轻松美语会话第2辑社会老龄化

所属教程:轻松美语会话第2辑

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Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
女士们先生们！您们好！
it gives me great pleasure to introduce our Keynote speaker for today's plenary address,
我很高兴介绍为今天全席演讲的主要发言人，霍华德·米勒博士，
Dr.Howard Miller.,Dr.Miller, Professor of Sociology at Washington University,
米勒博士是华盛顿大学社会研究学教授，
has written numerous articles and books on the issues facing older Americans in our graying society in the past 15 years.
在过去十五年里，米勒博士为我们老人社会的老一代美国人所面临的各种问题写下了许多文章和书籍。
Thank you for that introduction.
谢谢你的介绍，
Today,I'd like to preface my remarks from a story from my own life
今天就让我从我生命中的一个故事来开始我的演说吧，
Which I feel highlights our common concerns that bring us here together.
我认为它能突出反映我们共同的关心的也是使我们今天聚到一起的问题。
Several years ago when my grandparents were well into their eighties,
几年前，当我外祖父母进入耄耄之年时，
they were faced with the reality of no longer begin able to adequately care for themselves .
他们面临着不能够充分照顾自己的现实。
My grandfather spoke of his greatest fear,
我的外祖父说到他的最大恐惧是，
that of leaving the only home they had known for the past 60 years.
离开他们过去六十年熟悉不过的家。
Fighting back the tears, he spoke proudly of the fact that he had built their home from the groud up,
强忍着泪水，他骄傲地说到自己如何从平旷的地面上建立起自己的家园，
and that he had pounded every nail and laid every brick in the process.
说起在此过程中如何添砖加瓦。
The prospect of having to sell their home and give up their independence,
一想到要卖掉他们的家，放弃独立，
and move into a retirement home was an extremely traumatic experience for them.
然后搬到退休公寓，这一切对他们来说都是一个痛苦的经历。
It was ,in my grandfather's own words ,like having a limb severed off.
用我外祖父的话说来就是像四肢散了架。
He was quite emphatic exclaiming that he felt he wasn't important anymore.
他强调地说道他感觉自己已不再重要了。
For them and some older Americans,
对他们和一些老一辈美国人来说，
their so-called"golden years" are at times not so pleasant,for this period can mean the deline of not only one's health but the loss of identity and self-worth.
他们所谓的“黄金时代”有时候却让人不怎么愉快，因为这个时期可能意味着一个人健康状况的下降和自我身份与价值的遗失。
In many societies,this self-identity is closely related without social status,occupation,material possessions,or independence.
在许多社会里，个人身份与一个人社会地位、职业、财产和独立性是息息相关的。
Furthermore,we often live in societies that value that which is "new" or in vogue,
此外，我们通常是生活在一个崇尚新事物和时尚东西的社会里，
and our own usage of lexicon in the English language often does not bode well for older citizens.
我们使用的英语词汇却让老一代美国人预感不妙，
I mean how would your family react if you came home tonight elated exclaiming ,"Hey ,come to the living room and see the OLD black and white TV brought!
我的意思是，当你晚上回到家得意洋洋地喊道：“嘿，到客厅来，看看我买的古老的黑白电视！”你的家人怎样反应。
"Unfortunately, the word"old" conjures up images of the need to replace or discard.
不幸的是“老”这个字眼却让人产生必须替换和抛弃的印象。
Now many of the lectures given at this conference have focused on the issues of pension reform,
在这次讨论会上，许多演讲都是关于退休金改革，
medical care,and the development of public facilities for senior citizens.
医疗福利，老年人公共设施发展问题，
And while these are vital issues that must be addressed,
因为这是必须说到的重要问题。
I'd like to focus my comments on an underlying issue that will affect the overall success of the other programs mentioned.
但我还是想谈谈一个潜在的问题，它将影响上面提到的一切计划的全面实现，
This has to do with realigning our perspectives on what it means to be a part of this group,
这就是需要我们着眼于一个问题，即作为老年人中的一员到底意味着什么，
and finding meaning roles the elderly can and should play in our societies.
还需要我们在这个社会里寻找老年人可以并且应该承担的有意义的角色。
First of all,I'd to talk about..
首先，我想谈谈……
numerous    adj. many
众多的。
There were numerous articles in the paper on that problem.
报纸上刊登了许多关于那个问题的文章。
preface   v. to introduce or begin
序文
The manager prefaced his presentation with the minutes from last meeting.
经理从上次开会的会议记录开始进行阐述。
prospect         n. the anticipation that something might happen
前途，期望
His prospects aren't very good for getting a job because he lacks the needed skills.
由于缺少必要的技能，他找到工作的可能性并不大。
traumatic     adj. very upsetting or difficult
创伤的
Because of air pollution, we have seen some very traumatic changes in the environment.
由于空气污染，我们看到环境有了许多烦人的改变。
limb   n. a part of the body , like an arm or leg
肢
Many artificial limbs have been prepared for.
许多人造肢体准备好了。
severed off    cut off completely
严厉的
The two businesses severed off negotiations after they couldn't agree on any of the important issues.
在所有重要问题上都产生了意见分歧后，两笔交易谈判取消了。
lexicon          vocabulary
词汇
Expanding your lexicon in this technical field will help you a great deal.
扩大你的技术领域的词汇量将对你帮助很大。
to be elated   V.    very happy or excited
高兴的样子
They were elated to hear the good news.
听到这个好消息后他们非常兴奋。
discard   v. to throw away, to dispose of
丢弃
The fish in this river are dying because local industries have been reckless in discarding their waste materials.
由于当地工业企业恣意乱排废物，这条河中的鱼不断死亡。