奥巴马2010开学演讲

President Obama's 2010 Back to School Speech Thank you! Hello! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Well, hello, Philadelphia! (Applause.) And hello, Masterman. It is wonderful to see all of you. What a terrific introduction by Kelly. Give Kelly a big round of applause. (Applause.) I was saying backstage that when I was in high school, I could not have done that. (Laughter.) I would have muffed it up somehow. So we are so proud of you and everything that you’ve done. And to all the students here, I’m thrilled to be here.
谢谢！你们好！（掌声。）谢谢。谢谢。你好，费城！（掌声。）你好，马斯特曼。见到你们真是太好了。Kelly的介绍真是太棒了。让我们对Kelly报以热烈的掌声。在后台的时候我说，我上高中的时候我就做不这么好，我可能会弄的一团糟。所以让我们为你和你做的一切自豪吧。站在这里我很激动。




kelly 在奥巴马总统演讲前，一名叫Kelly的学生做了演讲。
backstage n.后台
muff v.笨拙地处理，将事情弄糟
thrilled a.激动的




We’ve got a couple introductions I want to make. First of all, you’ve got the outstanding governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, in the house. (Applause.) The mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, is here. (Applause.) Congressman Chaka Fattah is here. (Applause.) Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz is here. (Applause.) Your own principal, Marge Neff, is here. (Applause.) The school superintendent, Arlene Ackerman, is here and doing a great job. (Applause.) And the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is here. (Applause.)
我想介绍几个人。首先，来到这儿的有，杰出的宾夕法尼亚州州长， Ed Rendell。（掌声。）费城市长，Michael Nutter。国会议员Fattah和Allyson Schwartz（掌声）。你们的校长Marge Neff（掌声）。学校管理人Arlene Ackerman是这个学校的，并且为学校做了很大的贡献。（掌声）。还有教育部秘书长Arne Duncan。（掌声）





outstanding a.杰出的
Congressman n.国会议员

principal n.校长

superintendent n.院长




And I am here. (Applause.) And I am thrilled to be here. I am just so excited. I’ve heard such great things about what all of you are doing, both the students and the teachers and the staff here.
还有我。（掌声），我感到非常的激动。我耳闻了你们做的那些伟大的事，这里面有在校的学生，老师和工作人员。






Today is about welcoming all of you, and all of America’s students, back to school, even though I know you’ve been in school for a little bit now. And I can’t think of a better place to do it than at Masterman. (Applause.) Because you are one of the best schools in Philadelphia. You are a leader in helping students succeed in the classroom. Just last week, you were recognized by a Nation

al Blue Ribbon -- as a National Blue Ribbon School because of your record of achievement. And that is a testament to everybody here –- to the students, to the parents, to the teachers, to the school leaders. It’s an example of excellence that I hope communities across America can embrace.
今天欢迎你们，欢迎每一个美国学生回校上课，当然你们在学校已经呆了一段时间了。我想不出除了在Masterman外，还有哪个地方更适合做这件事。（掌声）因为你们是费城最好的学校之一。你们在教育方面是领头军。就在上周，由于你们的卓越贡献，被授为国家蓝丝带勋章。这是对每个人的见证，对学生，家长，老师还有学校领导人。我希望全美的社会团体都能欣然接受这个杰出代表的例子。





embrace vt.拥抱；接受




Over the past few weeks, Michelle and I have been getting Sasha and Malia ready for school. And they’re excited about it. I’ll bet they had the same feelings that you do -- you’re a little sad to see the summer go, but you’re also excited about the possibilities of a new year. The possibilities of building new friendships and strengthening old ones, of joining a school club, or trying out for a team. The possibilities of growing into a better student and a better person and making not just your family proud but making yourself proud.
几周前，我和Michelle为Sasha和Malia上学的事做准备。她们两个对这非常的期待。我敢打赌她们和你们一样，有着相同的感觉。你们为夏天的逝去而神伤，但是你们更应该期待新的一年。如你们可以结交新的朋友，加深同老朋友的感情，加入学校俱乐部，参加各种团队的选拔赛。成长为一个更优秀的学生和个人，不仅仅让你的家人自豪，同样让你们自己也很有成就感。





