奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统祝福美国男足 庆祝独立日

Hi, everybody.
大家好！
I hope you're all having a great Fourth of July weekend.
我衷心希望你们独立日过的愉快。
I want to begin today by saying a special word to the U.S. Men's Soccer Team, who represented America so well the past few weeks.
我今天的讲话想从美国男足的特别祝福开场，他们在过去的几个星期里代表美国参赛。
We are so proud of you.
我们为你们感到自豪。
You've got a lot of new believers.
你们的表现得到了大量新的拥趸。
And I know there's actually a petition on the White House website to make Tim Howard the next Secretary of Defense¹.
我知道白宫网站上有一封推荐蒂姆·霍华德出任下一任国防部长的请愿书。
Chuck Hagel's got that spot right now, but if there is a vacancy², I'll think about it.
现在这一职位由查克·哈格尔担任，如果将来有空缺了，我会考虑的。
It was 238 years ago that our founders³ came together in Philadelphia to launch our American experiment.
238年前，我们的建国者们齐聚费城，开始创建美国的历程。
There were farmers and businessmen, doctors and lawyers, ministers and a kite-flying scientist.
他们当中有农民和商人，有医生和律师，也有部长和放风筝的科学家。
Those early patriots⁴ may have come from different backgrounds and different walks of life.
这些早年的爱国人士有着不同的背景和不同的人生经历。
But they were united by a belief in a simple truth-that we are all created equal; that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; and that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
但是他们为了一个共同而简单的信仰走到一起——我们人人生而平等，我们都享有造物主赐予的不可分割的确定权利，这些权利包括生存、自由和追求幸福的权利。
Over the years, that belief has sustained us through war and depression; peace and prosperity.
年复一年，这些理念支撑这我们度过战争和萧条时期，也度过了和平和繁荣时期。
It's helped us build the strongest democracy, the greatest middle class, and the most powerful military the world has ever known.
正是有了她，我们建立起最强大的民主政权，最强大的中产阶级以及全球有史以来最强大的军队。
And today, there isn't a nation on Earth that wouldn't gladly trade places with the United States of America.
时至今日，世界上没有任何一个国家不乐意与美利坚合众国互换角色。
But our success is only possible because we have never treated those self-evident truths as self-executing.
但正是因为我们从来不把这些不言自明的事实当作自动发生的事，我们才取得了成功。
Generations of Americans have marched, organized, petitioned, fought and even died to extend those rights to others;to widen the circle of opportunity for others; and to perfect this union we love so much.
一代又一代美国人的前进、组织、请愿、奋斗甚至死去才将这些权利扩大至其他人，拓宽了有机会享受这些权利的人群范围，也让我们所深爱的合众国更加完美。
That's why I want to say a special thanks to the men and women of our armed forces and the families who serve with them-especially those service members who spent this most American of holidays serving your country far from home.
因此，我特别想对我们的男女将士以及他们的家人说一声感谢，谢谢他们的付出，尤其是在大多数美国人在家过节的时候依然要在异国他乡为国服务的军人，谢谢你们！
You keep us safe, and you keep the United States of America a shining beacon⁵ of hope for the world.
正是你们保证了我们的安宁，正是你们保证美利坚合众国成为全世界闪亮的希望灯塔。
And for that, you and your families deserve not only the appreciation⁶ of a grateful nation, but our enduring commitment to serve you as well as you've served us.
为此，你们和你们的家人理应得到的不仅仅是全国人民对你们的感激和爱戴，更有你们为我们付出之后我们要一样为你们服务的不变的承诺。
God bless you all.
愿上帝保佑你们！
And have a great weekend.
祝你们周末愉快！

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 vacancy   

n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺

参考例句：

• Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.她休产假时将会有一个临时空缺。
• The vacancy of her expression made me doubt if she was listening.她茫然的神情让我怀疑她是否在听。

3 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

4 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。

5 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

6 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。