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 immediate and significant savings 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 emissions 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 revving up the remarkable 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。

　　daunting

　　n. 令人生畏的

　　eg. Don't be daunted 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. Adolescence is the transition period between childhood and manhood.

　　青春期是儿童和成人阶段的过渡时期。

　　rev

　　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。

　　sequester

　　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。

　　electrification

　　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。