奥巴马2009年秋季开学致辞美国中小学生（中英对
照）
奥巴马2009年秋季开学致辞美国中小学生（中英对照）
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A 美国总统奥巴马对全美中小学生的ADDRESS TO AMERICA’讲话 Wakefield High School, Arlington,
Virginia 弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲尔德高September 8, 2009 中
2009年9月8日
Hello, everybody! Thank you. 大家好！谢谢你们。谢谢你们。谢谢你们大家。好，大家请就坐。你们今天都好吗？（掌声）蒂姆•斯派seat. How is everybody doing today? 塞（Tim Spicer ）好吗？（掌声）我(Applause.) How about Tim Spicer? 现在与弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲(Applause.) I am here with students 尔德高中的学生们在一起。美国各地Wakefield High School in Arlington, 从小学预备班到中学12年级的学生Virginia. And we’ve got students 正在收听收看。我很高兴大家今天都tuning in from all across America, 能参与。我还要感谢韦克菲尔德高中from kindergarten through 12th 出色的组织安排。请为你们自己热烈鼓掌。（掌声） join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an
outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I know that for many of you, 我知道，今天是你们很多人is the first day of school. And for 开学的日子。对于进入小学预备those of you in kindergarten, or 班、初中或高中的学生，今天是starting middle or high school, it’你们来到新学校的第一天，心里可能有点紧张，这是可以理解的。it ’s understandable if you ’re a 我能想象有些毕业班学生现在感nervous. I imagine there are some 觉很不错——（掌声）——还有seniors out there who are feeling 一年就毕业了。不论在哪个年级， pretty good right now -- (applause) 你们有些人可能希望暑假更长一with just one more year to go. And no 点，今天早上还能多睡一小会儿。 matter what grade you’you are probably wishing it were summer and you could ’ve stayed in just a little bit longer this
I know that feeling. When I was 我了解这种感觉。我小时候，
young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. my mother, she didn’to send me where all the American went to school, but she thought it important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided teach me extra lessons herself, through Friday. But because she had go to work, the only time she could it was at 4:30 in the morning.
Now, as you might imagine, I wasn ’t too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I’asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I ’d complain, mother would just give me one of looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” (Laughter.)
So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’have something important to discuss with you. I’talk with you about your education what ’s expected of all of you in new school year.
Now, I ’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I ’ve talked responsibility a lot.
I ’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring and pushing you to learn.
I ’ve talked about your parentsresponsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your
homework done, and don’t spend 我们家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亚住了几年。我妈妈没有钱送我上其他美国孩子上的学校，但她认为必须让我接受美式教育。因此，她决定从周一到周五自己给我补课。不过她还要上班，所以只能在清晨四点半给我上课。
你们可以想见，我不太情愿那么早起床。有很多次，我趴在餐桌上就睡着了。但每当我抱怨的时候，我妈妈都会那样地看我一眼，然后说：“小子，这对我
也并不轻松。”（笑声）
我知道你们有些人还在适应开学后的生活。但我今天来到这里是因为有重要的事情要和你们说。我来这里是要和你们谈谈你们的教育问题，以及在这个新学
年对你们所有人的期望。
我做过很多次有关教育问题的演讲。我多次谈到过责任问题。
我谈到过教师激励学生并督促他们学习的责任。
我谈到过家长的责任，要确保你们走正路，完成家庭作业，
不要整天坐在电视前或玩Xbox 游戏。
waking hour in front of the TV or the Xbox.
I ’ve talked a lot about your government ’s responsibility for setting high standards, and
supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that arent working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of will make a difference, none of it to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and
grandparents and other adults and That ’s what I want to focus on the responsibility each of you has your education.
I want to start with the
that you ’re good at. Every single of you has something to offer. And discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can
-- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- that English paper -- that English class paper that’我多次谈到过政府的责任，要制定高标准，支持教师和校长的工作，彻底改善不能为学生提供应有机会的、教育质量差的学校。
然而，即使我们拥有最敬业的教师，最尽力的家长和全世界最好的学校——如果你们大家不履行你们的责任，不到校上课，不专心听讲，不听家长、祖父祖母和其他大人的话，不付出取得成功所必须的勤奋努力，那么这一切都毫无用处，都无关紧要。
这就是我今天讲话的重点：你们每个人对自己的教育应尽的责任。
我首先要讲讲你们对自己应尽的责任。你们每个人都有自己的长处。你们每个人都能做出自己的贡献。你们对自己应尽的责任是发现自己的能力所在。而教 育能够提供这样的机会。
你或许能成为一名出色的作家——甚至可能写书或在报纸上发表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文课的作文后才会发现自 己的才华。你或许能成为一名创新者或发明家——甚至可能设计出新一代iPhone 或研制出新型药
come up with the next iPhone or the for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice -- but you government or the debate team.
with your life, I guarantee that youll need an education to do it. You to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a of our military? You ’re going to of school and just drop into a good job. You’work for it and learn for it.
