Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they'll change America. Rightly so. But selfishly, I'm more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman.
在这轮耗时的、紧张的竞选活动中，大家都在关注总统候选人和他们将如何改变美国。这也是理所当然的事情。但我个人却更加被米歇尔·奥巴马所吸引，更加关注她为这个国家也为我这样的非裔美国女性所能做的事情。
As the potential First Lady, she would have the world's attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
作为未来的第一夫人，她将引起世界瞩目。这也意味着人们第一次有机会近距离了解他们很少见到的非裔美国女性。
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we're all hot-tempered single mothers who can't keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can't excape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic（酗酒）mothers.
通常，对黑人女性生活的描述都未经核实。人们普遍认为我们都是脾气暴躁、留不住男人的单亲妈妈。即使在虚拟的世界中，黑人女性仍旧难逃眼睛乱翻、性欲过剩，由酗酒的单身母亲抚养的刻板印象。
These images have helped define the way all black women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simply to be herself.
这种形象被套用在所有黑人女性身上，包括米歇尔·奥巴马。在她有机会作为第一夫人去追求一个目标、奉献于慈善事业或基金会之前，她最紧迫的、最复杂的任务也许只是做好自己。
It won't be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.
要改变这一刻板印象并非易事。因为主流出版刊物很少深入了解普通的非裔美国女性，对我们几乎一无所知，不知道我们经常所想的和所面对的。不论好坏，米歇尔都将代表我们所有非裔美国女性。
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they'd like to see Michelle bring to the White House - mainly showing the world that a black can support her man and raise a strong black family.
正如她将面对很多批评一样，她也将获得许许多多拥护者的支持，这些人以往对第一夫人通常没什么兴趣。很多非裔美国女性已在博客中表达了她们期望米歇尔给白宫带去怎样的变化，主要是向世界展示一位黑人女性有能力支持丈夫，照顾好一个黑人家庭。
Michelle will have to work to please everyone - an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that's been around for far too long.
米歇尔必须努力做到让每个人都满意——一项不可能完成的任务。但对很多像我一样的非裔美国女性来说，她只要稍微展现出一点沉着、自信和智慧，就大大有助于改变长久以来人们对黑人女性的刻板印象。
英语词汇整理：
1. tense adj. 紧张的，拉紧的
eg: That was a very tense time.
那是一个非常紧张的时刻。
短语：
tensed up 紧张；忧虑不安
at prime tense 立即；起先，起初
past tense 过去式
2. election n. 选举
eg: During his election campaign he promised to put the economy back on its feet.
在竞选活动期间他承诺要重振经济。
短语：
carry an election 举行选举；竞选获胜，当选
by election 通过选举
general election 大选，普选
3. prevailing adj. 盛行很广的
eg: A glance at prevailing wind patterns confirmed their fear.
盛行风的方向让他们如坠冰窟。
短语：
prevailing rate 市价；现行汇率S
prevailing party 胜诉的一方
prevailing wind 主风；恒风；盛行风
4. stereotype n. 刻板印象
eg: There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.
对成功的商人们总有一种成见。
短语：
stereotype behavior 刻板行为
stereotype women 妇女定型观念
5. charity n. 仁慈，宽厚
eg: True charity doesn't consist in almsgiving.
真正的慈善不在于施舍。
短语：
out of charity 出于仁慈
in charity 出于恻隐之心
(as) cold as charity 寒冷的，冰凉的；(像慈善机关对穷人那样) 冷冰冰的，冷漠无情的
6. mainstream n. 主流
eg: Nobody could go completely against the mainstream of the history.
没有人能够完全逆历史主流而行。
短语：
to have mainstream 具有主流风格成分；构成主流风格的组成部分
mainstream economics 主流经济学；新古典经济学
7. critic n. 批评家
eg: Mather was a film critic for many years.
马瑟做过多年的电影评论家。
短语：
art critic 艺术评论家
critic for ......的评论员
literary critic 文学评论家
佳句采摘：
Michelle will have to work to please everyone - an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that's been around for far too long.
米歇尔必须努力做到让每个人都满意——一项不可能完成的任务。但对很多像我一样的非裔美国女性来说，她只要稍微展现出一点沉着、自信和智慧，就大大有助于改变长久以来人们对黑人女性的刻板印象。 |