奧巴馬演說稿和演說技巧揭祕

  政壇名人奧巴馬的演講稿一直是優秀的代表,讓人不禁沉迷於他的演說之中,下面小編來為大家分享奧巴馬的演說稿子,以及演說技巧揭祕。

  奧巴馬對全美國學生的講話:夢想與責任

  Wakefield High School

  Arlington, Virginia

  THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. How is everybody doing today? ***Applause.*** How about Tim Spicer? ***Applause.*** I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade. And I am just so glad that all could join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. ***Applause.***

  大家好!謝謝你們。謝謝你們。謝謝你們大家。好,大家請就坐。你們今天都好嗎?***掌聲***蒂姆•斯派塞***Tim Spicer***好嗎?***掌聲***我現在與弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡韋克菲爾德高中的學生們在一起。美國各地從小學預備班到中學12年級的學生正在收聽收看。我很高興大家今天都能參與。我還要感謝韋克菲爾德高中出色的組織安排。請為你們自己熱烈鼓掌。***掌聲***

  I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now -- ***applause*** -- with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.

  我知道,今天是你們很多人開學的日子。對於進入小學預備班、初中或高中的學生,今天是你們來到新學校的第一天,心裡可能有點緊張,這是可以理解的。我能想象有些畢業班學生現在感覺很不錯——***掌聲***——還有一年就畢業了。不論在哪個年級,你們有些人可能希望暑假更長一點,今天早上還能多睡一小會兒。

  I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. And my mother, she didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.

  我瞭解這種感覺。我小時候,我們家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亞住了幾年。我媽媽沒有錢送我上其他美國孩子上的學校,但她認為必須讓我接受美式教育。因此,她決定從週一到週五自己給我補課。不過她還要上班,所以只能在清晨四點半給我上課。

  Now, as you might imagine, I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” ***Laughter.***

  你們可以想見,我不太情願那麼早起床。有很多次,我趴在餐桌上就睡著了。但每當我抱怨的時候,我媽媽都會那樣地看我一眼,然後說:“小子,這對我也並不輕鬆。”***笑聲***

  So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

  我知道你們有些人還在適應開學後的生活。但我今天來到這裡是因為有重要的事情要和你們說。我來這裡是要和你們談談你們的教育問題,以及在這個新學年對你們所有人的期望。

  Now, I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked about responsibility a lot.

  我做過很多次有關教育問題的演講。我多次談到過責任問題。

  I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.

  我談到過教師激勵學生並督促他們學習的責任。

  I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.

  我談到過家長的責任,要確保你們走正路,完成家庭作業,不要整天坐在電視前或玩Xbox遊戲。

  I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve.

  我多次談到過政府的責任,要制定高標準,支援教師和校長的工作,徹底改善不能為學生提供應有機會的、教育質量差的學校。

  But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. That’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.

  然而,即使我們擁有最敬業的教師,最盡力的家長和全世界最好的學校——如果你們大家不履行你們的責任,不到校上課,不專心聽講,不聽家長、祖父祖母和其他大人的話,不付出取得成功所必須的勤奮努力,那麼這一切都毫無用處,都無關緊要。這就是我今天講話的重點:你們每個人對自己的教育應盡的責任。

  I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

  我首先要講講你們對自己應盡的責任。你們每個人都有自己的長處。你們每個人都能做出自己的貢獻。你們對自己應盡的責任是發現自己的能力所在。而教育能夠提供這樣的機會。

  Maybe you could be a great writer -- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- but you might not know it until you write that English paper -- that English class paper that’s assigned to you. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor -- maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine -- but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice -- but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

  你或許能成為一名出色的作家——甚至可能寫書或在報紙上發表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文課的作文後才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名創新者或發明家——甚至可能設計出新一代iPhone或研製出新型藥物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科學課的實驗後才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名市長或參議員或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在參加學生會的工作或辯論隊後才會發現自己的才華。

  And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.

