(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Thomas Jefferson left the White House in March of eighteen hundred and nine. His secretary of state, James Madison, had been elected president. Jefferson believed the nation was in good hands. He returned to Monticello, his country home in Virginia, and never went back to Washington again. But Jefferson and the new president exchanged letters often. Jefferson offered advice on a number of problems that Madison faced as the nation's fourth president. There were many visitors to Monticello. But Jefferson was happiest when he could discuss books, government, science and education. This week in our series, Maurice Joyce and Kay Gallant discuss the final days of Thomas Jefferson and his lasting contributions -- to Virginia and the nation. Jefferson believed firmly in the value of education. His whole idea of government depended on the ability of citizens to make intelligent decisions. He spent the final years of his life building a better educational system for Virginia. Jefferson had been interested in education for most of his life. He had developed many ideas about the best way to educate the people. He believed that every citizen had the right to an education.
But, he understood that all people do not have the same ability to learn. Jefferson divided the people into two groups: those who labor and those who use their minds. He thought both should start with the same simple education -- learning to read and write and count. After these things were learned, he believed the two groups should be taught separately. Those in the labor group, he thought, should learn how to be better farmers or how to make things with their hands. The other group should study science, or medicine or law. Jefferson did not wait long to begin working to improve education in Virginia. A group of men decided to build a college at Charlottesville, near Jefferson's home. Jefferson immediately offered to take a leading part in starting the school. He said he would plan the buildings and also plan what the students would study. He wrote to many of his friends -- experts in education. He asked for their advice. One of the experts told Jefferson he should not include religion among the studies. Jefferson agreed. But he understood that leaving out religious studies would cause problems. He explained it this way: "We cannot always do what is absolutely best. Those with whom we act have different ideas. They have the right and power to act on their ideas. We make progress only one step at a time. To do our fellow men the most good, we must lead where we can, follow where we cannot.
But we must still go with them, watching always for the moment we can help them move forward another step." Jefferson began by planning a program of studies for the Charlottesville College. But he did not stop there. Before he finished, he had completed plans for a complete education system for Virginia. He proposed a school system of three steps. The first step would be elementary schools, where all children could learn reading, writing, arithmetic and geography. These schools would be built in all areas of the state and would be paid for by the people living in each area. The second step would be colleges -- equal to the high schools of today. He proposed that nine of these schools be built in the state. Students would begin the study of science, or would study agriculture, or how to use their hands to make things. These schools would be paid for by the state. The third step would be a state university, where students of great ability could go to get the best of educations. The university would produce the lawyers, doctors, professors, scientists and government leaders. Young men whose families had money would pay for their own educations. The state would pay the costs of a small number of bright students from poor families. Jefferson also proposed that the University of Virginia be built at Charlottesville. He already had begun work on the college there and offered to give it to the university.
His education program was offered to the Virginia legislature. Many lawmakers thought it was excellent. But many others opposed it. They did not want to raise taxes for the large amount of money such a system would cost. The legislature, however, agreed to part of the plan. It approved a bill to help pay the cost of educating poor children. And it agreed to spend fifteen thousand dollars each year for a university. There was much debate about where the university should be built. Several other towns wanted the school. Finally, Charlottesville was chosen. By this time, Jefferson had completed plans for the university buildings. He borrowed many of his ideas from the beautiful buildings of ancient Greece and Rome. The buildings were so well planned that one hundred years later, when the university was to put up a new building, the builder could find no reason to change the plans drawn by Jefferson. Work began on the university immediately. But it was six years before the school was open to students. Jefferson was there almost every day, watching the workmen. He was quick to criticize any mistake or work that was not done well. When he was sick and not able to go down to the university, he would watch the work through a telescope from a window of his home.
