名校励志英语演讲 103:执着于你的梦想(8)

 　　Some fear that China will buy up American companies, but that fear also existed in the 80s, when America feared that Japan was going to buy up American companies. So what? It was just good, and to the benefit of America. We should welcome China's investment in American companies, just as we welcome the billions of dollars that China has invested in U.S. treasury¹ bonds. This shows that China has faith in America, and American investment in China shows that we have faith in you. So I believe that China and U.S. economic relations will become even closer in the years ahead. Certainly I realize that we do not agree on everything, but who does? Certainly I realize that China has major hurdles² to overcome, but it is not for me to say how China should overcome those hurdles and achieve its dreams.

　　一些人担心中国将收购美国公司，类似的担忧在80年代也存在，当时美国担心日本会收购美国公司。而结果又怎么样呢？一切都好，美国只是从中受益。我们应该欢迎中国投资美国公司，就像欢迎中国投资亿万美元购买美国国债一样。这表明，中国信任美国，而美国在中国的投资也表明美国对中国有信心。因此，我相信中美经济关系在未来将会更加密切。当然，我们无法在任何事情上都达成共识，但谁又能做到这一点呢？当然，我知道中国需要克服很多障碍，但关于中国应如何克服这些困难并实现它的梦想，我不会去评头论足。

　　But I can tell you, however, what has given America such energy and strength over the last 200 years, and perhaps there are some insights in this for China. America is a nation that believes in the power of the individual, and what the individual can accomplish, no matter the color, no matter the religion, no matter the ethnic³ background of the individual.

　　但不管怎样，我想说，在过去的200年促使美国变得这么强大而充满活力的因素也能为中国提供一些借鉴。美国是一个相信个人能力的国家，美国相信个人能力能取得很多成就，不论其肤色、宗教信仰及种族背景。

　　Recently, as you probably have read, Rosa Parks, a former seamstress married to a barber, married to a hairdresser, died, and she lay in honor in the Rotunda⁴ of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. People from around America came to say farewell to her and to thank her for changing our history and for changing our society.

　　最近罗莎·帕克斯去世了，你们可能已经看到了相关报道。她曾是一名裁缝，嫁给了理发师，但现在她却长眠于美国首都华盛顿国会大厦的圆形大厅里，受世人敬仰。来自美国各个州的人们都来和她告别，感谢她改变了我们的历史、改变了我们的社会。

　　罗莎·帕克斯 Rosa Parks

　　罗莎·帕克斯，原名罗莎·路易丝·麦考利，高中时因为要照顾年迈的祖母辍学。她是一个黑人女裁缝，婚后，在丈夫雷蒙德·帕克斯鼓励下，她重新修学拿到文凭，并且积极参与黑人组织“全国有色人种协进会”在当地的民权活动。

　　因为在亚拉巴马州蒙哥马利市的城市公交车上拒绝向一名白人男子让座，该事件最终神话般引发了美国50-60年代的黑人民权运动。神话的女主角Rosa Parks，2005年10月25日在底特律（Detroit）的家中去世，享年92岁。

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 rotunda   

n.圆形建筑物；圆厅

参考例句：

• The Capitol at Washington has a large rotunda.华盛顿的国会大厦有一圆形大厅。
• The rotunda was almost deserted today,dotted with just a few tourists.圆形大厅今天几乎没有多少人，只零星散布着几个游客。