INAUGURAL ADDRESS[1]

　　January 20, 2009 | Washington, D.C.

　　My fellow citizens:

　　I stand here today humbled[2] by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed[3], mindful[4] of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors[5]. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

　　Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath[6]. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears[7], and true to[8] our founding documents.

　　So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

　　That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries[9] and threaten our planet.

　　These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging[10] fear that America’s decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

　　Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.

　　On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

　　On this day, we come to proclaim[11] an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations[12] and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled[13] our politics.

　　We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside[14] childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

　　In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts[15] or settling for[16] less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted[17], for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers[18], the makers of things—some celebrated[19], but more often men and women obscure[20] in their labor—who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

　　For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

　　For us, they toiled[21] in sweatshops[22] and settled the West, endured the lash[23] of the whip[24] and plowed[25] the hard earth.

　　For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg[26]; Normandy[27] and Khe Sanh[28].

　　Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction[29].

　　This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat[30], of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions—that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

　　For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its costs. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

　　Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.

　　What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale[31] political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified[32]. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account[33], to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

　　Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product[34], but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart—not out of charity[35], but because it is the surest route to our common good.

　　As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s[36] sake. And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

　　Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent[37] use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

　　We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We’ll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we’ll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter[38] of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering[39] innocents, we say to you now that, “Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”

　　For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus[40], and nonbelievers[41]. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth. And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

　　To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on[42] the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist[43].

　　To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

　　As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington[44] whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

　　For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

　　Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism—these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly[45] accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

　　This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

　　This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

　　This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred[46] oath.

　　So let us mark this day in remembrance of[47] who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

　　“Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it.”

　　America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

　　Thank you. God bless you.

　　And God bless the United States of America.

　　【译文欣赏】

　　就职演讲

　　2009年1月20日，华盛顿哥伦比亚特区

　　各位同胞：

　　我今天站在这里，因面临的重大责任而深感卑微，对各位的信任心怀感激，并对先贤们的牺牲铭记于心。我感谢布什总统为我们国家所做的贡献，也感谢他在整个政权交接期间所给予的慷慨协助。

　　迄今为止，已有44任美国总统发表过就职誓言。这些誓词或是在繁荣富强及和平宁静之际发表，或是在彤云密布和风暴降临之时宣读。在这些重大时刻，美国之所以能够勇往直前，不仅仅是因为领导者们的才干和卓识，也是因为我们人民始终坚守先辈们的理想，矢志不移地履行我们的建国理念。

　　前辈们如此，我们这一代美国人亦应如此。

　　众所周知，我们现在身处危机之中。我们的国家正在跟一个庞大的暴力和仇恨网络作战。我们的经济严重衰退，这不仅仅归咎于部分人的贪婪和不负责任，更是由于我们作为一个整体未能在艰难时刻做出抉择并为迎接新时代的到来做好准备。如今，住宅不保，职位锐减，企业倒闭，医疗成本飞涨，教育状况令人堪忧。每天都有更多的证据表明：我们利用能源的方式助长了对手的气焰，而且威胁到我们的星球。

　　这些危机的迹象可以用统计数据来证明。然而，更加难以度量且同样严重的是这片土地上人们信心的动摇以及人们挥之不去的恐惧心理——认为美国的衰落不可避免，担心下一代人不得不降低生活的期望。

　　今天，我要告诉大家，我们所面临的挑战是真实的，为数众多且形势严峻。而应对这些挑战并非举手之劳或能一蹴而就。但是，请大家记住：美国将迎接这些挑战。

　　今天，我们在此相聚，是因为我们选择了希望而非恐惧，选择了众志成城而非对立冲突。

　　今天，我们在此宣告：我们将终止喋喋不休的抱怨和不能兑现的承诺，结束互相指责，打破陈规旧条——因为这一切已将美国政坛束缚得太久。

　　我们仍是一个年轻的国家，但借用《圣经》中的话来说，抛却幼稚的时代已然来临。现在，我们应该重申锲而不舍的精神，为我们自己选择更加美好的历史进程，并将那份世代相传的珍贵礼物和崇高理念发扬光大：上帝赋予的承诺，即人人平等、人人自由、人人都拥有追求美满幸福的机会。

