美国语文第六册 第196期:教育的必要性(2)

Her destiny is our destiny; and the day that her gallant¹ ship goes down, our little boat sinks in the vortex!

一个国家的命运就是我们共同的命运；一个国家雄伟的战舰沉没之日，对我们来讲不过是一条小船沉在漩涡中而已！

The great experiment is now making, and from its extent and rapid filling up, is making in the West,

现在形成的这一伟大的经验，从其广度和迅速累积的程度而言，就是西方的滥觞，

whether the perpetuity of our republican institutions can be reconciled with universal suffrage².

不论我们的共和政体的恒久性是否能通过普选制度而达到和谐一致。

Without the education of the head and heart of the nation, they can not be;

没有教育这个大脑和国家的核心价值，不可能做到这一点。

and the question to be decided³ is, can the nation, or the vast balance power of it,

问题的关键在于，国家或者其巨大的平衡力量能否富有智慧和优点，

be so imbued⁴ with intelligence and virtue⁵ as to bring out, in laws and their administration, a perpetual self-preserving energy.

并使之付诸于法律的制定和管理当中，以及具有恒久的保持自我的能力。

We know that the work is a vast one, and of great difficulty; and yet we believe it can be done.

我们清楚这是一个浩大的工程，面临巨大困难。但是，我们相信这个工程能够完成。

I am aware that our ablest patriots⁶ are looking out on the deep,

我知道我们最杰出的爱国者临渊而立，

vexed⁷ with storms, with great forebodings and failings of heart, for fear of the things that are coming upon us;

为暴风雨，为对不祥的预感和勇气的丧失所恼，这是基于对即将到来的麻烦的担心。

and I perceive a spirit of impatience⁸ rising, and distrust in respect to the perpetuity of our republic;

我觉察到焦躁情绪正在积郁，不相信我们的共和政体能够恒久地保持下去。

and I am sure that these fears are well founded, and am glad that they exist.

我可以肯定的是，这些担心完全有道理，欣然接受这些担心的存在。

It is the star of hope in our dark horizon.

这是我们黑暗的地平线上升起的希望之星。

Fear is what we need, as the ship needs wind on a rocking sea, after a storm, to prevent foundering⁹.

担心是我们需要的，正如暴风雨过后在波涛汹涌的海上船只需要风才能防止船帆落下一样。

1 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

2 suffrage   

n.投票，选举权，参政权

参考例句：

• The question of woman suffrage sets them at variance.妇女参政的问题使他们发生争执。
• The voters gave their suffrage to him.投票人都投票选他。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 imbued   

v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等）

参考例句：

• Her voice was imbued with an unusual seriousness. 她的声音里充满着一种不寻常的严肃语气。
• These cultivated individuals have been imbued with a sense of social purpose. 这些有教养的人满怀着社会责任感。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

6 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。

7 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

9 foundering   

v.创始人( founder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lifeboat soon got abreast of the foundering ship. 救生艇很快就赶到了那艘正在下沉的船旁。 来自互联网
• With global climate-change negotiations foundering, the prospects of raising cash for REDD that way look poor. 由于就全球气候变化的谈判破裂，通过这种方式来为REDD集资前景堪忧。 来自互联网