雅思閱讀材料：奧巴馬給女兒的信

　　Dear Malia andSasha,

　　I know that youve both had a lot of fun these last two years onthe campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs,eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldnt have let you have. But I also know that it hasnt always been easyfor you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that newpuppy, it doesnt make up for all the time weve been apart. I knowhow much Ive missed these past two years, and today I want to tellyou a little more about why I decided to take our family on thisjourney。

　　親愛(ài)的馬莉亞和莎夏：

　　我知道這兩年你們倆隨我一路競(jìng)選都有過(guò)不少樂(lè)子，野餐、游行、逛州博覽會(huì)，吃了各種或許我和你媽不該讓你們吃的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你們倆和你媽的日子，有時(shí)候并不愜意。新來(lái)的小狗雖然令你們興奮，卻無(wú)法彌補(bǔ)我們不在一起的所有時(shí)光。我明白這兩年我錯(cuò)過(guò)的太多了，今天我要再向你們說(shuō)說(shuō)為何我決定帶領(lǐng)我們一家走上這趟旅程。

　　When I was a young man, I thought life was all about meabout howId make my way in the world, become successful, and get the thingsI want. But then the two of you came into my world with all yourcuriosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill myheart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans formyself didnt seem so important anymore. I soon found that thegreatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realizedthat my own life wouldnt count for much unless I was able toensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillmentin yours. In the end, girls, thats why I ran for President:because of what I want for you and for every child in thisnation。

　　當(dāng)我還年輕的時(shí)候，我認(rèn)為生活就該繞著我轉(zhuǎn)：我如何在這世上得心應(yīng)手，成功立業(yè)，得到我想要的。后來(lái)，你們倆進(jìn)入了我的世界，帶來(lái)的種種好奇、淘氣和微笑，總能填滿我的心，照亮我的日子。突然之間，我為自己譜寫(xiě)的偉大計(jì)劃顯得不再那么重要了。我很快便發(fā)現(xiàn)，我在你們生命中看到的快樂(lè)，就是我自己生命中最大的快樂(lè)。而我也同時(shí)體認(rèn)到，如果我不能確保你們此生能夠擁有追求幸福和自我實(shí)現(xiàn)的一切機(jī)會(huì)，我自己的生命也沒(méi)多大價(jià)值?？偠灾?，我的女兒，這就是我競(jìng)選總統(tǒng)的原因：我要讓你們倆和這個(gè)國(guó)家的每一個(gè)孩子，都能擁有我想要給他們的東西。

　　I want all our children to go to schools worthy of theirpotentialschools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill inthem a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them tohave the chance to go to collegeeven if their parents arent rich.And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give thembenefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with theirown kids and retire with dignity。

　　我要讓所有兒童都在能夠發(fā)掘他們潛能的學(xué)校就讀;這些學(xué)校要能挑戰(zhàn)他們，激勵(lì)他們，并灌輸他們對(duì)身處的這個(gè)世界的好奇心。我要他們有機(jī)會(huì)上大學(xué)，那怕他們的父母并不富有。而且我要他們能找到好的工作：薪酬高還附帶健康保險(xiǎn)的工作，讓他們有時(shí)間陪孩子、并且能帶著尊嚴(yán)退休的工作。

　　I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that youll liveto see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives andmake our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our ownhuman boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region,gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in eachother。

　　我要大家向發(fā)現(xiàn)的極限挑戰(zhàn)，讓你在有生之年能夠看見(jiàn)改善我們生活、使這個(gè)行星更干凈、更安全的新科技和發(fā)明。我也要大家向自己的人際界限挑戰(zhàn)，跨越使我們看不到對(duì)方長(zhǎng)處的種族、地域、性別和宗教樊籬。

　　Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war andother dangerous situations to protect our countrybut when we do, Iwant to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that wetry our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, andthat we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and womensafe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings thesebrave Americans fight for are not freethat with the greatprivilege of being a citizen of this nation comes greatresponsibility。

　　有時(shí)候?yàn)榱吮Ｗo(hù)我們的國(guó)家，我們不得不把青年男女派到戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)或其它危險(xiǎn)的地方，然而當(dāng)我們這么做的時(shí)候，我要確保師出有名，我們盡了全力以和平方式化解與他人的爭(zhēng)執(zhí)，也想盡了一切辦法保障男女官兵的安全。我要每個(gè)孩子都明白，這些勇敢的美國(guó)人在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上捍衛(wèi)的福祉是無(wú)法平白得到的：在享有作為這個(gè)國(guó)家公民的偉大特權(quán)之際，重責(zé)大任也隨之而來(lái)。

　　That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I wasyour age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration ofIndependence and telling me about the men and women who marched forequality because they believed those words put to paper twocenturies ago should mean something。

　　這正是我在你們這年紀(jì)時(shí)，外婆想要教我的功課，她把獨(dú)立宣言開(kāi)頭幾行念給我聽(tīng)，告訴我有一些男女為了爭(zhēng)取平等挺身而出游行抗議，因?yàn)樗麄冋J(rèn)為兩個(gè)世紀(jì)前白紙黑字寫(xiě)下來(lái)的這些句子，不應(yīng)只是空話。