　　在重申美国伟大精神的同时，我们明白，“伟大”从来就没有天赋之说，而必须靠努力才能赢得。在我们的奋斗历程中，从未有什么捷径可走，也不曾有过妥协。这条道路不适合胆小懦弱、好逸恶劳或追名逐利之徒。相反，正是那些冒险家、实干家和缔造者——其中不乏名人，但大多数都是默默无闻地在各自岗位上耕耘的男男女女——引领我们走上这条通往繁荣与自由的漫长崎岖之路。

　　为了我们，先辈们打起寥寥行装，远涉重洋，追求新的生活。

　　为了我们，先辈们在条件恶劣的工厂忍受鞭笞之痛，辛勤劳作;在西部原野拓荒，在坚硬的土地上耕耘。

　　为了我们，先辈们奔赴疆场，英勇捐躯，长眠于康科德、葛底斯堡、诺曼底和(越南)溪山。

　　为了让我们过上更好的生活，先辈们前赴后继，拼搏牺牲，筚路蓝缕，胼手胝足。在他们眼中，美国超越了我们个人的雄心壮志，也超越了所有出身、财富或派别差异。

　　今天，我们踏上了这一未竟的旅程。美国依然是世界上最繁荣、最强大的国家。与危机初露端倪之时相比，美国人民的生产力依然旺盛，我们的头脑依然富于创造力;与上周、上个月乃至去年相比，我们的商品和服务依然很有市场，我们的实力未曾削弱。但是，墨守陈规、维护狭隘利益以及决策畏首畏尾的时代无疑已成为过去。从今天起，我们必须振作起来，掸去身上的尘土，开始承担重塑美国的重任。

　　无论我们把目光投向何处，都有工作亟待完成。现有经济形势要求我们果敢而迅速地采取行动。我们将不辱使命——不仅要创造新的就业机会，而且要为未来的增长打下新的基础。我们将建造道路和桥梁，铺设电网和数字线路，为商业提供便利并将人们紧密联系起来。我们将重树科学的传统地位，利用技术手段提高医疗保健质量，同时，降低成本。我们将利用太阳能、风力和地热为车辆和工厂提供能源。我们将改革中小学和高等院校以适应新时代的要求。这一切我们都能做到。这一切我们必将做到。

　　现在，有些人开始质疑我们的雄心壮志并认为我们国家的体制承载不了太多宏伟计划。这些人一定是健忘的，因为他们忘记了我们国家业已取得的成就，忘记了当自由的美国人民把想象力、共同目标和必要的勇气结合在一起时所能取得的辉煌成就。

　　愤世嫉俗的人所不能理解的是这个国家正在进行着悄无声息的变革，那些长期以来靡费时间的陈腐的政治争论已经行不通。如今，我们所面临的问题并不是政府规模的大小，而是它是否行之有效，即政府能否帮助家庭找到薪水适宜的工作，能否为他们提供费用适度的医疗保健以及能否保障他们过体面的退休生活。如果上述问题的答案是肯定的，我们继续推进;如果答案是否定的，我们将终止一切计划。公共资金的管理者应当负起责任，合理支出，摒弃陋习，光明磊落，因为只有这样才能重树美国人民和政府之间至关重要的信任。

　　摆在我们面前的问题也不是市场力量的好坏。市场在创造财富和拓展自由方面所起的作用是无与伦比的。但是这场危机告诉我们：如果没有严格的监管，市场就会失控。一个国家仅施惠于富裕者，其富裕便不能持久。我们在经济上所取得的成功不仅取决于国内生产总值的大小，还取决于我们的繁荣程度以及能否为每一个渴望成功的人提供机会。我们这样做并非出自恻隐之心，而是因为这是我们实现共同利益的必由之路。

