名校励志英语演讲 122:21世纪的挑战(16)

 　　The question is, where do we go from here? How do we work together to be on the right side of history together? More than 50 years ago, Hu Shi, one of your great political thinkers and a teacher at this university, said these words: "Now some people say to me you must sacrifice your individual freedom so that the nation may be free. But I reply, the struggle for individual freedom is the struggle for the nation's freedom. The struggle for your own character is the struggle for the nation's character."

　　但人们不禁要问，我们的发展方向是什么？我们怎样相互合作走上历史的正确一面？中国伟大的政治思想家、曾在北大任教的胡适教授在50多年前说过：“有些人对我说，为了国家的自由你必须牺牲自己的个人自由。但我回答，为了个人自由而奋斗就是为了国家的自由而奋斗。解放个性就是解放民族。”

　　We Americans believe Hu Shi was right. We believe and our experience demonstrates¹ that freedom strengthens stability² and helps nations to change.

　　我们美国人认为胡适是对的。我们相信，并且我们的经验表明，自由可以加强稳定，自由有助于国家的变革。

　　One of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, once said, "Our critics are our friends, for they show us our faults." Now, if that is true, there are many days in the United States when the President has more friends than anyone else in America. But it is so.

　　我国的一位开国先贤本杰明·富兰克林曾经说过：“我们的批评者是我们的朋友，因为他们指出我们的缺点。”如果这话正确，在美国很多时候，总统的朋友比其他任何人都多。 但确实如此。

　　克林顿给我们的启示

　　We would never be perfect, but we had to keep trying to do better.

　　我们永远不可能尽善尽美，但我们必须不断改进。

　　It is, therefore, profoundly³ in your interest, and the world's that young minds be free to reach the fullness of their potential. That is message of our time and the mandate⁴ of the new century and the new millennium⁵.

　　因此，为了贵国和世界的根本利益，中国的年轻人必须享有心灵上的自由，以便最充分地开发自己的潜力。这是我们时代的信息，也是新的世纪和新的千年的要求。

1 demonstrates   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的第三人称单数 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• I hope this message demonstrates my feelings to the students. 我希望这个祝词能表达出我对学生们的感情。
• I hope this demonstrates to you how I feel. 我希望这能向你表明我的感受。

2 stability   

n.稳定，稳固

参考例句：

• The situation is tending towards stability.局势趋于稳定。
• She lacks emotional stability.她的情绪不稳定。

3 profoundly   

ad.深深地

参考例句：

• We are profoundly affected by what happens to us in childhood. 童年发生的事深深地影响着我们。
• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents. 你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。

4 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

5 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。