英文演讲录 夏奇拉：关注儿童发展(3)

We engaged the government as our strategic partner, and we made it nearly impossible for them to say, 'No' to doing their part.

我们让政府作我们的战略合作伙伴，我们让他们几乎不可能对自己的工作说“不”。

So the transformation¹ in these communities could be seen immediately from the jobs generated to the hope-inspired, but the improvements to the infrastructure² were jaw-dropping.

然后这些社区的转变立竿见影，从创造的就业机会激发希望，基础设施的改善简直令人惊掉了下巴。

Electricity and potable water were made accessible.

电力和饮用水得到普及。

Roads were paved.

道路都铺好了。

Malnutrition³ plummeted⁴.

营养不良现象急剧下降。

And the best part of all, the students responded academically so well.

最棒的是，学生们在学业上的反应非常好。

That, now those kids who could have been recruited by guerrillas or drug traffickers are on the way to the university or are in the university as we speak or are thriving their communities.

现在，我们说话的时候，那些可能被游击队或毒贩招募的贫困孩子正在去大学的路上，或者就在大学里，或者在建设繁荣他们的社区。

So now I don't have to call the government as often, thank God.

所以现在我不用经常打电话给政府了，感谢上帝。

Now they call us wanting to build more schools, wanting to invest more.

现在他们说想建更多的学校，想要投资更多的学校。

So I'm not suggesting it's easy.

当然我并不是说这很容易。

But there is an exit strategy, a strategy to poverty, and it's getting those 250 million kids who are at risk, who need access to quality ECD programs.

但是有一个结束战略，一个消除贫困的战略，让2.5亿处于危险中的儿童，获得高质量的早期发展。

So they get in school and stay in school.

所以他们去上学，然后呆在学校里。

We have to push governments to invest more, honestly.

老实说，我们必须推动各国政府增加投资。

We have to invest in campaigns for public awareness⁵.

我们必须投资提高公众意识的运动。

We have to make access to pre-K education free and we have to create a fund for education just like AIDS and Malaria⁶ and Tuberculosis⁷ have their own fund.

我们必须让学前教育免费，我们必须建立一个教育基金，就像艾滋病、疟疾和结核病一样，有自己的基金。

I know I can sound vehement⁸ as Bono once called me, and because I am.

我知道我听起来像波诺曾经号召我的时候那么激烈，因为我就是。

He's completely right, and I know I can drive some people nuts with my insistence⁹, but it's only because I'm so passionate¹⁰, and the reason why I am so passionate is because I've seen it with my own eyes.

他是完全正确的，我知道我的坚持会让一些人发疯，但这只是因为我太有激情了，而我之所以这么有激情是因为我亲眼所见。

I've seen what education can do, what the investment in education can do.

我看到了教育的作用，教育投资的作用。

Miracles!

奇迹！

And believe me, there is nothing more fun and satisfying than seeing a child who had almost no possibilities to succeed, flourish and thrive and perform well in life.

相信我，没有什么比看到一个贫困中的孩子成功、茁壮成长、在生活中表现出色更有趣和满足的了，这原来几乎是不可能实现的。

For me, it beats even winning a Grammy anyway.

对我来说，这比赢得格莱美好多了。

We can't press pass and ask those kids to wait to grow up until we have it all figured out.

我们不能按“通行证”，让那些孩子等着，长大，直到我们把一切都弄清楚。

There isn't a moment to lose.

一刻也不能浪费。

We need to invest in humans.

我们需要投资于人类。

It's the smart thing to do, the strategic thing to do and the just thing to do.

这是明智的做法，是战略性的做法，也是公正的做法。

Thank you.

谢谢。

1 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

4 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

7 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

8 vehement   

adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的

参考例句：

• She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。
• His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。

9 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

10 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。