欧美名人演讲 第23期:奥巴马最后一次国情咨文(4)

 　　Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change?

　　第二，我们如何让技术为我们服务，而不是与我们对抗——尤其是面临气候变化这样急需应对的挑战的时候？

　　Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?

　　第三，我们如何保障美国的安全，同时，在不充当世界警察的前提下，引领整个世界？

　　And finally, how can we make our politics reflect what's best in us, and not what's worst?

　　最后，我们如何制定政策，使其反映出美国的好，而不是美国的恶？

　　Let me start with the economy, and a basic fact: the United States of America, right now, has the strongest, most durable¹ economy in the world.

　　我先说说经济，基本的事实是这样的：现在，在全球范围内，美国经济是最为强大且坚固的。

　　We're in the middle of the longest streak² of private-sector job creation in history.

　　纵观历史，我们现在处于私营部门连续创造就业机会最长的一段时期中。

　　More than 14 million new jobs; the strongest two years of job growth since the '90s; an unemployment rate cut in half.

　　我们创造了逾1400万个新的就业岗位；这是自20世纪90年代以来就业增长最为强劲的两年；失业率下降了一半。

　　Our auto³ industry just had its best year ever.

　　汽车行业也创造了最辉煌的一年。

　　That's just part of a manufacturing surge that has created nearly 900,000 new jobs in the past six years.

　　在过去的六年里，制造业创造了将近90万个新的就业岗位。

　　And we've done all this while cutting our deficits⁴ by almost three-quarters.

　　而且，我们在取得这些成绩的同时，还将赤字减少了近四分之三。

　　Anyone claiming that America's economy is in decline is peddling⁵ fiction.

　　任何声称美国经济正在衰落的说法都是在传播虚构事实。

1 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

2 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

3 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

4 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

5 peddling   

忙于琐事的，无关紧要的

参考例句：

• He worked as a door-to-door salesman peddling cloths and brushes. 他的工作是上门推销抹布和刷子。
• "If he doesn't like peddling, why doesn't he practice law? "要是他不高兴卖柴火，干吗不当律师呢？