And this isn ’t just important your own life and your own future. you make of your education will country. The future of America on you. What you ’re learning in nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You ’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You ’ll need the and critical-thinking skills you in history and social studies to poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科学课的实验后才会发现自己的才华。你或许能成为一名市长或参议员或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在参加学生会的工作或辩论队后才会发现自己的才华。
不论你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你必须上学读书才能实现它。你想当医生、教师或警官吗？你想当护士、建筑师、律师或军人吗？你必须接受良好的教育，才能从事上述任何一种职业。你不能指望辍学后能碰上个好工 作。你必须接受培训，为之努力，为之学习。
这并非只对你个人的人生和未来意义重大。可以毫不夸大地说，教育给你带来的益处将决定这个国家的未来。美国的未来取决于你们。你们今日在校学习的
知识将决定我们作为一个国家是否能够迎接我们未来所面临的最严峻挑战。
你们将需要利用你们通过自然科学和数学课程所学到的知识和解决问题的能力来治愈癌症、艾滋病及其他疾病，开发新的能源技术和保护我们的环境。你们将需要利用你们在历史学和社会 学课堂上所获得的知识和独立思考能力来抗击贫困和解决无家可归问题，打击犯罪和消除歧视，使我们的国家更公平、更自由。你们将需要利用你们在所有课堂
the creativity and ingenuity you new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don’you quit on school -- you ’re not quitting on yourself, you ’re on your country.
Now, I know it’you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what it’My father left my family when I was years old, and I was raised by a at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’in.
So I wasn’I should have been on school, and I some things I’got in more trouble than I should turn for the worse.
our First Lady Michelle Obama, she a similar story. Neither of her
上培养的创造力和智慧来创办新公司，增加就业机会，振兴我们的经济。
我们需要你们每个人发挥你们的聪明才智和技能，以便帮助老一辈人解决我们面临的最棘手问题。如果你们不这样做，如果你们辍学，你们不仅仅是自暴自 弃，也是抛弃自己的国家。
我自然知道要做到学业优秀并非总是易事。我知道你们许多人在生活中面临挑战，难以集中
精力从事学业。
我明白这一点。我有亲身感受。两岁时，我父亲离家而去，我是由一位单亲母亲抚养成人的，母亲不得不工作，并时常为支付生活费用而苦苦挣扎，但有时仍无法为我们提供其他孩子享 有的东西。有时，我渴望生活中能有一位父亲。有时我感到孤独，感到自己不适应社会。
我并非总是像我应该做到的那样专心学习，我也曾做过我如今不能引以为豪的一些事情，我曾惹过不应该惹的麻烦。我的人 生原本会轻易陷入更糟糕的境地。
但是，我当年际遇不错。我有过许多第二次机会，我有幸能上大学，上法学院，追求自己的
理想。我的妻子，我们的第一夫人米歇尔•奥巴马，也有着类似的经历。她的父母都未曾上过大学，
didn ’in this country.
advantages. Maybe you don’t have there ’s not enough money to go Maybe you live in a neighborhood you don’who are pressuring you to do things know aren’t right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’going on at home -- none of that is excuse for neglecting your homework having a bad attitude in school. That ’teacher, or cutting class, or not trying.