The cost of the university kept growing. And Jefferson had to struggle to get the legislature to pay for it. He also worked hard to get the best possible professors to teach at the university. He sent men throughout the United States to find good teachers. He even sent a man to Europe for this purpose. Finally, in March, eighteen hundred twenty-five, the University of Virginia opened. Jefferson's health had suffered during his years of work for the university. He was eighty-two years old and feeling his age. He suffered from rheumatism and diabetes, and was so weak he could walk only short distances. Jefferson also found his memory was failing. He knew he did not have much longer to live. He told a friend one day: "When I look back over the ranks of those with whom I have lived and loved, it is like looking over a field of battle. All fallen." As his health grew worse, Jefferson turned his thoughts to death. He wrote how he wished to be buried. He wanted a simple grave on the mountainside below his house. He drew a picture of the kind of memorial he wanted put at his grave. On this stone he wanted the statement: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson -- author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Virginia Law for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia." He did not choose his work as governor of Virginia, secretary of state, or president.
There was not a word about his purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, which added so greatly to the United States. Jefferson did not explain why he chose the Declaration of Independence, the law for religious freedom, and the university as his greatest works. Writer Nathan Schachner, in his book on Jefferson, offers this explanation: "He chose those points in his life when he performed some service in the unending struggle to free the human mind. Freedom from political tyranny, freedom from religious tyranny, and finally, freedom through education -- from all the tyrannies that have ever clouded and held back the human spirit." On the Fourth of July, eighteen twenty-six, the nation began its celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Then, from Boston, came news that former president John Adams had died. His last words were: "Thomas Jefferson still lives." But Adams was wrong. At ten minutes before ten in the morning, on that same Fourth of July, his friend, Thomas Jefferson, had died. As the news of the deaths of the two great men spread across the country, the celebrations turned to mourning and sorrow. Jefferson was buried the next day, as he had ordered, in a simple grave on the quiet mountainside.
重点解析
1.act on 对…起作用；按照…行事
