(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Bob Doughty. And I'm Phoebe Zimmermann with PEOPLE IN AMERICA from VOA Special English. Today, we tell the story of Davy Crockett. He was a hunter, fighter, storyteller and elected official. For many people, he represented the spirit of the American wilderness.
David Crockett was born in what is now Greene County, Tennessee in seventeen eighty-six. He was the fifth of nine children born to John and Rebecca Hawkins Crockett.
Davy's grandparents were among the first white people to live in eastern Tennessee. His grandfather had moved there in search of land to settle. Before Davy was born, his grandparents and other settlers were killed by a group of Native American Indian warriors.
Life in the wilderness was difficult. John Crockett repeatedly moved his family in an effort to find a good place to live. In seventeen ninety-six, he opened a tavern, or drinking place. The tavern was a popular stop for travelers. Davy probably heard many stories told by the people at his father's tavern.
Davy Crockett started attending a small school when he was about thirteen years old. A few days later, he fought with another boy at the school. After that, Davy decided to run away from home to escape his father's punishment. For more than two years, he worked a number of unskilled jobs to support himself. When Davy returned home, he was so tall that his family did not recognize him. When they finally did, they celebrated his return.
Two hundred years ago, a boy either worked for his father or surrendered his pay if he worked for someone else. To gain his independence, Davy worked for about a year to help pay his father's debts. He borrowed a gun from one employer and became good at shooting. Within a short time, Davy was a skilled hunter and trapper of wild animals. He was able to provide food and clothing for himself and his family.
Davy Crockett married Polly Finley in eighteen-oh-six. At first they lived in a small place near Davy's parents. Five years later, Davy, Polly and their two boys moved west into what is now Lincoln County, Tennessee. Later, they settled in Franklin County, near what was then the territory of Alabama.
About this time, Creek Indian warriors killed many settlers at Fort Mims, Alabama. When news of the attack reached Crockett, he joined an army force under the command of Andrew Jackson. Crockett served in the army during the Creek Indian War. He also explored areas controlled by Indian warriors.
Crockett returned home when his military service ended. He decided to re-join the army in eighteen-fourteen, just before the Treaty of Ghent officially ended the fighting. At the time, General Jackson's force was attempting to stop British-trained Indian forces in Florida.
Davy Crockett returned home after the war. His wife Polly died in eighteen fifteen. Crockett needed a wife to raise his children. A short time later, he met and married Elizabeth Patton, whose husband had died.
More and more settlers were moving to Tennessee. Crockett seemed restless and traveled many times into the wilderness. In Alabama, he became infected with malaria and almost died. Later, he and his family moved again, this time to what would become Lawrence County, Tennessee.
Crockett was elected to the position of colonel in the local military force. He also was appointed a local court official. He became popular with the people and developed an interest in politics.
Davy Crockett loved the wilderness and became famous as a hunter. He also was a good storyteller. His stories were based partly on fact and partly on his imagination. For example, he told one story about an unusual experience when he was hunting. Crockett said the animal he was hunting looked at him once and surrendered immediately, without a single shot being fired. He also told stories about killing more than one hundred bears in six months.
Crockett was able to remember almost anything that he had heard. He found that his storytelling skills were helpful when he was campaigning for political office. For example, he once memorized an opponent's campaign speech word for word. Crockett repeated the speech as his own during a debate. The opponent was so surprised to hear his own words that he was forced to make unprepared statements.
Crockett won a seat in the Tennessee legislature in eighteen twenty-one. As a lawmaker, he became an expert in land policy, especially in wilderness areas. Crockett always did what he believed was right. He thought others should do the same. He was known for these words: "Be always sure you are right, then go ahead."
After his term in office, Crockett decided to move his family further into the wilderness. They settled in what is now Gibson County, Tennessee. Crockett was so popular there that he was re-elected to the state legislature. Two years later, he was chosen as a candidate for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. This time, however, he was defeated.
Crockett won a seat in the House of Representatives the second time he was nominated in eighteen twenty-seven. He was re-elected two years later. During this period, another Tennessee native, General Andrew Jackson, was elected President. Crockett generally claimed to support President Jackson's programs.
But he opposed the president and other members of Congress from Tennessee on several issues, including land reform. He also opposed a measure that forced Indian tribes from their native lands. However, even with Crockett's opposition, the Indian Resettlement Act passed.
