05 I Have a Dream A我有一个梦想A
——马丁·路德·金在林肯纪念堂的演讲
Martin Luther King, Jr.，an American pastor, Lincoln Memorial August 28th，1963
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
今天，我对能够与大家一起参与这次将会成为我国历史上为了争取自由而举行的最伟大的活动而表示高兴。
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the“Emancipation Proclamation.”This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
100年前，一位伟大的美国人——今天我们就站在他身影之下——签署了《解放宣言》。这项重要法令的颁布，对于那些被置于非正义残焰中炙烤的黑奴们来说，如同带来了希望之光的硕大灯塔，如同结束了漫漫长夜禁锢的欢畅黎明。
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished 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 condition.
然而百年之后，黑人仍然没有获得真正的自由。百年之后，黑人们依然悲惨地蹒跚于种族隔离和歧视之中。百年之后，黑人们仍然生活在物质丰盈的浩海中的贫瘠孤岛上。百年之后，黑人们依然在美国社会中的一隅中哭泣，仍然感到自己在自己的国土家园中流离失所。所以我们今天聚集于此，将把这骇人听闻的情况公之于众。
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”.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 funds”.
就某种意义来说，我们来到首都是为了兑现一张期票——一张由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，就已经签署给每一位美国公民的期票。这张期票向所有人都做过承诺——无论是白种人还是黑种人——都享有神圣不可侵犯的生存权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。然而，当前的美国显然对她的有色公民拖欠着这样一张期票，没有偿还这笔神圣的债务，而给黑人开的是一张空头支票——一张盖有“资金不足”的印戳被退回的支票。
demonstration[demənˈstreɪʃ（ə）n]n.示范；实证
例 They have a clear demonstration of their intentions.
他们明显表示意图。
symbolic[sɪmˈbɒlɪk]adj.象征的；符号的
例 The move today was largely symbolic.
今天的这一步具有象征意义。
momentous[mə（ʊ）ˈmentəs]adj.重大的；重要的
例 Whether or not to move overseas was a momentous decision for the family.
要不要搬到国外对这一家人来说是一个重要决定。
sear[sɪə]v.烤焦；使……枯萎；干枯；凋谢
例 The novel is a searing indictment of urban poverty.
这部小说是对城市贫困的震撼心灵的控诉。
withering[ˈwɪðərɪŋ]adj.使干枯的，摧毁的
例 He made a withering attack on government policies.
他严厉抨击了政府的政策。
cripple[ˈkrɪp（ə）l]n.跛子；残废的人v.使跛，削弱，使成残废
例 The business has been crippled by losses.
这家企业因亏损而陷入困境。
languish[ˈlæŋgwɪʃ]v.憔悴，苦思，凋萎
例 He languished in poverty for years.
他多年挣扎在贫困之中。
magnificent[mægˈnɪfɪs（ə）nt]adj.华丽的，丰富的，高尚的
例 The house is magnificent.
这房子非常华丽。
obvious[ˈɒbvɪəs]adj.明显的，显然的，明白的
例 It was obvious to everyone that the child had been badly treated.
大家都清楚那孩子受过虐待。
insofar[ɪnsə（ʊ）ˈfɑ]adv.在……的范围
例 Looking back helps insofar as it helps you learn from your mistakes.
回顾过去对当下有帮助，因为你可以从错误中学习。
insufficient[ɪnsəˈfɪʃ（ə）nt]adj.不够的，不充足的，不能胜任的
例 The case was dismissed because of insufficient evidence.
该案因证据不足而撤销。
①I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
这个句子中有一个结构“I am happy to do sth.”，表示“我很高兴做某事”。也可以说I am glad/delighted to do sth.。
例 I am happy to meet him here.
我很高兴在这里见到他。
②One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.
这个句子中有一个结构“be crippled by……”，表示“被……损害”。The manacles of segregation和the chains of discrimination是两个比喻，分别表示“种族隔离的手铐”和“种族歧视的枷锁”。
例 Mr.Easton was seriously crippled in an accident and had to leave his job.
伊森在事故中受了严重的伤，不得不离职。
③In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.
这个句子中有一个结构“In a sense”，表示“就某种意义来说”。
例 She claims that the system is at fault and she’s right, in a sense, it could be improved.
她说系统有错误，就某种意义来说，她是对的，系统可以再改进。
④It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note……
这个句子中有一个结构“default on sth.”，表示“拖欠……”。另外，It is obvious that……表示“显而易见”。
例 The credit card business is down, and more borrowers are defaulting on loans.
信用卡业务不景气，很多借户都欠债不还。
1.Laugh, and the world laughs with you；weep, and you weep alone.
欢笑，世界与你一起欢笑；哭泣，你自己一个人哭泣。
2.Friendship is like money, easier made than kept.
友谊如金钱一般，容易得到却不易保持。
3.Whatever you do, just don't make any rash decisions.
无论你想做什么，千万不要贸然行事。（《生活大爆炸》）
4.Some battles you win, some battles you lose.
胜败乃兵家常事。（《生活大爆炸》）
5.Birds of a feather flock together.
物以类聚，人以群分。
读书笔记________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________