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Going to Yale University去耶鲁大学 |
004
今天第一次来耶鲁，这个我已经向往了很久的地方，内心充满了期待和紧张。还是先把路线弄清楚再说吧。
01 Do you know how to go to Yale University?
你知道耶鲁大学怎么走吗？
02 Today is the day of the freshmen in Yale University.
今天是耶鲁大学新生入学的日子。
03 Yale University entrance ceremony will begin soon.
耶鲁大学的入学典礼马上就要开始了。
04 Glad you chose Yale University.
很高兴你们选择了耶鲁大学。
05 What is the motto of Yale University?
耶鲁大学的校训是什么？
06 Is Yale University the Ivy League school?
耶鲁大学是常青藤盟校吗？
07 After hard study I finally fulfill a wish to ente Yale University
经过了刻苦的努力学习，我终于如愿进入了耶鲁大学。
Which Subway Line Should I Take?
Jasmine : Excuse me, I’m new here. And I’d like to go to Yale University. How can I get there?
Stranger : Take the subway first, and then transfer to the train.
Jasmine : Which subway line should I take?
Stranger : Any line that stops at the Grand Central Terminal. I think you can take C line from here.
我该搭哪一线地铁？
茉莉： 对不起打扰一下，我是新来这里的。我想去耶鲁大学，要怎样才能到达那里呢？
陌生人： 先搭地铁，然后转火车。
茉莉： 我该搭哪一线地铁？
陌生人： 任何会停靠大中央车站的线都可以，我想，从这里你可以搭C线车。
★ transfer v. & n. 换乘；迁（移）；调动，转学；转让
★ terminal n. 终点（站）；终端；接线端
Everyone Can Be a President
by George W. Bush
President Levin, thank you very much. Dean Brodhead, fellow s of the Yale Corporation, fellow Yale parents, families, and graduates: It’s a special privilege to receive this honorary degree. I was proud 33 years ago to receive my first Yale degree. I’m even prouder that in your eyes I’ve earned this one.
I congratulate my fellow honoree s. I’m pleased to share this honor with such a distinguished group. I’m particularly pleased to be here with my friend, the former of Mexico. Senor Presidente, usted es un verdadero lider, yun gran amigo. (Applause. )
I congratulate all the parents who are here. It’s a glorious day when your child graduates from college. It’s a great day for you; it’s a great day for your wallet. (Laughter. )
Most important, congratulations to the class of 2001(Applause. ) To those of you who received honors, awards and distinction s, I say, well done. And to the C students—(applause)—I say, you, too, can be President of the United States. (Laughter and applause.) A Yale degree is worth a lot, as I often remind Dick Cheney—(laughter)—who studied here, but left a little early. So now we know—if you graduate from Yale, you become President. If you drop out, you get to be Vice President. (Laughter. )
I appreciate so very much the chance to say a few words on this occasion. I know Yale has a tradition of having no commencement speaker. I also know that you’ve carve d out a single exception . Most people think that to speak at Yale’s commencement, you have to be President. But over the years, the specification s have become far more demanding. Now you have to be a Yale graduate, you have to be President, and you have had to have lost the Yale vote to Ralph Nader. ( Applause. )
This is my first time back here in quite a while. I’m sure that each of you will make your own journey back at least a few times in your life. If you’re like me, you won’t remember everything you did here. (Laughter. ) That can be a good thing. (Laughter. ) But there will be some people, and some moments, you will never forget.
Take, for example, my old classmate, Dick Brodhead, the accomplished dean of this great university. (Applause. ) I remember him as a young scholar, a bright lad —(laughter)—a hard worker. We both put a lot of time in at the Sterling Library, in the reading room, where they have those big leather couche s. (Laughter. ) We had a mutual understanding—Dick wouldn’t read aloud, and I wouldn’t snore. (Laughter. )
Our course selections were different, as we followed our own path to academic discovery. Dick was an English major, and loved the classics. I loved history, and pursue d a diversifie course of study. I like to think of it as the academic road less traveled. (Laughter. )
For example, I took a class that studied Japanese Haiku . Haiku, for the uninitiated , is a 15th century form of poetry, each poem having 17 syllable s. Haiku is fully understood only by the Zen masters. As I recall, one of my academic advisers was worried about my selection of such a specialized course. He said I should focus on English. (Laughter. ) I still hear that quite often. ( Laughter. ) But my critics don’t realize I don’t make verbal gaffe s. I’m speaking in the perfect forms and rhythm s of ancient Haiku. (Applause. )
(... )
That’s how I’ve come to feel about the Yale experience—grateful. I studied hard, I played hard, and I made a lot of lifelong friends. What stays with you from college is the part of your education you hardly ever notice at the time. It’s the expectations and examples around you, the ideals you believe in, and the friends you make.