Where you are right now doesn’have to determine where you ’ll end No one ’s written your destiny for because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That ’s what young people like are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn ’t English when she first started Neither of her parents had gone to 家里很穷。但他们非常勤奋，她也是如此，因此她得以进入一些美国最好的学校。
你们中有一些人可能没有那些有利条件。或许你们生活中没有成年人为你们提供你们所需要的支持。或许你们家中有人失业，经济非常拮据。或许你们生活在
使你们感觉不安全的社区，或有朋友逼迫你们去做你们知道不对的事情。
然而说到底，你们生活的环境、你们的肤色、你们的原籍、你们的经济收入、你们家中的境况等等，这一切都不能成为你们不用功或不努力的理由。你们没有理由不服从你们的老师、逃学、
或辍学。没有理由不付出努力。
你们目前的状况并不决定着你们的未来。没有人决定你们的命运，在美国，你们决定自己的命运。你们掌握自己的未来。
这就是像你们这样的年轻人每天都在做的事情，全美各地都
是如此。
来自得州罗马城的贾兹敏•佩雷斯（Jazmin Perez）就是一个例证，她刚开始上学时并不会 说英文。她的父母都没有上过大学。然而，她非常勤奋，成绩优
Brown University -- is now in school, studying public health, on way to becoming Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I ’m thinking about Andoni
who ’s fought brain cancer since he three. He’of treatments and surgeries, one of never fell behind. He’s headed to college this fall.
And then there ’s Shantell from my hometown of Chicago, Even when bouncing from foster home foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she to get a job at a local health care people out of gangs, and she ’s on to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
aren ’t any different from any of you. They face challenges in their lives just like you do. In some cases they’ve got it a lot worse off than many you. But they refused to give up. chose to take responsibility for lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. And I expect of you to do the same.
That ’s why today I ’m calling your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can 秀，获得了布朗大学的奖学金，她如今正在读研究生，攻读公共卫生专业，不久将成为贾兹敏•佩雷斯博士。
我想起了加州洛斯阿尔托斯城的安多尼•舒尔茨（Andoni Schultz ），他从三岁开始就一直与脑癌进行抗争，他不得不忍受各类治疗和手术带来的痛苦，其中一项手术曾影响了他的记忆， 因此他花在功课上的时间比一般人长得多，要多出数百个小时。然而，他从未落后。他今年秋季将迈进大学。
我还想起家乡伊利诺伊州芝加哥市的尚特尔•史蒂夫
（Shantell Steve）。她曾在芝加哥最困难的社区生活，寄养于多个不同的家庭，但她最终在一家地方医疗中心找到工作，并开 始了一项帮助年轻人远离流氓团伙的计划，她即将以优异成绩从中学毕业，紧接着将上大学。
贾兹敏、安多尼和尚特尔与你们中间的每个人没什么两样。跟你们一样，他们在生活中面临种种挑战。在某些情况下，他们的处境比起你们许多人更差。但他们拒绝放弃。他们决定要为自 己的一生、自己的教育负起责任，为自己设定各项奋斗目标。我期待你们大家都会这样做。
因此，我今天呼吁你们每一个人为自己的教育设定目标，并尽自己的最大努力来实现这些目
标。你的目标可以是一件十分简单的事情，例如完成家庭作业、上课专心听讲、或每天花一点时
or spending some time each day a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your
community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you ’ll decide to are washing your hands a lot, and you stay home from school when you don t feel well, so we can keep people
to really work at it.
I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. Chances are you’
The truth is, being successful hard. You won’t love every subject that you study. You won’every teacher that you have. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life at this minute. And you won’t
necessarily succeed at everything first time you try.
That ’s okay. Some of the most successful people in the world are ones who’ve had the most failures.
间读一本书。也许你会决定要参加课外活动或在你的社区提供志愿服务。也许你会决定挺身而出保护那些因为身份或长相而受人戏弄或欺负的孩子，原因是你和我一样认为所有的年轻人都应该享有一个适合读书和学习的安全环境。也许你会决定更好地照料自己，以便有更充沛的精力来学习。顺便提一下，除了这些事情外，我希望大家要勤洗手，身体感到不舒服的时候要呆在家里不去上学，这样我们能防止人们在今年秋冬季节染上流感。
但无论你决定做什么，我希望你保证去做。我希望你脚踏实
地地去做。
我知道有时候你会从电视上得到这样的印象：你不用做任何艰苦的工作就能发财致富并取得成功，唱小调、打篮球或成为真
人秀明星是走向成功的途径。但实际情况是：你可能不会成为其中的一员。
事实上，取得成功不是轻而易举的事情。你不会喜欢你学习的每一门课目。你不会与你的每一位老师都很投契。不是所有的家庭作业似乎都与你眼前的生活
完全有关。你第一次尝试做每件事的时候，不一定成功。
这些都没关系。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失败最 多的人。作者J •K •罗琳（J.K.