President Jackson's supporters prevented Crockett from winning a third term in Congress. However, he returned to the House of Representatives in eighteen thirty-three. By this time, his fame as a hunter, Indian fighter and storyteller was spreading. First, a book about Crockett was published. Later, he wrote a book about his life. Several artists made paintings of the famous Tennessee woodsman. Some pictures show him wearing clothing made of animal skins and a hat made of raccoon fur.
Crockett made several trips to speak in cities in the eastern United States. The Whig political party provided support for the trips. Some Whig leaders were considering Crockett as the party's candidate for President in eighteen thirty-six. However, his hopes for a political future ended when he lost his seat in the House of Representatives to a supporter of President Jackson.
After his political defeat, Davy Crockett had a desire to see the wilderness again. He set out with a number of other men to explore the western area of Texas. Crockett believed that he could renew his political life there. At the time, American settlers in Texas were fighting to gain independence from Mexico.
Crockett joined more than one hundred eighty men who had established a fort at the Alamo, an old Roman Catholic mission in San Antonio. The commander of the Texas Army ordered the men to destroy the Alamo. He did not believe it could be defended against a strong Mexican attack. However, the men disobeyed the order.
When Mexican troops attacked the Alamo, the men battled against them for almost two weeks. But on March sixth, eighteen thirty-six, Mexican forces captured the Alamo. Some historians believe that all the defenders died in battle. Others believe that a few men survived the battle, but were executed. Davy Crockett died with the other heroes at the Alamo. He was forty-nine years old.
After his death, Davy Crockett became even more famous and popular. His life has been celebrated in books, plays, movies, television shows and songs, like this one.
重点解析
1.in search of寻找
It was a place to which genteel families came in search of health and quiet.
这是上流社会家庭寻求健康和静谧的场所。
2.be able to能够
They may be able to help with childcare so that you can have a break
他们可以帮忙照料孩子，这样你就可以歇一歇了。
3.settle in习惯；适应
I enjoyed King Edward's School enormously once I'd settled in.
适应了爱德华国王学校的生活后，我就深深地爱上了这里。
4.infected with感染
The wound was infected with germs.
伤口沾染了细菌。
5.be forced to被迫
What sort of indignities would he be forced to endure?
他会被迫忍受什么样的侮辱呢？
6.known for以...闻名