　　She helped me understand that America is great not because it isperfect but because it can always be made betterand that theunfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. Its acharge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each newgeneration to what we know America should be。

　　她讓我了解到，美國(guó)所以偉大，不是因?yàn)樗昝?，而是因?yàn)槲覀兛梢圆粩嘧屗兊酶?，而讓它更好的未竟工作，就落在我們每個(gè)人的身上。這是我們交給孩子們的責(zé)任，每過(guò)一代，美國(guó)就更接近我們的理想。

　　I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs thatyou see and working to give others the chances youve had. Not justbecause you have an obligation to give something back to thiscountry that has given our family so muchalthough you do have thatobligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Becauseit is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger thanyourself that you will realize your true potential。

　　我希望你們倆都愿接下這個(gè)工作，看到不對(duì)的事要想辦法改正，努力幫助別人獲得你們有過(guò)的機(jī)會(huì)。這并非只因國(guó)家給了我們一家這么多，你們也當(dāng)有所回饋，雖然你們的確有這個(gè)義務(wù)，而是因?yàn)槟銈儗?duì)自己負(fù)有義務(wù)。因?yàn)?，唯有在把你的馬車(chē)套在更大的東西上時(shí)，你才會(huì)明白自己真正的潛能有多大。

　　These are the things I want for youto grow up in a world with nolimits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and togrow to compassionate, committed women who will help build thatworld. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn anddream and grow and thrive that you girls have. Thats why Ivetaken our family on this great adventure。

　　這些是我想要讓你們得到的東西：在一個(gè)夢(mèng)想不受限制、無(wú)事不能成就的世界中長(zhǎng)大，長(zhǎng)成具慈悲心、堅(jiān)持理想，能幫忙打造這樣一個(gè)世界的女性。我要每個(gè)孩子都有和你們一樣的機(jī)會(huì)，去學(xué)習(xí)、夢(mèng)想、成長(zhǎng)、發(fā)展。這就是我?guī)ьI(lǐng)我們一家展開(kāi)這趟大冒險(xiǎn)的原因。

　　I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can everknow. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace,and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the WhiteHouse。

　　Love, Dad

　　我深以你倆為榮，你們永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)明白我有多愛(ài)你們，在我們準(zhǔn)備一同在白宮開(kāi)始新生活之際，我沒(méi)有一天不為你們的忍耐、沉穩(wěn)、明理和幽默而心存感激。

　　Dear Malia andSasha,

　　I know that youve both had a lot of fun these last two years onthe campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs,eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldnt have let you have. But I also know that it hasnt always been easyfor you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that newpuppy, it doesnt make up for all the time weve been apart. I knowhow much Ive missed these past two years, and today I want to tellyou a little more about why I decided to take our family on thisjourney。

　　親愛(ài)的馬莉亞和莎夏：

　　我知道這兩年你們倆隨我一路競(jìng)選都有過(guò)不少樂(lè)子，野餐、游行、逛州博覽會(huì)，吃了各種或許我和你媽不該讓你們吃的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你們倆和你媽的日子，有時(shí)候并不愜意。新來(lái)的小狗雖然令你們興奮，卻無(wú)法彌補(bǔ)我們不在一起的所有時(shí)光。我明白這兩年我錯(cuò)過(guò)的太多了，今天我要再向你們說(shuō)說(shuō)為何我決定帶領(lǐng)我們一家走上這趟旅程。

　　When I was a young man, I thought life was all about meabout howId make my way in the world, become successful, and get the thingsI want. But then the two of you came into my world with all yourcuriosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill myheart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans formyself didnt seem so important anymore. I soon found that thegreatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realizedthat my own life wouldnt count for much unless I was able toensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillmentin yours. In the end, girls, thats why I ran for President:because of what I want for you and for every child in thisnation。

　　當(dāng)我還年輕的時(shí)候，我認(rèn)為生活就該繞著我轉(zhuǎn)：我如何在這世上得心應(yīng)手，成功立業(yè)，得到我想要的。后來(lái)，你們倆進(jìn)入了我的世界，帶來(lái)的種種好奇、淘氣和微笑，總能填滿我的心，照亮我的日子。突然之間，我為自己譜寫(xiě)的偉大計(jì)劃顯得不再那么重要了。我很快便發(fā)現(xiàn)，我在你們生命中看到的快樂(lè)，就是我自己生命中最大的快樂(lè)。而我也同時(shí)體認(rèn)到，如果我不能確保你們此生能夠擁有追求幸福和自我實(shí)現(xiàn)的一切機(jī)會(huì)，我自己的生命也沒(méi)多大價(jià)值?？偠灾?，我的女兒，這就是我競(jìng)選總統(tǒng)的原因：我要讓你們倆和這個(gè)國(guó)家的每一個(gè)孩子，都能擁有我想要給他們的東西。