J.K. Rowling’s -- who wrote Harry was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again my life. And that’s why I succeed.”
These people succeeded because they understood that you can’t let to let your failures teach you. You get into trouble, that doesn’you ’need to try harder to act right. If get a bad grade, that doesn ’t mean you spend more time studying.
No one’things. You become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don ’t hit You ’ve got to practice. The same principle applies to your few times before you get it right. might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You a paper before it ’s good enough to in
Don ’t be afraid to ask Don ’you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of
Rowling ）所写的系列小说《哈利•波特》（Harry Potter）第一部在获得出版之前被退稿12次。迈克尔•乔丹（Michael Jordan）曾被他的高中篮球队除名。在乔丹的篮球生涯中，他输过数百场比赛，有成千上万个球没有投中。但他曾说过：“在我的一生中，我失败了一次又一次、一次又一次。这就是我成功的原因。” 这些人士获得成功，因为他们懂得：你不能让失败来限制你，而必须让失败来开导你。你必须让失败向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做这件事情。因此，如果你遇到麻烦，那并不表示你是麻烦的制造者，而意味着你需要 更加努力去把它做对。如果你有一门课分数低，那不表示你比别人笨，而只表示你需要花更多的时间学习。
没有一个人天生擅长做各种事情。你通过勤奋而变得擅长于各种事情。第一次从事新的体育项目时，你不可能是一位主力队员。第一次唱一首歌曲时，你不可能唱准每个音。你必须练习。同样的道理适用于你的学业。你可能要把一道数学题做几次才把
它做对。你可能要把一些材料阅读几遍才能理解。在交出一篇优美的作文之前，你肯定需要打几遍草稿。
不要害怕提问。不要在需要帮助时害怕请求别人帮助。我天
天请求别人的帮助。请求帮助不是软弱的表现，它是力量的标志，
weakness, it’s a sign of strength to admit when you don’t know
something, and that then allows you that you trust -- a parent, a
stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you ’re even when you ’re discouraged, and on you, don ’t ever give up on you give up on your country.
The story of America isn ’people who quit when things got It ’s about people who kept going, who too much to do anything less than best.
It ’s the story of students who on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. Young people. Students who sat where you sit 75 a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 ago who founded Google and Twitter Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask all of what ’s your contribution going to of you did for this country?
因为它表明你有勇气承认自己对某些事情不懂，这样做会使你学到新的东西。因此，请确定一位你信任的成年人，例如家长、祖父母或老师、教练或辅导员，请他们帮助你遵循既定计划实现你的目标。
即使当你苦苦挣扎、灰心丧气、感到其他人对你不抱希望时，也不要对你自己丧失信心，因为当你自暴自弃时，你也抛弃了自 己的国家。
书写美国历史的不是在困难时刻退缩的人，而是坚持不懈、加倍努力的人，他们对国家的爱促使他们全力以赴。
书写美国历史的是250年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们后来进行了独立战争并创建了这个国家。还有75年前坐在你们的位置上的年轻人和学生，他们走出了大萧条并打赢了一场世界大战；他们为民权而奋斗并把宇航 员送上了月球。至于20年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们创办了谷歌（Google ）、叽喳网（Twitter ）和脸谱网
（Facebook ），改变了我们交流沟通的方式。
而今天，我要问问你们大家，你们将做出什么贡献？你们将解决什么问题？你们将有什么发
现？20年、50年或100年后来到 这里讲话的总统将会怎样评价你们大家为这个国家所做的一切？
Now, your families, your
we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I ’m working hard to fix and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. But you’you to get serious this year. I you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don ’t us down. Don’or your country down. Most of all, don t let yourself down. Make us all
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.)
