TED演讲:我们不要一成不变的教育(9)

 　　When the country cares about something, we'll spend a trillion dollars without blinking an eye. 当一个国家在乎一些事了，我们就算花一万亿美元也不会眨一下眼睛的。

　　When the safety of America is threatened, we will spend any amount of money. 当美国的安全受到威胁时，多少钱我们都会花。

　　The real safety of our nation is preparing this next generation so that they can take our place and be the leaders of the world 我们国家的真正安全在于下一代的人才储备，这样他们才能接好我们的班，成为世界的领导者，

　　when it comes to thinking and technology and democracy and all that stuff we care about. 能在思想、技术和民主和所有我们关心的事情上面做到最好。

　　I dare say it's a pittance¹, what it would require for us to really begin to solve some of these problems. 我敢说，只要非常微薄的一点钱，就能让我们真正着手处理这些事，解决这些问题。

　　So once we do that, I'll no longer be angry. 所以，如果我们做好了这些事，我就不会再生气了。

　　So, you guys, help me get there. Thank you all very much. Thank you. 所以，各位，请帮帮忙，帮我做好这些事。谢谢大家！谢谢。

　　So what is the high school dropout² rate at Harlem Children's Zone? 现在哈林儿童区的中学生的辍学率是多少呢？

　　Well, you know, John, 100 percent of our kids graduated high school last year in my school. 约翰，实际上我们的学生现在100%都读到中学毕业。这是我校去年的数据。

　　A hundred percent of them went to college. This year's seniors will have 100 percent graduating high school. 去年他们100%去升入大学继续学业。今年的高中生毕业率也将达到100%。

　　Last I heard we had 93 percent accepted to college. 上次我听说有93%的学生能上大学。

　　We'd better get that other seven percent. So that's just how this goes. 但我们还要让那7%也读上大学。这也就是我要生气的原因了。

　　So how do you stick with them after they leave high school? 那他们高中毕业后你是如何追踪他们的呢？

　　Well, you know, one of the bad problems we have in this country is these kids, the same kids, 你知道，美国有很多很糟糕的问题，其中之一就是，这些没读上大学的孩子，

　　these same vulnerable kids, when you get them in school, they drop out in record numbers. 这些来自弱势群体的孩子，你招他们入学后，他们大量地辍学。

　　And so we've figured out that you've got to really design a network of support for these kids that in many ways mimics³ what a good parent does. 因此，我们已经弄明白了你得真正去设计一个用各种方法去帮助这些孩子的网络，就像孩子们的父母们为孩子们做的一样。

　　They harass⁴ you, right? They call you, they say, "I want to see your grades. How'd you do on that last test? 比如说，家长会干涉你的，对吧？他们会打电话给你，他们会说：“我想看一下你的成绩。你上次考试考了多少分？

　　What are you talking about that you want to leave school? And you're not coming back here." 如果你都不想读书了，你不会再回到学校了，你还能说些什么呢？”

　　So a bunch of my kids know you can't come back to Harlem because Geoff is looking for you. 所以，我的很多学生知道，你不能再回到哈林儿童区了，因为Geoff那个家伙在到处找你。

　　They're like, "I really can't come back." No. You'd better stay in school. 就好像：“我真的不能回去的。”其实不然，这类学生最好还是呆在学校。

　　But I'm not kidding about some of this, and it gets a little bit to the grit⁵ issue. 我这不是开玩笑的，而这就会碰触到我想谈的核心问题。

　　When kids know that you refuse to let them fail, it puts a different pressure on them, and they don't give up as easy. 当孩子们知道你不想他们失败时，这无形中会给他们一种不同的压力，他们就不会轻言放弃了。

　　So sometimes they don't have it inside, and they're, like, 所以，有时他们并不是发自内心的自己想追求进步，而是，正如他们自己所说的：

　　"You know, I don't want to do this, but I know my mother's going to be mad." “我不想做这些事的，但我知道，我不做我妈妈会生气的。”

　　Well, that matters to kids, and it helps get them through. 这对孩子来说很重要，这会帮助他们渡过很多难关。

　　We try to create a set of strategies that gets them tutoring and help and support, 我们会想方法为他们创设一系列的策略来辅导他们、帮助他们和支持他们，

　　but also a set of encouragements that say to them, "You can do it. It is going to be hard, but we refuse to let you fail." 同时给他们以足够的鼓励，比如：“你行的。尽管会有些困难，但我们不会让你学无所成的。”

　　Well, thank you Dr. Canada. Please give it up for him one more time. 好的。谢谢你，Canada博士。请各位再次将掌声送给Canada博士。

1 pittance   

n.微薄的薪水，少量

参考例句：

• Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
• The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。

2 dropout   

n.退学的学生；退学；退出者

参考例句：

• There is a high dropout rate from some college courses.有些大学课程的退出率很高。
• In the long haul,she'll regret having been a school dropout.她终归会后悔不该中途辍学。

3 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

4 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。

5 grit   

n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
• I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。