VOA常速英语2018--美国人纪念总统日

On the third Monday of February, Americans celebrate Presidents' Day, when Americans honor all their national leaders, past and present. The Day was originally meant to honor the First President, and arguably the country's most influential 1 founder 2, George Washington, who was born on February 22, 1732. The date became an annual, unofficial day of remembrance in the year 1800, the year after President Washington died. It finally became a federal holiday in 1885.

2月的第三个星期一是美国的总统日。这一天，美国人会纪念所有的国家领袖，无论是已经离任的还是现在在任的。最开始设立总统日是为了纪念第一任总统，也是美国当之无愧的最有影响力的开国元勋乔治 华盛顿(George Washington)。他生于1732年2月22日。这一天在1800年确立为年度非官方纪念日，因为1799年华盛顿总统去世。1885年，这一天最终确认为联邦假日。

Since then, about half the States have modified the observance to include the celebration of another President. On this day, about half the U.S. states also commemorate 3 the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It is a fitting choice.

从那以后，近半数州修改了纪念的对象：增加了另一位总统。这一天，美国有半数州也纪念着第16任总统亚伯拉罕 林肯(Abraham Lincoln)。这样做很合理。

Born on February 12, 1809, Lincoln, like Washington, was enormously influential in the foundation and development of the United States. Washington led the rebel army that won the country's independence from the British Crown, put the nation on a sound financial footing and led the young United States of America through the initial labor 4 pains that quickly gave birth to a stable, democratic, and lawful 5 government. By leaving office voluntarily after two four-year terms, and by ensuring the peaceful transfer of power to the leader elected to succeed him, George Washington set an important precedent 6 for all future presidents.

出生于1809年2月12日的林肯和华盛顿总统一样对美国的奠基和发展产生了巨大的影响。华盛顿领导叛军从英国的统治下恢复了独立，让美国有了坚实的经济基础，并领导年轻的美国渡过了起初的阵痛，从而迅速催生了稳定、民主、合法的政府。任期两届四年的华盛顿在确保权力和平移交给当选的接班人后就自愿卸任，他为以后的所有总统做了重要的先例示范。

Lincoln, on the other hand, was the glue that held together a country torn by a vicious civil war, and set the stage for a peace-time shift in power distribution between federal and state government entities 7. Ultimately, his actions turned a loose federation 8 of states united under a weak central government, into a true union headed by a strong federal government. This change began with slavery laws.

另一方面，邪恶的内战使美国分崩离析，而林肯却像胶水一般将美国重新凝聚起来，并促成了联邦政府和州政府实体间权力分配的和平转变。终于，他的行动将一盘散沙的联邦各州团结起来，虽然当时位于其上层的中央政府孱弱不堪：林肯将各州团结为真正的、受强健联邦政府领导的联盟。转变是从禁止奴隶制法律开始的。

Prior to the Civil War, some states allowed slavery by law. Others outlawed 9 slavery. On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation 10 Proclamation, abolishing slavery in the rebellious 11 states. This led to the passage of the 13th Amendment 12 to the Constitution, which abolished slavery nation-wide.

内战开始之前，有些州认为奴隶制合法，有些州认定奴隶制非法。1863年1月1日，林肯总统发布了《奴隶解放宣言》，废除了叛乱各州的奴隶制。该宣言助力了美国宪法第十三条修正案的通过，该修正案废除了美国各州的奴隶制。

We honor Presidents Washington and Lincoln because they embodied 13 the values and character that ennoble public service. On Presidents' Day, we honor Presidents past and present as they continue to uphold their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

我们纪念华盛顿总统和林肯总统是因为他们代表了使公共服务神圣的价值观和品性。总统日这一天，我们纪念已经离任和现在在位的总统，因为他们一直都在履行自己的诺言：维持、保护、捍卫美国的宪法。