  不論你的生活志向是什麼,我敢肯定你必須上學讀書才能實現它。你想當醫生、教師或警官嗎?你想當護士、建築師、律師或軍人嗎?你必須接受良好的教育,才能從事上述任何一種職業。你不能指望輟學後能碰上個好工作。你必須接受培訓,為之努力,為之學習。

  And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of America depends on you. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

  這並非只對你個人的人生和未來意義重大。可以毫不誇大地說,教育給你帶來的益處將決定這個國家的未來。美國的未來取決於你們。你們今日在校學習的知識將決定我們作為一個國家是否能夠迎接我們未來所面臨的最嚴峻挑戰。

  You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

  你們將需要利用你們通過自然科學和數學課程所學到的知識和解決問題的能力來治癒癌症、艾滋病及其他疾病,開發新的能源技術和保護我們的環境。你們將需要利用你們在歷史學和社會學課堂上所獲得的知識和獨立思考能力來抗擊貧困和解決無家可歸問題,打擊犯罪和消除歧視,使我們的國家更公平、更自由。你們將需要利用你們在所有課堂上培養的創造力和智慧來創辦新公司,增加就業機會,振興我們的經濟。

  We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that -- if you quit on school -- you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

  我們需要你們每個人發揮你們的聰明才智和技能,以便幫助老一輩人解決我們面臨的最棘手問題。如果你們不這樣做,如果你們輟學,你們不僅僅是自暴自棄,也是拋棄自己的國家。

  Now, I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

  我自然知道要做到學業優秀並非總是易事。我知道你們許多人在生活中面臨挑戰,難以集中精力從事學業。

  I get it. I know what it’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things that other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’t fit in.

  我明白這一點。 我有親身感受。兩歲時,我父親離家而去,我是由一位單親母親撫養成人的,母親不得不工作,並時常為支付生活費用而苦苦掙扎,但有時仍無法為我們提供其他孩子享有的東西。有時,我渴望生活中能有一位父親。有時我感到孤獨,感到自己不適應社會。

  So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I’m not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

  我並非總是像我應該做到的那樣專心學習,我也曾做過我如今不能引以為豪的一些事情,我曾惹過不應該惹的麻煩。我的人生原本會輕易陷入更糟糕的境地。

  But I was -- I was lucky. I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have a lot of money. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

  但是,我當年際遇不錯。我有過許多第二次機會,我有幸能上大學,上法學院,追求自己的理想。我的妻子,我們的第一夫人米歇爾•奧巴馬,也有著類似的經歷。她的父母都未曾上過大學,家裡很窮。但他們非常勤奮 ,她也是如此,因此她得以進入一些美國最好的學校。

  Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

  你們中有一些人可能沒有那些有利條件。或許你們生活中沒有成年人為你們提供你們所需要的支援。或許你們家中有人失業,經濟非常拮据。或許你們生活在使你們感覺不安全的社群,或有朋友逼迫你們去做你們知道不對的事情。

  But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home -- none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. There is no excuse for not trying.

  然而說到底,你們生活的環境、你們的膚色、你們的原籍、你們的經濟收入、你們家中的境況等等,這一切都不能成為你們不用功或不努力的理由。你們沒有理由不服從你們的老師、逃學、或輟學。沒有理由不付出努力。

  Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

  你們目前的狀況並不決定著你們的未來。沒有人決定你們的命運,在美國,你們決定自己的命運。你們掌握自己的未來。

  That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

  這就是像你們這樣的年輕人每天都在做的事情,全美各地都是如此。

  Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Neither of her parents had gone to college. But she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to Brown University -- is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming Dr. Jazmin Perez.

