Remarks in welcoming ceremonies in Xi’an

    Mayor Fang¹, Governor Cheng, Secretary Li:
    Ni Men Hao! Thank you for the key to your city and for this magnificent welcome. Here in this ancient capital, China seems very young to me tonight, blessed with both a proud history and promise of tomorrow1. I’m delighted to begin my journey in Xi’an, once the capital of China, still the heartland of the Chinese people. I was raised in the heartland of my country. I know that the character of a nation is determined² by the hard-working people who live here.
    Over a thousand years ago during the Tang Dynasty, which I have seen recreated tonight, Xi’an was perhaps the most open and culturally advanced city in the entire world. From this place trade routes extended through Asia to Europe and Africa. And to this place great thinkers came, spreading philosophy and new ideas that have contributed to the greatness of China. I look forward to seeing the terra cotta warriors³, the old city walls, the Muslim Quarter. I look forward to learning more about China’s great contributions to the store of human knowledge, from medince and printing to mathemetics and astronomy, discoveries on which so much of the whole world’s progress is based.
    Tonight I want to see more of a new country you are building on a scale even the emperors couldn’t have foreseen. The China that gave us printing now boasts fax machines, computers and cellular⁴ phones. Xi’an is home to filmmakers, Internet explorers, businesspeople of every description2. Here in this city famous for calligraphy⁵ a new chapter in China’s story is being written. We Americans admire your accomplishements, your economy, your hard work, creativity and vision, your efforts against hunger and poverty, your work with us on peace and stability in Korea and South Asia. A new day is dawning for the Chinese people, for China’s greatness lies as always with its people. Our own history has convinced Americans that the greatness of any country is measured in its people and in their shared reverence⁶ for family and community, for work and learning, and in their individual thoughts, beliefs and creativity.
    In this global information age where both ecnomic growth and individual opportunity are based on ideas. A commitment to providing all human beings the opportunity to develop their full potential is vital to the strength and success of the New China as well. As I travel across China, I hope to learn as much as I can about the Chinese people, your history and your dreams for the future, and I hope to help the Chinese people understand more of America’s history, the lessons the American people have drawn⁷ from it, and the dreams we hold for the 21st century. I believe both Chinese and Americans aspire⁸ to many of the same things: to provide for our families, to teach our children, to build our community, to protect our earth, to shape our own future and pass brighter possibilities on to our children. There may be those here and back in America, who wonder whether close ties and deep friendship between America and China are good. Clearly the answer is Yes. We have a powerful ability to help each other grow. We can learn from each other. As two great nations, we have a special responsibility to the future of the world. The steps we take over the next week will lead to greater strides for our people in the years ahead.
    Here in this city of your magnificent history, we must always remember that we too are ancestors. Someday our children and their children will ask if we did all we could to build just societies and a more peaceful world. Let our monument be their judgement that we did that. Let our progress include all people with all their differences, moving toward a common destiny. Let us give new meaning to the words written in the ancient book of rites⁹, that you call, the Li Ji, “When the great way is followed, all under heaven will be equal.”1 Xie Xie! Thank you very much.
    By US President Bill Clinton

1 fang   

n.尖牙，犬牙

参考例句：

• Look how the bone sticks out of the flesh like a dog's fang.瞧瞧,这根骨头从肉里露出来，象一只犬牙似的。
• The green fairy's fang thrusting between his lips.绿妖精的尖牙从他的嘴唇里龇出来。

2 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

3 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

4 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

5 calligraphy   

n.书法

参考例句：

• At the calligraphy competition,people asked him to write a few characters.书法比赛会上，人们请他留字。
• His calligraphy is vigorous and forceful.他的书法苍劲有力。

6 reverence   

n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统，但不被传统所束缚。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 aspire   

vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于

参考例句：

• Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
• I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

9 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。