build friendships 结交新朋友




But I know some of you may also be a little nervous about starting a new school year. Maybe you’re making the jump from elementary to middle school, or from middle school to high school, and you’re worried about what that’s going to be like. Maybe you’re starting a new school. You’re not sure how you’ll like it, trying to figure out how you’re going to fit in. Or maybe you’re a senior, and you’re anxious about the whole college process; about where to apply and whether you can afford to go to college.
我知道，你们中有些人在新学年会有些紧张。或许你刚从小学升到初中，从初中升到高中，会担心，新的学年将会是什么样的呢。也许你进入一所新的学校，不知道是否会喜欢这个学校，想着怎么来融入这个学校。或许你到了高三年级，对整个的大学入学程序感到不安，比如申请那里的学校，能不能支付上大学的费用等等。





elementary school n.小学
fi

gure out 想明白，弄清楚
fit in 融入，适应
afford to do 承担得起




And beyond all those concerns, I know a lot of you are also feeling the strain of some difficult times. You know what’s going on in the news and you also know what’s going on in some of your own families. You’ve read about the war in Afghanistan. You hear about the recession that we’ve been through. And sometimes maybe you’re seeing the worries in your parents’ faces or sense it in their voice.
除此之外，我知道你们还有来自困难时期的压力。你们知道新闻内容，知道你们一些家庭中发发生的事情。你们读过有关阿富汗战争的信息，听说过我们经历过的经济不景气。有时你们还看到了双亲脸上挂着的忧虑，或从他们的声音中感受到了这些。





strain n.压力




So a lot of you as a consequence, because we’re going through a tough time a country, are having to act a lot older than you are. You got to be strong for your family while your brother or sister is serving overseas, or you’ve got to look after younger siblings while your mom is working that second shift. Or maybe some of you who are little bit older, you’re taking on a part-time job while your dad’s out of work.
所以，因为我们国家面临困难时期，你们许多人的行为看上去比实际年龄要大。姐姐哥哥在海外工作，你们会表现得坚强，或许妈妈去值第二班，你们就要照顾年幼的弟弟妹妹。或许你们有些人年长一点的，父亲失了业，你们还要做兼职。





as a consequence 结果，所以
tough time 困难时期【tough a.艰难的】
sibling n.兄弟姐妹，同胞
shift n.轮班




And that’s a lot to handle. It’s more than you should have to handle. And it may make you wonder at times what your own future will look like, whether you’re going to be able to succeed in school, whether you should maybe set your sights a little lower, scale back your dreams.
有太多事情要做了，很多是你们不应该做的。这让你们迷茫，不知道自己的未来会是什么样，在学校能不能取得好成绩，是不是应该把目光降低些，把理想放低些。





handle v.处理，应对
scale back 缩减




But I came to Masterman to tell all of you what I think you’re hearing from your principal and your superintendent, and from your parents and your teachers: Nobody gets to write your destiny but you. Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing -- absolutely nothing -- is beyond your reach, so long as you’re willing to dream big, so long as you’re willing to work hard. So long as you’re willing to stay focused on your education, there is not a single thing that any of you cannot accomplish, not a single thing. I believe that.
但是，我来到马

斯特曼，告诉你们一句话。我想这句话你们的校长、院长、父母以及老师都曾告诉过你们，那就是，没有人，只有你才能书写你自己的命运。未来在你自己手中，生活由自己缔造。只要志向远大，并努力为之奋斗，没有什么是不能得到的。只要你专注于学业，没有什么事不能实现的。我确信。





destiny n.命运
accomplish v.完成




And that last part is absolutely essential, that part about really working hard in school, because an education has never been more important than it is today. I’m sure there are going to be times in the months ahead when you’re staying up late doing your homework or cramming for a test, or you’re dragging yourself out of bed on a rainy morning and you’re thinking, oh, boy, I wish maybe it was a snow day. (Laughter.)
最后这一点，在学校努力奋斗是必要的。因为教育从未像现在这样重要。我确信，几个月后会有一段时间，你们会完善熬夜写作业，为考试临时抱佛脚，或者在一个雨天的早晨把自己从被窝里拖出来，想，哦天，怎么不是下雪天？！（笑）





absolutely ad.绝对地
cram v.临时抱佛脚；吃得过饱




But let me tell you, what you’re doing is worth it. There is nothing more important than what you’re doing right now. Nothing is going to have as great an impact on your success in life as your education, how you’re doing in school.
但是让我告诉你，你所做的一切都是值得的。你们现在要做的事情无比重要。没有什么比你的受教育程度以及你在学校的所做之事更能决定你的成功。






