书城外语流行名人篇(老外最想和你聊的101个英语话题)
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第8章 The Political Leaders政坛领袖(7)

Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough。 His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was a charismatic politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer; his mother, Jenny Jerome, an American socialite。 As a young army officer, he saw action in British India, the Sudan and the Second Boer War。 He gained fame as a war correspondent and through books he wrote about his campaigns。

At the forefront of politics for fifty years, he held many political and cabinet positions。 Before World War I, he served as President of the Board of Trade, Home Secretary and First Lord of the Admiralty as part of the Asquith Liberal government。 During the war, he continued as First Lord of the Admiralty until the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign, which he had sponsored, caused his departure from government。 He then served briefly on the Western Front, commanding the 6th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers。 He returned to government as Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Air。 After the War, Churchill served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Conservative (Baldwin) government of 1924–1929, controversially returning the pound sterling in 1925 to the gold standard at its pre-War parity, a move widely seen as creating deflationary pressure on the UK economy。 Also controversial were Churchill’s opposition to increased home rule for India, and his resistance to the 1936 abdication of Edward VIII。

After the Conservative Party lost the 1945 election, he became Leader of the Opposition。 In 1951, he again became Prime Minister, before retiring in 1955。 Upon his death, The Queen granted him the honour of a state funeral, which saw one of the largest assemblies of world statesmen ever。

在通向胜利的漫长岁月里,丘吉尔在其演讲中多次发出战斗到底的誓言,表达了英国人民的心声。他说:“我们将永不停止,永不疲倦,永不让步,全国人民已立誓要负起这一任务:在欧洲扫清纳粹的毒害,把世界从新的黑暗时代中拯救出来。……我们想夺取的是希特勒和希特勒主义的生命和灵魂。仅此而已,别无其他,不达目的,誓不罢休。”丘吉尔在世人心目中已成为英国人民英勇不屈的斗争精神的集中象征。

丘吉尔的头上戴有许多流光溢彩的桂冠,他是著作等身的作家、辩才无碍的演说家、经邦治国的政治家、战争中的传奇英雄。1953年,他被授予诺贝尔文学奖。他在一生中多次经历的议员竞选中,在议会的辩论中,尤其是在第二次世界大战中的重要时刻,发表了许多富于技巧而且打动人心的演讲,给人们留下了极深的印象。他来生最愿意做的事也是想跟某人对话:他的来生是想与王尔德对话。丘吉尔之所以青睐奥斯卡·王尔德很大程度上是因为王尔德的机智与辩才。的确,为丘吉尔树立了永垂不朽的丰碑的不仅是他的作品和演讲,而且是他作为一个政治家和反法西斯斗士的光辉业绩。他一生中的大部分时间都当选为议员,曾多次在内阁中担任要职。他经历了许多次政治上的升沉起伏,每次都以不屈不挠的努力,从不畏惧的斗志战 胜艰难险阻而达到自己的目的,最终登上了光辉的顶峰,在英国处于历史危机的严峻关头,成为众望所归的政治领袖。

Key words & Sentences

关键词句全知道

Winston Churchill is another example。

温斯顿·丘吉尔是我的另一个榜样。

Early on the third morning Hoprins visited Churchill。

第三天清早,霍普金斯谒见了丘吉尔。

This is a clip from one of Churchill’s well-known speeches。

这是丘吉尔著名演说中的一段。

Chaucer, Shakespeare, Hemingway and Churchill were all men of letters。

乔叟、莎士比亚、海明威和丘吉尔都是文人。

People still remember Churchill for his rolling phrases, his magnificent voice。

人们还记得丘吉尔滔滔不绝的演说和洪亮的声音。

Britain’s departure is hardly graceful, but it would come as little surprise to Churchill。

英军的撤离不能说是有面子的,但是这对丘吉尔来说应该一点也不意外。

It was later said of Churchill that he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle。

后来有人说丘吉尔让英语行动起来,并把它送上了战场。

Churchill was making notes in the margin of a typewritten report, and as he scribbled he occasionally muttered。

