名校励志英语演讲 09:给大学毕业生的几个忠告

 　　I am extremely privileged to be part of the Obama administration. If there ever was a time to help steer¹ America and the world towards a path of sustainable energy, now is the time.

　　能够成为奥巴马政府的一员，我感到极其荣幸。如果有一个时机，可以引导美国和全世界走上可持续能源的道路，那么这个时机就是现在。

　　The message the President is delivering is not one ofdoom and gloom, but of optimism and opportunity. I share this optimism. The task ahead isdaunting, but we can and will succeed.

　　总统传达的信息是，未来并非在劫难逃，而是乐观的，我们依然有机会。我也抱有这种乐观主义。我们面前的任务令人生畏，但是我们能够并且将会成功。

　　We know some of the answers already. There are immediate³ and significant savings⁴ in energy efficiency and conservation. Energy efficiency is not just low-hanging fruit; it is fruit lying on the ground. For example, we have the potential to make buildings 80 percent more efficient with investments that will pay for themselves in less than 15 years. Buildings consume 40 percent of the energy we use, and atransitionto energy efficient buildings will cut our carbon emissions⁵ by one-third.

　　我们已经有了一些答案，可以立竿见影地节约能源和提高能源使用效率。它们不是挂在枝头的水果，而是已经成熟掉在地上了，就看我们愿不愿意捡起来。比如，我们有办法将楼宇的耗电减少80%，增加的投资在15年内就可以收回来。楼宇的耗电占能源消费的40%，节能楼宇的推广将使二氧化碳的释放减少三分之一。

　　We are revving⁷ up the remarkable⁸ American innovation machine that will be the basis of a new American prosperity. We will invent much improved methods toharnessthe sun, the wind, nuclear power, and capture andsequesterthe carbon dioxide emitted from our power plants. Advanced bio-fuels and theelectrificationof personal vehicles will make us less dependent on foreign oil.

　　我们正在加速美国这座巨大的创新机器，这将是下一次美国大繁荣的基础。我们将发明有效利用太阳能、风能、核能的新方法，发明能够捕获和隔离电厂废气中的二氧化碳的方法。先进的生物燃料和电力汽车将会使我们减少对外国的石油的依赖。

　　privileged

　　adj. 享有特权的

　　eg. Employees are privileged to buy at a discount.

　　雇员有打折购买的特权。

　　steer

　　vt. 指导，指引；控制；驾驶

　　eg. I can steer you to the best hotel in the city.

　　我可以把你带到本市最好的饭店。

　　daunting²

　　n. 令人生畏的

　　eg. Don't be daunted¹¹ by the amount of work still to be done.

　　不要因那大量待做的工作而失去信心。

　　transition

　　n. 转变；过度

　　eg. Adolescence¹² is the transition period between childhood and manhood.

　　青春期是儿童和成人阶段的过渡时期。

　　rev⁶

　　vi. 加速；增加

　　eg. Don't rev up the engine too fast.

　　不要使发动机转速太快。

　　harness

　　vt. 驾驭

　　eg. They will harness the sun's energy to heat homes.

　　他们将利用太阳能为住宅供暖。

　　sequester⁹

　　vt. 使隔离

　　eg. This project will strip carbon dioxide out of its emissions and sequester it a mile underground.

　　这一计划会把气田排放出的二氧化碳收集起来，将其封存在地下一英里处。

　　electrification¹⁰

　　n. 电气化

　　eg. It seems that except for few improvements such as electrification, railway has been neglected.

　　似乎除了电气化之类的为数不多的改进外，铁路一直不受重视。

1 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

2 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

7 revving   

v.（使）加速( rev的现在分词 )；（数量、活动等）激增；（使发动机）快速旋转；（使）活跃起来

参考例句：

• The team are revving up for next week's game. 这个队伍对下周的比赛跃跃欲试。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Since the introduction of new techniques, the production has been revving up. 自从新技术的引进，产量一直都在增加。 来自互联网

8 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

9 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

10 electrification   

n.充电，电气化；起电；电化；带电

参考例句：

• Electrification of the countryside--yes, that, too, is impressive. 是的。农村电气化也是了不起的事。 来自演讲部分
• After electrification, it will readily stick to a wall or a ceiling. 起电后，它立即吸附到墙壁上或天花板上。 来自辞典例句

11 daunted   

使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead. 她是一个勇敢的女人，但对面前的任务却感到信心不足。
• He was daunted by the high quality of work they expected. 他被他们对工作的高品质的要求吓倒了。

12 adolescence   

n.青春期，青少年

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。