奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统呼吁向奥运会展示最好的美国（01）

Every four years, our nation's attention turns to a competition that's as heated as it is historic.

每四年，我国的注意力转向一场历史性的激烈竞赛。

People pack arenas¹ and wave flags. Journalists judge every move and overanalyze every misstep.

人们集聚运动场挥舞彩旗。记者们解说着每一个动作不会放过场上任何失误。

Sometimes we're let down, but more often we're lifted up.

有时我们会失望，但更多的是兴致勃勃。

And just when we think we've seen it all, we see something happen in a race that we've never seen before.

当我们以为已经尽收眼底时，却看到了过去比赛中从未见过的事情。

I'm talking, of course, about the Summer Olympics.

当然，我谈的是夏季奥运会。

This month, Rio is hosting the first-ever Games held in South America - and we're ready to root on Team USA.

本月，在南美洲的里约首次主办了奥运会，我们要为美国队加油。

We're excited to see who will inspire us this time; whose speed will remind us of Jesse Owens;

我们兴奋地观赏此时将激动人心的人物，谈速度想起杰西·欧文斯，

whose feats² will remind us of Bob Beamon's amazing jump?

论跳远想起鲍勃·比蒙那惊天一跳！

Which young American will leave us awestruck, the way a teenager named Kerri Strug did when she stuck that landing,

哪位年轻的美国人会让我们肃然起敬? 是在路上拄拐棍的体操少女克里·斯特鲁格，

and when another kid named Cassius Clay gave the world its first glimpse of greatness?

抑或另一位举世闻名的拳王男孩阿里？

Who will match Mary Lou Retton's perfection; or pull off an upset like Rulon Gardner's; or dominate like the Dream Team?

谁将对阵体操全能的玛丽·卢·雷顿；或摔跤扳倒鲁伦?加德纳；或俯视梦之队？

That's why we watch. And we have a lot to look forward to this year.

因而我们要观看。而且今年我们有很多期待。

Team USA reminds the world why America always sets the gold standard:

美国队提醒世界，为什么美国总是设置金牌标准：

We're a nation of immigrants that finds strength in our diversity and unity³ in our national pride.

我们作为移民国家的多样性和团结性的力量有引以自豪。

Our athletes hail from 46 states, D.C., and the Virgin⁴ Islands.

我们的运动员来自 46 个州，特区和原始岛屿。

Our team boasts the most women who have ever competed for any nation at any Olympic Games.

我们引以为荣的是，每届奥运会美国女运动员都是参赛国最多的。

It includes active-duty members of our military and our veterans.

它包括我们的军队中的现役军人以及退伍军人。
 

1 arenas   

表演场地( arena的名词复数 )； 竞技场； 活动或斗争的场所或场面； 圆形运动场

参考例句：

• Demolition derbies are large-scale automobile rodeos that take place in big arenas. 撞车比赛指的是在很大的竞技场上举行的大型汽车驾驶技术表演。
• Are there areas of privacy in the most public of arenas? 在绝大部分公开的场合中存在需要保护隐私的领域吗？

2 feats   

功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance. 过去，他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
• His heroic feats made him a legend in his own time. 他的英雄业绩使他成了他那个时代的传奇人物。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。