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President Barack Obama turned the White House into a huge playground Monday, welcoming 30,000 children and family members for the traditional Easter Egg Roll.
Obama, wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha mingled with kids and their parents thronging the manicured gardens in the spring sunshine, in an all-day event which follows tradition dating back to 1878.
Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie belted out the US national anthem and the event also featured Reggae star Ziggy Marley.
"This is one of the greatest White House traditions because it reminds us that this is the people's house," Obama said as he opened the event, appearing beside a huge Easter Bunny on the White House balcony.
"To see so many children out here having a great time just fills Michelle and myself and the entire family with a whole lot of joy."
Hundreds of excited guests had earlier cheered the First Family when they emerged from the White House, after being serenaded by a marine band playing cartoon theme tunes and nursery rhymes.
With a whistle in his mouth, Obama personally officiated as young children took part in the egg roll down the White House lawn, then went on to give others basketball coaching on the mansion's private tennis court.
Later, the president read to another group of children from the book "Where the Wild Things Are."
"Our goal today is just to have fun. We want to focus on activity, healthy eating," Michelle Obama said.
"We've got yoga, we've got dancing, we've got storytelling, we've got Easter egg decorating. Oh, we've got basketball, a little soccer, as well."
The first White House Easter Egg Roll took place in 1878 when President Rutherford Hayes invited local children to roll eggs on the South Lawn.
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(Agencies) |
本周一，美國總統奧巴馬將白宮化身為一片大操場，邀請三萬名兒童和他們的家人參加傳統的“復活節滾彩蛋”活動，。
在和煦的春光里，奧巴馬攜夫人米歇爾和兩個女兒瑪麗亞、薩沙與參加活動的孩子和家人歡聚在修葺整齊的花園里。這一傳統始于1878年，活動持續一整天。
“黑眼豆豆”樂隊女主唱費爾姬演唱了美國國歌，“雷鬼樂”歌星齊吉?馬利耶也參加了演出。
奧巴馬站在白宮的陽臺上，身邊是一個巨大的“復活節兔子”。他在宣布活動開始時說：“這是白宮最盛大的傳統活動之一，因為它提醒我們這里是美國人民的白宮。”
“看到這么多孩子在這里玩得開心，這讓我和米歇爾以及我們全家感到由衷的高興。”
在海軍樂隊演奏的卡通樂曲和童謠的伴奏下，“第一家庭”出現在白宮，數百名激動不已的來客向他們歡呼致意。
奧巴馬親自拉開活動序幕，隨著他的一聲哨響，孩子們在白宮草坪上開始了滾彩蛋比賽。之后他去白宮的私人網球場上教另外一些孩子打籃球。
稍后，總統給另外一群孩子念故事書《野獸家園》。
米歇爾說：“今天活動的目的就是玩得開心。我們想多做運動，健康飲食。我們練習瑜伽、跳舞、講故事、裝飾復活節彩蛋。噢，我們打了籃球、還踢了一會兒足球。”
首次白宮復活節滾彩蛋活動始于1878年，當時的總統拉瑟福德?海斯邀請當地兒童在白宮南草坪滾彩蛋。
相關閱讀：
奧巴馬為脫口秀失言道歉
奧巴馬也染發？
《紐約郵報》漫畫影射奧巴馬是黑猩猩？
（實習生許雅寧，英語點津編輯）
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