世界節(jié)假日博覽 第6期:馬丁·路德·金日

　　Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. holiday that celebrates the birth date of one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders. Dr. King’s date of birth is January 15th, but the actual holiday is on the third Monday in January. The holiday recognizes the great achievements Martin Luther King made to American society.His leadership in the campaign to achieve equal rights for black Americans changed America forever. His focus on non-violent protests led to new laws that ended racial discrimination in America. The USA became a more equal society. The holiday is only one of four national holidays in America to commemorate a person. This shows just how important Martin Luther King was – one of the greatest Americans ever.
　　馬丁·路德·金日是一個(gè)美國(guó)節(jié)日，是為了慶祝馬丁的誕辰日而設(shè)立的，馬丁·路德·金是美國(guó)最偉大的民權(quán)領(lǐng)袖。馬丁的生日是1月15日，但是馬丁·路德·金日卻在一月的第三個(gè)星期一。這一節(jié)日是讓人們記住馬丁對(duì)美國(guó)社會(huì)所作出的偉大貢獻(xiàn)。他為美國(guó)黑人所爭(zhēng)取的權(quán)利平等運(yùn)動(dòng)徹徹底底地改變了美國(guó)。馬丁支持的是非暴力性的抵抗運(yùn)動(dòng)，這一做法也促成了新法的出臺(tái)，該法律解決了美國(guó)的種族歧視問(wèn)題，使美國(guó)社會(huì)變得更加平等。該節(jié)日也是美國(guó)4個(gè)國(guó)家法定假日中唯一一個(gè)紀(jì)念個(gè)人的節(jié)日。這也表現(xiàn)了馬丁做出的杰出貢獻(xiàn)，他是美國(guó)最偉大的人物之一。
　　Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. Just 25 years later, in 1983, then President Ronald Reagan signed this holiday into U.S. law. People first observed the holiday three years later, in 1986. At first, the holidaywas not popular with all American states. Some didn’t like the name and so they called it “Civil Rights Day”. However, in the year 2000, all 50 states observed the holiday using its correct name. The musician Stevie Wonder helped the campaign for the holiday. He released a hit single called “Happy Birthday” in 1980. The song made millions of Americans aware of the campaign. Six million people signed a petition for the American Congress to create the holiday. It is still the largest petition in U.S. history in favour of an issue.
　　1968年，馬丁遭到暗殺。就在25年以后的1983年，羅納德·里根總統(tǒng)同意將該節(jié)日寫(xiě)入美國(guó)法律當(dāng)中。三年之后，即1986年，人們首次開(kāi)始紀(jì)念馬丁·路德·金日。起初，這一節(jié)日并沒(méi)有在全美的所有地區(qū)流行開(kāi)來(lái)。許多人不喜歡該節(jié)日的名稱，他們管它叫“民權(quán)節(jié)”。但是，在2000年，全美的50個(gè)大州都開(kāi)始紀(jì)念馬丁·路德·金日。音樂(lè)家史提夫·汪達(dá)還曾幫助開(kāi)展此項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)。1980年，他還發(fā)表了他的熱門單曲“生日快樂(lè)”。這首歌讓馬丁·路德·金紀(jì)念活動(dòng)家喻戶曉。600萬(wàn)美國(guó)人在請(qǐng)?jiān)笗?shū)上簽名，希望國(guó)會(huì)能夠?qū)ⅠR丁·路德·金日設(shè)立為國(guó)家節(jié)日。這次的請(qǐng)?jiān)富顒?dòng)也是美國(guó)歷史上人數(shù)最多的一次。
　　1.racial discrimination 種族歧視
　　He went on record as opposing racial discrimination.
　　他公開(kāi)表示反對(duì)種族歧視。
　　2.be popular with 受……歡迎
　　Republicans have vowed to slash $60 billion from the budget as soon as March, but many of those cuts are not likely to be popular with the public.
　　共和黨已誓言最快在3月削減600億美元支出,但削減支出項(xiàng)目中的許多可能將不受公眾的歡迎。
　　3.hit single 熱門單曲
　　It has all the makings of a hit single.
　　它具有成為熱門單曲的潛質(zhì)。
　　4.signed a petition 在請(qǐng)?jiān)笗?shū)上簽名
　　They signed a petition in support of the workers' demands.
　　他們?cè)谡?qǐng)?jiān)笗?shū)上簽名，支持工人的請(qǐng)?jiān)浮?br />