An Extract from Churchill's Speech
Guidance for Reciting
“Never,never,never,never give up.”
I have nothing to offer but blood,toil,tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many,many months of struggle and suffering. You ask,what is our aim?I can answer in one word,it is victory. Victory at all costs―victory in spite of all terrors―victory,however long and hard the road may be,for without victory there is no survival. Let that be realized,no survival for the British Empire,no survival for all that British Empire has stood for,no survival for the urge,the impulse of the ages,that mankind shall move forward toward his goal. I take up my task in buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture,at this time,to claim the aid of all and to say,“Come then,let us go forward together with our united strength.”
Notes
1.ordeal [R:5di:El] n.严酷的考验,痛苦的经验
2.buoyancy [5bRiEnsi] n.浮性,浮力,轻快。这里指“irrepressible liveliness and good spirit”。
3.entitled [in5taitld] a.有资格的
英国前首相丘吉尔演讲节选
诵读导言
“永远,永远都不要放弃。”
我能奉献的惟有热血、辛劳、泪水和汗水。我们所面临的将是一场极为残酷的考验,我们面临的将是旷日持久的斗争和苦难。你若问我们的目标是什么?我可以用一个词来概括,那就是胜利。不惜一切代价去夺取胜利,不畏惧一切恐怖去夺取胜利,不论前路再长再苦也要夺取胜利,因为没有胜利就无法生存!我们必须意识到,没有胜利就没有大英帝国,没有胜利就没有大英帝国所象征的一切,没有胜利就没有多少世纪以来强烈的要求和冲动:人类应当向自己的目标迈进。此刻,我的精神振奋,满怀信心地承当起自己的任务。我确信,只要我们大家联合起来,我们的事业就不会挫败。此时此刻千钧一发之际,我觉得我有权要求各方面的支持。我要呼吁:“来吧,让我们群策齐力,并肩迈进!”
口语点津
阅读并背诵名言既能提高我们的英语水平,更能开启我们的心智。丘吉尔这位二战期间的三巨头之一,留下了无数的经典名言,其中有名的,还是那句“Never,never,never,never give up”。不过在05年的英国最伟大名言评选中,这句话输给了Beatles的名句“All you need is love”,屈居第二。可见和平的年代里爱比奋斗更受欢迎。