More and more, the kinds of opportunities that are open to you are going to be determined by how far you go in school. The farther you go in school, the farther you’re going to go in life. And at a time when other countries are competing with us like never before, when students around the world in Beijing, China, or Bangalore, India, are working harder than ever, and doing better than ever, your success in school is not just going to determine your success, it’s going to determine America’s success in the 21st century.
能否能抓住机遇，越来越取决于你们在学校的努力。你们在学校的表现越好，生活中就能走得越远。当今，其他国家正与我们竞争，而且比以往任何时候都激烈。在中国北京或者印度邦加罗尔的学生比以前更加努力，而且比以前表现更好。你们在学校的成功并不只决定了自己一人的成功，还决定了美国在21世界是否能够成功。







So you’ve got an obligation to yourselves, and America has an obligation to you, to make sure you’re getting the best education possible. And making sure you get that kind of education is going to take all of us working h

ard and all of us working hand in hand.
所以，你们要承担起这样的责任和义务。同时国家也向你们承担责任和义务，那就是为你们提供最好的教育，为此我们要努力，共同奋斗。





obligation n.责任，义务




It takes all of us in government -- from the governor to the mayor to the superintendent to the President -- all of us doing our part to prepare our students, all of them, for success in the classroom and in college and in a career. It’s going to take an outstanding principal, like Principal Neff, and outstanding teachers like the ones you have here at Masterman -- teachers who are going above and beyond the call of duty for their students. And it’s going to take parents who are committed to your education.
所有政府工作人员，从州长到市长，到院长，到总统，所有人都要履行职责为我们的学生做好准备，帮助他们在教室、在大学、在事业上取得成功。这就需要我们有一个杰出的校长，像校长Neff，和优秀的老师，正如你们的马斯特曼的老师们。老师们要履行好对学生所应担负起的责任。我也希望家长负起责任。











佳句欣赏

Nobody gets to write your destiny but you. Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it.

没有人，只有你才能书写你自己的命运。未来在你自己手中，生活由自己缔造。





背景知识

这是奥巴马第二次发表开学演讲。奥巴马2009年的演讲招来了许多批评和抵制。一些反对者指责称，奥巴马试图通过演讲向学生灌输政治理念。部分媒体还批评奥巴马试图建立个人崇拜。在美国各地，也有许多家长向当地教育官员表示抗议，一些家长甚至威胁在奥巴马演讲时把孩子离教室。有了去年的“教训”，今年的总统开学演讲，白宫意强调这是一次“非政治活动”，而奥巴马本人也在演讲中回避政治话题。
Now, that’s what we have to do for you. That’s our responsibility. That’s our job. But you’ve got a job, too. You’ve got to show up to school on time. You’ve got to pay attention in your class. You’ve got to do your homework. You’ve got to study for exams. You’ve got to stay out of trouble. You’ve got to instill a sense of excellence in everything that you do. That kind of discipline, that kind of drive, that kind of hard work, is absolutely essential for success.
这是我们的责任，我们应尽的义务，你们也有你们的责任，我希望你们准时上课，认真听讲，完成家庭作业。抛开一切烦恼，全心投入学习中来，在每件事情上追求卓越。自律、上进、努力是成功的必要条件。



stay out of 远离





And I can speak from experience here because unlike Kelly, I can’t say I always had t