你们的家人、你们的老师和我正在竭尽全力保证你们接受必要的教育，以便回答上述问题。我正在努力工作，以便你们的教室得到修缮，你们能够得到学习所需的课本、设备和电脑。但你们也必须尽自己的努力。因此，我希望你们大家从今年起认真对待这个问题。我希望你们尽最大 努力做好每一件事。我希望你们每个人都有出色的表现。不要让我们失望。不要让你们的家人或你们的国家失望。而最重要的是，不要辜负你们自己，而要让我们都能[为你们]感到骄傲。 非常感谢你们大家。愿主保佑你们。愿主保佑美国。谢谢你 们。（掌声）
奥巴马2009年秋季开学致辞美国中小学生（中英对
照）
奥巴马2009年秋季开学致辞美国中小学生（中英对照）
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A 美国总统奥巴马对全美中小学生的ADDRESS TO AMERICA’讲话 Wakefield High School, Arlington,
Virginia 弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲尔德高September 8, 2009 中
2009年9月8日
Hello, everybody! Thank you. 大家好！谢谢你们。谢谢你们。谢谢你们大家。好，大家请就坐。你们今天都好吗？（掌声）蒂姆•斯派seat. How is everybody doing today? 塞（Tim Spicer ）好吗？（掌声）我(Applause.) How about Tim Spicer? 现在与弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲(Applause.) I am here with students 尔德高中的学生们在一起。美国各地Wakefield High School in Arlington, 从小学预备班到中学12年级的学生Virginia. And we’ve got students 正在收听收看。我很高兴大家今天都tuning in from all across America, 能参与。我还要感谢韦克菲尔德高中from kindergarten through 12th 出色的组织安排。请为你们自己热烈鼓掌。（掌声） join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an
outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I know that for many of you, 我知道，今天是你们很多人is the first day of school. And for 开学的日子。对于进入小学预备those of you in kindergarten, or 班、初中或高中的学生，今天是starting middle or high school, it’你们来到新学校的第一天，心里可能有点紧张，这是可以理解的。it ’s understandable if you ’re a 我能想象有些毕业班学生现在感nervous. I imagine there are some 觉很不错——（掌声）——还有seniors out there who are feeling 一年就毕业了。不论在哪个年级， pretty good right now -- (applause) 你们有些人可能希望暑假更长一with just one more year to go. And no 点，今天早上还能多睡一小会儿。 matter what grade you’you are probably wishing it were summer and you could ’ve stayed in just a little bit longer this
I know that feeling. When I was 我了解这种感觉。我小时候，
young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. my mother, she didn’to send me where all the American went to school, but she thought it important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided teach me extra lessons herself, through Friday. But because she had go to work, the only time she could it was at 4:30 in the morning.
Now, as you might imagine, I wasn ’t too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I’asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I ’d complain, mother would just give me one of looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” (Laughter.)
So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’have something important to discuss with you. I’talk with you about your education what ’s expected of all of you in new school year.
Now, I ’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I ’ve talked responsibility a lot.
I ’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring and pushing you to learn.
I ’ve talked about your parentsresponsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your
homework done, and don’t spend 我们家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亚住了几年。我妈妈没有钱送我上其他美国孩子上的学校，但她认为必须让我接受美式教育。因此，她决定从周一到周五自己给我补课。不过她还要上班，所以只能在清晨四点半给我上课。
你们可以想见，我不太情愿那么早起床。有很多次，我趴在餐桌上就睡着了。但每当我抱怨的时候，我妈妈都会那样地看我一眼，然后说：“小子，这对我
也并不轻松。”（笑声）
我知道你们有些人还在适应开学后的生活。但我今天来到这里是因为有重要的事情要和你们说。我来这里是要和你们谈谈你们的教育问题，以及在这个新学
年对你们所有人的期望。
我做过很多次有关教育问题的演讲。我多次谈到过责任问题。
我谈到过教师激励学生并督促他们学习的责任。
我谈到过家长的责任，要确保你们走正路，完成家庭作业，
不要整天坐在电视前或玩Xbox 游戏。
waking hour in front of the TV or the Xbox.
I ’ve talked a lot about your government ’s responsibility for setting high standards, and
supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that arent working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of will make a difference, none of it to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and
grandparents and other adults and That ’s what I want to focus on the responsibility each of you has your education.
I want to start with the
that you ’re good at. Every single of you has something to offer. And discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can
-- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- that English paper -- that English class paper that’我多次谈到过政府的责任，要制定高标准，支持教师和校长的工作，彻底改善不能为学生提供应有机会的、教育质量差的学校。
然而，即使我们拥有最敬业的教师，最尽力的家长和全世界最好的学校——如果你们大家不履行你们的责任，不到校上课，不专心听讲，不听家长、祖父祖母和其他大人的话，不付出取得成功所必须的勤奋努力，那么这一切都毫无用处，都无关紧要。
这就是我今天讲话的重点：你们每个人对自己的教育应尽的责任。
我首先要讲讲你们对自己应尽的责任。你们每个人都有自己的长处。你们每个人都能做出自己的贡献。你们对自己应尽的责任是发现自己的能力所在。而教 育能够提供这样的机会。
你或许能成为一名出色的作家——甚至可能写书或在报纸上发表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文课的作文后才会发现自 己的才华。你或许能成为一名创新者或发明家——甚至可能设计出新一代iPhone 或研制出新型药
come up with the next iPhone or the for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice -- but you government or the debate team.
with your life, I guarantee that youll need an education to do it. You to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a of our military? You ’re going to of school and just drop into a good job. You’work for it and learn for it.
