奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统阐释劳工节传承的财富（03）

Do we want a future where inequality rises as union membership keeps falling

我们期待的未来，是不平等增加而工会成员不断减少，

or one where wages are rising for everybody and workers have a say in their prospects¹?

还是每个人工资不断增加而工人对他们的前景有发言权？

Are we a people who just talk about family values while remaining the only developed nation that doesn't offer its workers paid maternity² leave

谈到家庭价值观，我们是做发达国家中唯一不享有带薪产假的员工，

or are we a people who actually value families, and make paid leave an economic priority for working parents?

还是做真正重视家庭，享有带薪探亲假有经济实力的家长？

These are the kinds of choices in front of us.

这些都是我们面前的选择。

And if we're going to restore the sense that hard work is rewarded with a fair shot to get ahead,

如果我们要找回努力工作就能获得公平回报这个感觉，

we're going to have to follow the lead of all those who came before us.

就必须遵循前面所有那些指引。

That means standing³ up not just for ourselves,

这意味着站出来不只是为我们自己，

but for the father clocking into the plant, the sales clerk working long and unpredictable hours,

还为父亲，打卡进厂做销售，工时长而不确定；

or the mother riding the bus to work across town, even on Labor⁴ Day – folks who work as hard as we do.

或为母亲，乘坐巴士穿过闹市去上班，以及在劳工节仍与我们一样辛勤工作的人们。

And it means exercising our rights to speak up in the workplace, to join a union, and above all, to vote.

这意味着我们有权在工作场所呐喊，有权加入工会，尤其是有投票权。

That's the legacy⁵ we celebrate on Labor Day.

这是我们展示的劳工节的财富。

And I'm confident that that's the legacy that we'll build upon in the years ahead.

我相信这是我们未来几年将确定的财富。

Thanks everybody. Happy Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend.

谢谢大家。劳工节快乐。周末长假愉快。

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。