　　就共同防务而言，我们不认为在安全和理想之间做出选择是正确的。我们的开国元勋们在难以想象的危难之中，起草了确保法治和人权的宪章，一个被后代用鲜血扩展充实的宪章。这些理想依然照耀着这个世界，我们不会为了权宜之计而放弃它们。同样，今天观看我就职演说的世界各国人民和政府，从最宏伟的首府到家父出生的小村庄，请你们明白：每一个国家，每一个男人、女人和儿童，只要你们追求一个充满和平和尊严的未来，美国就是你们的朋友，我们已做好再次引领大家的准备。

　　回想起先辈们抗击法西斯主义，他们所依靠的不仅仅是导弹和坦克，还有坚定的联盟和持久的信念。他们知道我们自身的力量不足以让我们自保，也不能让我们为所欲为。相反，他们知道我们的力量会在谨慎的使用中增强。我们的安全源自我们正义的事业、榜样的力量以及谦逊和克制的优良品质。

　　我们是这些遗产的守护者。在这些原则的再次指引下，我们能够应对那些新的威胁，尽管这需要为之付出更多努力，甚至需要国与国之间更大程度的合作与谅解。我们将开始负责任地把伊拉克交还给伊拉克人民，并在阿富汗实现来之不易的和平。我们会不懈努力，与老朋友以及昔日对手合作，以减轻核威胁，击退导致全球变暖的幽灵。我们不会为自己的生活方式辩解，也不会放松防务。对那些企图通过恐怖活动和滥杀无辜来达到目的人，我们现在警告你们：我们的信仰更加坚定，而且坚不可摧，你们不可能拖垮我们，我们定将击败你们。

　　我们知道，我们的多元化遗产是一种优势，而非弱点。美国是一个由基督徒、穆斯林、犹太教徒、印度教徒和无神论者组成的国家。我们的形成得益于对世界各地的语言和文化的借鉴。我们饱尝过内战和种族隔离的痛苦，摆脱了黑暗时期，并变得更加强大和团结，因此，我们坚信往昔的仇恨终有一天会成为过去;种族界限在不久后也将消失;随着世界越来越小，我们共同的人性将呈现出来;在引领新和平时代的过程中，美国必将发挥其应有的作用。

　　对于穆斯林世界，我们将在共同利益和相互尊重的基础上寻找一条新的出路。对于那些企图播撒冲突并把自身的社会问题归咎于西方的领导人，要知道人民评判的是你们的建树，而非破坏。对于那些靠贪污、欺诈以及排除异己的方式追逐权力的人，要知道你们站在了人类历史的对立面。但是，如果你愿意改弦更张，我们将助一臂之力。

　　对于贫困国家的人们，我们承诺将与你们一起工作，让你们的农场繁荣，让清洁的水源流淌，让饥寒交迫的身心得到滋养。对于像美国一样相对富裕的国家，我们说过不可以再对外界的苦难漠不关心，不可以耗费世界资源而不计后果。世界在改变，我们必须随之而变。

　　在思索前方的道路之际，我们怀着感激之情铭记那些此刻正在偏远沙漠和山区巡逻的英勇的美国将士。他们向我们述说着什么，宛如长眠于阿灵顿公墓的英雄们在漫漫岁月中的低吟浅唱。我们崇敬他们，不仅因为他们是自由的守护者，更因为他们是奉献精神的化身：致力于追寻比自身价值更伟大的意义。然而，此时此刻，在这个具有划时代意义的时刻，我们更需要让这种精神长存。

　　尽管政府能够有所作为且必须有所作为，但归根结底，美国人民的信仰和决心才是我们的立国之本。正是人们在洪灾泛滥时收留陌生受难者的善良之举和工人们宁愿减少自己的工时而不愿看到朋友失业的无私忘我，使我们度过了最暗淡的时光。而最终决定我们命运的是消防队员毅然冲进浓烟滚滚的楼道的勇气以及父母培养孩子的意愿。

