美国小学英语教材5:第159课 怎样才算是一名好公民

WHAT IS A GOOD CITIZEN?

怎样才算是一名好公民？

Many hundreds of years ago, Athens, in the country that we now call Greece, was the most beautiful and the most famous city in the world. Its people loved it and were proud of it. When the Athenian boys became about your age, they were taught a pledge to their city. This is the promise they made:

几百年前，雅典，在我们现在称为希腊的国家，是世界上最美丽、最著名的城市。它的人民热爱它，并为它感到自豪。当雅典的孩子们和你差不多大的时候，他们被教导要对他们的城市作出承诺。这是他们做出的承诺:

We will never bring disgrace to this our city by any act of dishonesty or cowardice¹, nor ever desert our comrades. We will respect and obey the city laws, and do our best to get others to respect and obey them. We will ever strive to teach others to be loyal and true. Thus, in all these ways, we may make this city greater, better, and more beautiful.

我们永远不会以任何不诚实或懦弱的行为给我们的城市带来耻辱，永远不会抛弃我们的同伴。我们将尊重和遵守城市法律，并尽最大努力让他人尊重和遵守这些法律。我们将永远努力教会别人忠诚和真实。因此，在所有这些方面，我们可以使这个城市更大、更好、更美丽。

One more thing the Athenian youth was taught: to keep himself strong and healthy.

雅典青年还学会了另一件事:保持强壮和健康。

What do you think of the pledge of the Athenian youth? Could you take it for your own pledge to your city and your country? To be honest, to be brave. Never to betray your friends. To respect and obey the laws. Always to try to make your home, your city, and your country greater, better, and more beautiful. To keep yourself healthy and strong.

你如何看待雅典青年的誓言？你能把它作为你对你的城市和国家的承诺吗? 要诚实，要勇敢。永远不要背叛你的朋友。尊重和遵守法律。永远努力让你的家、你的城市、你的国家更伟大、更美好、更美丽。让自己保持健康和强壮。

Now you are going to read stories about some young American citizens—Paul Seabury, who did a dangerous thing in order to save his comrade; Josie Dawn, who was loyal and true to the team and to her brother; George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Read to see which of them you would want to put on an honor roll for a Good American Citizens’ Club.

现在你要读一些关于一些年轻的美国公民的故事——保罗·西布里，他为了救他的同伴做了一件危险的事；乔西·道恩，对球队和她的哥哥忠诚而忠诚；还有乔治·华盛顿和罗伯特·E.李。阅读下面的文章，看看你想把他们中的哪一个列入优秀美国公民俱乐部的荣誉名单。

1 cowardice   

n.胆小，怯懦

参考例句：

• His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
• His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。