his discipline. See, I can tell she was always disciplined. I wasn’t always disciplined. I wasn’t always the best student when I was younger. I made my share of mistakes. I still remember a conversation I had with my mother in high school. I was kind of a goof-off. And I was about the age of some of the folks here. And my grades were slipping. I hadn’t started my college applications. I was acting, as my mother put it, sort of casual about my future. I was doing good enough. I was smart enough that I could kind of get by. But I wasn’t really applying myself. 我不像Kelly一样总能自律，所以我可以告诉你们我的经验教训。我上学的时候并不总是个好学生，我分享下我的教训。我仍然记得上高中时，我和我妈妈的一段对话。当时我的成绩有些下降，而且我还没有开始大学申请。就像我们妈妈所说，我对自己的未来有些随便。我做的不错，勉强过得去，但是我并不够专心。




slip v.下降
apply myself 专心




And so I suspect this is a conversation that will sound familiar to some students and some parents here today. She decided to sit me down and said I had to change my attitude. My attitude was what I imagine every teenager’s attitude is when your parents have a conversation with you like that. I was like, you know, I don’t need to hear all this. I’m doing okay, I’m not flunking out. 我猜这样的对话一些学生和父母听起来一定很耳熟。妈妈让我坐下，告诉我，我必须端正态度。我想，我当时的态度与每个与父母如此对话的青年人的态度类似——那种“我不需要听你告诉我”“我的成绩还行，不至于退学。”的态度。




flunk out 退学




So I started to say that, and she just cut me right off. She said, you can’t just sit around waiting for luck to see you through. She said, you can get into any school you want in the country if you just put in a little bit of effort. She gave me a hard look and she said, you remember what that’s like? Effort? (Laughter.) Some of you have had that conversation. (Laughter.) And it was pretty jolting hearing my mother say that. 我也是这样说的，妈妈直接打断了我，说你不能这样干坐着等着天上掉馅饼，如果你肯再努力一点点，你就能进美国的任何大学。妈妈严厉地注视着我说，你还记得那是什么感觉呢？努力？（笑）你们中有些人也曾如此和父母对过话。（笑）妈妈一席话震撼了我。




cut sb. 打断某人




But eventually her words had the intended effect, because I got serious about my studies. And I started to make an effort in everything that I did. And I began to see my grades and my prospects improve. 但是她的话起到了作用，我开始认真对待我的学业了，而且做任何事都非常努力

。渐渐地我的成绩和未来有了希望。






And I know that if hard work could make the difference for me, then it can make a difference for all of you. And I know that there may be some people who are skeptical about that. Sometimes you may wonder if some people just aren’t better at certain things. You know, well, I’m not good at math or I’m just not really interested in my science classes. 我认为如果努力能让我进步，也就能让你们所有人进步。也许有些人对此表示怀疑，有时会想，是不是有些人天生擅长某些事情。“我的数学不好”或者“我对科学课不感兴趣”。




skeptical a.怀疑的




And it is true that we each have our own gifts, we each have our own talents that we have to discover and nurture. Not everybody is going to catch on in certain subjects as easily as others. 的确，我们每个人都有自己的天赋和才能，我们需要去挖掘和培养这种才能。不是所有人都能像其他人一样很容易地学好某些科目。




gift n.天赋
talent n.才能
nurture v.培养





But just because you’re not the best at something today doesn’t mean you can’t be tomorrow. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a math person or a science person, you can still excel in those subjects if you’re willing to make the effort. And you may find out you have talents you never dreamed of. 但是，今天在某些方面不是最好的并不意味着明天不会。即使你不认为你是个数学或科学天才，如果努力，你仍能在这些科目上超越他人。你发现，你有一些从来没有想象过的才能。





Because one of the things I’ve discovered is excelling -- whether it’s in school or in life -- isn’t mainly about being smarter than everybody else. That’s not really the secret to success. It’s about working harder than everybody else. So don’t avoid new challenges -- seek them out, step out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your teachers and family are there to guide you. They want to know if you’re not catching on to something because they know that if you keep on working at it, you’re going to catch on. 因为，无论是在学校还是在生活中，“超越”并不主要指比别人聪明，聪明不是成功的秘诀，而是指比别人更加努力。所以不要逃避挑战，跳出你是舒适区，不要害怕求助。你的老师的家人都会为你做出指引。他们有时会问你功课能不能跟得上，因为他们知道，只要你不断努力，你就能做出好成绩。