In my time, they spoke of the “Yale man”. I was really never sure what that was. But I do think that I’m a better man because of Yale. All universities, at their best, teach that degrees and honors are far from the full measure of life. Nor is that measure taken in wealth or in titles. What matters most are the standards you live by, the consideration you show others, and the way you use the gifts you are given.
Now you leave Yale behind, carrying the written proof of your success here, at a college older than America. When I left here, I didn’t have much in the way of a life plan. I knew some people who thought they did. But it turned out that we were all in for ups and downs, most of them unexpected. Life takes its own turns, makes its own demands, writes its own story. And along the way, we start to realize we are not the author.
We begin to understand that life is ours to live, but not to waste, and that the greatest rewards are found in the commitment s we make with our whole hearts—to the people we love and to the causes that earn our sacrifice. I hope that each of you will know these rewards. I hope you will find them in your own way and your own time.
For some, that might mean some time in public service. And if you hear that calling, I hope you answer. Each of you has unique gifts and you were given them for a reason. Use them and share them. Public service is one way—an honorable way—to mark your life with meaning.
Today I visit not only my alma mater , but the city of my birth. My life began just a few block s from here, but I was raised in West Texas. From there, Yale always seemed a world away, maybe a part of my future. Now it’s part of my past, and Yale for me is a source of great pride.
I hope that there will come a time for you to return to Yale to say that, and feel as I do today. And I hope you won’t wait as long. Congratulations and God bless. (Applause. )
★ fellow [‘feləu] n. 家伙；朋友；同事；会员 adj. 同伴的，同事的；同道的 vt. 使……与另一个对等
★ privilege [‘privilidʒ] n. 特权；优待；基本权利 vt. 给予……特权；特免
★ honorary [‘ɔnərəri] adj. 荣誉的；名誉的；道义上的 n. 名誉学位；获名誉学位者；名誉团体
★ honoree [,ɔnə’ri:] n. 主宾；领奖人
★ distinguishe [dis’tiŋɡwiʃt] adj. 著名的；卓著的；高贵的
★ distincti [dis’tiŋkʃən] n. 区别；差别；特性；荣誉、勋章
★ commencement [kə’mensmənt] n. 开始，发端；毕业典礼
★ carve [kɑ:v] vt. 雕刻；切开；开创 vi. 切开；做雕刻工作
★ exceptio [ik’sepʃən] n. 例外；异议
★ specificati [,spesifi’keiʃən] n. 规格；说明书；详述
★ accomplished [ə’kʌmpliʃt] adj. 完成的；熟练的，有技巧的；有修养的；有学问的
★ lad [læd] n. 少年，小伙子；家伙
