欧美名人演讲 第31期:奥巴马最后一次国情咨文(12)

 　　Climate change is just one of many issues where our security is linked to the rest of the world.

　　在众多问题上，我们的安全与世界紧密相关，气候变化只是其一。

　　And that's why the third big question that we have to answer together is how to keep America safe and strong without either isolating¹ ourselves or trying to nation-build everywhere there's a problem.

　　因此，我们需要回答的第三个大问题是：怎样在不被孤立、不充当世界警察的情况下，保持美国的安全和强大。

　　I told you earlier all the talk of America's economic decline is political hot air.

　　刚才我说了，所有认为美国经济衰退的言论都是政治性的大话。

　　Well, so is all the rhetoric² you hear about our enemies getting stronger and America getting weaker.

　　所有你听到的关于美国的敌人越来越强大、而美国却越发虚弱的言论，都是逞口舌之能。

　　Let me tell you something. The United States of America is the most powerful nation on Earth. Period. Period.

　　我跟你们说。美利坚合众国是世界上最强大的国家。无需其他任何废话。

　　It's not even close.

　　别的国家远被落在后面。

　　We spend more on our military than the next eight nations combined.

　　我们的军费投入比排在我们后面的八个国家的总和还多。

　　Our troops are the finest fighting force in the history of the world.

　　我们的部队是世界历史上最精锐的战斗力量。

　　No nation attack us directly or our allies because they know that's the path to ruin.

　　没有任何国家敢攻击美国或者美国的盟国，因为他们知道那是自取灭亡。

　　Surveys show our standing³ around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office, and when it comes to every important international issue, people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead they call us.

　　有调查显示，目前美国的国际地位高于我当选总统之初。当重大国际问题出现时，世界人民不会指望中国或俄罗斯来领头解决，他们会找我们。

　　Now as someone who begins every day with an intelligence briefing, I know this is a dangerous time.

　　我每天的工作从听取情报简报开始，因此我知道现在是一个危险时期。

　　But that's not primarily because of some looming⁴ superpower out there, and it's certainly not because of diminished American strength.

　　但这并不是因为美国力量的削弱，或者某个超级大国的崛起。

　　In today's world, we're threatened less by evil empires and more by failing states.

　　在当今世界，与其说邪恶独裁国对我们构成威胁，不如说经济衰退国对我们的影响更大。

　　The Middle East is going through a transformation⁵ that will play out for a generation, rooted in conflicts that date back millennia⁶.

　　中东正在经历一场将持续二三十年的大变革，其发生的根源可追溯至一千年前的冲突。

　　Economic headwinds are blowing in from a Chinese economy that is in significant transition.

　　中国经济的转型正在对我们产生冲击。

1 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

2 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

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 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

5 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

6 millennia   

n.一千年，千禧年

参考例句：

• For two millennia, exogamy was a major transgression for Jews. 两千年来，异族通婚一直是犹太人的一大禁忌。
• In the course of millennia, the dinosaurs died out. 在几千年的时间里，恐龙逐渐死绝了。