城市警察力量之间的暴乱和暴力冲突爆发了。在会场内，代表们投票选举党内总统候选人。但是由于迫使约翰逊总统离任，麦卡锡没有获得提名。 民主党人提名汉弗莱成为他们的候选人，与共和党候选人，前任副总统尼克松对战。尼克松击败汉弗莱赢得选举成为总统。越南战争又持续了7年。提名失利后，麦卡锡并没有为汉弗莱副总统提供帮助。事实上，直到选举几天之前，他才表示支持民主党候选人。
第二年，他放弃了在参议院外交委员会的席位。他和妻子分居了24年。1970年，他还宣布他将不会寻求参议院再选举。从参议院退休后，麦卡锡搬到了弗吉尼亚州拉帕汉诺克县。他独居在蓝岭山脉附近。他为报社写书、写诗、写故事。麦卡锡四次当选总统候选人，但是他并没有把候选人当回事。麦卡锡对两党制、传统政客，甚至民主党人越发不满。1980年，他支持共和党总统候选人罗纳德·里根而非民主党总统吉米·卡特。直到生命后期，麦卡锡仍保持活跃。2005年，他出版了故事诗集。这本书名为《Parting Shots from My Brittle Bow: Reflections on American Politics and Life》。2005年，尤金·麦卡锡在华盛顿去世，享年89岁。在华盛顿国家大教堂举行了追思会。数百人来此悼念他。在这些人中还有为他的阵营工作过的人。他们表示麦卡锡用信念触动了他们的生命。前总统比尔·克林顿是追思会上的发言人之一。他回忆起了艰难的1968年。他说，这一切都起于尤金·麦卡锡愿意独立而战改变历史。
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