And this isn ’t just important your own life and your own future. you make of your education will country. The future of America on you. What you ’re learning in nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You ’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You ’ll need the and critical-thinking skills you in history and social studies to poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科学课的实验后才会发现自己的才华。你或许能成为一名市长或参议员或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在参加学生会的工作或辩论队后才会发现自己的才华。
不论你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你必须上学读书才能实现它。你想当医生、教师或警官吗？你想当护士、建筑师、律师或军人吗？你必须接受良好的教育，才能从事上述任何一种职业。你不能指望辍学后能碰上个好工 作。你必须接受培训，为之努力，为之学习。
这并非只对你个人的人生和未来意义重大。可以毫不夸大地说，教育给你带来的益处将决定这个国家的未来。美国的未来取决于你们。你们今日在校学习的
知识将决定我们作为一个国家是否能够迎接我们未来所面临的最严峻挑战。
你们将需要利用你们通过自然科学和数学课程所学到的知识和解决问题的能力来治愈癌症、艾滋病及其他疾病，开发新的能源技术和保护我们的环境。你们将需要利用你们在历史学和社会 学课堂上所获得的知识和独立思考能力来抗击贫困和解决无家可归问题，打击犯罪和消除歧视，使我们的国家更公平、更自由。你们将需要利用你们在所有课堂
the creativity and ingenuity you new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don’you quit on school -- you ’re not quitting on yourself, you ’re on your country.
Now, I know it’you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what it’My father left my family when I was years old, and I was raised by a at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’in.
So I wasn’I should have been on school, and I some things I’got in more trouble than I should turn for the worse.
our First Lady Michelle Obama, she a similar story. Neither of her
上培养的创造力和智慧来创办新公司，增加就业机会，振兴我们的经济。
我们需要你们每个人发挥你们的聪明才智和技能，以便帮助老一辈人解决我们面临的最棘手问题。如果你们不这样做，如果你们辍学，你们不仅仅是自暴自 弃，也是抛弃自己的国家。
我自然知道要做到学业优秀并非总是易事。我知道你们许多人在生活中面临挑战，难以集中
精力从事学业。
我明白这一点。我有亲身感受。两岁时，我父亲离家而去，我是由一位单亲母亲抚养成人的，母亲不得不工作，并时常为支付生活费用而苦苦挣扎，但有时仍无法为我们提供其他孩子享 有的东西。有时，我渴望生活中能有一位父亲。有时我感到孤独，感到自己不适应社会。
我并非总是像我应该做到的那样专心学习，我也曾做过我如今不能引以为豪的一些事情，我曾惹过不应该惹的麻烦。我的人 生原本会轻易陷入更糟糕的境地。
但是，我当年际遇不错。我有过许多第二次机会，我有幸能上大学，上法学院，追求自己的
理想。我的妻子，我们的第一夫人米歇尔•奥巴马，也有着类似的经历。她的父母都未曾上过大学，
didn ’in this country.
advantages. Maybe you don’t have there ’s not enough money to go Maybe you live in a neighborhood you don’who are pressuring you to do things know aren’t right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’going on at home -- none of that is excuse for neglecting your homework having a bad attitude in school. That ’teacher, or cutting class, or not trying.
