时间:2018-12-04 作者:英语课 分类:名人演讲


英语课

Thank you very, very much, President Keohane. Mrs. Gorbachev, Trustees, faculty 1, parents, and I should say, Julia Porter, class president, and certainly my new best friend, Christine Bicknell -- and, of course, the Class of 1990. I am really thrilled to be here today, and very excited, as I know all of you must be, that Mrs. Gorbachev could join us.


These -- These are exciting times. They're exciting in Washington, and I have really looked forward to coming to Wellesley. I thought it was going to be fun. I never dreamt it would be this much fun. So, thank you for that.


More than ten years ago, when I was invited here to talk about our experiences in the People's Republic of China, I was struck by both the natural beauty of your campus and the spirit of this place.


Wellesley, you see, is not just a place but an idea -- an experiment in excellence 2 in which diversity is not just tolerated, but is embraced. The essence of this spirit was captured in a moving speech about tolerance 3 given last year by a student body president of one of your sister colleges. She related the story by Robert Fulghum about a young pastor 4, finding himself in charge of some very energetic children, hits upon the game called "Giants, Wizards, and Dwarfs 6." "You have to decide now," the pastor instructed the children, "which you are -- a giant, a wizard, or a dwarf 5?" At that, a small girl tugging 7 at his pants leg, asked, "But where do the mermaids 9 stand?" And the pastor tells her there are no mermaids. And she says, "Oh yes there are -- they are. I am a mermaid 8."


Now this little girl knew what she was, and she was not about to give up on either her identity, or the game. She intended to take her place wherever mermaids fit into the scheme of things. "Where do the mermaids stand? All of those who are different, those who do not fit the boxes and the pigeonholes 10?" "Answer that question," wrote Fulghum, "And you can build a school, a nation, or a whole world." As that very wise young woman said, "Diversity, like anything worth having, requires effort -- effort to learn about and respect difference, to be compassionate 11 with one another, to cherish our own identity, and to accept unconditionally 12 the same in others.


You should all be very proud that this is the Wellesley spirit. Now I know your first choice today was Alice Walker -- guess how I know! -- known for The Color Purple. Instead you got me -- known for the color of my hair. Alice Walker's book has a special resonance 13 here. At Wellesley, each class is known by a special color. For four years the Class of '90 has worn the color purple. Today you meet on Severance 14 Green to say goodbye to all of that, to begin a new and a very personal journey, to search for your own true colors.


In the world that awaits you, beyond the shores of Waban -- Lake Waban, no one can say what your true colors will be. But this I do know: You have a first class education from a first class school. And so you need not, probably cannot, live a "paint-by-numbers" life. Decisions are not irrevocable. Choices do come back. And as you set off from Wellesley, I hope that many of you will consider making three very special choices.


The first is to believe in something larger than yourself, to get involved in some of the big ideas of our time. I chose literacy because I honestly believe that if more people could read, write, and comprehend, we would be that much closer to solving so many of the problems that plague our nation and our society.


And early on I made another choice, which I hope you'll make as well. Whether you are talking about education, career, or service, you're talking about life -- and life really must have joy. It's supposed to be fun.


One of the reasons I made the most important decision of my life, to marry George Bush, is because he made me laugh. It's true, sometimes we've laughed through our tears, but that shared laughter has been one of our strongest bonds. Find the joy in life, because as Ferris Bueller said on his day off, "Life moves pretty fast; and ya don't stop and look around once in a while, ya gonna miss it."


(I'm not going to tell George ya clapped more for Ferris than ya clapped for George.)


The third choice that must not be missed is to cherish your human connections: your relationships with family and friends. For several years, you've had impressed upon you the importance to your career of dedication 15 and hard work. And, of course, that's true. But as important as your obligations as a doctor, a lawyer, a business leader will be, you are a human being first. And those human connections --- with spouses 17, with children, with friends -- are the most important investments you will ever make.


At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend, or a parent.


We are in a transitional period right now -- We are in a transitional period right now, fascinating and exhilarating times, learning to adjust to changes and the choices we, men and women, are facing. As an example, I remember what a friend said, on hearing her husband complain to his buddies 18 that he had to babysit. Quickly setting him straight, my friend told her husband that when it's your own kids, it's not called babysitting.


Now maybe we should adjust faster; maybe we should adjust slower. But whatever the era twenty -- whatever the era, whatever the times, one thing will never change: fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. You must read to your children, and you must hug your children, and you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house.


For over fifty years, it was said that the winner of Wellesley's annual hoop 19 race would be the first to get married. Now they say, the winner will be the first to become a C.E.O. Both -- Both of those stereotypes 20 show too little tolerance for those who want to know where the mermaids stand. So -- So I want to offer a new legend: the winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream -- not society's dreams  -- her own personal dream.


And who -- Who knows? Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the President's spouse 16 -- and I wish him well.


Well, the controversy 21 ends here. But our conversation is only beginning. And a worthwhile conversation it has been. So as you leave Wellesley today, take with you deep thanks for the courtesy and the honor you have shared with Mrs. Gorbachev and with me.


Thank you. God bless you. And may your future be worthy 22 of your dreams.



