第一位进入地球轨道的美国宇航员（约翰·格伦）逝世，享年95岁。
He was admitted to the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University more than a week ago.
他一个多星期前被送进了俄亥俄州立大学的詹姆斯癌症医院。
John Glenn was the last surviving member of a group known as "the Mercury Seven," test pilots who, in 1959, were chosen to become America's first astronauts.
格伦曾是“水星计划七人”最后一位健在者，这些试飞员于1959年被选为美国首批宇航员。
President Barack Obama released a statement about Glenn's death. "Our nation has lost an icon and Michelle and I have lost a friend," he said.
奥巴马总统就格伦去世发表了声明。他说，“我们国家失去了一位标志性人物，而米歇尔和我则失去了一位朋友。”
He praised Glenn for a lifetime of breaking barriers, including setting a transcontinental speed record and becoming the oldest man ever to go into space.
他称赞格伦的一生都在冲破障碍，包括创下了横跨美国大陆的飞行速度记录，以及成为有史以来进入太空最年长者。
Pilot and Astronaut
飞行员和宇航员
Glenn served as a military pilot in World War II and the Korean conflict. Then, he served as a test pilot on military airplanes.
格伦在二战和朝鲜战争期间担任了军事飞行员。然后他担任了军用飞机的试飞员。
On February 20, 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. He flew a spacecraft named the Friendship 7. He orbited three times during the almost five-hour flight.
1962年2月20日，格伦成为首位进入地球轨道的美国人。他乘坐“友谊七号”飞船进入太空。他在近5个小时的飞行中环绕地球飞行了3次。
Much later, in 1998, he also became the oldest man to fly in space. He served as a crew member on the space shuttle Discovery.
随后在1998年，他又作为发现号航天飞机的机组成员，成为了进入太空的最年长者。
The United States space agency, NASA, wanted to study the possible effects of space travel on old people. NASA said that Glenn was perfect for the job because they already had so much information about him.
美国宇航局想要研究太空旅行对老年人的潜在影响。美国宇航局表示，格伦是最佳人选，因为他们已经有了如此多关于他的信息。
U.S. Senator
美国参议员
Glenn was not only an astronaut. He was a politician, too.
格伦不仅是一位宇航员，他还是一位政治家。
Glenn was a member of the Democratic Party. He first sought political office in 1964, to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate. He withdrew from the race after an injury, however. He ran again six years later but did not win the party's nomination. Finally, in 1974, on his third attempt, Ohio elected John Glenn to the U.S. Senate.
格伦是民主党成员。1964年他首次角逐代表俄亥俄州的联邦参议员职位，但是在一次受伤后退出了竞选。6年之后他再次参选，但是未能获得民主党提名。最终在1974年的第三次竞选中，俄亥俄州选择了格伦进入美国参议院。
During the race, Glenn famously defended attacks by his political opponent, Howard Metzenbaum.
在这次竞选中，格伦著名地反击了他的政治对手霍华德·梅岑鲍姆(Howard Metzenbaum)的攻击。
Metzenbaum, a wealthy businessman, suggested that Glenn's service in the military and NASA meant he had never had a job.
梅岑鲍姆是一位富商，他暗示格伦在军队和美国宇航局的服役意味着他从未真正干过一份工作。
Glenn's answer became one of the most famous retorts in American political history.
格伦的回应成为了美国政治史上最为著名的回击之一。
It is called the "Gold Star Mothers" speech. A gold star mother is a mother whose child has died in active U.S. military service.
它被称之为“金星母亲”演讲。金星母亲是指孩子在美国服现役期间死亡的母亲。
Glenn told Metzenbaum, "You go with me to any gold star mother and you look her in the eye and tell her that her son did not hold a job."
格伦对梅岑鲍姆表示，“你跟我一起到任何一位金星母亲面前，看着她的眼睛，对她说，她的儿子从来没有干过一份工作。”
Many experts say that speech helped Glenn win the election. The astronaut remained a member of the U.S. Senate until 1999.
很多专家表示，这一演讲帮助了格伦赢得选举。这位宇航员一直担任美国参议院的参议员，直到1999年为止。
Public Service and Awards
公共服务和荣誉
After leaving the Senate, Glenn helped to create a public service school at Ohio State University. Later, this school became the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.
离开参议院后，格伦帮助成立了俄亥俄州立大学公共服务学院。随后，该学院成为了约翰·格伦公共服务学院。
Glenn won many awards, including honorary degrees at several universities, the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, a U.S. senate public service award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
格伦赢得了众多荣誉，包括一些大学的荣誉学位、伍德罗·威尔逊公共服务奖、美国参议院公共服务奖和总统自由勋章。
I'm Caty Weaver.
我是凯蒂·韦弗。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)