历史英雄名人演讲 第111期:马里奥·科莫政治演讲-双城记

 　　8.Tale of Two Cities

　　8.双城记

　　Ten days ago , President Reagan admitted that although some people in this country seemed to be doing well nowadays, others were unhappy, even worried, about themselves, their families and their futures¹. The president said that he didn't understand that fear. He said, "Why, this country is a shining city on a hill." And the president is right. In many ways we are a shining city on a hill.

　　十天前，里根总统承认，虽然目前很多在美国居住的人民生活不错，但是也有一些人过得不开心，甚至担心他们自己、他们的家庭和他们的未来。总统说，他不理解为什么会有这种担心。他说：“为什么，这个国家明明是山巅闪光之城啊。”总统说的没错，在很多方面，我们的确非常辉煌。

　　But the hard truth is that not everyone is sharing in this city's splendor² and glory. A shining city is perhaps all the president sees from the portico³ of the White House and the veranda⁴ of his ranch⁵, where everyone seems to be doing well. But there's another city; there's another part to the shining the city; the part where some people can't pay their mortgages, and most young people can't afford one, where students can't afford the education they need, and middle-class parents watch the dreams they hold for their children evaporate.

　　但是，残酷的事实却是并不是所有人都能分享它的辉煌。闪耀的城市可能只是总统从白宫的门廊和农场的阳台上看到的景象，在那里每个人看起来都过得很好。但是紧挨着它还有另一个城市，在那里人们支付不起各种各样的抵押贷款，有些人甚至连一项贷款也付不起，在那里学生没钱读书，中产阶级的父母眼看着他们孩子的梦想蒸发消失。

　　In this part of the city there are more poor than ever, more families in trouble, more and more people who need help but can't find it. Even worse: There are elderly people who tremble in the basements of the houses there. And there Aare people who sleep in the city streets, in the gutter⁶, where the glitter doesn't show. There are ghettos where thousands of young people, without a job or an education, give their lives away to drug dealers⁷ every day. There is despair, Mr. President, in the faces that you don't see, in the places that you don't visit in your shining city.

　　比起以前，那个城市有了更多穷人、更多困难家庭、更多需要帮助却得不到帮助的人。更糟糕的是：地下室里住着年迈的老人，他们冻得发抖。还有一些人，他们睡在街上，睡在昏暗无光的臭水沟旁。贫民区里住着成千上万的年轻人，他们没有工作，没受过教育，每天都有人因为吸毒而没了性命。总统啊，在你的闪光之城，你看不到他们脸上的绝望，更不曾去过他们住的地方。

　　In fact, Mr. President, this is a nation---Mr. President you ought to know that this nation is more a "Tale of Two Cities" than it is just a "Shining City on a Hill."

　　事实上，总统先生，您应该知道，美国更是一个 “双城记”（寓意危机四伏的国家）而不仅仅是“山巅闪光之城”。

1 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

2 splendor   

n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌

参考例句：

• Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
• All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

3 portico   

n.柱廊，门廊

参考例句：

• A large portico provides a suitably impressive entrance to the chapel.小教堂入口处宽敞的柱廊相当壮观。
• The gateway and its portico had openings all around.门洞两旁与廊子的周围都有窗棂。

4 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

5 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

6 gutter   

n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟

参考例句：

• There's a cigarette packet thrown into the gutter.阴沟里有个香烟盒。
• He picked her out of the gutter and made her a great lady.他使她脱离贫苦生活，并成为贵妇。

7 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。