  來自得州羅馬城的賈茲敏•佩雷斯***Jazmin Perez***就是一個例證,她剛開始上學時並不會說英文。她的父母都沒有上過大學。然而,她非常勤奮,成績優秀,獲得了布朗大學的獎學金,她如今正在讀研究生,攻讀公共衛生專業,不久將成為賈茲敏•佩雷斯博士。

  I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer -- hundreds of extra hours -- to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind. He’s headed to college this fall.我想起了加州洛斯阿爾託斯城的安多尼•舒爾茨***Andoni Schultz***,他從三歲開始就一直與腦癌進行抗爭,他不得不忍受各類治療和手術帶來的痛苦,其中一項手術曾影響了他的記憶,因此他花在功課上的時間比一般人長得多,要多出數百個小時。然而,他從未落後。他今年秋季將邁進大學。

  And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

  我還想起家鄉伊利諾伊州芝加哥市的尚特爾•史蒂夫***Shantell Steve***。她曾在芝加哥最困難的社群生活,寄養於多個不同的家庭,但她最終在一家地方醫療中心找到工作,並開始了一項幫助年輕人遠離流氓團伙的計劃,她即將以優異成績從中學畢業,緊接著將上大學。

  And Jazmin, Andoni, and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They face challenges in their lives just like you do. In some cases they’ve got it a lot worse off than many of you. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.賈茲敏、安多尼和尚特爾與你們中間的每個人沒什麼兩樣。跟你們一樣,他們在生活中面臨種種挑戰。在某些情況下,他們的處境比起你們許多人更差。但他們拒絕放棄。他們決定要為自己的一生、自己的教育負起責任,為自己設定各項奮鬥目標。我期待你們大家都會這樣做。

  That’s why today I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, by the way, I hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

  因此,我今天呼籲你們每一個人為自己的教育設定目標,並儘自己的最大努力來實現這些目標。你的目標可以是一件十分簡單的事情,例如完成家庭作業、上課專心聽講、或每天花一點時間讀一本書。也許你會決定要參加課外活動或在你的社群提供志願服務。也許你會決定挺身而出保護那些因為身份或長相而受人戲弄或欺負的孩子,原因是你和我一樣認為所有的年輕人都應該享有一個適合讀書和學習的安全環境。也許你會決定更好地照料自己,以便有更充沛的精力來學習。順便提一下,除了這些事情外,我希望大家要勤洗手,身體感到不舒服的時候要呆在家裡不去上學,這樣我們能防止人們在今年秋冬季節染上流感。

  But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.但無論你決定做什麼,我希望你保證去做。我希望你腳踏實地地去做。

  I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. Chances are you’re not going to be any of those things.我知道有時候你會從電視上得到這樣的印象:你不用做任何艱苦的工作就能發財致富並取得成功,唱小調、打籃球或成為真人秀明星是走向成功的途徑。但實際情況是:你可能不會成為其中的一員。

  The truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject that you study. You won’t click with every teacher that you have. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

  事實上,取得成功不是輕而易舉的事情。你不會喜歡你學習的每一門課目。你不會與你的每一位老師都很投契。不是所有的家庭作業似乎都與你眼前的生活完全有關。你第一次嘗試做每件事的時候,不一定成功。

  That’s okay. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. J.K. Rowling’s -- who wrote Harry Potter -- her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.”

  這些都沒關係。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失敗最多的人。作者J•K•羅琳***J.K. Rowling***所寫的系列小說《哈利•波特》***Harry Potter***第一部在獲得出版之前被退稿12次。邁克爾•喬丹***Michael Jordan***曾被他的高中籃球隊除名。在喬丹的籃球生涯中,他輸過數百場比賽,有成千上萬個球沒有投中。但他曾說過:“在我的一生中,我失敗了一次又一次、一次又一次。這就是我成功的原因。”

  These people succeeded because they understood that you can’t let your failures define you -- you have to let your failures teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time. So if you get into trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

  這些人士獲得成功,因為他們懂得:你不能讓失敗來限制你,而必須讓失敗來開導你。你必須讓失敗向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做這件事情。因此,如果你遇到麻煩,那並不表示你是麻煩的製造者,而意味著你需要更加努力去把它做對。如果你有一門課分數低,那不表示你比別人笨,而只表示你需要花更多的時間學習。

  No one’s born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. The same principle applies to your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right. You might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

  沒有一個人天生擅長做各種事情。你通過勤奮而變得擅長於各種事情。第一次從事新的體育專案時,你不可能是一位主力隊員。第一次唱一首歌曲時,你不可能唱準每個音。你必須練習。同樣的道理適用於你的學業。你可能要把一道數學題做幾次才把它做對。你可能要把一些材料閱讀幾遍才能理解。在交出一篇優美的作文之前,你肯定需要打幾遍草稿。

