书城外语那些美好而忧伤的记忆(每天读一点英文)
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第15章 Forgiveness (2) (2)

“因为我的钱不够,但现在够了。”小男孩答道。“爸爸,我现在有20美元。我能向您买一个小时的时间吗?明天请早点回家,我想和您一起吃晚饭。”

实战提升篇

核心单词

irritate [5iriteit] v. 使恼怒;使烦躁

plead [pli:d] v. 辩护;以……为理由

furious [5fjuEriEs] adj. 狂怒的;强烈的

march [mB:tF] n. 行进;行军;行程

yell [jel] v. 叫喊;吼叫

grumble [5^rQmbl] v. 抱怨,发牢骚

实用句型

The man,seeing that the boy already had money,started to get angry again.

男人看到男孩手里攥着一把钱,又生气了。

①现在分词seeing在这里作状语。

②start开始,另外还有start up突然出现;start off出发,开始等固定搭配。

翻译行不行

1.你认为那部影片怎么样?(think about)

2.刚才哭闹的小孩一会就安静下来了。(calm down)

3.门口有一位老人找你。(ask for)

第一章 A Letter to My Daughters (1)

·Barack obama·

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you’ve both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail,going to picnics and parades and state fairs,eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I also know that it hasn’t always been easy for you and Mom,and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy,it doesn’t make up for all the time we’ve been apart. I know how much I’ve missed these past two years,and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man,I thought life was all about me—about how I’d make my way in the world,become successful,and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly,all my big plans for myself didn’t seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end,girls,that’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential—schools that challenge them,inspire them,and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even if their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care,jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region,gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country—but when we do,I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason,that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully,and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free—that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age,reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better,and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a charge we pass on to our children,coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work,righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much—although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach,and to grow into compassionate,committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience,poise,grace,and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love,Dad

写给女儿的信

巴拉克·奥巴马

亲爱的玛莉亚和莎夏:

我知道这两年你们俩随我一路竞选都有过不少乐子,野餐、游行、逛州博览会,吃了各种或许我和你妈不该让你们吃的垃圾食物。然而我也知道,你们俩和你妈的日子,有时候并不是那么惬意。新来的小狗虽然令你们兴奋,却无法弥补我们不在一起的时光。我明白这两年我错过的太多了,今天我要再向你们说说为什么我决定带领我们一家走上这条路。