Don’t feel discouraged; don’t give up if you don’t succeed at something the first time. Try again, and learn from your mistakes. Don’t feel threatened if your friends are doing well; be proud of them, and see what lessons you can draw from what they

’re doing right. 如果第一次失败了，不要气馁，不要放弃。吸取教训，再试一次。如果你的朋友们做得很好，不要害怕，要为他们感到自豪，并从他们的成功中学习。





Now, I’m sort of preaching to the choir here because I know that’s the kind of culture of excellence that you promote at Masterman. But I’m not just speaking to all of you, I’m speaking to kids all across the country. And I want them to all here that same message: That’s the kind of excellence we’ve got to promote in all of America’s schools. 我有些老生常谈了，因为我知道这是马斯特曼学校所宣扬的有关优秀的文化。我不只是对你们讲，我在告诉整个国家的所有孩子们。我向所有人的孩子们传达这样一个信息：这是我们要在美国所有学校宣扬的“优秀”文化。





That’s one of the reasons why I’m announcing our second Commencement Challenge. Some of you may have heard of this. If your school is the winner, if you show us how teachers and students and parents are all working together to prepare your kids and your school for college and a career, if you show us how you’re giving back to your community and your country, then I will congratulate you in person by speaking at your commencement. 这是我宣布举行第二次毕业典礼大赛的原因之一。你们有些人或许听过这个比赛，如果哪个学校赢得比赛，展示出老师、学生以及家长如何同心协力为孩子的大学教育和事业做出努力，如何回报社会和国家，我会在哪个学校的毕业典礼上演讲表示庆祝。




commencement n.毕业典礼




Last year I was in Michigan at Kalamazoo and had just a wonderful time. Although I got to admit, their graduating class was about 700 kids and my hands were really sore at the end of it because I was shaking all of them. (Laughter.) 去年我在密歇根州巴特尔克里克演讲，非常愉快。但是我不得不说，他们的毕业班有700名学生，我要和他们一一握手，最后我的双手非常疼。




sore a.疼痛的




But the truth is, an education is about more than getting into a good college. It’s about more than getting a good job when you graduate. It’s about giving each and every one of us the chance to fulfill our promise, and to be the best version of ourselves we can be. And part of that means treating others the way we want to be treated -- with kindness and respect. So that’s something else that I want to communicate to students not just here at Masterman but all across the country. 事实是，教育不等于进入一所好的大学，不等于毕业后找到一份好工作。教育是为我们实现诺言、做我们最好的自己提供机遇。做我们最好的自己从某一方面讲要善待并尊重他人，要想人敬己，先要己

敬人。这是我要和全国的孩子们交流的另一个话题。





Sometimes kids can be mean to other kids. Let’s face it. We don’t always treat each other with respect and kindness. That’s true for adults as well, by the way. 有些孩子对其他孩子不够友好。让我们面对现实吧，他们并不总是尊重善待对方。成年人也是如此。





And sometimes that’s especially true in middle school or high school, because being a teenager isn’t easy. It’s a time when you’re wrestling with a lot of things. When I was in my teens, I was wrestling with all sorts of questions about who I was. I had a white mother and a black father, and my father wasn’t around; he had left when I was two. And so there were all kinds of issues that I was dealing with. Some of you may be working through your own questions right now and coming to terms with what makes you different. 有时候，这在初中和高中尤为明显，因为青少年问题多。他们要与许多事物做斗争。我年少时，就思考过许多问题，像“我是谁”。我的母亲是白种人，父亲是黑种人，而且又不在身边，在我两岁时离开了。所以我要应对很多事情。你们有些人自己把问题想通了，与自己的不同达成了共识。




wrestle with 全力应对，努力克服




And I know that figuring out all of that can be even more difficult when you’ve got bullies in a class who try to use those differences to pick on you or poke fun at you, to make you feel bad about yourself. 我知道，当班里的恃强欺弱者拿这些找你的岔，取笑你让你难受时，要想明白这些问题更加困难。




bully n.恃强欺弱者
pick on sb. 找某人的岔
poke fun at sb. 取笑某人




And in some places, the problem is even more serious. There are neighborhoods in my hometown of Chicago, and there are neighborhoods right here in Philadelphia where kids are doing each other serious harm. 在有些地方，这个问题更加严重。在我的家乡芝加哥和费城这里，有些孩子造成了严重的伤害。