  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and that then allows you to learn something new. So find an adult that you trust -- a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor -- and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

  不要害怕提問。不要在需要幫助時害怕請求別人幫助。我天天請求別人的幫助。請求幫助不是軟弱的表現,它是力量的標誌,因為它表明你有勇氣承認自己對某些事情不懂,這樣做會使你學到新的東西。因此,請確定一位你信任的成年人,例如家長、祖父母或老師、教練或輔導員,請他們幫助你遵循既定計劃實現你的目標。

  And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don’t ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

  即使當你苦苦掙扎、灰心喪氣、感到其他人對你不抱希望時,也不要對你自己喪失信心,因為當你自暴自棄時,你也拋棄了自己的國家。

  The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

  書寫美國曆史的不是在困難時刻退縮的人,而是堅持不懈、加倍努力的人,他們對國家的愛促使他們全力以赴。

  It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. Young people. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google and Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

  書寫美國曆史的是250年前坐在你們的位置上的學生,他們後來進行了獨立戰爭並建立了這個國家。還有75年前坐在你們的位置上的年輕人和學生,他們走出了大蕭條並打贏了一場世界大戰;他們為民權而奮鬥並把宇航員送上了月球。至於20年前坐在你們的位置上的學生,他們創辦了谷歌***Google***、嘰喳網***Twitter***和臉譜網***Facebook***,改變了我們交流溝通的方式。

  So today, I want to ask all of you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a President who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?

  而今天,我要問問你們大家,你們將做出什麼貢獻?你們將解決什麼問題?你們將有什麼發現?20年、50年或100年後來到這裡講話的總統將會怎樣評價你們大家為這個國家所做的一切?

  Now, your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part, too. So I expect all of you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down. Don’t let your family down or your country down. Most of all, don’t let yourself down. Make us all proud.

  你們的家人、你們的老師和我正在竭盡全力保證你們接受必要的教育,以便回答上述問題。我正在努力工作,以便你們的教室得到修繕,你們能夠得到學習所需的課本、裝置和電腦。但你們也必須儘自己的努力。因此,我希望你們大家從今年起認真對待這個問題。我希望你們盡最大努力做好每一件事。我希望你們每個人都有出色的表現。不要讓我們失望。不要讓你們的家人或你們的國家失望。而最重要的是,不要辜負你們自己,而要讓我們都能[為你們]感到驕傲。

  Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. ***Applause.***

  非常感謝你們大家。願主保佑你們。願主保佑美國。謝謝你們。***掌聲***

  奧巴馬紀念曼德拉演講詞

  At his trial in 1964, NelsonMandela closed his statement from the dock saying, "I have fought againstwhite domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherishedthe ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live togetherin harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to livefor and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared todie."

  納爾遜·曼德拉在1964年接受審判時在被告席上結束他的陳述時說:“我曾為反對白人統治而鬥爭,也曾為反對黑人統治而鬥爭。我一直珍藏著一個民主、自由的社會理想,讓所有人都生活在一個和諧共處、機會均等的社會中。我希望為這個理想而生並將其付諸實現。但是,如果需要,我也願為這樣一個理想獻出生命。”

  And Nelson Mandela lived for thatideal, and he made it real. He achieved more than could be expected of any man.Today, he has gone home. And we have lost one of the most influential,courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share timewith on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us -- he belongs to the ages.

  納爾遜·曼德拉為這個理想而生,並將其變成現實。他的成就超出了我們能夠寄望於任何一個人去取得的。今天,他安息了。而我們失去了一位我們任何一個人能在這個地球上與之共渡時光的人中,最有影響力、最有勇氣、最無比善良的一位。他不再屬於我們——他屬於一個時代。

  Through his fierce dignity andunbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madibatransformed South Africa -- and moved all of us. His journey from a prisoner toa President embodied the promise that human beings -- and countries -- canchange for the better. His commitment to transfer power and reconcile withthose who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whetherin the lives of nations or our own personal lives. And the fact that he did itall with grace and good humor, and an ability to acknowledge his ownimperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable. As he once said,"I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps ontrying."

