六级英语晨读经典100篇 20

　　Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Lecture(11)

吉米卡特的诺贝尔和平奖受奖演说(2)

I am not here as a public official, but as a citizen of a troubled world who finds hope in a growing consensus 1 that the generally accepted goals of society are peace, freedom, human rights, environmental quality, the alleviation 2 of suffering, and the rule of law.

During the past decades, the international community, usually under the auspices 3 of the United Nations, has struggled to negotiate global standards that can help us achieve these essential goals. They include: the abolition 4 of land mines and chemical weapons; an end to the testing, proliferation, and further deployment 5 of nuclear warheads; constraints 6 on global warming; prohibition 7 of the death penalty, at least for children; and an international criminal court to deter 8 and to punish war crimes and genocide. Those agreements already adopted must be fully 9 implemented 10, and others should be pursued aggressively.

We must also strive to correct the injustice 11 of economic sanctions that seek to penalize 12 abusive leaders but all too often inflict 13 punishment on those who are already suffering from the abuse.

The unchanging principles of life predate modern times. I worship Jesus Christ, whom we Christians 14 consider to be the Prince of Peace. As a Jew, he taught us to cross religious boundaries, in service and in love. He repeatedly reached out and embraced Roman conquerors 15, other Gentiles, and even the more despised Samaritans.

Despite theological differences, all great religions share common commitments that define our ideal secular 16 relationships. I am convinced that Christians, Muslims, Buddhists 17, Hindus, Jews, and others can embrace each other in a common effort to alleviate 18 human suffering and to espouse 19 peace.

But the present era is a challenging and disturbing time for those whose lives are shaped by religious faith based on kindness toward each other. We have been reminded that cruel and inhuman 20 acts can be derived 21 from distorted theological beliefs, as suicide bombers 22 take the lives of innocent human beings, draped falsely in the cloak of God's will. With horrible brutality 23, neighbors have massacred neighbors in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In order for us human beings to commit ourselves personally to the inhumanity of war, we find it necessary first to dehumanize our opponents, which is in itself a violation 24 of the beliefs of all religions. Once we characterize our adversaries 25 as beyond the scope of God's mercy and grace, their lives lose all value. We deny personal responsibility when we plant landmines 26 and, days or years later, a stranger to us - often a child – is crippled or killed. From a great distance, we launch bombs or missiles with almost total impunity 27, and never want to know the number or identity of the victims.

At the beginning of this new millennium 28 I was asked to discuss, here in Oslo, the greatest challenge that the world faces. Among all the possible choices, I decided 29 that the most serious and universal problem is the growing chasm 30 between the richest and poorest people on earth. Citizens of the ten wealthiest countries are now seventy-five times richer than those who live in the ten poorest ones, and the separation is increasing every year, not only between nations but also within them. The results of this disparity are root causes of most of the world's unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy 31, environmental degradation 32, violent conflict, and unnecessary illnesses that range from Guinea worm to HIV/AIDS.

Most work of The Carter Center is in remote villages in the poorest nations of Africa, and there I have witnessed the capacity of destitute 33 people to persevere 34 under heartbreaking conditions. I have come to admire their judgment 35 and wisdom, their courage and faith, and their awesome 36 accomplishments 37 when given a chance to use their innate 38 abilities.

But tragically 39, in the industrialized world there is a terrible absence of understanding or concern about those who are enduring lives of despair and hopelessness. We have not yet made the commitment to share with others an appreciable 40 part of our excessive wealth. This is a potentially rewarding burden that we should all be willing to assume.

Ladies and gentlemen:

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing 41 each other's children.

The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices. God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes - and we must.

Thank you.