(单词翻译:单击)
听力原文
And nor am I afraid that the precious two-party system is in danger. Certainly the Republican Party looked brutally alive a couple of weeks ago -- and I mean both Republican parties. Nor am I afraid that the Democratic Party is old and fat and indolent. After a hundred and fifty years, it has been old for a long time, and it will never be indolent, as long as it looks forward and not back, as long as it commands the allegiance of the young and the hopeful who dream the dreams and see the visions of a better America and a better world.
You will hear many sincere and thoughtful people express concern about the continuation of one Party in power for twenty years. I don't belittle this attitude. But change for the sake of change has no absolute merit in itself. If our greatest hazard -- If our greatest hazard ispreservation of the values of Western civilization, in our self-interest alone, if you please, it is the part -- is it the part of wisdom to change for the sake of change to a Party with a splitpersonality, to a leader, whom we all respect, but who has been called upon to minister to a hopeless case of political schizophrenia?
参考译文
我不担心珍贵的两党制面临威胁。当然，共和党在几个星期前还在疯狂叫嚣——我的意思是两个共和党。我不担心民主党会老朽，臃肿和停滞不前。经历了150年的发展，它虽然历史悠久，但只要它向前看而不是向后看，它就永远不会停滞不前。青年人和对未来充满希望的人一直在梦想，憧憬这一个更加美好的美国和更加美好的世界，只要唤醒他们对国家的忠诚，我们的党就永不会停滞不前。你们将会听到许多诚恳的和深思熟虑的人的意见，他们很关心这个连续执政了20年的党是不是还要继续执政。我不贬低这种态度，但是，为了改变而改变，这本身没有任何价值。如果我们最大的危险是只从我们的自身利益出发来保持西方文明，那么请允许我问，难道为了改变而变成一个分裂的党，去召唤一个我们都尊敬的领导来照顾一个绝望的政治分裂症，这样的改变就是一种明智选择吗？
词语解释
1. democratic a. 民主的
Many people were elected to take part in democratic involvement.
很多人被选举参与民主管理。
2. indolent a. 懒惰的，慢性的
I don't want to make friends with indolent persons.
我不喜欢和懒惰的人交朋友。
3. allegiance n. 忠诚，效忠
They have sworn (an oath of) allegiance to the crown.
他们宣誓效忠君主。
4. hazard n. 危险，冒险
He hazarded all his money in the attempt to save the business.
他为挽救这家企业，不惜冒险投入他的全部金钱。
5. schizophrenia n. 精神分裂症
A type of schizophrenia, usually starting at puberty, characterized by foolish mannerisms, senseless laughter, delusions, hallucinations, and regressive behavior.
青春期痴是呆一种精神分裂症，通常始发于青春期，其特征为举止痴呆、傻笑、妄想、幻觉以及退化的举止。