  曼德拉以其強烈的尊嚴和為了他人的自由不惜犧牲自己的自由的不折的意志,改變了南非的面貌,並感動了我們所有人。他從一名囚徒變成一位總統的歷程體現了全人類——以及各個國家——都能變得更美好的希望。他移交權力並同那些關押他的人和解的承諾,樹立了一個全人類都應當追求的典範,不論是在國家生活中,還是在我們的個人生活中。而他在做到這一切時還能保持風度和幽默,以及承認自己的不足的能力,這使他更加卓爾不群。他曾說過:“我不是一個聖人,除非你們認為聖人是一個不斷努力的罪人。”

  I am one of the countless millionswho drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela's life. My very first politicalaction, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy orpolitics, was a protest against apartheid. I studied his words and hiswritings. The day that he was released from prison gave me a sense of whathuman beings can do when they’re guided by their hopes and not by their fears.And like so many around the globe, I cannot fully imagine my own life withoutthe example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I canto learn from him.

  在被納爾遜·曼德拉的經歷所激勵的億萬人中,我是其中一員。我的第一次政治行動——我所做的與一項議題或政策或政治有關的第一件事——就是抗議種族歧視。我認真研讀了他的話和他的著作。他走出監獄的那一天,我認識到人類能夠在自己的希望——而不是恐懼——引領下所能成就的事業。正如全球各地許許多多的人一樣,我無法充分想象沒有納爾遜·曼德拉的榜樣我的生活會是怎樣。在我的有生之年,我將盡最大努力向他學習。

  To Graça Machel and his family,Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing thisextraordinary man with us. His life’s work meant long days away from those wholoved him the most. And I only hope that the time spent with him these last fewweeks brought peace and comfort to his family.

  米歇爾和我謹向格拉薩·馬歇爾和曼德拉的家人致以最深沉的慰唁,並感謝他們與我們分享這位不平凡的人。他的畢生努力意味著長年累月遠離最愛他的人們。我真切地希望與他共同度過的最後這幾個星期為他的家人帶來了平靜與安慰。

  To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal,andreconciliation, and resilience that you made real. A free South Africa atpeace with itself -- that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacyto the nation he loved.

  對南非人民,我們要說,你們通過重生、和解與堅毅樹立的榜樣給了我們力量。一個自由、和平的南非——這是世界的榜樣,這是“馬迪巴”***曼德拉的家族名***為他所熱愛的國家留下的遺產。

  We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. So it falls to us asbest we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not byhate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make;to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.

  我們可能難以再見到像納爾遜·曼德拉這樣的偉人。因此,我們的責任是盡我們所能把他樹立的榜樣傳承下去:基於愛——而不是恨——來作決定;永遠不要低估一個人所能帶來的變化;努力建設一個無愧於他的犧牲的未來。

  For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived --a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universetoward justice. May God Bless his memory and keep him in peace.

  現在,讓我們停下來,為納爾遜·曼德拉曾經活著而表達我們的感激之情——他用雙手握住歷史,把道德宇宙的長虹折向正義。願上帝保佑他的記憶,使他安息。

  奧巴馬演講技巧大揭祕

  或許你會認為,奧巴馬之所以能當選美國總統,全都要歸功於他傑出的演講才能。追溯到2004年,當時民主黨的總統候選人還是馬薩諸塞州參議員JohnKerry,在一次民主黨全國代表大會上,一位名不見經傳的伊利諾斯州參議員發表了主題演講。那個參議員便是奧巴馬。那是一場十分精彩的演講--詩一般的語言充滿了振奮人心的力量,令人過耳難忘。

  YOU might say that one reason Barack Obama is president of theUS is because he knows how to give a good speech. In 2004, whenMassachusetts Senator John Kerry was the Democratic Party's nomineefor the presidency, a little-known senator from Illinois gave thekeynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. That senatorwas Obama. It was a remarkable speech - poetic, and inspiring. Thepeople who heard it would remember it for a long time。

