公众人物毕业演讲 第86期:米歇尔奥巴马迪拉德大学(12)

 　　It's the same hunger that gave life to this university

　　正是这份渴望让这所大学拥有了生命

　　the same hunger that defined so many of our parents and grandparents

　　正是这份渴望定义了我们的父辈和祖辈

　　including my own

　　包括我自己也是如此

　　You see, my parents never went to college

　　我父母从未上过大学

　　but they were determined¹ to see me and my brother and all the kids in our neighborhood

　　但他们致力于让我 我弟弟以及附近所有的小孩

　　get a good education

　　获得良好教育

　　So my mother volunteered at my school

　　我母亲因此在学校去做义工

　　helping² out every day in the front office

　　帮助办公室处理日常事务

　　making sure our teachers were doing their jobs

　　确保我们的老师尽到了他们的职责

　　holding their feet to the fire if she thought they were falling short

　　我母亲如果觉得他们不合格 就会向他们施压

　　I'd walk by the office and there she'd be

　　我从办公室走过 她在那里

　　I'd leave class to go to the bathroom, there she'd be again

　　我从教室出来去上洗手间 她又在那里

　　roaming the halls, looking in the classrooms

　　她会在教学楼游荡 往教室里看

　　And of course, as a kid, I have to say, that was a bit mortifying³

　　当然 作为孩子 我不得不承认 这很让人痛苦

　　having your mother at school all the time

　　母亲总在学校盯着你

　　But looking back, I have no doubt that my classmates

　　但回头想想 毫无疑问 我和我的同学们

　　and I got a better education because she was looking over those teachers' shoulders

　　能够获得良好教育 都得益于她对教师工作的监督

　　You see, my mom was not a teacher or a principal or a school board member

　　我母亲既不是老师 也不是校长或校董成员

　　But when it came to education, she had that hunger

　　但对于教育 她有这种渴望

　　So she believed that our education was very much her business

　　她坚信 我们的教育就是她的事业

　　And we need more people who think and act like my mother

　　我们需要更多像我母亲这样思考和行动的人

　　and all those mothers out there

　　在座的母亲们肯定也都是如此

　　because the education of our young people is all of our business

　　因为对年轻人的教育就是我们的事业

　　That's what Emperor Williams thought

　　皇帝?威廉姆斯也是这样想的

　　That's what the folks here in New Orleans thought as

　　卡特里娜之后重建校园的新奥尔良人也是这样想的

　　they worked to rebuild this campus after Katrina

　　卡特里娜之后重建校园的新奥尔良人也是这样想的

　　And as graduates of Dillard University

　　作为迪拉德大学毕业生

　　that's how we need you to think every single day for the rest of your lives

　　这也是你们在人生旅途的每一天中都不能忘记的

　　You all have opportunities and skills and education

　　你们获得了机会 技能和教育

　　that so many folks who came before you never could have dreamed of

　　这是很多前人做梦都无法想象的

　　So just imagine the kind of impact that you're going to make

　　永远不要低估你能产生的影响

　　Imagine how you can inspire those around you

　　你也能够鼓舞身边的人

　　to reach higher and complete their own education

　　让他们立志高远并完成自己的教育

　　And you can start small

　　你可以从小事做起

1 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 mortifying   

adj.抑制的，苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• I've said I did not love her, and rather relished mortifying her vanity now and then. 我已经说过我不爱她，而且时时以伤害她的虚荣心为乐。 来自辞典例句
• It was mortifying to know he had heard every word. 知道他听到了每一句话后真是尴尬。 来自互联网