书城外语当英语也成为时尚——生活全由你创造
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第29章 Renewing America’s

Renewing America’s Promise-Inaugural Address of Barack Obama(Ⅱ)

新自由的诞生——奥巴马就职演讲(二)

心灵寄语

美国时间2009年1月20日午间,200万美国民众聚集美国首都华盛顿国会山,全球亿万民众通过电视和网络,目睹美国第44任总统奥巴马宣誓就职,入主白宫。作为美国历史上第一位非洲裔总统,奥巴马毋庸置疑创造了历史。

As we consider the road that unfolds before us,we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who,at

this very hour,patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains。They have something to tell us today,just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages。

We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty,but because they embody the spirit of service,a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves。And yet,at this moment-a moment that will define a generation-it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all。

For as much as government can do and must do,it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies。It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break,the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours。It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke,but also a parent’s willingness to nurture1a child,that finally decides our fate。

Our challenges may be new。The instruments with which we meet them may be new。But those values upon which our success depends-hard work and honesty,courage and fair play,tolerance and curiosity,loyalty and patriotism2—these things are old。These things are true。They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history。What is demanded then is a return to these truths。What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility-a recognition,on the part of every American,that we have duties to ourselves,our nation,and the world,duties that we do not grudgingly3accept but rather seize gladly,firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit,so defining of our character,than giving our all to a difficult task。

This is the price and the promise of citizenship。

This is the source of our confidence-the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny。

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed-why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent4mall,and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath。

So let us mark this day with remembrance5,of who we are and how far we have traveled。In the year of America’s birth,in the coldest of months,a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires6on the shores of an icy river。The capital was abandoned。The enemy was advancing。The snow was stained with blood。At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt,the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world……that in the depth of winter,when nothing but hope and virtue could survive……that the city and the country,alarmed at one common danger,came forth to meet it。”

America。In the face of our common dangers,in this winter of our hardship,let us remember these timeless words。With hope and virtue,let us brave once more the icy currents,and endure what storms may come。Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,that we did not turn back nor did we falter;and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us,we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations。

佚名

在我们思索前路的同时,我们也应怀着谦卑的感激记住此时此刻正巡逻于遥远的沙漠和山岗上的英勇的美国人。他们今天有话要对我们说,正像那些安息在阿灵顿公墓的英雄,世代以来对我们的悄然诉说一样。

我们给予他们荣耀,并不只是因为他们是我们自由的卫士,而是因为他们代表着服务的精神,一种在比他们自身更加伟大的事业中寻找意义的愿望。而在这个时刻——在这个将会定义一整代人的时刻,正是这种精神必须常驻我们所有人心间。

即使政府能做且必须做,这个国家最终依赖的是美国人民的信心和决心。是当堤坝溃决时收容一个陌生人的善良,是一个工人宁愿减少自己的工时也不愿同伴失去工作时所体现出的无私,让我们度过最黑暗的时刻。是消防员冲进充满浓烟的走廊时的勇气,也是父母养育一个孩子时的决心,最终决定了我们的命运。

我们的挑战可能是全新的。我们应对这些挑战的方法可能是全新的。但我们的成功所仰仗的价值——勤劳与诚实、勇气与公正、容忍与好奇、忠诚与爱国——这些是古老的。这些是真实的。它们是我们历史进步的无声力量。现在我们需要重新找回这些真理。现在我们需要的是一个有责任的新时代——每一个美国人都要认可,我们对我们自己有责任,对我们国家,对世界有责任。这种责任不是我们勉强接受,而是欣然掌握的,坚信没有什么比给我们所有人如此艰巨的使命更能满足我们的精神,定义我们的品格。

这就是作为公民的代价与承诺。

这是我们信心的来源——认同上帝召唤我们创造一个不可知的命运。

这是我们自由与信仰的含义——这就是为什么所有种族和所有信仰的男人、女人和儿童都能聚集在这个宏伟的广场一同欢庆,也是为什么一个父亲在不到60年前还不能在餐馆用餐的人,此刻能站在你们面前做出这最神圣的誓言。

让我们记住这一天,记住我们是谁,我们已经走了多远。在美国诞生的那一年,在最冷的一个月,一群爱国者在结冰的河岸边,在即将熄灭的篝火边簇成一团。首都被遗弃了。敌人在进军。白雪上沾满了血痕。在我们革命的成果最不可知的一刻,我们的国父们下令向人民朗读以下文字:

“让这段话对未来世界诉说……在这深冬,当仅有希望和美德能够生存……这个城市和这个国家,面对共同的危险,勇敢面对。”

美国。面对我们共同的危险,在这个充满困难的冬天,让我们记住这些永恒的文字。带着希望和美德,再次勇敢地面对这冰冷的乱流,忍受可能到来的风雪。让我们孩子的孩子诉说我们的故事:当面临考验,我们拒绝让这旅程就此结束,我们没有后退,没有动摇;用注视着地平线的双眼和上帝赐予我们的恩典,我们带着自由这份伟大的赠礼,把它平安地交给了未来的世世代代。

V

词汇空间

ocabulary

1.nurture v。 养育,培育

2.patriotism n。 爱国主义,爱国精神

3.grudgingly adv。 吝啬地,不愿给予的

4.magnificent adj。 壮丽的,伟大的

5.remembrance n。 记忆,回忆

6.campfire n。 营火,篝火

文化链接

Culture Background

1.阿灵顿国家公墓(Arlington National Cemetery)

美国最大、最著名的国家军人公墓——阿灵顿国家公墓(Arlington National Cemetery)坐落于美国弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡。它是阿灵顿这个美国第四小郡境内为数不多的大型建筑之一。阿灵顿与华盛顿特区隔波多马克河相望,是华盛顿的社区,河上跨5座桥连接两地。阿灵顿郡最初称亚历山大郡,1789年,弗吉尼亚州将它让给了联邦政府,成为哥伦比亚区的一部分;1846年,联邦政府又将它归还给弗吉尼亚州。内战期间(1861~1865年),联邦军队占领了该地,并在此建立了20处要塞作为华盛顿的防御设施;1926年,亚历山大郡更名为阿灵顿郡,沿用至今,这是以内战时期任南方同盟军总司令的罗伯特·李将军的家乡命名的。

2.美国次贷危机(Subprime Crisis)

美国次贷危机又称次级房贷危机,也译为次债危机。它是指一场发生在美国,因次级抵押贷款机构破产、投资基金被迫关闭、股市剧烈震荡引起的金融风暴。它致使全球主要金融市场出现流动性不足危机。美国“次贷危机”是从2006年春季开始逐步显现的。2007年8月开始席卷美国、欧盟和日本等世界主要金融市场。次贷危机目前已经成为国际上的一个热点问题。

妙语拾珠

1.In the face of our common dangers,in this winter of our hardship,let us remember these timeless words。With hope and virtue,let us brave once more the icy currents,and endure what storms may come。

面对我们共同的危险,在这个充满困难的冬天,让我们记住这些永恒的文字。带着希望和美德,再次勇敢地面对这冰冷的乱流,忍受可能到来的风雪。

2.Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,that we did not turn back nor did we falter;and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us,we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations。

让我们孩子的孩子诉说我们的故事:当面临考验,我们拒绝让这旅程就此结束,我们没有后退,没有动摇;用注视着地平线的双眼和上帝赐予我们的恩典,我们带着自由这份伟大的赠礼,把它平安地交给了未来的世世代代。