迷妹们有没有关注最近的联合国《巴黎协定》高级别签署仪式呀?Wuli男神小李子继奥斯卡感言以后又发表演讲啦。
由175个国家共同签订的《巴黎协定》( Paris Agreement)提出了2020年后全球应对气候变化、实现绿色低碳发展的蓝图。小李子作为联合国和平大使,做压轴演讲。
他把严峻的现实摆在我们面前,对在座的国家领导提出要求,言辞犀利:
“今天我们可以互相庆贺,但如果你们回到各自的国家却不能将这一协议付诸实施,这一切就毫无意义。”
一席演讲激情澎湃,听得人热血沸腾,男神心怀天下的样子怎么辣么帅!现在就来看看小李子的演讲吧,只有六分钟。
小李子纯正美音、发音清晰、语速适中,适合听力练习,按照下面的方法训练一下吧:
1. 视频无字幕,先听一遍看看能懂多少。
2. 对照下面的文字版,重新听一遍。这篇演讲稿写得非常好,细读一下,绝对获益匪浅。
3. 最后,不看文字,再听一遍,你是否已能听懂每一个单词?
Thank you, Mr. Secretary General, for the honor to address this body once more. And thanks to the distinguished climate leaders assembled here today who are ready to take action.
谢谢秘书长先生再次给我机会让我站在这里发言,谢谢各位卓越的气候领导人今天在联合国大会汇聚一堂准备开始采取行动。
body:团体;组织
President Abraham Lincoln was also thinking of bold action 150 years ago when he said: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present…As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
150年前,亚伯拉罕·林肯总统也曾考虑过采取大胆的行动,他说:“那些属于宁静往日的教条已不足以应付风雨飘摇的现在,由于我们面临新的问题,我们要有新的思维、新的行动,我们必须打破自身的枷锁,才能拯救我们的国家。”
dogma ['dɒgmə] :教条,教理
disenthrall [,disin'θrɔ:l]:释放;解放
He was speaking before the U.S. Congress to confront the defining issue of his time – slavery. Everyone knew it had to end, but no one had the political will to stop it. Remarkably, his words ring as true today when applied to the defining crisis of our time – climate change.
当时林肯总统在美国国会发表了这席演讲,正视他的时代所面临的关键问题——奴隶制。所有人都知道奴隶制要终结,但是没有人有政治意愿去解决这个问题。今天他的话听来仍然振聋发聩。我们可以用他的话来描述当今时代的关键挑战——气候变化。
As a UN Messenger of Peace, I have traveled all over the world for the last two years, documenting how this crisis is changing the natural balance of our planet. I’ve seen cities like Beijing choked by industrial pollution, ancient Boreal forests in Canada that have been clear-cut, and rainforests in Indonesia that have been incinerated.
作为联合国的和平使者,我在过去两年中走访了世界各地,记录气候变化给地球的自然平衡带来了怎样的改变。我曾经目睹过像北京那样因工业污染而窒息的城市,加拿大古老的寒温带森林被夷为平地,印度尼西亚的热带雨林被焚烧殆尽。
incinerate [in'sinəreit]: 焚烧
In India, I met farmers whose crops have literally been washed away by historic flooding. In America, I have witnessed unprecedented droughts in California and sea level rise flooding the streets of Miami. In Greenland and in the Arctic, I was astonished to see that ancient glaciers are rapidly disappearing well ahead of scientific predictions. All that I have seen and learned on my journey has absolutely terrified me.
在印度,我遇到一些农民,他们的庄稼被百年一遇的洪水冲走;在美国,我经历了加州空前的干旱,并目睹了迈阿密海平面上升淹没了街道;在格林兰和北极,我惊讶地看到古老的冰川迅速消失,其速度远超过科学家的预测。旅途中的所见所闻,让我深感恐惧。
There is no doubt in the world’s scientific community that this is a direct result of human activity and the effects of climate change will become astronomically worse in the future.
我想科学界已经明确证明这是人类行为所带来的直接后果。今后,气候变化的影响还将更具灾难性。
astronomically [,æstrə'nɔmikli] :天文数字地;巨大地
I do not need to tell you these statistics. You know them better than I do, but more importantly, you know what will happen if this scourge is left unchecked. You know that climate change is happening faster than even the most pessimistic of scientists warned us decades ago. It’s become a runaway freight train bringing with it an impending disaster for all living things.
你们不需要我来援引数据,你们知道的比我清楚,更重要的是,你们知道如果不加以制止,气候变化的灾难会造成怎样的后果。气候变化的速度比最悲观的科学家几十年前所警告的还快,对此你们心知肚明,它已经成为一列可给所有生命带来灾难的失控货车。
scourge [skɜ:dʒ] :灾祸,苦难的根源
freight [freit] :货运列车;货轮
Now, think about the shame that each of us will carry when our children and grandchildren look back and realize that we had the means of stopping this devastation, but simply lacked the political will to do so.