　　我们所面临的挑战或许前所未有，我们应对挑战的措施或许也是崭新的，但我们赖以成功的价值观——诚实、勤勉、勇敢、公正、宽容、好学、忠贞和爱国，这些历久弥新的价值观都是真实的，都是贯穿我国历史无声的进步力量。我们必须重归这些价值观。我们现在需要一个勇于负责的新时代——每一个美国人都认识到我们对自己、对国家、对世界负有责任，不是勉强接受这些责任，而是欣然接受，并坚信没有什么能比全力以赴完成这项重任更能得到精神上的满足和找到自我。

　　这就是作为公民的义务和承诺。

　　这就是我们信心的源泉——响应上帝号召，去把握无常的命运。

　　这就是我们自由和信仰的真谛，也是不同种族、不同信仰的男女老幼能够在这雄伟的广场上聚集一起的原因，也是我现在能站在你们面前做最神圣宣誓的原因——而在50多年前我的父亲甚至都不能到当地的餐馆用餐。

　　所以，让我们铭记我们的身份，镌刻我们的足迹。美国诞生之年，在最寒冷的季节，一群爱国志士围着奄奄一息的篝火在冰封的河边取暖。首都被迫弃守，敌人步步进逼，鲜血将白雪浸染。当革命成果受到严重质疑时，我们的国父向人民宣读了这段话：

　　“我们要让后世知道，在寒冷的深冬里，唯有希望和勇气才能让我们存活，我们的城市和乡村都勇往直前，迎战我们共同面临的危险。”

　　美国，正面临着我们共同的危险，在这个艰难的寒冬，让我们牢记那些永恒的话语;怀着希望与勇气，让我们再次勇敢地面对寒流，迎接可能会出现的暴风雪;让我们的子孙传唱，当面临考验时，我们没有犹豫，没有退缩，相反，我们在上帝的佑护下眺望远方，弘扬自由精神的瑰宝，并将其传递给子孙后代。

　　谢谢，愿上帝保佑你们，保佑美利坚合众国。

　　【演讲背景】

　　2009年1月20日，美国第44任总统、美国历史上第一位黑人总统奥巴马正式宣誓就职，并在就职仪式上发表了下面这篇演说，呼吁全体美国人民提高公民责任感，为振兴国家贡献自己的力量。

　　【小知识】

　　美国总统就职仪式：

　　从1789年美国首任总统乔治·华盛顿宣誓就职，到2009年奥巴马宣誓就任美国第44任总统，美国总统的就职仪式已经经历了220年的历史。

　　在这220年当中，当选总统按照宪法规定宣誓就职始终是就职典礼的核心内容。宣誓仪式将在俯瞰国家大草坪的美国国会大厦西侧举行。从1801年托马斯·杰斐逊的就职典礼开始，总统宣誓就职仪式一直在那里举行。由最高法院首席大法官主持宣誓的传统始于1797年约翰·亚当斯的就职仪式。

　　1933年通过的《宪法第20条修正案》规定，总统宣誓就职的日期和时间为1月20日中午。在美国建国早期，由于冬季旅行十分困难，总统宣誓就职典礼在3月份举行。

　　[1] inaugural [i'nɔ:gjurəl] adj. 就职的，就任的。inaugural address 就职演说。

　　[2] humble ['hʌmbl] v. 使谦恭，使卑微。

　　[3] bestow [bi'stəu] v. 授予，赠予。

　　[4] mindful ['maindful] adj. 注意的，留心的，不忘的。

　　[5] ancestor ['ænsəstə] n. 祖先，先驱。

　　[6] oath ['əuθ] n. 誓言，誓约。

　　[7] forebear ['fɔ:bɛə] n. 祖先，祖宗。

　　[8] be true to 忠实于，忠诚于。例：be true to one’s promise信守诺言。

　　[9] adversary ['ædvəsəri] n. 对手，敌手。

　　[10] nag [næg] v. 纠缠，唠叨。

　　[11] proclaim [prə'kleim] v. 正式宣布，宣告，公告。

　　[12] recrimination [rikrimi'neiʃ(ə)n] n. 吵架，相互指责。

　　[13] strangle ['stræŋgl] v. 使窒息，勒死。

　　[14] set aside 抛弃，置之一旁，不理会。例：The decision was set aside. 决议被搁置。

　　[15] shortcut ['ʃɔ:tkʌt] n. 捷径。

　　[16] settle for 满足于。例：I want￡500 for my car and I won't settle for less. 我的汽车要价是五百镑，少了不行。

