英文欣赏之人生感悟 （72）马丁路德金纪念日
MLK Holiday CelebratesLate Civil Rights Leader
马丁路德金纪念日
Martin Luther King Jr.’s rise as a civil rights leader began in 1955 when he spearheaded the drive to desegregate public buses in Montgomery, Alabama.
1955年，马丁路德金在美国南部阿拉巴马州蒙哥马利市率先发起了一场运动，该运动旨在废除公共汽车上的种族歧视规定。从那时起，马丁路德金逐步跃升为一位民权领袖。
By August 1963, Reverend King’s push for equal rights had become a national movement.
道1963年8月，金牧师为争取平等权利所做的努力已经扩展成为一场全国范围的运动。
That month, more than 250,000 people took part in the March on Washington led by King,
当时，超过25万人参加了由马丁路德金在首都华盛顿领导的游行。
it was designed to pressure lawmakers to pass a civil rights bill that would end racial discrimination.
该游行活动旨在向立法议员施压，要求通过民权法案，结束种族歧视。
Former civil rights activist Roger Wilkins was there on the day marchers gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
前民权活动家罗杰·威尔金斯当时就在林肯纪念堂外聆听马丁路德金的讲话。
“It was a glorious warm summer day in which people were rejuvenated.
威尔金斯回忆道:“那是一个温和而美好的夏日，
And just a good feeling of a country coming together.
令人精神焕发，有一种全国团结一致的美好感觉。
You really felt, I did for the first time in my life,the weight of America’s conscience.”
我第一次感受道美国人道心的力量。”
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,but by the content of their character.”
马丁路德金说:“我梦想有一天，我的四个孩子将在一个不是以他们的肤色，而是以他们的品格优劣来评价他们的国度里生活。”
It was these non-violent protests and his speeches that drove the civil rights movement forward,and kept the nation focused on the issue of equality.
正是这些非暴力的抗议活动和马丁路德金的讲话推动民权运动向前发展，并让全国都关注平等问题。
Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964,and that same year President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and the following year the Voting Rights Act.
马丁路德金与1964年获得诺贝尔和平奖，同年，林登·约翰逊总统签署了《民权法案》，次年，他签署了《选举法案》。
The measures outlawed racial segregation in public places and discriminatory practices that prevented blacks from voting.
这些举措取缔了公共场合的种族歧视政策，也制止了狠人不能参加选举的歧视行为。
Martin Luther King’s final campaign was in Memphis, Tennessee in March and April of 1968.
1968年三四月间，在田纳西州的孟菲斯，马丁路德金领导了最后一次活动。
He led a march in support of striking sanitation workers.
他带队游行，支持环卫工人的罢工。
But the protest turned violent when young militants began looting stores.
但这场抗议活动最终由于年轻激进分子抢劫商店而演变成暴力冲突。
King was distraught and vowed to return to Memphis to lead a peaceful march.
马丁路德金焦虑万分，发誓要重返孟菲斯发起一场和平游行。
On the night of April 4, 1968 at the Lorraine Motel,King was assassinated.
1968年4月4日，马丁路德金在洛林汽车旅馆被人暗杀。
Forty years later,King’s life is celebrated with many of his dreams realized,including the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first African American president.
40年后的今天，令人欣慰的是马丁路德金的许多梦想都得以实现，包括奥巴马成功当选为第一位非洲裔美国总统。
1.civil rights 民事权利，公民权利
Despite his civil rights stance, fulbright was far from gutless.
尽管富布赖特对民权持消极态度，但他绝不是个软骨头。
It is becoming, especially in america, a civil rights issue.
这已经成了一个民权问题，特别是在美国。
2.take part in 参加…，参与…活动
Pasok said that it will no longer take part in debates with golden dawn.
泛希社运说，将不再参加与金色黎明党的辩论。
Nearly one in four children do not take part in any organised sport, new research shows.
最新研究结果表明，近1/4的孩子不参加任何体育活动。
3.racial discrimination 种族歧视
For example, racial discrimination against an applicant for a bank loan is illegal.
例如，对银行贷款申请的种族歧视是非法的。
The people are crying out against the racial discrimination.
人们高叫反对种族岐视。
4.judge by 根据…作出判断
Judge by his accent, he must be from the south.
从他的口音判断，他一定是南方人。
To judge by its public agitation, israel too is losing faith in mr obama.
从以色列公开表示出的不安上可以判断，它也正在对奥巴马先生失去信心。