英语学习-马丁路德金的演讲原文及解析

英语学习-马丁路德金的演讲原文及解析TheAmericanDreamAmericais

essentially

adream,adreamasyetunfulfilled.Itisadreamofalandwheremenofallraces,ofallnationalitiesandofall

creedscanlivetogetherasbrothers.Thesubstanceofthedreamisexpressedinthese

sublime

words,wordsliftedto

cosmic

proportions:“Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal;thattheyare

endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertain

unalienable

rights;thatamongthesearelife,liberty,andthe

pursuit

ofhappiness.”Thisisthedream.Oneofthefirstthingswenoticeinthisdreamisanamazing

universalism.Itdoesnotsaysomemen,butitsaysallmen.Itdoesnotsayallwhitemen,butitsaysallmen,whichincludesblackmen.Itdoesnotsayall

Gentiles,butitsaysallmen,whichincludesJews.Itdoesnotsayall

Protestants,butitsaysallmen,whichincludes

Catholics.Andthereisanotherthingweseeinthisdreamthat

ultimately

distinguishes

democracy

andourformofgovernmentfromallofthe

totalitarianregimes

that

emerge

inhistory.Itsaysthateachindividualhascertainbasicrightsthatareneitherconferredbynor

derivedfromthestate.Todiscoverwheretheycamefromitisnecessarytomovebackbehindthedimmistofeternity,fortheyareGod-given.Veryseldomifeverinthehistoryoftheworldhasa

sociopolitical

documentexpressedinsuchprofoundly

eloquent

and

unequivocal

languagethedignityandtheworthofhumanpersonality.TheAmericandreamremindsusthateverymanisheirtothe

legacy

ofworthiness.EversincetheFoundingFatherofournationdreamedthisnobledream,Americahasbeensomethingofa

schizophrenic

personality,tragicallydividedagainstherself.Ontheonehandwehaveproudlyprofessedtheprinciplesofdemocracyandonthehandwehavesadlypracticedthevery

antithesis

ofthoseprinciples.Indeedslaveryand

segregation

havebeenstrangeparadoxesinanationfoundedontheprinciplethatallmenarecreatedequal.ThisiswhattheSwedish

sociologist,GunnerMyrdal,referredtoastheAmerican

dilemma.Buttheshapeoftheworldtodaydoesnotpermitustheluxuryofan

anemic

democracy.ThepriceAmericamustpayforthecontinued

exploitation

ofthe

Negro

andotherminoritygroupsisthepriceofitsowndestruction.Thehourislate;theclockofdestinyistickingout.Itis

trite,

buturgentlytrue,thatifAmericaistoremainafirst-classnationshecannolongerhavesecond-classcitizens.Now,morethaneverbefore,Americaischallengedtobringhernobledreamintoreality,andthosewhoareworkingto

implement

theAmericandreamarethetruesaviorsofdemocracy.NowmayIsuggestsomeofthethingswemustdoifwearetomaketheAmericandreamareality.FirstIthinkallofusmustdevelopaworld

perspective

ifwearetosurvive.TheAmericandreamwillnotbecomeareality

devoid

thelargerdreamofworldofbrotherhoodandpeaceandgoodwill.Theworldinwhichweliveisaworldofgeographical

oneness

andwearechallengednotomakeitspirituallyone.Man’sspecificgeniusandtechnological

ingenuity

hasdwarfeddistanceandplacedtimeinchains.Jetplaneshavecompressedintominutesdistancesthatoncetookdaysandmonthstocover.Itisnotcommonfora

preacher

tobequotingBobHope,butIthinkhehas

aptly

describedthisjetageinwhichwelive.If,ontakingoffonanonstopflightfromLosAngelestoNewYorkCity,youdevelophiccups,hesaid,youwillhicinLosAngelesandcupinNewYorkCity.Thatisreallymoving.IfyoutakeaflightfromTokyo,Japan,onSundaymorning,youwillarriveinSeattle,Washington,onthe

preceding

Saturdaynight.WhenyourfriendsmeetyouattheairportandaskyouwhenyoulifeTokyo,youwillhavetosay,“Ilefttomorrow.”Thisisthekindofworldinwhichwelive.NowthisisabithumorousbutIamtryingtolaughabasicfactintoallofus:theworldinwhichwelivehasbecomeasingleneighborhood.Throughourscientificgeniuswehavemadeofthisworldaneighborhood;nowthroughourmoralandspiritualdevelopmentwemustmakeofitabrotherhood.Inarealsense,wemustalllearntolivetogetherasbrothers,orwewillallperishtogetherasfools.Wemustcometoseethatnoindividualcanlivealone;nonationcanlivealone.Wemustalllivetogether;andwemustallbeconcernedabouteachother.Vocabulary-

essentially:relatingtothemostimportantcharacteristicsorideasofsomething.本质的-

creed:asetofbeliefswhichexpressesaparticularopinionandinfluencesthewayyoulive.信条。-

