VOA慢速英语：美国为前总统老布什举行国葬

State Funeral to Honor Former US President George H.W. Bush

美国为前总统老布什举行国葬

Former United States President George H.W. Bush returns to Washington, D.C., Monday for the last time.

美国前总统乔治·H.W.布什周一最后一次回到华盛顿特区。

Americans plan to honor the 41st U.S. president with a state funeral on Wednesday.

美国人民计划在周三举行国葬仪式以纪念这位美国第41任总统。

Bush died last Friday at the age of 94. He served one term as president, from 1989 to 1993, after a long career in government service.

布什于上周五去世，享年94岁。他在长期担任政府公职之后，于1989年到1993年期间担任过一届美国总统。

President Donald Trump has sent a presidential airplane to Texas to fly Bush's body to Washington.

川普总统派了一架总统专机前往德克萨斯州，将布什的灵柩运到了华盛顿。

The former president will lie in state inside the U.S. Capitol building from late Monday to Wednesday morning. Americans will then mark a national day of mourning for Bush, as the state funeral is held.

这位前总统的遗体将于周一晚间到周三上午在美国国会大厦供民众瞻仰。随着国葬仪式的举行，美国人民随后将以全国哀悼日纪念布什。

President Trump has ordered the federal government closed on Wednesday. And flags on public buildings are flying at half-staff for 30 days in honor of Bush.

川普总统已经下令联邦政府于周三关闭。公共建筑将会降半旗30天以纪念布什。

Trump and his wife Melania are to attend the funeral at the Washington National Cathedral, as will several former presidents and their wives.

川普及其妻子梅拉尼娅将会出席在华盛顿国家大教堂举行的葬礼，其他几位前总统及其妻子也将出席。

After the service, the body will be returned to Houston to lie in repose at St. Martin's Episcopal Church. On Thursday, it will be buried on the grounds of Bush's presidential library at Texas A&M University.

仪式结束之后，布什的灵柩将会运回休斯顿，并在圣马丁教堂停灵。周四，他将被埋葬在德州农工大学的布什总统图书馆。

Bush will be buried next to his wife Barbara Bush, who died in April, and Robin Bush, a daughter who died in 1953.

布什将会被埋葬在他四月去世的妻子芭芭拉·布什以及1953年去世的女儿罗宾·布什的身边。

What is a State Funeral?

什么是国葬?

In the United States, a state funeral is an honor set aside for those who have been elected president or other people chosen by the president.

在美国，国葬是为当选过总统或总统指定人员专门安排的荣誉。

The last state funeral was held in 2007 to honor Gerald Ford, the 38th president. The first national day of mourning was believed to be held in 1791 with the death of Benjamin Franklin, a founding father.

最近一次国葬在2007年举行，是为了纪念第38任总统杰拉尔德·福特。据信美国第一个全国哀悼日是在1791年，当时是美国国父本杰明·富兰克林去世。

In 1799, the nation officially had its first state funeral with the death of George Washington, the first president. His funeral was held with full military honors at Mount Vernon, his home, in the state of Virginia. News of his death, however, was slow to spread across the country due to limited communication and travel at the time.

1799年，美国正式为首任总统乔治·华盛顿的去世举行了第一次国葬。他在家乡弗吉尼亚州的弗农山以最隆重的军事葬礼下葬。然而受限于当时的通讯和旅行条件，华盛顿去世的消息在全国范围内传播得很慢。

With improved technology, news spread more quickly when the United States held the state funeral for President Abraham Lincoln on April 19, 1865.

随着科技进步，当美国于1865年4月19日为亚伯拉罕·林肯举行国葬时，消息传播得更快了。

Lincoln was the first president to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Other leading Americans have also been honored with the tradition, including Senator John McCain earlier in the year.

林肯是第一位遗体在国会大厦圆形大厅供民众瞻仰的总统。其他美国要人也受到过这种传统荣耀，其中就包括今年年初去世的参议员约翰·麦凯恩。

Military honors usually accompany state funerals for presidents, as they also served as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

总统国葬仪式通常伴以军事葬礼，因为总统还担任三军总司令。

When Bush lies in state at the Capitol, his remains will be surrounded by a guard of honor representing the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

当布什的遗体在国会大厦供民众瞻仰时，他将会被代表陆军、海军陆战队、海军、空军和海岸警卫队的仪仗队所围绕。

I'm Caty Weaver.

凯蒂·韦弗报道。