奥巴马不仅是个出色的政治家,更是一个卓越的演讲家。奥巴马的总统就职演说内容与气势相融合,力量与感动相呼应,是一份绝佳的英语学习材料。小编精心挑选了奥巴马就职演讲中最富文采的若干段落,与大家共勉。
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
在重申我们国家伟大之处的同时,我们深知伟大从来不是上天赐予的,伟大需要努力赢得。(我们的民族一路走来),这旅途之中我们从不走捷径,也不只满足少数人,这旅途也不适合胆怯之人、或者贪图安逸不愿劳作、或者沽名钓誉之人。这条路是勇于承担风险者之路,是实干家、创造者之路。这其中有一些人名留青史,但是更多的人却在默默无闻地工作着。正是这些人带领我们走过了漫长崎岖的旅行,带领我们走向富强和自由。
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 patriotism - 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 grudgingly accept 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.
我们面临的挑战也许是新的,我们应战挑战的措施也许也是新的,但那些长期以来指导我们成功的价值观——勤奋、诚实、勇气、公平竞争、包容以及好奇心,还有对国家的忠诚和爱国主义精神——却历久弥新,这些价值观是可靠的。他们是创造美国历史的无声力量。我们现在需要的就是回归这些原始的价值观。我们需要一个新的负责任的时代,一个觉醒的时代,每个国人都应意识到即我们对自己、对国家和世界负有责任,我们不应该勉强地接受这些责任,而应该快乐地承 担起这些责任。我们应该坚定这一认识,没有什么比全身心投入一项艰巨的工作更能锻炼我们的性格,更能获得精神上的满足。
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
这是公民应尽的义务,应做出的承诺。
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
我们自信源于对上帝的信仰,上帝号召我们要掌握未来未知的命运。
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 magnificent mall, 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.
这就是我们自由和信仰的意义,这也是为何不同种族、不同信仰、不同性别和年龄的人可以同聚一堂在此欢庆的原因,也是为什么我,一个50多年前不能在当地餐馆接受用餐服务的老汉的儿子,今天能站在这里庄严宣誓的原因。
奥巴马就职演说最令小编感动的是最后一句,因为我们的自由和信仰,50年前不能在参订正餐就餐的老汉的儿子,今天可以站在众人面前宣誓。希望各位也在奥巴马就职演说中获得力量,找回属于自己的信仰和自由。