偶像勵志英語演講 第112期:美國總統(tǒng)奧巴馬就職演說(8)

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determinationof the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a strangerwhen the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours thansee a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter'scourage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture achild, that finally decides our fate.
雖然政府有大有作為的能力，而且也必須有所作為，但最終離不開美國人民的信仰和決心，這便是我們的立國之本。正是因為人們在大堤崩裂時接納陌生人的關愛之情，正是因為工人們寧愿減少自己的工時而不愿看到朋友失去工作的無私精神，才使我們度過了最暗淡的時光。正是因為消防隊員們有勇氣沖進濃煙滾滾的樓道，也正是因為做父母的希望把一個孩子培養(yǎng)成才，我們才有能力決定最后的命運。
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But thosevalues upon which our success depends-honesty and hard work, courage and fair play,tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism-these things are old. These things are true.They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then isa return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility-arecognition on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, andthe world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in theknowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, thangiving our all to a difficult task.
我們面臨的挑戰(zhàn)可能前所未有。我們迎接挑戰(zhàn)的方式也可能前所未有。然而，我們賴以成功的價值觀——誠實和勤奮、勇氣和公平、寬容心和探索精神、忠誠和愛國——均由來已久。這些價值觀都是千真萬確的。這些價值觀是我國整個歷史過程中一股無聲的進步力量?，F(xiàn)在需要的便是重歸這些真理。我們現(xiàn)在需要做的是開創(chuàng)負責任的新時代——每一位美國人都需要認識到我們對自己、對國家、對全世界都承擔著義務。對于那些義務，我們并非勉強接受，而是心甘情愿主動承擔。同時我們堅信我們?yōu)槠D巨的使命付出的一切，沒有任何事情可以如此滿足我們的道義感，也沒有任何事能如此體現(xiàn)我們的特色。
This is the price and the promises of citizenship.
這就是公民的價值所在和承諾。
This is the source of our conficence-the knowledge that God calls on us to shape anuncertain destiny.
這就是我們自信的來源——認識到上帝呼喚我們在前途不明的情況下掌握自己的命運。
1. take in
接納;接受;
eg. The club took in a new member last week.
俱樂部上星期又吸收了一名新會員。
eg. We should get rid of the stale and take in the fresh.
我們應該吐故納新。
2. would rather do sth. than do sth.
寧愿做某事而不愿做某事;
eg. I would rather remain poor than get money by dishonest means.
我寧可安于貧窮，也不愿用不當手段賺錢。
eg. I would rather die than live in disgrace.
我寧可死，也不愿忍辱偷生。
3. be filled with
充塞;
eg. He was filled with anger at the way he had been treated.
他因遭受如此待遇而怒火滿腔。
eg. My room is filled with the odour of roses.
我的房間里充滿了玫瑰花的香味。
4. depend upon
依賴;取決于;
eg. Whether you will succeed or not depend upon your own exertion.
是否會成功，取決于你自己的努力。
eg. Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it dependssolely on what you calculate.
幸福不在于你是誰，你擁有什么，而僅僅在于你自己怎么看待。
5. call on sb. to do sth.
要求;呼吁;號召某人做某事;
eg. You'd better call on your friends to help you.
你最好請朋友來幫你。
eg. I now call on Mr. Jones to address the meeting.
我現(xiàn)在請瓊斯先生在會上講話。