一位老人的忠告。：英语精读讲义

Good morning.

早上好。

Whoops.

哎哟。

It's raining.

下雨了。

Hold on a minute. 短語搭配

稍等一下。

There.

好了。

I thought I'd talk to you a little bit of this morning about 語氣意圖

我想今天早上跟你们稍微聊聊，

Oh, by the way, 表達脈絡

哦，顺便说一下，

this is a new computer

这是一台新电脑，

and it does all kinds of things,

它能做各种各样的事情，

so I have to be careful.

所以我得小心点。

I'm not the sharpest tack in the box 習語

在摆弄这些新设备方面，

when it comes to this new equipment. 短語搭配

我可不是最灵光的那一个。

You're talking to a guy or a guy is speaking to you now 表達脈絡

现在跟你们说话的这个家伙，

that started driving a Model A car. 文化背景

最早开的可是福特A型车。

I remember the first jet airplane

我记得第一架喷气式飞机，

and many first things.

还有很多第一次出现的稀罕物。

The iceman delivering ice to an icebox 文化背景

我还记得送冰工人把冰块

taking it off of a mule-drawn wagon.

从骡子拉的货车上搬下来送进冷藏柜。

So, but I like to speak to you a little bit this morning

不过，今天早上我想稍微跟你们讲讲，

about young people in particular.

特别是跟年轻人讲讲。

About accomplishing things.

关于成就事业的话题。

When I was young, as you know,

如你们所知，我年轻的时候，

I had a difficult childhood,

童年过得很艰难，

but there's no excuse for people 語法

但这不能成为借口，

not being able to do what they want to do.

人不能因为这就没法做自己想做的事。

You can do anything that you want to do. 語法

你可以做任何你想做的事。

For example, as I've told you before,

比如，就像我以前告诉过你们的，

I lived in the back of an old car.

我曾经住在一辆旧车的后座里。

I taught myself to read and write. 短語搭配

我自学了读书写字。

So if you're young, don't give up. 短語動詞

所以如果你还年轻，千万别放弃。

Don't say the world is just against me. 習語

不要说这个世界在针对我。

That's not true.

那不是真的。

I taught myself to read and write.

我自学了读书写字。

I've had five books published. 語法

我出版了五本书。

I went to college,

我上过大学，

got a little bit of college.

受过一点高等教育。

I've studied scripture for many, many years.

我研读经文很多很多年了。

I've raised five children.

我抚养了五个孩子。

I've buried a mother, father, sister, brother, wife, and daughter. 用詞

我送走了母亲、父亲、姐妹、兄弟、妻子和女儿。

So, a person can accomplish anything that they want. 語法

所以，一个人可以达成任何心愿。

One time, to prove to myself that I was not an ignorant person, 短語搭配

有一次，为了向自己证明我不是个无知的人，

I bought a blackboard.

我买了一块黑板。

And I purchased a correspondence course for computer programming, 文化背景

我还买了一套计算机编程的函授课程，

and I completed it with the blackboard.

我就用那块黑板完成了课程。

So, forge ahead. 短語動詞

所以，要勇往直前。

Don't stop.

不要停步。

Never stop learning. 語法

永远不要停止学习。

Always reach out to better yourself, 習語

永远要努力提升自己，

because when you do that, things expand.

因为当你这样做时，眼界就会开阔。

You understand more.

你会懂得更多。

You're happier.

你会更快乐。

You're healthier.

你会更健康。

This old saying that if you don't use it, you lose it, 習語

那句老话‘不用则废’，

is absolutely true.

是绝对正确的。

If you don't use that brain that God put in your head,

如果你不使用上帝赋予你的大脑，

one of these days, you'll be sitting on a front porch somewhere, 短語搭配

总有一天，你会坐在某个前廊上，

and you won't hardly know what's going on. 講解

几乎不知道周围发生了什么。

So, don't don't give up.

所以，不要，不要放弃。

If times are hard, 短語搭配

如果时运艰难，

good things nor bad things last forever.

要知道好事坏事都不会是永远的。

But most generally, we are in control of our own destiny. 習語

但总的来说，我们掌握着自己的命运。

And when I say that, I mean this. 表達脈絡

我这么说，意思就是：

If you're not getting ahead, 短語動詞

如果你没有取得进展，

you need to do something to allow yourself to get ahead.

你需要做点什么让自己取得进展。

For example,

举个例子，

excuse me.

不好意思。

For example, if you want a good job,

举个例子，如果你想要一份好工作，

if you want a secure future,

如果你想要一个安稳的未来，

you have to have something to offer a prospective employer. 講解

你必须有一些能提供给未来雇主的东西。

Now, I'm not saying you need a PhD or a master's degree, 語氣意圖

我不是说你需要博士学位或硕士学位，

but you do have to have something to offer. 語法

但你确实得有点真本事。

There's going to be a time in this country 語法

在这个国家，总会有那么一个时期，

that people that know how to work with their hands, 用詞

那些懂得如何动手工作的人，

plumbers, electricians, carpenters, cement layers, machine operators, mechanics,

水管工、电工、木匠、水泥工、机器操作员、机械师，

people that know how to work with their hands are going to be in great demand. 短語搭配

这些懂得动手工作的人将会非常抢手。

Yes, it's true.

是的，这是真的。

You have to have education and training

你需要教育和培训

to be an engineer or a doctor or a lawyer.

才能成为工程师、医生或律师。

But I'll tell you the truth. 語氣意圖

但我跟你们说实话。

I spent 60 years working. 語法

我工作了60年。

I was successful.

我很成功。

I started a couple of businesses. 用詞

我创办了几家企业。

I'm not a wealthy man, but I'm a guy that came from living in the back of an old car 語法

我不是个大富豪，但我这辈子从住在一辆旧车后座，

to having a nice retirement

奋斗到了拥有美好的退休生活，

and to be able to talk to you on this thing.

还能在这个设备上跟你们聊天。

So, I'm going to close, 表達脈絡

所以，我就要结束了，

but I just wanted to share that with you this morning.

但我今天早上只是想和你们分享这些。

Young people, I love you.

年轻人，我爱你们。

I do. 語氣意圖

真的。

I love young people.

我爱年轻人。

My grandmother always said, "You know, when a baby smiles, the angels sing." 習語

我的祖母总是说：“你知道吗，当婴儿微笑时，天使都在歌唱。”

And that's true.

那是真的。

I believe.

我相信。

But young people, you're the backbone of this country. 習語

但是年轻人，你们是这个国家的脊梁。

You're the backbone of the world.

你们是世界的脊梁。

I don't care if you're in Asia, Africa, Korea, Japan, 語氣意圖

无论你们在亚洲、非洲、韩国、日本，

I don't care where you are, the United States.

我不在乎你在哪里，哪怕是在美国。

You are the leaders, the future leaders of this world. 表達脈絡

你们是领导者，是这个世界未来的领导者。

So, reach out.

所以，去伸出双手。

Be yourselves. 語氣意圖

做你们自己。

Don't be afraid to go after what you need. 短語動詞

不要害怕去追求你需要的东西。

So, I love you.

所以，我爱你们。

Have a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow.

祝你们有美好的一天，我们明天见。