奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统与民众欢度劳动节

Hi, everybody.

大家好。

This Labor¹ Day weekend, as we gather with family and friends,

值此周末劳动节之际，我们将与家人和朋友欢聚，

we'll also come together as a nation to honor some of our own-the working men and women of America who, across the generations, built this country up and helped make us who we are today.

而作为一个国家，我们也将一起纪念世世代代生活在美国的土地上，建设这个国家并让我们取得今天这样的成就的所有男女劳动者。

On Monday, we'll celebrate that proud history.

星期一我们将举国欢庆庆祝这一令人自豪的历史。

We'll pay tribute to the values working Americans embody-hard work; responsibility; sacrifice; looking out for one another.

我们将向勤劳、负责、忘我、有爱及奉献精神的劳动人民表达敬意。

And we'll recommit ourselves to their cause; to securing for them a better bargain so that everyone who works hard in America has a chance to get ahead.

而我们也将敦促自己以他们为榜样，为他们争取更好的保障，让每一个努力付出的人都能有机会获得成功。

See, over the past four and a half years, we've fought our way back from the worst recession of our lifetimes.

经过四年半的努力，我们已经挫败了我们此生遭遇的最严重的经济衰退带来的冲击。

And thanks to the grit² and resilience of the American people, we've begun to lay a foundation for stronger, more durable³ economic growth.

而且多亏美国人民的坚韧顽强，我们已经为未来经济更强劲更持续的增长打下了良好的基矗

But as any working family will tell you, we're not where we need to be.

但如同任何一个工薪家庭会告诉你的一样，我们还远未达到目的地。

For over a decade, working Americans have seen their wages and incomes stagnate⁴, even as corporate⁵ profits soar and the pay of a fortunate few explodes.

十几年来工薪阶层的工资收入没有提高，但公司的利润却飞速上涨，少数幸运儿财富猛增。

For even longer than that, inequality has steadily⁶ risen; the journey of upward mobility⁷ has become harder.

而在更长的时间范围内不平等现象持续增加，繁荣之路变得更加艰难。

And in too many communities across this country, the shadow of poverty continues to cast a pall⁸ over our fellow citizens.

在全国还有大量社区贫困的阴影一直笼罩着我们的同胞。

Reversing that trend needs to be Washington's highest priority.

扭转这一势头必须成为华盛顿的头等大事。

It's certainly mine.

当然也是我的第一要务。

That's why, over the past month, I've traveled all across America, laying out my ideas for how we can build on the cornerstones of what it means to be middle class.

这就是过去的一个月里我走访全美，提出了我们如何为中产阶级打下坚实基础的一系列意见的原因所在。

A good job that pays a good wage.

包括高薪的好工作；

A good education.

好的教育环境；

A home of your own.

属于你自己的住房；

Health care when you get sick.

生病时获得的医疗保险；

A secure retirement⁹ even if you're not rich.

即便不富裕也能安享晚年；

And more chances for folks to earn their way into the middle class as long as they're willing to work for it.

以及更多让人们只要有意愿努力工作就能跻身中产阶级的机遇。

The truth is, it's not going to be easy to reverse the forces that have conspired-for decades-against working Americans.

实事上，要逆转数十年来一直压迫劳动者的这一趋势实非易事。

But if we take a few bold steps-and if Washington is able to come together with common purpose and common resolve-we'll get there.

但只要我们采取一些大胆的措施，只要华盛顿能为一个共同的目标团结起来采取共同的措施，我们就可以实现这一目标。

Our economy will keep getting stronger and more Americans will be able to join the ranks of the middle-class.

我们的经济将有更强劲的动力，更多美国人将能够跻身中产阶级。

So this Labor Day, while you're out there grilling¹⁰ in the backyard,

因此，今年的劳动节，当你在后院烧烤，

or taking that final trip for the summer,

或者是进行今年夏天最后一次出游的时候，

I hope you'll also take a moment to reflect on the many contributions of our working men and women.

我希望大家能够花时间回顾一下我们的劳动者所做出的贡献。

For generations, it was the great American middle class that made our economy the envy of the world.

世代以来，正是伟大的中产阶级人民创造了让世人艳羡的美国经济。

And as long as I'm President, I'm going to keep fighting to make sure that happens again.

只要我还担任总统，我就将继续为重新创造这样的传奇而努力。

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

谢谢大家，祝你们周末愉快。

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 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。

3 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

4 stagnate   

v.停止

参考例句：

• Where the masses are not roused,work will stagnate.哪里不发动群众，哪里的工作就死气沉沉。
• Taiwan's economy is likely to stagnate for a long time to come.台湾经济很可能会停滞很长一段时间。

5 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

6 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

7 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

8 pall   

v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕

参考例句：

• Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。
• I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。

9 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

10 grilling   

v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 )；拷问，盘问

参考例句：

• The minister faced a tough grilling at today's press conference. 部长在今天的记者招待会上受到了严厉的盘问。
• He's grilling out there in the midday sun. 他在外面让中午火辣辣的太阳炙烤着。 来自《简明英汉词典》