11月30日，第41任美国总统乔治·赫伯特·沃克·布什逝世，享年94岁。而就在不到八个月前，与他结婚73年的妻子芭芭拉·布什过世。
12月5日，美国在华盛顿国家大教堂为前总统老布什举行国葬仪式。卡特总统夫妇、克林顿总统夫妇、奥巴马总统夫妇和特朗普总统夫妇均出席仪式，并按照就职顺序在第一排就座，之后小布什落座在中殿的另一端。
仪式结束后，老布什的遗体被送回他的家乡休斯敦。在当地教堂举行私人葬礼后，6日落葬布什家族墓地，与已故妻子芭芭拉以及早夭的女儿萝宾合葬。
本篇课程首发于2018年12月9日，选自 CNN
难度系数：
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Uneasy presidents club convenes at Bush funeral
① In the cavernous sanctuary of the National Cathedral on Wednesday, President Donald Trump came face-to-face for the first time with his four living predecessors, an encounter occasioned only by a loss to the most exclusive club in American politics -- indeed, in the world.
② For the time he was inside the cathedral on Wednesday, those hurtful slights remained unmentioned, at least out loud.
③ But few watching the men's interaction -- or lack thereof -- would believe a new camaraderie is emerging between Trump and the men who served before him.
④ As he was shown to his seat, Trump reached over his wife to shake President Barack Obama's hand, who greeted him with a nod. And that was it. Trump did not shake hands with the Clintons or the Carters, seated several seats away.
⑤ The presidents club, by nature, is complicated by past rivalries and future legacies. Still, it is like family -- members have little say in who joins.
▍生词好句
uneasy /ʌnˈiːzi/: adj. 不自在的；心神不安的
convene /kənˈviːn/: vi. 聚集；集合
cavernous /ˈkævənəs, ˈkævərnəs/: adj. (内部) 大而深的；宽广的
sanctuary /ˈsæŋktʃuəri, ˈsæŋktʃueri/: n. 圣坛，圣殿；庇护所
face-to-face: adv./adj. 面对面
predecessor /ˈpriːdɪˌsesə, ˈpredəsesər/: n. 前任；先驱
encounter /ɪnˈkaʊntə, ɪnˈkaʊntər/: n. 不期而遇
occasion /əˈkeɪʒən/: vt. 引起；造成 n. 场合；时刻
exclusive /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/: adj. 高级的，尊贵的；排外的
slight /slaɪt/: n./vt. 怠慢；轻蔑 adj. 少许的；(人) 瘦小的，纤弱的
out aloud: 大声地；响亮地
or lack thereof: 或是没有；或者说由于缺少
camaraderie /ˌkæməˈrɑːdəri, ˌkɑːməˈrɑːdəri/: n. 同志情谊；友情
serve /sɜːv, sɜːrv/: vi./vt. 为……服务
have little say (in sth.): (在……方面) 没有话语权
▍词汇拓展
1. uneasy: adj. 不自在的；心神不安的
The presidents made each other feel terribly uneasy.
这些总统们让彼此都感到非常不舒服。
2. cavernous: adj. (内部) 大而深的；宽广的
· cavern: n. 大洞穴；大山洞
3. face-to-face: adv./adj. 面对面
I want to have a face-to-face conversation with you.
我要跟你面对面聊一下。
4. occasion: vt. 引起；造成 n. 场合；时刻
on many occasions: 在许多情况/场合下
The flight delay was occasioned by the need for a further security check.
这次航班的延误是由于必须做进一步的安全检查。
The weather is mostly occasioned by currents of air.
影响天气变化的主要因素是气流。
5. exclusive: adj. 高级的，尊贵的；排外的
· inclusive: adj. 包含的；包容的
an exclusive girls' school
一所非常高级的女校
6. slight: n./vt. 怠慢；轻蔑 adj. 少许的；(人) 瘦小的，纤弱的
She suffered many slights from colleagues.
她多次遭到同事侮慢。
They felt slighted by not being adequately consulted.
因为没有充分地征求他们的意见，他们感到自己被怠慢了。
7. out aloud: 大声地；响亮地
laugh out very loud: 大声笑
talk out loud: 大声说
think out loud: 自言自语；边想边说
8. or lack thereof: 或是没有；或者说由于缺少
Use your brain, or lack thereof.
用用你的脑子吧，或者你根本就没有脑子。
I freaked out about my future, or lack thereof.
我很担心自己的未来，或者说，我根本就没什么未来。
If you fail an exam, the reason might be found in your study habits (or lack thereof).
假如你考试没通过，究其原因，通常是由于你的学习习惯（或者说缺乏好的习惯）。
9. camaraderie: n. 同志情谊；友情
· a feeling of friendship that a group of people have, especially when they work together
· comrade: n. 同志；战友
10. serve: vi./vt. 为……服务
serve in the army: 服兵役
serve the country: 为国服务
public servant: 公务员
11. have little say (in sth.): (在……方面) 没有话语权
· have a say (in sth.): (在……方面) 有话语权
I'm the boss; you have little say in the decision.
我是老板，你只有听着的份儿。
He's the boss; he has a very big say in the decision-making.
他是老板，在决策上有很大的话语权。
▍责任编辑
李焕、武志琳、章晓丹