英语专业晨读美文-人物篇 7 This Victory Belongs to

[00:00.08]Obama：This Victory Belongs to You
[00:03.68]If there is anyone out there who still doubts
[00:08.28]that America is a place where all things are possible,
[00:11.56]who still wonders if the dream of our founders¹ is alive in our time,
[00:16.37]who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
[00:21.84]It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches
[00:26.98]in numbers this nation has never seen,
[00:29.29]by people who waited three hours and four hours,
[00:32.45]many for the first time in their lives,
[00:35.08]because they believed that this time must be different,
[00:38.68]that their voices could be that difference.
[00:41.86]It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor,
[00:46.35]Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian,
[00:50.94]Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled.
[00:55.42]Americans who sent a message to the world
[00:58.81]that we have never been just a collection of individuals
[01:02.20]or a collection of red states and blue states.
[01:05.38]We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
[01:12.38]It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many
[01:16.75]to be cynical² and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve
[01:21.45]to put their hands on the arc of history
[01:23.97]and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
[01:27.91]It's been a long time coming, but tonight,
[01:31.18]because of what we did on this date in this election
[01:34.80]at this defining moment change has come to America.
[01:40.26]The election had many firsts and many stories
[01:43.76]that will be told for generations.
[01:46.17]But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman
[01:49.56]who cast her ballot³ in Atlanta.
[01:51.86]She is a lot like the millions of others who stood in line
[01:55.25]to make their voices heard in this election except for one thing—
[01:59.07]Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
[02:03.34]When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land,
[02:07.71]she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal,
[02:12.64]new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
[02:17.89]When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world,
[02:22.26]she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness
[02:26.42]and a democracy was saved.
[02:28.39]Yes we can.
[02:29.59]She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham,
[02:34.51]a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta
[02:37.79]who told a people that "We Shall Overcome."
[02:40.86]Yes we can.
[02:42.28]A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin,
[02:46.66]a world was connected by our own science and imagination.
[02:51.25]And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen,
[02:56.28]and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America,
[03:01.64]through the best of times and the darkest of hours,
[03:04.92]she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
[03:09.40]America, we have come so far. We have seen so much.
[03:14.11]But there is so much more to do.
[03:16.95]So tonight, let us ask ourselves
[03:19.91]if our children should live to see the next century;
[03:22.63]if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper,
[03:27.67]what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
[03:31.72]This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
[03:36.09]This is our time to put our people back to work
[03:39.37]and open doors of opportunity for our kids;
[03:42.98]to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace;
[03:46.92]to reclaim⁴ the American Dream and reaffirm
[03:51.29]that fundamental truth that out of many,
[03:54.35]we are one; that while we breathe, we hope,
[03:57.96]and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt,
[04:01.14]and those who tell us that we can't,
[04:03.32]we will respond with that timeless creed⁵
[04:06.50]that sums up the spirit of a people:
[04:08.46]Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you,
[04:12.74]and may God Bless the United States of America.
[04:18.31]

1 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

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 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

4 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

5 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。