He was known for his poor grammar and punctuation.
他不通语法和乱用标点是出了名的。
参考译文
我是鲍勃·道蒂，我是菲比·齐默尔曼。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天我们讲述戴维·克罗克特的故事。他是一个猎人，战士，小说家和选任官员。对很多人来说，他代表着美国西部的荒野精神。
大卫·克罗克特于1786年出生在现在的田纳西州格林县。他是约翰·霍金斯·克罗克特和丽贝卡·霍金斯·克罗克特生的九个孩子中的第五个。
戴维的祖父母是第一批住在田纳西州东部的白人。他的祖父早先来到这里，寻找定居的地方。在戴维出生之前，他的祖父母和其他定居者被一群印第安土著战士杀害。
在荒野中的生活是艰难的。约翰·克罗克特反复地搬家，以找到可以生活的好地方。1796年，他开了一家酒馆。酒馆很受游客的欢迎。戴维或许听说过很多父亲酒馆的人讲述的故事。
戴维·克罗克特大约十三岁时开始上一所小学校。几天后，他在学校和另一个男孩打架。在那之后，戴维决定离家出走以逃避父亲的惩罚。在两年多的时间里，他做了许多无需技能的工作来养活自己。当戴维回到家时，他个子很高，他的家人都不认识他。当他们终于认出来时，他们庆祝他的归来。
200年前，男孩要么为自己的父亲工作，或者为别人工作，把工资交出来。为了获得独立，戴维工作了大约一年时间，以帮助偿还父亲的债务。他从一个雇主那里借了一把枪，并成为了一个好的射手。在很短的时间内，戴维就成了一个熟练的猎人和野生动物猎人。他可以为自己和家人提供食物和衣服。
戴维·克罗克特于1806年与波莉·芬利结婚。起初，他们住在戴维父母附近的一个小地方。五年后，戴维、波莉和他们的两个儿子搬到了现在田纳西州林肯县的西部。后来，他们定居在富兰克林县，靠近当时阿拉巴马州的领土。
大约在这个时候，克里克印第安战士在阿拉巴马州的米姆斯堡杀死了许多定居者。当克罗克特得知攻击的消息后，他加入了安德鲁·杰克逊领导下的军队。克罗克特在克里克印第安战争期间为军队服役。他也探索了印第安战士控制的区域。
克罗克特在军队服役结束后回到了家。他决定在1814年重新参军，就在根特条约正式结束战争之前。当时，杰克逊将军的部队正试图阻止英国训练的印度军队进入佛罗里达州。
戴维·克罗克特在战后回到了家。他的妻子在1815年去世。克罗克特需要一个妻子来养育孩子。不久之后，他遇到并和伊丽莎白·巴顿结婚，她的丈夫之前去世了。
越来越多的移居者搬到了田纳西州。克罗克特似乎不安分，多次到荒野去旅行。在阿拉巴马州，他感染了痢疾，差点死掉。后来，他和家人又一次搬了家，这次搬到了现在位于田纳西州的劳伦斯县。
克罗克特在当地军队被选为上校。他也被任命为一个当地法院警官。他很受人们欢迎，对政治产生了兴趣。
戴维·克罗克特热爱荒野，并成为著名的猎人。他也是一个讲故事的好手。他的故事一部分是基于事实，一部分是基于他的想象。例如，他讲了自己狩猎时的一个不寻常的经历。克罗克特说，当时他要狩猎的动物看了他一眼就立马投降了，一枪也不用打。他也讲述过在六个月的时间里杀死超过100头熊的故事。
克罗克特几乎记得所有他听过的事情。他发现自己在竞选公职时讲故事的技巧很有帮助。比如，他曾记得一个竞争对手的演讲的每一句话。在一次辩论中，克罗克特重复了对手的演讲。对手听到自己的话非常吃惊，他被迫作了毫无准备的陈述。
克罗克特在1821年赢得了田纳西州议会的一个席位。作为一名立法者，他成为了土地政策方面的专家，尤其是在荒野地区。克罗克特总是做他认为正确的事。他认为其他人也应该这样做。他以这些话出名：“永远确保你是正确的，然后就勇往直前。”
任期结束后，克罗克特决定把自己的家搬到更深的荒野之中。他们定居在现在位于田纳西州的吉布森县。克罗克特在那里太受欢迎了，他又被选为州议员。两年后，他被选作竞选众议院议员的一个候选人。但是这一次他被击败了。
克罗克特在1827年第二次被提名后赢得了为众议院议员的席位。两年后他再度当选。在此期间，另外一个田纳西州本地人，安德鲁·杰克逊被选为总统。克罗克特通常支持杰克逊总统的计划。
但他在包括土地改革在内的几个问题上反对总统和来自田纳西州的其他国会议员。他也反对一项迫使印第安部落离开他们本土的措施。然而，即使在克罗克特的反对下，印第安人重新定居法案还是通过了。
杰克逊总统的支持者阻止克罗克特赢得在国会的第三任期。然而，他在1833年重返众议院。此时，他作为猎人、印第安战士和小说家的名声正在传播。首先，一本关于克罗克特的书出版了。后来，他写了一本关于他的生活的书。几位艺术家画了这位著名的田纳西樵夫。一些画作显示他穿着兽皮做的衣服，戴着浣熊毛皮做的帽子。
克罗克特多次前往美国东部城市演讲。辉格党为这些演讲提供了支持。辉格党的一些领导人考虑把克罗克特作为该党1836年总统候选人。但是，当他在竞争众议院议员时输给杰克逊总统的支持者时，他的政治前途希望破灭了。
戴维·克罗克特在遭遇政治失败后渴望再次看到荒野。他和其他一些人一块去探索德克萨斯州的西部地区。克罗克特认为他在那里能重启自己的政治生涯。当时，居住在德克萨斯州的美国移民正在为从墨西哥独立而战。
克罗克特加入了超过180人的群体，他们已经在阿拉莫建立了一个堡垒，阿拉莫是圣安东尼奥的一个旧的罗马天主教会。德克萨斯军队的指挥官下令摧毁阿拉莫。他不认为在墨西哥猛烈的攻击下，阿拉莫可以被守卫住。然而，这些人违反了命令。
当墨西哥军队攻击阿拉莫的时候，这些人和他们抗争了将近两周。但是在1836年3月6日，墨西哥军队占领了阿拉莫。一些历史学家认为，所有的抗争者都在战斗中死亡了。其他人认为，有少数的人在战斗中幸存了下来，但是被处决了。戴维·克罗克特和其他守卫阿拉莫的英雄一块牺牲了。当时他49岁。
死后的戴维·克罗克特甚至变得更加有名和受欢迎。他的一生被写进了书、戏剧、电影、电视节目和歌曲中，比如这首歌曲。
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