欧美名人演讲 第39期:奥巴马最后一次国情咨文(20)

 　　We've got to make it easier to vote, not harder, and modernize¹ it for the way we live now.

　　我们要让投票更容易，而不是更难，我们应顺应现在的生活方式，使投票方式现代化。

　　This is America. We want to make it easier for people to participate.

　　这里是美国。我们想让人们能更容易地参与进来。

　　And over the course of this year, I intend to travel the country to push for reforms that do just that.

　　今年，我打算走遍全国，来推进这些改革。

　　But I can't do these things on my own.

　　但仅凭我一人之力，是无法做到这些的。

　　Changes in our political process in not just who gets elected but how they get elected that will only happen when the American people demand it. It will depend on you.

　　政治进程的变革，不是改变谁当选，而是改变当选的方式。只有美国民众要求进行变革时，变革才会发生。这是由你们决定的。

　　That's what's meant by a government of, by, and for the people.

　　这就是“民有、民治、民享政府”的真正含义。

　　What I'm suggesting for is hard.

　　我所提出的要求绝非易事。

　　It's a lot easier to be cynical²; to accept that change isn't possible, and politics is hopeless, and the problem is all the folks elected don't care, and they believe that our voices and actions don't matter.

　　相比而言，变得愤世嫉俗，认为变革不可能发生、政治已经无药可救，并且认定自己的呼声和行动毫无意义，这些事情更容易做到。

　　But if we give up now, then we forsake³ a better future.

　　但是如果我们现在放弃，那我们也放弃了更加美好的未来。

　　Those with money and power will gain greater control over the decisions that could send a young soldier to war, or allow another economic disaster, or roll back the equal rights and voting rights that generations of Americans have fought, even died, to secure.

　　拥有金钱和权力的人会在更大程度上左右重大决定，可能是将年轻士兵送往前线，可能是批准会引起灾难的经济政策，也可能是为了维持控制权，驳回历代美国人民为之奋斗牺牲的平等权和投票权。

　　And then as frustration⁴ grows, there will be voices urging us to fall back into our respected tribes⁵, to scapegoat⁶ fellow citizens who don't look like us, or pray like us, or vote like we do, or share the same background.

　　如果这样的倒行逆施持续下去，又会有人催促我们回到部落时代，让那些与我们长相不同，信仰不同，选举方式不同，背景不同的同胞当他们的替罪羊。

　　We can't afford to go down that path. It won't deliver the economy we want, it will not produce the security we want, but most of all, it contradicts⁷ everything that makes us the envy of the world.

　　我们不能选择那条道路，因为路的尽头没有我们追求的经济繁荣，没有社会安定，最重要的是，无法让我们成为如今这样令世人羡慕的国家。

1 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

2 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

3 forsake   

vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃

参考例句：

• She pleaded with her husband not to forsake her.她恳求丈夫不要抛弃她。
• You must forsake your bad habits.你必须革除你的坏习惯。

4 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 tribes   

n.部落( tribe的名词复数 )；（动、植物的）族；（一）帮；大群

参考例句：

• tribes living in remote areas of the Amazonian rainforest 居住在亚马孙河雨林偏远地区的部落
• In Africa the snake is still sacred with many tribes. 非洲许多部落仍认为蛇是不可冒犯的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 scapegoat   

n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊

参考例句：

• He has been made a scapegoat for the company's failures.他成了公司倒闭的替罪羊。
• They ask me to join the party so that I'll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.他们想叫我入伙，出了乱子，好让我替他们垫背。

7 contradicts   

v.反驳，否认…的真实性( contradict的第三人称单数 )；与…发生矛盾，与…抵触

参考例句：

• He will jump on anyone who contradicts him. 谁不同意他，他就骂谁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His statement contradicts with the facts. 他所说的话与事实矛盾。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》