美国国家公共电台 NPR--Michelle Obama opens up in her new memoir 'The Light We Carry'

Michelle Obama opens up in her new memoir¹ 'The Light We Carry'

Transcript²

In an interview Tuesday on All Things Considered, the former first lady will talk about a phrase that she didn't know would resonate: "When they go low, we go high."

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is opening up in a new memoir. She writes about her daughters dating, the ebb³ and flow of her marriage and a phrase she didn't know would resonate - when they go low, we go high.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Michelle Obama declared those now famous words at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. And in a new interview, All Things Considered host Juana Summers asked the former first lady what going high means to her.

MICHELLE OBAMA: Going high doesn't mean sitting on the side of the road and watching injustice⁴ go by. Going high is about having a real, concrete strategy for change. It's taking the rage and turning it into reason, you know? I used to play this game with my communications staff before an interview where we would sort of walk through the questions. And there'd be some question that would be what I call a knucklehead question. And I'd practice my gut⁵ response because, sometimes, just playing it out loud helps to get it out.

But then, when you put your first gut reaction out there, and then you look at it for a minute and you go, oh, well, that's not even how I really feel. And what's going to be the outcome? If I start with my rage and anger, all I will do is play out my rage and anger. But I won't be able to affect any change. Going high is about the ultimate goal of, where are we trying to go? And what's the best way to get there.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

FADEL: Hear more of the former first lady's interview with Juana about her new book, "The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times," later today on All Things Considered.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 memoir   

n.[pl.]回忆录，自传；记事录

参考例句：

• He has just published a memoir in honour of his captain.他刚刚出了一本传记来纪念他的队长。
• In her memoir,the actress wrote about the bittersweet memories of her first love.在那个女演员的自传中，她写到了自己苦乐掺半的初恋。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 ebb   

vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态

参考例句：

• The flood and ebb tides alternates with each other.涨潮和落潮交替更迭。
• They swam till the tide began to ebb.他们一直游到开始退潮。

4 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

5 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。