US President Barack Obama speaks on the balcony of the White House before the start of the 2009 Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn¹ in Washington, April 13, 2009.

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 mingled² with kids and their parents thronging³ 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 anthem⁴ 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 emerged⁵ from the White House, after being serenaded by a marine⁶ band playing cartoon theme tunes⁷ and nursery⁸ 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.

本周一，美国总统奥巴马将白宫化身为一片大操场，邀请三万名儿童和他们的家人参加传统的“复活节滚彩蛋”活动，。

在和煦的春光里，奥巴马携夫人米歇尔和两个女儿玛丽亚、萨沙与参加活动的孩子和家人欢聚在修葺整齐的花园里。这一传统始于1878年，活动持续一整天。

“黑眼豆豆”乐队女主唱费尔姬演唱了美国国歌，“雷鬼乐”歌星齐吉•马利耶也参加了演出。

奥巴马站在白宫的阳台上，身边是一个巨大的“复活节兔子”。他在宣布活动开始时说：“这是白宫最盛大的传统活动之一，因为它提醒我们这里是美国人民的白宫。”

“看到这么多孩子在这里玩得开心，这让我和米歇尔以及我们全家感到由衷的高兴。”

在海军乐队演奏的卡通乐曲和童谣的伴奏下，“第一家庭”出现在白宫，数百名激动不已的来客向他们欢呼致意。

奥巴马亲自拉开活动序幕，随着他的一声哨响，孩子们在白宫草坪上开始了滚彩蛋比赛。之后他去白宫的私人网球场上教另外一些孩子打篮球。

稍后，总统给另外一群孩子念故事书《野兽家园》。

米歇尔说：“今天活动的目的就是玩得开心。我们想多做运动，健康饮食。我们练习瑜伽、跳舞、讲故事、装饰复活节彩蛋。噢，我们打了篮球、还踢了一会儿足球。”

首次白宫复活节滚彩蛋活动始于1878年，当时的总统拉瑟福德•海斯邀请当地儿童在白宫南草坪滚彩蛋。

Vocabulary:

throng：to fill or occupy with or as with a crowd（聚集，群集）

belt out：sing or play music very loudly（大声演唱，热情演奏）