Where you are right now doesn’have to determine where you ’ll end No one ’s written your destiny for because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That ’s what young people like are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn ’t English when she first started Neither of her parents had gone to 家里很穷。但他们非常勤奋，她也是如此，因此她得以进入一些美国最好的学校。
你们中有一些人可能没有那些有利条件。或许你们生活中没有成年人为你们提供你们所需要的支持。或许你们家中有人失业，经济非常拮据。或许你们生活在
使你们感觉不安全的社区，或有朋友逼迫你们去做你们知道不对的事情。
然而说到底，你们生活的环境、你们的肤色、你们的原籍、你们的经济收入、你们家中的境况等等，这一切都不能成为你们不用功或不努力的理由。你们没有理由不服从你们的老师、逃学、
或辍学。没有理由不付出努力。
你们目前的状况并不决定着你们的未来。没有人决定你们的命运，在美国，你们决定自己的命运。你们掌握自己的未来。
这就是像你们这样的年轻人每天都在做的事情，全美各地都
是如此。
来自得州罗马城的贾兹敏•佩雷斯（Jazmin Perez）就是一个例证，她刚开始上学时并不会 说英文。她的父母都没有上过大学。然而，她非常勤奋，成绩优
Brown University -- is now in school, studying public health, on way to becoming Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I ’m thinking about Andoni
who ’s fought brain cancer since he three. He’of treatments and surgeries, one of never fell behind. He’s headed to college this fall.
And then there ’s Shantell from my hometown of Chicago, Even when bouncing from foster home foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she to get a job at a local health care people out of gangs, and she ’s on to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
aren ’t any different from any of you. They face challenges in their lives just like you do. In some cases they’ve got it a lot worse off than many you. But they refused to give up. chose to take responsibility for lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. And I expect of you to do the same.
That ’s why today I ’m calling your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can 秀，获得了布朗大学的奖学金，她如今正在读研究生，攻读公共卫生专业，不久将成为贾兹敏•佩雷斯博士。
我想起了加州洛斯阿尔托斯城的安多尼•舒尔茨（Andoni Schultz ），他从三岁开始就一直与脑癌进行抗争，他不得不忍受各类治疗和手术带来的痛苦，其中一项手术曾影响了他的记忆， 因此他花在功课上的时间比一般人长得多，要多出数百个小时。然而，他从未落后。他今年秋季将迈进大学。
我还想起家乡伊利诺伊州芝加哥市的尚特尔•史蒂夫
（Shantell Steve）。她曾在芝加哥最困难的社区生活，寄养于多个不同的家庭，但她最终在一家地方医疗中心找到工作，并开 始了一项帮助年轻人远离流氓团伙的计划，她即将以优异成绩从中学毕业，紧接着将上大学。
贾兹敏、安多尼和尚特尔与你们中间的每个人没什么两样。跟你们一样，他们在生活中面临种种挑战。在某些情况下，他们的处境比起你们许多人更差。但他们拒绝放弃。他们决定要为自 己的一生、自己的教育负起责任，为自己设定各项奋斗目标。我期待你们大家都会这样做。
因此，我今天呼吁你们每一个人为自己的教育设定目标，并尽自己的最大努力来实现这些目
标。你的目标可以是一件十分简单的事情，例如完成家庭作业、上课专心听讲、或每天花一点时
or spending some time each day a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your
community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you ’ll decide to are washing your hands a lot, and you stay home from school when you don t feel well, so we can keep people
to really work at it.
I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. Chances are you’
The truth is, being successful hard. You won’t love every subject that you study. You won’every teacher that you have. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life at this minute. And you won’t
necessarily succeed at everything first time you try.
That ’s okay. Some of the most successful people in the world are ones who’ve had the most failures.
间读一本书。也许你会决定要参加课外活动或在你的社区提供志愿服务。也许你会决定挺身而出保护那些因为身份或长相而受人戏弄或欺负的孩子，原因是你和我一样认为所有的年轻人都应该享有一个适合读书和学习的安全环境。也许你会决定更好地照料自己，以便有更充沛的精力来学习。顺便提一下，除了这些事情外，我希望大家要勤洗手，身体感到不舒服的时候要呆在家里不去上学，这样我们能防止人们在今年秋冬季节染上流感。
但无论你决定做什么，我希望你保证去做。我希望你脚踏实
地地去做。
我知道有时候你会从电视上得到这样的印象：你不用做任何艰苦的工作就能发财致富并取得成功，唱小调、打篮球或成为真
人秀明星是走向成功的途径。但实际情况是：你可能不会成为其中的一员。
事实上，取得成功不是轻而易举的事情。你不会喜欢你学习的每一门课目。你不会与你的每一位老师都很投契。不是所有的家庭作业似乎都与你眼前的生活
完全有关。你第一次尝试做每件事的时候，不一定成功。
这些都没关系。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失败最 多的人。作者J •K •罗琳（J.K.
