名人励志英语演讲 第59期:我有一个梦想(2)
时间:2018-12-30 作者:英语课 分类:名人励志英语演讲
英语课
One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished 1 in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful 2 condition.
100年后,黑人依然在美国社会中间向隅而泣,依然感到自己在国土家园中流离漂泊。所以,我们今天来到这里,要把这骇人听闻的情况公诸于众。
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
从某种意义上说,我们今天来到国家的首都是为了兑现一张支票。我们共和国的缔造者在拟写《宪法》和《独立宣言》的辉煌篇章时,就签署了一张每一个美国人都能继承的期票。这张期票向所有人承诺,是的,白人和黑人都包括在内的所有人,都享有不可剥夺的生存权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient 3 funds."
然而今天,美国显然没有向她的有色公民兑现这张期票。美国非但没有履行这一神圣的诺言,还给黑人一张空头支票——一张盖着“资金不足”的印戳而被退回的支票。
长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 ); 受折磨; 变得(越来越)衰弱; 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐
- Our project languished during the holidays. 我们的计划在假期间推动得松懈了。
- He languished after his dog died. 他狗死之后,人憔悴了。
adj.可耻的,不道德的
- It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己,真不害臊。
- We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的
- There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
- In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代,科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。