It would be a tremendous loss if we do not act on this opportunity.
如果我们不抓住这个机会采取行动，就会造成巨大的损失。
2.struggle to 竞争
If you really struggle to exercise in the evenings, how about fitting in a short workout in the morning, or during your lunch hour?
如果你真的挣扎晚上的锻炼，何不在早上或者午餐时间做些适合的简短的锻炼？
3.work for 效劳；为…工作；为…效力
Why do you want to work for us?
你为什么想来我们公司工作？
4.equal to 等于；胜任
Twenty-five added to fifteen is equal to forty.
15和25相加等于40。
参考译文
托马斯·杰斐逊于1809年3月离开白宫。他的国务卿詹姆斯·麦迪逊被选为总统。杰斐逊认为国家得到妥善管理。他回到了弗吉尼亚的家乡蒙蒂塞洛，再也没有回到华盛顿。但是杰斐逊和新总统经常通信。杰斐逊就麦迪逊担任美国第四任总统面临的一系列问题出谋划策。到蒙蒂塞洛的人很多。杰斐逊是最开心的，因为他可以讨论书籍、政府、科学和教育。本周节目中，莫里斯·乔伊斯和凯·格兰特将讨论托马斯·杰斐逊的最后时光，以及他对弗吉尼亚和美国的持久贡献。杰斐逊重视教育。他认为政府的好坏取决于公民做出明智决定的能力。杰斐逊在生命的最后几年为弗吉尼亚建立了较好的教育体系。杰斐逊一生的大部分时间都对教育感兴趣。他想出了许多教育人民的最好方法。他认为每个公民都有受教育的权利。但是，他知道并非所有人的学习能力都一样。杰斐逊把人民分为两类：体力劳动人民和脑力劳动人民。他认为两者都应该同样从简单的教育开始--学习阅读、写作和算术。学习完这些之后，两者应该分开学习。他认为，体力劳动人民应该学习如何成为更好的农民或如何用他们的双手制造东西。另一组应该学习科学、医学或法律。没等多久，杰斐逊就开始致力于改善弗吉尼亚的教育。一群人决定在杰斐逊家附近的夏洛茨维尔建一所专科院校。杰斐逊立即提出要带头创办这所学校。他说他会计划修建学校，规划学生的学习内容。
他写信给他的许多教育专家朋友，征求他们的意见。一位专家告诉杰斐逊，不应该把宗教列入研究。杰斐逊同意。但他明白，放弃宗教研究将会产生问题。他这样解释："我们不能总是做绝对最好的事情。和我们一起行动的人有不同的想法。他们有权利，也有能力按照自己的想法行事。我们一次只前进一步。为了最大限度地帮助我们的同胞，我们必须带头去我们能去的地方，追随去我们不能去的地方。但我们仍须与他们同行，等待时刻，帮助他们再向前迈进一步。"杰斐逊开始为夏洛茨维尔专科学院制定学习计划，但不止于此。他在之前还完成了弗吉尼亚完整的教育体系计划，提出了三步走学制。第一步是小学，所有孩子都可以学习阅读、写作、算术和地理。小学将建在州的所有地区，并由居住在每个地区的人们支付费用。第二步是专科学院--相当于今天的高中。他提议在州里建9所这样的学校。学生们将开始学习科学，或将学习农业，或如何用双手制造东西。这些学校将由国家出资。第三步是建立一所国立大学，有能力的学生可以去那里接受最好的教育。这所大学将培养律师、医生、教授、科学家和政府领导人。家里有钱的年轻人会支付教育费用。国家将支付来自贫困家庭的少数优秀学生的费用。杰斐逊还建议在夏洛茨维尔建立弗吉尼亚大学。他已经在专科院校开始工作，并提出把它建设成为综合性大学。他把教育计划提交给弗吉尼亚州议会。许多立法者认为计划是极好的。但也有很多人反对。他们不希望因为这样一个体系耗费大量资金而增加税收。
然而，立法机关同意了部分计划，批准了帮助支付贫困儿童教育费用的法案。同意每年花一万五千美元建一所大学。关于大学应该建在哪里有许多争论。其他几个城镇也想要修建大学。最后，选中了夏洛茨维尔。至此，杰斐逊已经完成了大学建筑的规划。他的许多想法都借鉴了古希腊和古罗马的美丽建筑。这些建筑经过精心设计，以至于一百年后，当这所大学要建一座新大楼时，建筑者找不到任何理由改变杰斐逊的计划。大学的工作立即提上日程。但直到6年后，这所学校才对学生开放。杰斐逊几乎每天都在那儿，看着工作人员。他对任何错误或没有做好的工作都能迅速提出批评。当他生病不能去学校时，他会从家里的窗户通过望远镜观看。这所大学的费用持续增长。杰斐逊不得不努力让立法机关支付这笔费用。他还努力让最好的教授去大学执教。他派人到美国各地去寻找良师。他甚至为此派人去了欧洲。最后，1825年3月，弗吉尼亚大学开学了。杰斐逊在大学里工作多年，身体不好。他八十二岁了，觉得自己已经老了。他患有风湿病和糖尿病，身体虚弱，只能走很短路。杰斐逊还发现他的记忆力正在衰退。他知道自己活不长了。
一天，他告诉他的一个朋友："当我回顾那些和我一起生活、我所喜爱的人的时候，就像回顾战场一样，一切都谢幕了。"随着病情的恶化，杰斐逊想到了死亡。他写道自己是多么希望被埋葬。他想在他房子下面的山坡上建一个简单的坟墓。他为墓前的纪念词都想好了。在这块石头上，他想要这样的声明："这里安葬着托马斯·杰斐逊--《美国独立宣言》的起草人，《弗吉尼亚宗教自由法》的起草人，弗吉尼亚大学的创始人。"他没有选择弗吉尼亚州州长、国务卿或总统这样的声明。他从法国手中买下路易斯安那州的领土，这给美国带来了极大的好处，但却只字未提。杰斐逊没有解释为什么选择《独立宣言》、《宗教自由法》和大学作为他最杰出的成就。作家Nathan Schachner在他关于杰弗逊的书中给出了这样的解释："他选择了生命中的这些时刻：为解放人类思想的无休止的斗争做出贡献，摆脱政治暴政，摆脱宗教暴政，最后是通过教育来摆脱所有曾给人类精神蒙上阴影和受到阻碍的暴政。"1826年7月4日，美国开始庆祝《独立宣言》五十周年。接着，从波士顿传来了前总统约翰·亚当斯去世的消息。他的遗言是："托马斯·杰斐逊还活着。"但亚当斯错了。就在7月4日上午9点50分，他的朋友托马斯·杰斐逊去世了。随着两位伟人逝世的消息传遍全国，庆祝活动满是哀悼和悲伤。第二天，遵照遗言，杰斐逊被安葬在僻静山腰上的一个简朴坟墓里。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