J.K. Rowling’s -- who wrote Harry was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again my life. And that’s why I succeed.”
These people succeeded because they understood that you can’t let to let your failures teach you. You get into trouble, that doesn’you ’need to try harder to act right. If get a bad grade, that doesn ’t mean you spend more time studying.
No one’things. You become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don ’t hit You ’ve got to practice. The same principle applies to your few times before you get it right. might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You a paper before it ’s good enough to in
Don ’t be afraid to ask Don ’you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of
Rowling ）所写的系列小说《哈利•波特》（Harry Potter）第一部在获得出版之前被退稿12次。迈克尔•乔丹（Michael Jordan）曾被他的高中篮球队除名。在乔丹的篮球生涯中，他输过数百场比赛，有成千上万个球没有投中。但他曾说过：“在我的一生中，我失败了一次又一次、一次又一次。这就是我成功的原因。” 这些人士获得成功，因为他们懂得：你不能让失败来限制你，而必须让失败来开导你。你必须让失败向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做这件事情。因此，如果你遇到麻烦，那并不表示你是麻烦的制造者，而意味着你需要 更加努力去把它做对。如果你有一门课分数低，那不表示你比别人笨，而只表示你需要花更多的时间学习。
没有一个人天生擅长做各种事情。你通过勤奋而变得擅长于各种事情。第一次从事新的体育项目时，你不可能是一位主力队员。第一次唱一首歌曲时，你不可能唱准每个音。你必须练习。同样的道理适用于你的学业。你可能要把一道数学题做几次才把
它做对。你可能要把一些材料阅读几遍才能理解。在交出一篇优美的作文之前，你肯定需要打几遍草稿。
不要害怕提问。不要在需要帮助时害怕请求别人帮助。我天
天请求别人的帮助。请求帮助不是软弱的表现，它是力量的标志，
weakness, it’s a sign of strength to admit when you don’t know
something, and that then allows you that you trust -- a parent, a
stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you ’re even when you ’re discouraged, and on you, don ’t ever give up on you give up on your country.
The story of America isn ’people who quit when things got It ’s about people who kept going, who too much to do anything less than best.
It ’s the story of students who on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. Young people. Students who sat where you sit 75 a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 ago who founded Google and Twitter Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask all of what ’s your contribution going to of you did for this country?
因为它表明你有勇气承认自己对某些事情不懂，这样做会使你学到新的东西。因此，请确定一位你信任的成年人，例如家长、祖父母或老师、教练或辅导员，请他们帮助你遵循既定计划实现你的目标。
即使当你苦苦挣扎、灰心丧气、感到其他人对你不抱希望时，也不要对你自己丧失信心，因为当你自暴自弃时，你也抛弃了自 己的国家。
书写美国历史的不是在困难时刻退缩的人，而是坚持不懈、加倍努力的人，他们对国家的爱促使他们全力以赴。
书写美国历史的是250年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们后来进行了独立战争并创建了这个国家。还有75年前坐在你们的位置上的年轻人和学生，他们走出了大萧条并打赢了一场世界大战；他们为民权而奋斗并把宇航 员送上了月球。至于20年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们创办了谷歌（Google ）、叽喳网（Twitter ）和脸谱网
（Facebook ），改变了我们交流沟通的方式。
而今天，我要问问你们大家，你们将做出什么贡献？你们将解决什么问题？你们将有什么发
现？20年、50年或100年后来到 这里讲话的总统将会怎样评价你们大家为这个国家所做的一切？
Now, your families, your
we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I ’m working hard to fix and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. But you’you to get serious this year. I you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don ’t us down. Don’or your country down. Most of all, don t let yourself down. Make us all
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.)
你们的家人、你们的老师和我正在竭尽全力保证你们接受必要的教育，以便回答上述问题。我正在努力工作，以便你们的教室得到修缮，你们能够得到学习所需的课本、设备和电脑。但你们也必须尽自己的努力。因此，我希望你们大家从今年起认真对待这个问题。我希望你们尽最大 努力做好每一件事。我希望你们每个人都有出色的表现。不要让我们失望。不要让你们的家人或你们的国家失望。而最重要的是，不要辜负你们自己，而要让我们都能[为你们]感到骄傲。 非常感谢你们大家。愿主保佑你们。愿主保佑美国。谢谢你 们。（掌声）