偶像励志英语演讲 第102期:如何解决这个世界最严重的不平等(12)

　　Members of the Harvard Family: Here in the Yard is one of the great collections of intellectual talent in the world.
哈佛是一个大家庭。这个院子里在场的人们，是全世界最有智力的人类群体之一。
For what purpose?
我们可以做些什么？
There is no question that the faculty¹, the alumni, the students, and the benefactors² of Harvard have used their power to improve the lives of people here and around the world. But can we do more? Can Harvard dedicate its intellect to improving the lives of people who will never even hear its name?
毫无疑问，哈佛的老师、校友、学生和资助者，已经用他们的能力改善了全世界各地人们的生活。但是，我们还能够做更多吗？有没有可能，哈佛的人们可以将他们的智慧用来帮助那些甚至从来没有听到过“哈佛”这个名字的人？
Let me make a request of the deans and the professors-the intellectual leaders here at Harvard: As you hire new faculty, award tenure³, review curriculum, and determine degree requirements, please ask yourselves:
请允许我向各位院长和教授提出一个请求——你们是哈佛的智力领袖：当你们雇用新的老师、授予终身教职、评估课程、决定学位颁发标准的时候，请问你们自己如下问题：
Should our best minds be more dedicated⁴ to sloving our biggest problems?
我们最优秀的人才是否在致力于解决我们最大的问题？
Should Harvard encourage its faculty to take on the world's worst inequities? Should Harvard students know about the depth of global poverty...the prevalence of world hunger...the scarcity⁵ of clean water...the girls kept out of school...the children who die from diseases we can cure?
哈佛是否鼓励它的老师们去研究解决世界上最严重的不平等？哈佛的学生是否从全球那些极端的贫穷中学到了什么……世界性的饥荒……清洁水资源的缺乏……无法上学的女童？死于非恶性疾病的儿童？
Should the world's most privileged learn about the lives of the world's least priviledged?
那些世界上过着最优越生活的人们，是否应该对那些最困难的人们的境况有所了解？
These are not rhetorical questions-you will answer with your policies.
这些问题并非语言上的修辞。你必须用自己的政策来回答它们.
重点讲解：
1. dedicate to sth./doing sth.
献（身）；投（身）；致力；
eg. She dedicated her life to science.
她毕生致力于科学。
eg. I dedicate this song to my wife.
我要把这首歌献给我太太。
2. encourage sb. to do sth.
鼓励；激励，劝说某人做某事；
eg. Counsellors encourage victims of crime to confront their emotions.
辅导员鼓励罪案受害人直面自己的情感。
eg. They encourage people to become more aware of themselves.
他们鼓励人们要更了解自己。
3. take on
承担，接受（尤指艰巨工作或重大责任）；
eg. No one person can take on so much work.
一个人包揽不了这么多事。
eg. He never seeks credit for himself, but is always ready to take on arduous⁶ tasks.
他在荣誉面前从不伸手, 但在艰巨任务面前却当仁不让。
4. know about
了解，掌握；
eg. He's very young and inexperienced, and doesn't know about the ways of the world.
他还很年轻，又缺乏经验。不懂得人情世故。
eg. I feel that I know about the value of my own work.
我觉得我知道自己工作的价值。

1 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

2 benefactors   

n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人

参考例句：

• I rate him among my benefactors. 我认为他是我的一个恩人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We showed high respect to benefactors. 我们对捐助者表达了崇高的敬意。 来自辞典例句

3 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

4 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

5 scarcity   

n.缺乏，不足，萧条

参考例句：

• The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
• The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。

6 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。