　　[17] faint-hearted adj. 胆怯的,怯懦的。

　　[18] doer ['du(:)ə] n. 行为者,实干家。

　　[19] celebrated ['selibreitid] adj. 著名的，有名的。

　　[20] obscure [əb'skjuə] adj. 不出名的，不重要的。

　　[21] toil [tɔil] v. 苦干，长时间或辛苦的工作。例：More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equal and great number toil with little return. 更重要的是，大批失业公民正面临严峻的生存问题，还有大批公民正以艰辛的劳动换取微薄的报酬。

　　[22] sweatshop ['swet.ʃɔp] n. 血汗工厂(指工人劳动条件差,工作时间长,工资低的工场或工厂)。

　　[23] lash [læʃ] n. 鞭打。

　　[24] whip [(h)wip] n. 鞭子。

　　[25] plow [plau] v. 耕耘，耕种。

　　[26] Gettysburg葛底斯堡，在美国南北战争中，南北两军在葛底斯堡进行的战役是南北战争的转折点，从此，南军失去战略主动权，再也未能向北进军，联邦军队转入进攻。

　　[27] Normandy法国西北部地区，北临英吉利海峡。二战期间，诺曼底登陆的胜利，宣告了盟军在欧洲大陆第二战场的开辟，意味着纳粹德国陷入两面作战 ，减轻了苏军的压力，协同苏军有利的攻克柏林，迫使法西斯德国提前无条件投降，美军把主力投入太平洋战场对日全力作战，加快了第二次世界大战的结束。

　　[28] Khe Sanh溪山，越南地名，越南战争中，越南人民军和美军在此进行了一场大规模战役。

　　[29] faction ['fækʃən] n. 组织中的小派别，派系。

　　[30] stand pat 坚持。例：Just stand pat and don't let anyone tell you any different. 你要坚持自己的意见，不要听别人的。

　　[31] stale [steil] adj. 不新鲜的，陈腐的，老掉牙的。

　　[32] dignified ['dignifaid] adj. 有尊严的，高贵的。

　　[33] be held to account 承担责任。例：those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account公共资金的管理者应当负起责任。

　　[34] gross domestic product 国内生产总值(GDP)。gross national product 国民生产总值(GNP)。

　　[35] out of charity 出于仁慈。

　　[36] expedience 权宜之计，便利。

　　[37] prudent ['pru:dənt] adj. 谨慎的。

　　[38] specter ['spektə] n. 幽灵，恐惧，忧虑。

　　[39] slaughter ['slɔ:tə] v. 残杀，屠杀。

　　[40] Hindu ['hindu:] n. 印度教教徒。

　　[41] nonbeliever [,nɔnbi'li:və] n. 没有信仰的人，不信上帝的人，无神论者。

　　[42] blame on 把责任推给……，归咎于。例：We will not have you blame it on others. 我们不能让你把责任推到别人身上。

　　[43] unclench fist 松开拳头。

　　[44] Arlington阿林顿国家公墓，美国最大和最著名的国家军人公墓，位于弗吉尼亚州。

　　[45] grudgingly ['grʌdʒiŋli] adv. 不情愿地，勉强地。

　　[46] sacred ['seikrid] adj. 宗教的，神圣的。

　　[47] in remembrance of 为纪念，为回忆。例：Pumpkin pie is often served in remembrance of the first settlers. 人们常常吃南瓜饼，目的是为了纪念首批移民。