名校励志英语演讲 161:服务—衡量成功的真正标准(2)

 　　Well, let me tel you something, the answer is simple: you inspires me. You touched me. You know, there are few things that are more rewarding than to watch young people recognize that they have the power to make their dreams come true. And you did just that. Your perseverance¹ and creativity were on full display in your efforts to bring me here to Merced for this wonderful occasion.

　　那么让我告诉大家，我的答案很简单：是因为你们激发了我，你们感动了我。你们知道，几乎没有什么比看到年轻人认识到他们能够实现自己的梦想更有价值了。你们确实认识到了这一点。你们邀请我来见证这一美好时刻，期间你们所付出的努力充分展示了你们的坚韧和想象力。

　　So, let me tell you what you did. If you don't know, parents, because some of this wonderful cards from students; each and every one of them so filled with hope and enthusiasm. It moved not just me but my entire staff. They came up to me and said, "Michelle, you have to do this." "You have to go there."

　　那么，让我告诉大家你们都做了什么。各位家长，你们可能不知道，你们中也有一些人参与其中。我收到了上千封学生们的来信，当然还有情人节明星片，每一封信每一张明信片中都充满了期待和热情。这不仅感动了我，还感动了我所有的同事们。他们过来跟我说：“米歇尔，你必须去参加。”“你必须到那里去。”

　　They were all terrific. Like the one from Christopher Casuga that read, "Dear Mrs. Obama: Please come to UC Merced's commencement. We would really use the publicity²." That really touched me.

　　那些信和明信片都写得棒极了。比如，来自克里斯多夫·卡苏卡的信中写道：“亲爱的奥巴马夫人，请来参加加州大学莫塞德分校毕业典礼吧！我们真的可以使用公众舆论。”那真的触动了我的心灵。

　　Or then there was one from Jim Greenwood who wrote not on his behalf but on behalf of his wife and mother of his two children, who is graduating with us today.

　　来自吉姆·格林伍德的信中说，他不仅仅是代表他自己给我写信，还代表他的妻子。他的妻子已经是两个孩子的母亲了，她是今天在座的毕业生中的一员。

　　And then there was the one from Andres Mercado. I think this was one of my favorites. Andrea said that the role of First Lady is —and I hope—"The balance between the politics and sanity³". Thank you, Andrea, for that vote of confidence.

　　还有一封来自安德里亚·梅尔卡多的信。我想这是我最喜欢的来信中的一封。安德里亚在信中写道：“第一夫人的角色就是要在政治和理智之间寻求平衡。”谢谢你，安德里亚，谢谢你给我的信任投票。

　　背景资料

　　2009年5月16日，现任美国第一夫人米歇尔在加尼福利亚大学摩赛德分校进行了她的第一场毕业演讲。米歇尔的这次演讲自始至终充满了堆年轻人的鼓励，鼓励毕业生们带着梦想返回社区工作，以对社会所做的服务作为成功的标准。

　　Service is the rent we pay for living...it is the measure, the only measure of our success.

　　服务是我们为生活而支付的租金...它是真正的标准，是衡量我们成功的唯一标准。

1 perseverance   

n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• It may take some perseverance to find the right people.要找到合适的人也许需要有点锲而不舍的精神。
• Perseverance leads to success.有恒心就能胜利。

2 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

3 sanity   

n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确

参考例句：

• I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。