　　I want all our children to go to schools worthy of theirpotentialschools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill inthem a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them tohave the chance to go to collegeeven if their parents arent rich.And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give thembenefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with theirown kids and retire with dignity。

　　我要讓所有兒童都在能夠發(fā)掘他們潛能的學(xué)校就讀;這些學(xué)校要能挑戰(zhàn)他們，激勵(lì)他們，并灌輸他們對(duì)身處的這個(gè)世界的好奇心。我要他們有機(jī)會(huì)上大學(xué)，那怕他們的父母并不富有。而且我要他們能找到好的工作：薪酬高還附帶健康保險(xiǎn)的工作，讓他們有時(shí)間陪孩子、并且能帶著尊嚴(yán)退休的工作。

　　I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that youll liveto see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives andmake our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our ownhuman boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region,gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in eachother。

　　我要大家向發(fā)現(xiàn)的極限挑戰(zhàn)，讓你在有生之年能夠看見(jiàn)改善我們生活、使這個(gè)行星更干凈、更安全的新科技和發(fā)明。我也要大家向自己的人際界限挑戰(zhàn)，跨越使我們看不到對(duì)方長(zhǎng)處的種族、地域、性別和宗教樊籬。

　　Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war andother dangerous situations to protect our countrybut when we do, Iwant to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that wetry our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, andthat we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and womensafe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings thesebrave Americans fight for are not freethat with the greatprivilege of being a citizen of this nation comes greatresponsibility。

　　有時(shí)候?yàn)榱吮Ｗo(hù)我們的國(guó)家，我們不得不把青年男女派到戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)或其它危險(xiǎn)的地方，然而當(dāng)我們這么做的時(shí)候，我要確保師出有名，我們盡了全力以和平方式化解與他人的爭(zhēng)執(zhí)，也想盡了一切辦法保障男女官兵的安全。我要每個(gè)孩子都明白，這些勇敢的美國(guó)人在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上捍衛(wèi)的福祉是無(wú)法平白得到的：在享有作為這個(gè)國(guó)家公民的偉大特權(quán)之際，重責(zé)大任也隨之而來(lái)。

　　That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I wasyour age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration ofIndependence and telling me about the men and women who marched forequality because they believed those words put to paper twocenturies ago should mean something。

　　這正是我在你們這年紀(jì)時(shí)，外婆想要教我的功課，她把獨(dú)立宣言開(kāi)頭幾行念給我聽(tīng)，告訴我有一些男女為了爭(zhēng)取平等挺身而出游行抗議，因?yàn)樗麄冋J(rèn)為兩個(gè)世紀(jì)前白紙黑字寫(xiě)下來(lái)的這些句子，不應(yīng)只是空話。

　　She helped me understand that America is great not because it isperfect but because it can always be made betterand that theunfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. Its acharge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each newgeneration to what we know America should be。

　　她讓我了解到，美國(guó)所以偉大，不是因?yàn)樗昝?，而是因?yàn)槲覀兛梢圆粩嘧屗兊酶茫屗玫奈淳构ぷ鳎吐湓谖覀兠總€(gè)人的身上。這是我們交給孩子們的責(zé)任，每過(guò)一代，美國(guó)就更接近我們的理想。

　　I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs thatyou see and working to give others the chances youve had. Not justbecause you have an obligation to give something back to thiscountry that has given our family so muchalthough you do have thatobligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Becauseit is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger thanyourself that you will realize your true potential。

　　我希望你們倆都愿接下這個(gè)工作，看到不對(duì)的事要想辦法改正，努力幫助別人獲得你們有過(guò)的機(jī)會(huì)。這并非只因國(guó)家給了我們一家這么多，你們也當(dāng)有所回饋，雖然你們的確有這個(gè)義務(wù)，而是因?yàn)槟銈儗?duì)自己負(fù)有義務(wù)。因?yàn)?，唯有在把你的馬車(chē)套在更大的東西上時(shí)，你才會(huì)明白自己真正的潛能有多大。

　　These are the things I want for youto grow up in a world with nolimits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and togrow to compassionate, committed women who will help build thatworld. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn anddream and grow and thrive that you girls have. Thats why Ivetaken our family on this great adventure。

　　這些是我想要讓你們得到的東西：在一個(gè)夢(mèng)想不受限制、無(wú)事不能成就的世界中長(zhǎng)大，長(zhǎng)成具慈悲心、堅(jiān)持理想，能幫忙打造這樣一個(gè)世界的女性。我要每個(gè)孩子都有和你們一樣的機(jī)會(huì)，去學(xué)習(xí)、夢(mèng)想、成長(zhǎng)、發(fā)展。這就是我?guī)ьI(lǐng)我們一家展開(kāi)這趟大冒險(xiǎn)的原因。

　　I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can everknow. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace,and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the WhiteHouse。

　　Love, Dad

　　我深以你倆為榮，你們永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)明白我有多愛(ài)你們，在我們準(zhǔn)備一同在白宮開(kāi)始新生活之際，我沒(méi)有一天不為你們的忍耐、沉穩(wěn)、明理和幽默而心存感激。