名校励志英语演讲 127:珍惜现在 把握将来(3)

 　　What is at stake is immense. Will those who believe in peaceful co-existence triumph, matching the growing economic power and wealth with a politics and culture at ease with the 21st Century? Or will the victors be those that seek to use that economic wealth to create a politics and culture more relevant to the feudal¹ Middle Ages?

　　危机重重，信仰和平共存的人们会取得胜利吗？日益增长的经济与财富能够与21世纪的政治和文化融合吗？或者胜利者会是那些企图用经济力量创造类似中世纪的封建政治和文化的人吗？

　　Thousands of miles from here, this struggle is being played out in the suburbs of Baghdad and Beirut and the Gaza strip. But the impact of its outcome on our security and way of life will register in the core of our well-being².

　　离这儿千里之外的地方，在巴格达、贝鲁特的郊区和加沙地带，这种斗争正在上演。但这种斗争的结果会对我们的安全、生活方式及我们的幸福产生影响。

　　In fact, if I had to sum up my view of the world, I would say to you: turn your thoughts to the East. Not just to the Middle East. But to the Far East.

　　事实上，如果必须要总结一下我对世界的看法，我要对你们说：把目光转向东方，不仅仅是中东，还有远东。

　　For the first time in many centuries, power is moving East. China and India each have populations roughly double those of America and Europe combined.

　　几个世纪以来，东方的势力第一次逐渐崛起。中国和印度的人口都几乎是美国和欧洲人口总和的两倍。

　　In the next two decades, these two countries together will undergo industrialization four times the size of the USA's and at five times the speed.

　　在未来的20年里，这两个国家的工业化进程在规模上将会是美国的四倍，在速度上将会是美国的五倍。

　　We must be mindful that as these ancient civilizations become somehow younger and more vibrant³, our young civilization does not grow old. Most of all we should know that in this new world, we must clear a path to partnership⁴, not stand off against each other, competing for power.

　　我们要注意到，这些文明古国正逐渐成为更年轻更有生机的国家，当然我们的文明并没有衰落。最重要的是，我们应该知道，在这个崭新的世界，我们必须开拓合作伙伴关系之路，而不应互相敌对、争权夺利。

　　名人简介

　　布莱尔1953年出生于苏格兰的爱丁堡，1983年进入下议院，开始了他的政治生涯。他先后任财政、贸工、能源和就业事务副发言人，1992年起任内政事务发言人。他1994年当选工党领袖。布莱尔是工党历史上最年轻的领袖。

　　1997年6月任首相，成为自1812年以来英国最年轻的首相，后兼任首席财政大臣和文官部大臣。他出任首相后，对工党大胆进行革新，对原保守党的内外政策进行了一系列调整。2001年6月在大选中再次获胜，连任首相，成为英国历史上首位连任的工党首相。

1 feudal   

adj.封建的，封地的，领地的

参考例句：

• Feudal rulers ruled over the country several thousand years.封建统治者统治这个国家几千年。
• The feudal system lasted for two thousand years in China.封建制度在中国延续了两千年之久。

2 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

3 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

4 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。