1 faculty
n.才能;学院,系;(学院或系的)全体教学人员
  • 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 excellence
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德
  • His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
  • My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。
3 tolerance
n.宽容;容忍,忍受;耐药力;公差
  • Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
  • Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。
4 pastor
n.牧师,牧人
  • He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
  • We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师:教会的事是由五位执事管理的。
5 dwarf
n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小
  • The dwarf's long arms were not proportional to his height.那侏儒的长臂与他的身高不成比例。
  • The dwarf shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. 矮子耸耸肩膀,摇摇头。
6 dwarfs
n.侏儒,矮子(dwarf的复数形式)vt.(使)显得矮小(dwarf的第三人称单数形式)
  • Shakespeare dwarfs other dramatists. 莎士比亚使其他剧作家相形见绌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The new building dwarfs all the other buildings in the town. 新大楼使城里所有其他建筑物都显得矮小了。 来自辞典例句
7 tugging
n.牵引感v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的现在分词 )
  • Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉,样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
  • She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他,一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句
8 mermaid
n.美人鱼
  • How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起,那个女孩会有多受欢迎!
  • The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴,因为她等不及了。
9 mermaids
n.(传说中的)美人鱼( mermaid的名词复数 )
  • The high stern castle was a riot or carved gods, demons, knights, kings, warriors, mermaids, cherubs. 其尾部高耸的船楼上雕满了神仙、妖魔鬼怪、骑士、国王、勇士、美人鱼、天使。 来自辞典例句
  • This is why mermaids should never come on land. 这就是为什么人鱼不应该上岸的原因。 来自电影对白
10 pigeonholes
n.鸽舍出入口( pigeonhole的名词复数 );小房间;文件架上的小间隔v.把…搁在分类架上( pigeonhole的第三人称单数 );把…留在记忆中;缓办;把…隔成小格
  • The tidy committee men regard them with horror,knowing that no pigeonholes can be found for them. 衣冠楚楚的委员们恐怖地看着他们,因为他们知道找不到一个稳妥的地方来安置他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • All of those who are different those who do not fit the boxes and the pigeonholes? 那些与众不同,不合适常规,不符合传统的人的位置又在哪里? 来自互联网
11 compassionate
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的
  • She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
  • The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。
12 unconditionally
adv.无条件地
  • All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
  • It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工,真糟糕! 来自子夜部分
13 resonance
n.洪亮;共鸣;共振
  • Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
  • The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。
14 severance
n.离职金;切断
  • Those laid off received their regular checks,plus vacation and severance pay.那些被裁的人都收到他们应得的薪金,再加上假期和解职的酬金。Kirchofer was terminated,effective immediately--without severance or warning.科奇弗被解雇了,立刻生效--而且没有辞退费或者警告。
15 dedication
n.奉献,献身,致力,题献,献辞
  • We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
  • Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。
16 spouse
n.配偶(指夫或妻)
  • Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
  • What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么?
17 spouses
n.配偶,夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )
  • Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
  • An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句
18 buddies
n.密友( buddy的名词复数 );同伴;弟兄;(用于称呼男子,常带怒气)家伙v.(如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般)交往( buddy的第三人称单数 );做朋友;亲近(…);伴护艾滋病人
  • We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句
  • The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句
19 hoop
n.(篮球)篮圈,篮
  • The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
  • The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。
20 stereotypes
n.老套,模式化的见解,有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化,使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )
  • Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
  • It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调,我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
21 controversy
n.争论,辩论,争吵
  • That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
  • We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。
22 worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
学英语单词
abortiva variola
allegan
amblyeleotris periophthalma
animal husbandry
application for drawback
autoselecting
basic atomic group
be a scorn to
bear-trap
beechy
bepraising
brans-dicke
break-even point
British Radio Communication
broglies
Brumado
Buendia, Embalse de
can-carrier
catch lever
cinoas
clathtate
clowning around
copper stripping electrolysis
Crotalus viridis
decking level
deconjugations
dennisonite (davisonite)
Derrick City
differentiabilities
diplococcus of Morax-Axenfeld
double-current method
El Bejuco
end-of-field marker
equity-warrants
finds oneself
flash of wit
force due of viscosity
gate current degradation
give tongue
glooming
half yearly account
hexaferrite
huskershredder
inertinites
inomyxoma fibromyxoma
Isonin
kerak
kolstad
lay of rope
Lena Trough
limit position of a link
lining method
mafes
malonyl thiourea
megalithic age
methidium
mixed sleep apnea
modem connection
mushroom cloud
notacaphylla chinensiae
occipitoiliac
older sisters
one bath two stage process
overpraises
pay honor to
pentamethazene
Phospatidylcholine
play close to the vest
premonitory pains
primary productivity
proxy attribute
psychic deafness
quarter wave length
queue type
reheating cycle
rim blight
Sabbathesque
sagueiro
sand shell moulding
sand stargazer
saracenis
sillenite
simultaneous prosperity
softball
spread oneself
Stellaria irrigua
stellasteropsis colubrinus
strategic communication
student experience
succinanilide
sunnyside up
take-up bearing
terminal wire
turbo fan
twin engined
unpathetic
vibration ramming
virtual disk system
wack
woodburners
zero power level
zero-water