奥巴马动员英国青年

 LONDON—President Barack Obama has called on Britain’s young people to reject pessimism¹, cynicism, and xenophobia during a town hall discussion in London Saturday, a day after he dealt with stinging criticism over his remarks expressing support for Britain to stay in the European Union.

The U.S. president said that in times of change, there is a temptation to forge identities, "tribal² identities that give you a sense of certainty, a buffer³ against change."  Obama said that is something  they "have to fight against.” Globalization and integration⁴, he said, should be seen "not as threats, but as opportunities."

Obama took questions on a wide range of topics, including what he would like to see the next president do and what he wants his legacy⁵ to reflect when his time as president is up.

Obama Urges British Youth: Reject Cynicism, Xenophobia

He said he would have to wait about 10 years before he can look back and accurately⁶ assess his legacy, but "I think I've been true to myself in the process."

Legacy

"I'll look at my scorecard at the end... but I'm proud," he said.

Obama mentioned his landmark⁷ health care bill, the global response to the Ebola crisis and the Iran nuclear deal as notable achievements, but, in terms of his largest accomplishment⁸: “saving the world economy from a great depression – that was pretty good,” he joked, referencing the 2008 financial crisis.

Another young woman in the audience asked which of the social movements that took place during his presidency⁹ helped to change his mind the most, to which Obama cited his evolving view on marriage equality.

At first, Obama said, he was in favor of civil unions because he thought labelling those relationships as marriages was not necessary as long as the people involved were getting the same rights, but his children had a great impact on changing that point of view.

“It’s not simply about legal rights, but the sense of stigma," he said. "If you’re calling it something else, it means less in the eyes of society.”

Brexit criticism

The U.S leader got an enthusiastic welcome from the audience of mostly young people who had a chance to ask him questions.

The welcome was in stark¹⁰ contrast to Friday, when Obama received strong criticism for calling on Britain to stay in the European Union.

“I don’t believe the EU moderates British influence in the world, it magnifies it,” the U.S. leader said at a joint¹¹ news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron following their meeting on Friday.

The statements drew a sharp rebuke¹² from those who back Britain’s exit, a matter that will be up for British voters to decide in a June 23rd referendum.

Right-wing U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage had strong words for the U.S. leader, saying he should “butt out.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson described Mr. Obama’s statements as hypocritical and “perverse” and said U.S. leaders “would never contemplate¹³ anything like the EU for themselves.”

The London mayor himself triggered controversy¹⁴, when he referred to the U.S. leader as being a “part-Kenyan” president with an “ancestral dislike” of the British empire.

Throughout his three-day stay in Britain, Obama has sought to dispel¹⁵ any notion of being against British history and tradition. On Friday, he said he had to confess that part of his reason for traveling to Britain was to wish Queen Elizabeth II a happy 90th birthday.

Obama said the monarch¹⁶, whose birthday was Thursday, as a “real jewel to the world,” not just Britain.

On Saturday, his last full day in London, the U.S. president toured William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, marking the 400th anniversary of English playwright’s death. He saw a performance of a play drawn¹⁷ from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Obama also met privately¹⁸ with British opposition¹⁹ leader Jeremy Corbyn. The Saturday meeting had not previously²⁰ been on the U.S. leader’s schedule.

The White House said they discussed the impact of globalization on labor²¹ and the need to take steps to reduce inequality around the world. It said Obama and Corbyn also agreed that the UK should remain in the EU.

1 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。

2 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

3 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

4 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

6 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

7 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

8 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

11 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

12 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

13 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

14 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

15 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

16 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

17 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。

18 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

19 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

20 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

21 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。