奥巴马每周电视讲话:新的一年

　　Weekly Address: Democrats¹ and Republicans Have  Shared Responsibility to Move America Forward
每周电视讲话:民主党人和共和党人有责任共同将美国推向前进
WASHINGTON  – In his weekly address, President Obama resolved to do everything he can to  make sure the economy is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening the middle  class in the new year.  With each party  controlling one house of the Congress, Democrats and Republicans will share  the responsibility to move the country forward, and the President reiterated  his commitment to work with anyone who has a good idea in either party.
华盛顿:在本周的讲话中,奥巴马总统决心在新的一年里竭尽所能确保经济增长，创造就业，并巩固中产阶级地位。由于两党各自控制国会的一个议院，因此，民主党人和共和党人将共同承担把国家推向前进的责任，总统再次申明他的承诺：他将与两党中有好的意见的任何人合作。
Hello,  everybody.  As we close the books on  one year and begin another, I wanted to take a moment today to wish you a  very Happy New Year and talk a little bit about the year that lies ahead.
大家好。在这一元复始、万象更新的时刻，我祝福大家新年快乐，还想花些时间谈一谈将要到来的这一年。
At  the start of 2011, we’re still just emerging from a once-in-a-lifetime recession  that’s taken a terrible toll² on millions of families.  We all have friends and neighbors trying to  get their lives back on track.
2011年新年伊始，我们刚刚摆脱百年不遇的大衰退，这场衰退给数百万家庭带来了严重的损失。我们都有朋友和邻居还在为让生活重回正轨而努力奋斗。
We  are, however, riding a few months of economic news that suggests our recovery  is gaining traction³.  And our most important  task now is to keep that recovery going.   As President, that’s my commitment to you: to do everything I can to  make sure our economy is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening our middle  class.  That’s my resolution for the  coming year.
尽管几个月来我们听到的经济新闻都显示我们的经济复苏动力强劲。而我们当前最重要的任务就是保持经济复苏一直持续下去。作为总统，以下是我对你们的承诺：我将竭尽所能确保经济增长，创造就业，并巩固中产阶级地位。这是我今年决心完成的工作。
Still,  even as we work to boost our economy in the short-term, it’s time to make  some serious decisions about how to keep our economy strong, growing, and  competitive in the long run.  We have  to look ahead – not just to this year, but to the next 10 years, and the next  20 years.  Where will new innovations  come from?  How will we attract the  companies of tomorrow to set up shop and create jobs in our communities?  What will it take to get those jobs?  What will it take to out-compete other  countries around the world?  What will  it take to see the American Dream come true for our children and  grandchildren?
然而，即便在我们短期提振经济的同时，现在我们也需要作出一些重要的决定从长远的角度保持我们的经济强大，不断增长，并保持竞争力。我们需要向前看——不仅仅是看到今年，而是要考虑到今后十年，以及二十年。新的创新将来自何方？我们如何才能吸引未来的公司来我们这里开展业务并创造就业？采用什么样的措施才能获得这些工作岗位？采用什么样的措施才能在与全世界其他国家的竞争中胜出？采用什么样的措施才能让我们的子孙实现美国梦？
Our  parents and grandparents asked themselves those questions.  And because they had the courage to answer  them, we’ve had the good fortune to grow up in the greatest nation on Earth.
这些问题我们的父母和祖父母们曾经问过他们自己。因为他们有勇气去回答这些问题，这使得我们有幸在这个世界上最伟大的国家成长。
Now  it’s our turn to think about the future.   In a few days, a new Congress will form, with one house controlled by  Democrats, and one house controlled by Republicans – who now have a shared  responsibility to move this country forward.   And here’s what I want you to know: I’m willing to work with anyone of  either party who’s got a good idea and the commitment to see it through.  And we should all expect you to hold us  accountable for our progress or our failure to deliver.
现在轮到我们考虑未来了。几天之后，新的国会将组建完成，由于民主党控制参议院，共和党控制众议院——两党现在要共同承担将国家推向前进的责任。我想告诉大家的是：我愿意与两党中任何拥有好的建议和渡过难关的决心的人合作。而且我们也希望大家监督，无论是成功还是失败，我们都将负责。
As  I’ve said since I first ran for this office, solving our challenges won’t be  quick or easy.  We have come through a  difficult decade; one of new threats and new trials we didn’t expect when it  began.  But a new year and a new decade  stretch out before us.  And if we just  remember what America is capable of, and live up to that legacy⁴, then I’m  confident that we are poised⁵ for a period of progress – one in which our  economy is growing, our standing⁶ in the world is rising, and we do what it  takes to make sure America remains⁷ in the 21st century what it was in the  20th: the greatest country in the world.
在我竞选之初我就说过，解决我们面临的挑战不是一朝一夕的事儿。我们刚刚度过一个艰难的十年，当它开始的时候我们未能预料到新的威胁和挑战。但新的一年以及新的十年在我们面前展开。如果我们能够记得美国无所不能，不辜负我们的传统，那么我对我们取得长期的进步充满信心——我们的经济将持续增长，我们在国际上的地位将持续抬升，我们将为确保美国像20世纪一样在21世纪依然保持是世界上最伟大的国家而不懈努力。
Thanks  for listening.  And Happy New Year.
谢谢聆听。新年快乐！

1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

4 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。

5 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。