★ couche [‘ku:ʃei] n. 尿布 adj. （法）微微前倾的；不是竖立着的
★ pursue [pə’sju:, -’su:] vt. 继续；从事；追赶；纠缠 vi. 追赶；继续进行
★ diversifie [dai’və:sifaid, di-] adj. 多样化的；各种的v.★使……多样化（diversify的过去分词）
★ Haiku [‘haiku:] n. 俳句；三行俳句诗
★ uninitiate [,ʌni’niʃieitid] adj. 不知情的；缺少经验的
★ syllable [‘siləbl] n. 音节 vt. 划分音节 vi. 按音节发音；讲话
★ Zen [zen] n. 禅；禅宗；禅宗信徒（等于Zen★Buddhism）
★ verbal [‘və:bəl] adj. 口头的；言语的；动词的；照字面的 n. 动词的非谓语形式
★ gaff [ɡæf] n. 失态；过失
★ rhythm [‘riðəm, ‘riθəm] n. 节奏；韵律
★ Oratory [‘ɔrətəri, ‘ɔ:rətɔ:ri] n. 雄辩；演讲术
★ due [dju:, du:] adj. 到期的；预期的；应付的；应得的 n. 应付款；应得之物
★ profil [‘prəufail] n. 侧面；轮廓；外形；剖面
★ casting [‘kɑ:stiŋ] n. 铸造；铸件；投掷；角色分配 v. 铸造；投掷；投向；选派演员；扔掉（cast的ing形式）
★ parade [pə’reid] n. 游行；阅兵；炫耀；行进；阅兵场 vt. 游行；炫耀；列队行进 vi. 游行；炫耀；列队行进
★ dedicatio [,dedi’keiʃən] n. 奉献；献身
★ commitment [kə’mitmənt] n. 承诺，保证；委托；承担义务；献身
★ unique [ju:’ni:k] adj. 独特的，稀罕的；[数]唯一的，独一无二的 n. 独一无二的人或物
★ alma mater 母校；校歌
★ block [blɔk] n. 块；街区；大厦；障碍物 vt. 阻止；阻塞；限制 adj. 成批的，大块的；交通堵塞的
人人都可能当总统——布什在耶鲁大学的演讲
我很荣幸能在这个场合发表演讲。我很骄傲在33年前领取到第一个耶鲁大学的学位。此次，我又荣获耶鲁荣誉学位感到光荣。
今天是诸位学友毕业的日子，我很高兴与毕业生们分享这一光荣的时刻，尤其是与前墨西哥总统先生。
在这里我也要恭喜家长们：恭喜你们的子女修完学业顺利毕业，这是你们辛勤栽培后享受收获的日子，也是你们钱包解放的大好日子！
最重要的是，我要恭喜耶鲁毕业生们：对于那些表现杰出的同学，我要说，你真棒！对于那些丙等生，我要说，你们将来也可以当美国总统！
耶鲁学位价值不菲。我时常这么提醒切尼（现任美国副总统），他在早年也短暂就读于此.所以，我想提醒正就读于耶鲁的莘莘学子，如果你们从耶鲁顺利毕业，你们也许可以当上总统；如果你们中途辍学，那么你们只能当副总统了。
我知道，耶鲁向来不邀请毕业典礼演讲人，但近几年来却有例外。虽然破了例，但条件却更加严格――演讲人必须同时具备两种身份：耶鲁校友、美国总统。
这是我毕业以来第一次回到这里。我确信你们每个人一生中会回这儿几次。如果你像我一样，就不会记得你在这做过的事了。这是件好事。不过，一些人，一些事至今让我念念不忘。
举例来说，我记得我的老同学狄克 · 布洛德翰，如今他是伟大学校的杰出校长，他读书时的聪明与刻苦至今让我记忆犹新。那时，我们经常泡在校图书馆那个有着大皮沙发的阅读室里。我们有个默契：他不大声朗读课文，我睡觉不打呼噜。
后来，随着学术探索的领域不同，我们选修的课程也各不相同，狄克主修英语，我主修历史。
有趣的是，我选修过15世纪的日本俳句——每首诗只有17个音节，我想其意义只有禅学大师才能明了。我记得一位学科顾问对我选修如此专精的课程表示担忧，他说我应该选修英语。现在，我仍然时常听到这类建议。我在其他场合演讲时，在语言表达上曾被人误解过，我的批评者不明白：我不是说错了字，我是在复诵古代俳句的完美格式与声韵呢。
……我很感激耶鲁大学给我们提供了这么好的读书环境。读书期间，我坚持“用功读书，努力玩乐”的思想，虽然不是很出色地完成了学业，但结交了许多让我终生受益的朋友。也许有的同学会认为，大学只是人生受教育的重要部分，殊不知，“大学生活”这四个字的内涵十分深厚，它既包含丰富的学科知识和学术氛围，也蕴涵着许多支撑人生成败的观念，还有那丰富多彩的生活以及读多值得结交的朋友 ......
大家常说，“耶鲁人”，我从不确定那是什么意思。但是我想，这一定是含着无限肯定与景仰的褒义词。是的，因为耶鲁，因为有了在耶鲁深造的经历，你、我、他变成了一个个更加优秀的人！所有大学都尽力教导我们，学位和毕业证并不是生活的全部。生活也不是以财富或头衔来评价的。最重要的是你所坚持的标准，你对他人的关心及你如何使用你的天赋。
你们离开耶鲁后，我希望你们牢记“我的知识源自耶鲁”，并以你们自己的方式、自己的时间、自己的奋斗来体现对母校的热爱，听从时代的召唤，用信心与行动予以积极响应。
你们每个人都有独特的天赋，你们拥有的这些天赋就是你们参与竞争、实现人生价值的资本，好好利用它们，与人分享它们，将它们转化为推进时代前进的动力吧！人生是要让我们去生活、而不是用来浪费的，只要肯争上游，人人都可当总统！
这次我不仅回到母校，也是回到我的出生地，我就是在几条街之外出生的。在那时，耶鲁与无知的我仿佛要隔了一个世界之遥，而现在，她是我过去的一部分。对我而言，耶鲁是我知识的源泉，力量的源泉，令我极度骄傲的源泉。
我希望，将来你们以另外一种身份回到耶鲁时，能有与我一样的感受并说出相同的话。我希望你们不要等太久，我也坚信耶鲁邀请你回校演讲的日子也不会等太久。