丘吉尔正在审批一份打印的报告,一面潦草地作眉批,一面低声自言自语。

Churchill can, and by driving himself he will succeed, until the last decade of his life, in holding his affliction at bay。

而且直到生命的最后十年,丘吉尔都能成功地迫使自己遏制住极端的苦恼。

I had a informal chat president Roosevelt and Churchill。

我与罗斯福总统和丘吉尔首相进行了一次非正式的谈话。

Churchill, one of the 20th century’s greatest orators, practiced his speeches compulsively。

20世纪杰出的演说家英国首相丘吉尔,经常强迫自己练习演讲。

What bothered him was that Churchill might use the incident to pretend to Germany’s allies that Hitler was extending a peace feeler。

使他感到烦恼的是,丘吉尔可能利用这次事件向德国的盟国诡称,希特勒正在伸出和平的触须。

By holding up Churchill, Mr。 Netanyahu is saying that courage consists of holding tenaciously to one’s beliefs, regardless of popularity。

把丘吉尔的画像高高挂起,内塔尼亚胡就是在说勇气也包括要固执于一个人的信念,不要被周围的声音所左右。

Churchill said: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat。”

丘吉尔说:“除了鲜血,辛苦,眼泪和汗水之外,我什么都不能提供。 ”

The Casablanca Conference between President Roosevelt and Churchill ended。

罗斯福总统和丘吉尔在摩洛哥卡萨布兰卡的战时会议结束了。

The BBC triggered an avalanche with its 100 Greatest Britons poll, won by Churchill。

BBC进行了一次“100个最伟大的英国人”问卷调查,引来雪花般飞来的答案——结果丘吉尔获胜。

Churchill set another date for his visit。

丘吉尔另定他的来访日期。

Churchill showed particular interest in naval aviation。

丘吉尔对海军航空特别关心。

According to this account, the man’s grandfather overheard Churchill discussing the alleged incident with US wartime General Dwight Eisenhower。

根据这份报告,丘吉尔曾与战时美国的艾森豪威尔将军讨论过这件事情。

Clement Attlee used a cricketing metaphor to describe the effect of Winston Churchill’s pre-eminence on the subsequent generation of Tory politicians。

克莱曼艾德礼用了一个搞笑的比喻来描述温斯顿·丘吉尔作为保守党政治家后继者的显赫地位。

Reports given to Churchill claimed that a reconnaissance aircraft returning to Britain from a mission was shadowed by a UFO as it crossed the British coast。

在给丘吉尔的报告中声称:一架执行任务返回英国的侦察机时,当它经过海岸时,遇见了一架UFO。

Most vigorous character to arise anew in European affairs was Britain’s Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty。

最具活力性格的在欧洲事务中有新的提升的是英国的温斯顿·丘吉尔,海军部第一部长。

As Winston Churchill hinted in his aphorism, rulers who try to govern without democracy eventually discover that none of the alternative systems works as well。

像在温斯顿·丘吉尔在他的名言中暗示的那样,不依靠民主的独裁者最终会发现任何别的制度都不可行。

Churchill told de Gaulle in 1944 that, faced with a choice between the continent and le grand large, the British would always choose the second。

1944年,丘吉尔告诉戴高乐,如果要在欧洲大陆和跨大西洋关系之间做出选择的话,英国会坚定地选择后者。

Churchill desperately tried to draw America into the war。

丘吉尔不惜一切代价要把美国拖入战争。

Churchill is war heroism。

丘吉尔是战争英雄主义。

This was a work of rhetorical art that, in its seriousness, bravery and clarity, was on a par with FDR and Churchill。

这是一件修辞艺术的杰作,其严肃、勇敢和清晰,堪比罗斯福和丘吉尔。

British wartime prime minister Churchill banned the reporting for 50 years of an alleged UFO incident because of fears it could create mass panic。

英国战时前总理丘吉尔禁止50年报道UFO的事件,是因为担心会引起大众的恐慌。

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Mike: What are you reading·

麦克:你在读什么呢·