一位長者的忠告。：英語精讀講義

Good morning.

早安。

Whoops.

哎喲。

It's raining.

下雨了。

Hold on a minute. 片語搭配

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

我想今天早上稍微跟你們聊聊，

Oh, by the way, 表達脈絡

喔，順便說一下，

this is a new computer

這是一台新電腦，

and it does all kinds of things,

它能做各種各樣的事情，

so I have to be careful.

所以我得小心點。

I'm not the sharpest tack in the box 慣用語

提到這些新設備，

when it comes to this new equipment. 片語搭配

我可不是最靈光的那一個。

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

現在跟你們說話的這個傢伙，

that started driving a Model A car. 文化背景

最早開的可是福特A型車。

I remember the first jet airplane

我記得第一架噴射機，

and many first things.

還有很多第一次出現的稀罕物。

The iceman delivering ice to an icebox 文化背景

我還記得送冰工人把冰塊

taking it off of a mule-drawn wagon.

從騾子拉的貨車上搬下來送進冷藏櫃。

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

不過，今天早上我想稍微跟你們講講，

about young people in particular.

特別是跟年輕人講講。

About accomplishing things.

關於成就事業的話題。

When I was young, as you know,

如你們所知，我年輕的時候，

I had a difficult childhood,

童年過得很艱難，

but there's no excuse for people 文法

但這不能成為藉口，

not being able to do what they want to do.

人不能因為這就沒法做自己想做的事。

You can do anything that you want to do. 文法

你可以做任何你想做的事。

For example, as I've told you before,

比如，就像我以前告訴過你們的，

I lived in the back of an old car.

我曾經住在一輛舊車的後座裡。

I taught myself to read and write. 片語搭配

我自學了讀書寫字。

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

所以如果你還年輕，千萬別放棄。

Don't say the world is just against me. 慣用語

不要說這個世界在針對我。

That's not true.

那不是真的。

I taught myself to read and write.

我自學了讀書寫字。

I've had five books published. 文法

我出版了五本書。

I went to college,

我上過大學，

got a little bit of college.

受過一點高等教育。

I've studied scripture for many, many years.

我研讀經文很多很多年了。

I've raised five children.

我撫養了五個孩子。

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

我送走了母親、父親、姐妹、兄弟、妻子和女兒。

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

所以，一個人可以達成任何心願。

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

有一次，為了向自己證明我不是個無知的人，

I bought a blackboard.

我買了一塊黑板。

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

我還買了一套電腦程式設計的函授課程，

and I completed it with the blackboard.

我就用那塊黑板完成了課程。

So, forge ahead. 片語動詞

所以，要勇往直前。

Don't stop.

不要停步。

Never stop learning. 文法

永遠不要停止學習。

Always reach out to better yourself, 慣用語

永遠要努力提升自己，

because when you do that, things expand.

因為當你這樣做時，眼界就會開闊。

You understand more.

你會懂得更多。

You're happier.

你會更快樂。

You're healthier.

你會更健康。

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

那句老話「不用則廢」，

is absolutely true.

是絕對正確的。

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

如果你不使用上帝賦予你的大腦，

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

總有一天，你會坐在某個前廊上，

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

幾乎不知道周圍發生了什麼。

So, don't don't give up.

所以，不要，不要放棄。

If times are hard, 片語搭配

如果時運艱難，

good things nor bad things last forever.

要知道好事壞事都不會是永遠的。

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

但總的來說，我們掌握著自己的命運。

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

我這麼說，意思就是：

If you're not getting ahead, 片語動詞

如果你沒有取得進展，

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

你需要做點什麼讓自己取得進展。

For example,

舉個例子，

excuse me.

不好意思。

For example, if you want a good job,

舉個例子，如果你想要一份好工作，

if you want a secure future,

如果你想要一個安穩的未來，

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

你必須有一些能提供給未來雇主的東西。

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

我不是說你需要博士學位或碩士學位，

but you do have to have something to offer. 文法

但你確實得有點真本事。

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

在這個國家，總會有那麼一個時期，

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

那些懂得如何動手工作的人，

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

水電工、木匠、水泥工、機器操作員、技師，

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

這些懂得動手工作的人將會非常搶手。

Yes, it's true.

是的，這是真的。

You have to have education and training

你需要教育和培訓

to be an engineer or a doctor or a lawyer.

才能成為工程師、醫生或律師。

But I'll tell you the truth. 語氣意圖

但我跟你們說實話。

I spent 60 years working. 文法

我工作了60年。

I was successful.

我很成功。

I started a couple of businesses. 用詞

我創辦了幾家企業。

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

我不是個大富豪，但我這輩子從住在一輛舊車後座，

to having a nice retirement

奮鬥到了擁有美好的退休生活，

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

還能在這個設備上跟你們聊天。

So, I'm going to close, 表達脈絡

所以，我就要結束了，

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

但我今天早上只是想和你們分享這些。

Young people, I love you.

年輕人，我愛你們。

I do. 語氣意圖

真的。

I love young people.

我愛年輕人。

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

我的祖母總是說：「你知道嗎，當嬰兒微笑時，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. 慣用語

但是年輕人，你們是這個國家的脊樑。

You're the backbone of the world.

你們是世界的脊樑。

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

無論你們在亞洲、非洲、韓國、日本，

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

我不在乎你在哪裡，哪怕是在美國。

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

你們是領導者，是這個世界未來的領導者。

So, reach out.

所以，去伸出雙手。

Be yourselves. 語氣意圖

做你們自己。

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

不要害怕去追求你需要的東西。

So, I love you.

所以，我愛你們。

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

祝你們有美好的一天，我們明天見。