So, what I want to say to every kid, every young person -- what I want all of you -- if you take away one thing from my speech, I want you to take away the notion that life is precious, and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity, that all of us are different. And we shouldn’t be embarrassed by the things that make us different. We should be proud of them, because it’s the thing that makes us different that makes us who we are, that makes us unique. And the strength and character of this country has always come from our ability to recognize -- no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, no matter what we look like, no matter what abilities we have -- to recognize ourselves in each other. 所以，我要告诉每

一个孩子，每一位年轻人，我对你们的期望。如果你们能从我的演讲中获取点什么，我喜欢你们能懂得生命是宝贵的，而且差异化使它如此奇妙。我们不应当为那些让我们与众不同为耻，我们应当为这些不同之处而自豪，因为与众不同使我们独一无二。这个国家的力量和个性来自我们肯定的能力，无论你是谁，来自于哪，长相如何，能力如何，都将得到肯定。







I was reminded of that idea the other day when I read a letter from Tamerria Robinson. She’s a 12-year-old girl in Georgia. And she told me about how hard she works and about all the community service she does with her brother. And she wrote, “I try to achieve my dreams and help others do the same.” “That,” she said, “is how the world should work.” That’s a pretty good motto. I work hard to achieve my goals and then I try to help others to achieve their goals. 我想起，有一天，我收到一封一个叫Tamerria Robinson的信。她12岁，乔治亚人。她告诉我，她非常努力，与哥哥工作为社区服务。她写道：“我努力实现我的梦想，并帮助其他人实现他们的梦想。这是世界应走的轨道。”这是一个很不错的格言。我努力实现我的目标，并且帮助其他人实现目标。




motto n.座右铭，格言




And I agree with Tamerria. That’s how the world should work. But it’s only going to work that way if all of you get in good habits while you’re in school. So, yes, each of us need to work hard. We all have to take responsibilities for our own education. We need to take responsibility for our own lives. But what makes us who we are is that here, in this country, in the United States of America, we don’t just reach for our own dreams, we try to help others do the same. This is a country that gives all its daughters and all of its sons a fair chance, a chance to make the most of their lives and fulfill their God-given potential. 我赞同Tamerria的话，这才是世界的运转轨道。但是只有你们在学校养成了好的习惯，世界才会这样运行。所以，我们每个人都必须努力奋斗，为自己的教育问题负责，对我们的自己的人生负责。但是，在这里，在美利坚共和国，我们是谁，不只是取决于我们是否实现了自己的梦想，还取决于我们是不是帮助了别人。这个国家的所有儿女都有平等的机会，去好好生活，实现上帝赋予的潜能。




potential n.潜力，潜能




So my main message to all of you here today: I couldn’t be prouder of you. Keep it up. All of you I know are going to do great things in the future. And maybe some time in the 21st century, it’s going to be one of you that’s standing up here speaking to a group of kids as President of the United States. 我今天

主要想说的是，我为你们感到骄傲。继续保持现在的成绩。你们每个人都会在未来做出伟大的事情。或许在21世纪的某个时间，你们中的某个人会成为美国总统，站在这里给一群孩子们演讲。







Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.) 谢谢。愿上帝保佑你们，保佑美利坚共和国。谢谢。（掌声）




佳句欣赏：





And we shouldn’t be embarrassed by the things that make us different. We should be proud of them, because it’s the thing that makes us different that makes us who we are, that makes us unique.

我们不应当为那些让我们与众不同为耻，我们应当为这些不同之处而自豪，因为与众不同使我们独一无二。



“I try to achieve my dreams and help others do the same.”

我努力实现我的梦想，并帮助其他人实现他们的梦想。





But the truth is, an education is about more than getting into a good college. It’s about more than getting a good job when you graduate. It’s about giving each and every one of us the chance to fulfill our promise, and to be the best version of ourselves we can be.

事实是，教育不等于进入一所好的大学，不等于毕业后找到一份好工作。教育是为我们实现诺言、做我们最好的自己提供机遇。