sublime

:extremelygood,beautifulorenjoyable.崇高的，卓越的，妙美绝伦的。-

cosmic

:relatingtotheuniverseandthenaturalprocessesthathappeninit.宇宙的-

proportion:

thenumberoramountofagrouporpartofsomethingwhencomparedtothewhole.比例。比率。-

endow:

togivealargeamountofmoneytopayforcreatingacollegeorhospital,etc.ortoprovideanincomeforit.捐赠，赋予。-

unalienable=inalienable:

unabletoberemoved.不能让与的，不能剥夺的。-

pursuit:

whenyoutrytoachieveaplan,activityorsituation,usuallyoveralongperiodoftime.-

Universal:existingeverywhereorinvolvingeveryone.普遍性的。-

Gentile:apersonwhoisnotJewish非犹太人（的）。-

Protestant：AmemberofthepartsoftheChristianChurchwhichseparatedformtheRomanCatholicChurchduringthe16th

century.新教徒。-

Catholic：天主教的-

Ultimately:Finally,afteraseriesofthingshavehappened.最终的。-

Democracy:thebeliefinfreedomandequalitybetweenpeople,orasystemofgovernmentbasedonthisbelief,inwhichpowerisheldbyelectedrepresentativesordirectlybythepeoplethemselves.民主政体。-

Totalitarian:oforbeingapoliticalsysteminwhichthoseinpowerhavecompletecontrolanddonotallowpeoplefreelytoopposethem.极权主义的，极权主义者。-

Regime:aparticulargovernmentorsystemormethodofgovernment.政权，政治制度。-

Emerge:Toappearbycomingoutofsomethingoroutfrombehindsomething.显露。-

Derive:togetorobtainsomethingfromsomethingelse.来自。源于。-

Sociopolitical:社会政治的，同时涉及社会和政治的。-

Eloquent:

Givingaclear,strongmessage.有口才的。雄辩的。-

Unequivocal:Total,orexpressedinaclearandcertainway.明确的，不含糊的。-

Legacy:moneyorpropertythatyoureceivefromsomeoneaftertheydie.Somethingthatispartofyourhistoryorwhichstaysformanearliertime.遗产，遗物。-

Schizophrenia:someonewhosuffersformschizophrenia.精神分裂症的。-

Antithesis:Theexactopposite对立面。-

Segregate:Tokeeponegroupofpeopleapartfromanotherandtreatthemdifferently,especiallybecauseofraceorsex.种族隔离。-

Sociologist:someonewhostudiesorisanexpertinsociology.社会学家。-

Dilemma:asituationinwhichadifficultchoicehastobemadebetweentwodifferentthingsyoucoulddo.进退两难的局面。-

Anemic:sufferingfromanemia贫血症的。-

Exploitation:whensomeoneusessomeoneelseunfairlyfortheirownadvantage.剥削。-

Negro：ablackperson.黑人-

Trite:expressedtoofrequentlytobeinterestingorseemsincere.陈腐的。-

Implement:toputaplanorsystemintooperation.执行，贯彻。-

Perspective:aparticularwayofconsideringsomething.观点，远景。-

Devoid:tolackorbewithoutsomethingthatisnecessaryorusual.缺乏的。-

Oneness:单一，唯一，统一。-

Ingenuity:someone’sabilitytothinkofclevernewwaysofdoingsomething.机灵，足智多谋。-

Preacher:aperson,usuallyapriest,whogivesareligiousspeech.传教士。-

Aptly:advofapt.tobelikelytodosomethingortooftendosomething.适当地，适宜地。-

Preceding:existingorhappeningbeforesomeoneorsomething.先前的。Questions.A.Whichstatementinking’sspeechholdsthemostmeaningfortoday’ssociety?Explain.B．Discuss：Inasmallgroup,shareyourresponses.Asagroup,chooseoneresponsetosharewiththeclass.Nonationcanlivealone.Wemustalllivetogether;andwemustallbeconcernedabouteachother.Thisstatementholdsthemostmeaningfortoday’ssocietybecausetodayweallworktogetherinordertoaccomplishtasksandgoonwithourdiscoveryandliving.A.FromwhathistoricdocumentdoesDr.Kingquotetoexpress‘theAmerican’sdream’?B.Whydoeshechoosethoseparticularlines?Thequotewasfrom‘Declarationofindependence’,hequotedthoselinesbecausetheyshowedallmenareequal,whichbestsupportsDr.King’sargument.WhatdifferencesdoeskingfindinAmericansocietybetweenthewaythingsarethewaytheyshouldbe?Whataffectdothesedifferencesaffectpeople’slives?Allmenshouldbeequal,thesystemshouldbedemocratic,butinstead,Americawastotalitarian,withracismandsegregationsgoingon.Ifthiskeepsongoing,Americawillnotachieveitsdreamandwillnotsurvivelongasawholenation.WhatstepsdoesDr.KingthinksAmericansmusttaketomaketheAmericandreamareality?Doyouagree?Explain.Dr.KingthinksAmericansmustworktogether,livetogetherandcareabouteachother,treateveryonefairly.Iagree,onlyinthatway,Americawillholdtogeth