名人励志英语演讲 第87期:为成功做好准备(6)

 　　As I watched the devastating¹ Victorian bushfires that burned countless² homes and killed too many people last February, it reminded me that we cannot ignore the possibility of bad things happening. I arrived at Melbourne airport that Saturday afternoon as the temperature hit 46 degrees and spent the rest of my stay stunned³ by the disaster that unfurled before us. The stories of those survivors⁴ showed unshakeable inner strength--something we all need if we are to overcome setbacks and forge our own path to success.

　　去年二月，澳洲维多利亚发生了严重的森林火灾，无数的家园化为灰烬，许多人丧失生命，这让我意识到，我们不能忽视不好的事情发生的可能性。期间的一个周六的下午，我到达墨尔本机场，那里温度高达46摄氏度，火灾的阴影笼罩着我在墨尔本的日子。幸存者的事迹展现了人们内心坚不可摧的力量。我们所有人都需要拥有这种力量，克服挫折，缎造我们成功的道路。

　　Our Governor General Ms Quentin Bryce, in a speech she gave at the end of last year to the Kings School in Sydney, urged the boys to "understand who you are." She went on to tell them that "we need to know who we are so we can show others who we are. We need to belong to ourselves so we can belong among others. We need our own proof that we have what it takes to do what matters to us." Knowing who we are and being confident eough to do what matters to us--that's what counts.

　　我们的州长昆廷·布莱斯女士去年年终在悉尼国王学院发表演讲，督促男孩子们要“深入了解自己”。她接着告诉他们，“我们需要深入了解自己，然后才能更好地向别人展示自己。我们需要认清自己，才能在他人中间立足。我们需要证明自己有能力做好自己认为重要的事情。”了解自己，满怀自信，做好我们认为重要的事情，这才是最重要的。

　　One of the things that give me the greatest satisfaction at present is my efforts to regenerate⁵ some of the beautiful rainforest around Mt Wilson in NSW. The peace of working in the dark rich soil amongst huge, 100 year old tree ferns, the grey mottled trunks of the sassafras and stately gums is only matched by the pleasure of knowing that I am planting a legacy⁶ for the next generation.

　　目前最让我感到满意的事情是，努力让新南威尔士威尔逊山周围美丽的热带雨林得以修复。在林中肥沃的黑土地上平静地工作，百岁高龄的桫椤树，树干布满灰色斑纹的檫树和高大的橡胶树遍布林中，想到所能馈赠给下一代的这些遗产，心中便欣喜无比。

　　To those of you graduating today, congratulations.

　　祝贺你们，今天在座的所有毕业生们！

　　You have every right to be proud of your achievements and I'm sure that each of you will find a way to leave your own legacy.

　　你们完全有理由为自己的成就感到自豪！我相信你们每个人都能找到一种方式给这个世界留下些什么。

　　Good luck and best wishes for the future.

　　祝你们好运！愿你们前程似锦！

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

3 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

6 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。