现在再来想想,当我们的子孙回首往事,发现我们拥有遏制这一灾难的手段,但却由于缺乏政治意愿而无所作为,那时候我们每个人会是多么羞愧难当。
devastation[,devə'steiʃn] :毁坏,破坏
Yes, we have achieved the Paris Agreement. More countries have come together here to sign this Agreement today than for any other cause in the history of humankind – and that is a reason for hope – but unfortunately, the evidence shows us that it will not be enough. Our planet cannot be saved unless we leave fossil fuels in the ground where they belong.
的确,我们通过了《巴黎协定》,汇集于此签署这项协议的参与国的数量,远超过人类历史上其他伟业,这是我们心存希望的原因之一。然而,不幸的是,证据表明,这还远远不够。除非我们把化石燃料留在它们本应沉睡的地方——地下,我们的地球才能够得救。
cause:事业;目标
fossil ['fɔsəl]:化石
An upheaval and massive change is required right now – one that leads to a new collective consciousness, a new collective evolution of the human race, inspired and enabled by a sense of urgency from all of you.
现在我们需要作出彻底而重大的改变,这一改变将带来新的集体意识,将带来人类新的集体进化,正是你们所有人的紧迫感激发并促使了这一改变的形成。
upheaval [ʌp'hi:v(ə)l]: 剧变
collective :集体的
We all know that reversing the course of climate change will not be easy, but the tools are in our hands, if we apply them before it is too late.
我们都知道,扭转气候变化并非易事,但是如果我们想在为时已晚之前采取行动的话,工具就在我们手中。
Renewable energy, fossil fuels and putting a price on carbon pollution are beginning to turn the tide. This transition is not only the right thing for our world, but it also makes clear economic sense, and is possible within our lifetime.
可再生能源、化石燃料和给碳排放定价是扭转这一趋势的开始。这一转变不仅有利于我们的世界,而且也更符合经济规律,并有可能在我们有生之年得以实现。
But it is now upon you to do what great leaders have always done: to lead, to inspire and empower as President Lincoln did in his time.
现在,世界需要你们做出伟大的领导人所做的事情——去引领、去激励、去赋权,就像林肯总统当年那样。
We can congratulate each other today, but it will mean absolutely nothing if you return to your countries and fail to push beyond the promises of this historic agreement. Now is the time for bold, unprecedented action.
今天我们可以互相庆贺,但如果你们回到各自的国家却不能将这一历史性的协议付诸实施,这一切就毫无意义。现在是时候采取前所未有的、强有力的行动了。
My friends, look at the delegates around you. It is time to ask each other – which side of history will you be on?
我的朋友,看看周围的代表们,是时候问问彼此:你今后将站在历史的哪一边?
As a citizen of our planet who has witnessed so much on this journey, I thank you all for everything you have done to lay the foundation of a solution to this crisis, but after 21 years of debates and conferences, it is time to declare; no more talk, no more excuses, no more 10-year studies, no more allowing the fossil fuel companies to manipulate and dictate the science and policies that affect our future. This is the only body that can do what is needed.
作为一个在此过程中目睹良多的地球公民,我感谢在座的各位努力为解决气候变化危机而奠定的措施基础。然而,在经过21年的辩论和会议之后,是时候宣布决策。不要再空谈了,不要再寻找借口,不要再搞十年调研,也不再允许化石燃料公司操纵和主导影响我们未来的科学和政策。你们就是唯一能够采取所需行动的机构。
manipulate [mə'nipjʊleit]: 操纵
dictate [dik'teit]: 指示
All of you sitting in this very hall, the world is now watching. You’ll either be lauded by future generations, or vilified by them.
坐在这个大会堂里的每个人,整个世界都在注目着你们。你们要么流芳百世,要么成为千古罪人。
laud [lɔ:d] :赞美
vilify ['vilifai]:中伤,贬低
Lincoln’s words still resonate to all of us here today: “We will be remembered in spite of ourselves…The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the last generation…We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of Earth.”
林肯的话今天依然回荡在我们耳边:“我们将会不以自身意志为转移地被历史所记载,我们经历的烈火般的考验将照亮我们的荣耀或耻辱,直至我们最后一代子孙。我们要么高尚地挽救,要么卑鄙地丧失这地球上最后的、最美好的希望。”
fiery ['faiəri]:炽热的;火一般的
That is our charge now – you are the last, best hope of Earth. We ask you to protect it, or we and all living things we cherish are history.
现在这是我们的责任了。你们是地球最后的、最美好的希望,我们请求你们保护它,否则,我们及我们所珍惜的一切,都将成为历史。
Thank you very much.
谢谢诸位。
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本文转载自中国日报网双语新闻,美国留学早知道诚意推荐