  從2004年開始,奧巴馬至今已創作發表了上萬場演說。這些演講屢獲讚揚的原因大致可歸結為兩點:一,將觀眾視為有智慧的成年人來對待;二,以直率自然的方式來表達複雜難懂的理念。

  Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands ofspeeches. These are usually praised for two reasons: he treats theaudiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to expresscomplicated ideas in a straightforward, natural way。

  在當選總統前,奧巴馬曾做過律師、大學教授。他還是一位成功的作家,出版的兩部回憶錄都非常暢銷。正是這些早年在工作中鍛煉出的技能,讓他得以成為一名成功的演說家。

  Before becoming president, Obama was a lawyer, a collegeprofessor, and a successful writer - his two memoirs have becomebest-sellers. The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobshave also contributed to his success as a speechmaker。

  身為律師,奧巴馬懂得如何在辯論中給出令人信服的有力論據。而身為教授,他明白如何將複雜的事物以學生清晰易懂的方式解釋清楚。同時身為作家,他更精通如何用語言打動觀眾。著名流行樂團黑眼豆豆的靈魂人物will.i.am,甚至將奧巴馬早期競選的一篇演講編成了歌曲。

  As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincingarguments. As a professor, he learned how to explain complexsubjects in ways that helped students understand without boringthem. As a writer, he learned how to use language to have apowerful impact on his audience. Star musician will.i.am eventurned one of Obama`s early speeches into a song during theelection campaign。

  奧巴馬在各種大大小小的場合都發表過演說。他既能使人捧腹,也可以催人淚下。無論在什麼場合,他的演講總是那麼得體,思想與文筆交相輝映。

  Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small. He canmake his audiences laugh or cry. His speeches are alwaysthoughtful, well written, and just right for each occasion。

  奧巴馬的祕密武器 Secret weapon

  提詞器:無論去哪裡,奧巴馬都隨身攜帶提詞器。每次外出演講,他都會帶著這個筆記本大小的方形玻璃裝置,裡面有備好的演講摘要。

  Teleprompter: Obama doesn't go anywhere without hisTeleprompter. The textbook-sized panes of glass holding thepresident`s prepared remarks follow him wherever he goes tospeak。

  寫作團隊:該團隊專門負責為奧巴馬撰寫演講稿。演講前,他們會和奧巴馬座談數小時,充分了解他想要表達的內容。之後,他們還要聽過去的總統演講錄音,並向顧問尋求建議。奧巴馬通常會對出來的草稿再進行數次編輯改寫。

  Writing has a team of people who write hisspeeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wantsto say. They listen to recordings of past presidential addressesand seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites thedrafts several times。

  如何在輕鬆愉快的演講中傳達你的資訊?奧巴馬自有妙招:

  Obama's tricks for a lighthearted speech that stays onmessage:

  打趣來賓:奧巴馬經常在演講一開始打趣來賓。這樣一來,他的開場白不僅能成功吸引聽眾們的注意力,還可以讓他們放鬆下來,彼此會心一笑。

  Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gentlyteasing his guests. His opening lines grab the audience`s attentionwhile giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselvesand each other。

  拿別人開涮的同時,也別忘了自嘲:對一個演講者而言,如果你想要拿其他人打趣,那麼一定別忘了也要來自嘲一下。奧巴馬曾嘲笑自己在商務部長提名上沒有太多選擇,他說:“在這麼短的時間內任命3位商務部長,恐怕我是頭一個了。”實情是,前兩位被提名者都由於種種原因而推掉了。結果任命商務部長這麼一件本應很順暢的事,卻成了奧巴馬政府的老大難。

  Make fun of yourself: A good rule for speechmakers: If you'regoing to make a joke about someone else, be sure to make one aboutyourself, too. Obama mocks his own poor choices for filling theposition of Commerce Secretary, saying, "No President in historyhas ever named three Commerce Secretaries this quickly." In fact,his first two nominees for the position withdrew their names fordifferent reasons. In a process that had otherwise gone smoothly,the Obama Administration was tripped up by the problem of fillingthe Commerce seat。