名人励志英语演讲 第162期:奏出生命中最美的乐曲(9)

 　　Well, more than we think. We can't fix every problem--corruption, natural calamities¹ are part of the picture here--but the ones we can we must. The debt burden, as I say, unfair trade, as I say, sharing our knowledge, the intellectual copyright for lifesaving drugs in a crisis, we can do that. And because we can, we must. Because we can, we must. Amen.

　　这比我们想象的更为复杂。我们无法解决所有的问题——腐败和自然灾害是无法抵抗的——但对于力所能及的问题，我们必须竭尽所能地去解决。我认为，外债负担、不公平贸易、知识共享以及危急时刻救命药物的知识产权问题，我们是可以做到的。因为我们可以做到，那我们就必须去做。我们可以做到，就要竭尽所能。阿门。

　　This is the straight truth, the righteous truth. It's not a theory; it's a fact. The fact is that this generation--yours, my generation--that can look at the poverty. We're the first generation that can look at poverty and disease, look across the ocean to Africa and say with a straight face, "We can be the first to end this sort of stupid, extreme poverty, where, in the world of plenty, a child can die for lack of food in it's belly²." We can be the first generation. It might take a while, but we can be that generation that says no to stupid poverty. It's a fact. It's a fact. The economists³ confirm it. It's an expensive fact but, cheaper than say the Marshall Plan that saved Europe from communism and fascism. And cheaper I would argue than fighting wave after wave of terrorism's new recruits. That's the economics department over there, very good.

　　这就是现实，真正的现实。不是理论，而是现实。现实就是我们这代人和你们这代人要直面贫困，我们是第一代能够穿越大洋直面非洲的贫困和疾病的人，我们这样说：“我们也可以成为结束这种荒谬的极度贫困的第一代人，在这个丰裕的时代，那里的孩子正因为肚子里没有食物而死去，”我们可以成为这第一代人。也许解决这一问题需要很长时间，但我们可以成为对这种荒谬的贫困说“不”的第一代人。这就是事实，这就是事实！经济学家证实，解决这一问题耗资巨大，但却比从共产主义和法西斯主义中拯救欧洲的“马歇尔计划”耗资要少得多，也比一浪高过一浪的反恐部队的开支要少得多。那边就是经济系的学生吧，真是太好了。

　　It's a fact. So why aren't we pumping our fists in the air and cheering about it? Well, probably because when we admit we can do something about it, we've got to do something about it. For the first time in history we have the know-how⁴, we have the cash, we have the lifesaving drugs, but do we have the will?

　　这就是事实。为什么我们没有挥舞着拳头欢呼呢？也许是因为如果我们承认了我们可以做出行动，我们就得有所作为。有史以来第一次，我们拥有了解决方法、资金以及救命的药物，但是我们有决心吗？

1 calamities   

n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事

参考例句：

• They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• One moment's false security can bring a century of calamities. 图一时之苟安，贻百年之大患。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。