历史英雄名人演讲 第29期:成为我们的最伟大一代(1)

 　　When I graduated from college, high oil prices had pushed the economy into recession¹.

　　我大学毕业的时候，油价很高，经济很不景气。

　　Jobs were hard to find and unemployment was over 10%. There was unrest in the Middle East.

　　人们找不到工作，失业率高达百分之十几。

　　Americans were being held hostage² in Iran. Some of these things may sound familiar.

　　中东地区动乱，美国人在伊朗被挟持作为人质。这一切似乎还历历在目。

　　But solving these problems is your great opportunity. In this country, the next generation is always the Greatest Generation.

　　但是，社会有各种负面问题，正好为你们提供了施展才能的机会。在这个国家里，下一代往往是最伟大的一代。

　　Americans always have a sense that the future will be better than the past. The key to the American soul is optimism³.

　　美国人总是认为，明天一定会比过去好，因为美国人的精神就是乐观。

　　Today, the people in the communities you will be joining are apprehensive⁴.

　　如今，社区里的人们都很焦虑不安。

　　They worry about the war, their pension, the environment, or their children's education.

　　他们担心战争，担心自己的退休金，忧虑环境问题，忧虑孩子的教育问题。

　　They want to be led.

　　他们渴望被引导。

　　But they want a different kind of leader.

　　但是必须是一个与众不同的领导者。

1 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

2 hostage   

n.人质，抵押品

参考例句：

• One group claimed to have executed the American hostage.一个组织声称已经处决了那名美国人质。
• Have you read the article about the rescue of the hostage?你看了关于营救人质的文章了吗？

3 optimism   

n.乐观，乐观主义

参考例句：

• Don't pour cold water on their optimism.别给他们的乐观态度泼冷水。
• Optimism made him alive through the hard days.乐观主义使他在艰难的岁月里活了下来。

4 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。