(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember with Shirley Griffith. This week in our series, we begin the story of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In nineteen thirty-two Americans were tired of the policies of Republican President Herbert Hoover. They thought Hoover had done too little to fight the depression that was crushing the economy. They gave a big victory to Franklin Roosevelt and his Democrats in the elections that year. Roosevelt believed that the federal government should do more to help average Americans. The election brought hope to many Americans in the autumn of nineteen thirty-two. But Roosevelt did not become president until March of nineteen thirty-three, four months after the election. And those months saw the American economy fall to its lowest level in the history of the nation.
President Hoover tried to arrange a world economic conference. And he called on President-elect Roosevelt to join him in making conservative statements in support of business. Roosevelt refused. He did not think it was correct to begin acting like a president until he actually became the president. He did not want to tie himself to policies that the voters had just rejected. Congress, controlled by Democrats, also refused to help Hoover. It was a strange period, a season of uncertainty and anger. The economy was worse than ever. The lines of people waiting for food were longer than before. Angry mobs of farmers were gathering in the countryside. And the politicians in Washington seemed unable to work together to end the crisis. Hoover said, We are at the end of our rope. There is nothing more we can do. And across the country, Americans waited -- worried, uncertain, afraid. What would the new president do?
The new president was fifty-one years old. His family name was well-known to the American public. Theodore Roosevelt -- a distant family member -- had served as one of America's greatest presidents thirty years earlier. Franklin Roosevelt was born to a rich and important New York family. He went to the best schools: Groton, Harvard and Columbia Law School. In nineteen ten, he won election to the New York State Legislature. He showed great intelligence and political understanding as a state senator, and worked hard for other Democratic candidates. Franklin Roosevelt next served as assistant secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. And in nineteen twenty, he was the Democratic Party's unsuccessful candidate for vice president. The next year, Roosevelt suffered a personal tragedy. He was sailing during a holiday with his family. Suddenly, his body became cold. He felt severe pain in his back and legs. Doctors came. But the pain got worse. For weeks, Roosevelt was forced to lie on his back. Finally, doctors discovered that Roosevelt was a victim of polio. He lost control of his legs because of the disease. He would never walk again.
Roosevelt had always been an active man who loved sports. But now he would have to live with a wheelchair. All of his money and fame could not get him back the strength in his legs. Many Americans thought the illness would end Roosevelt's political dreams. But they were wrong. He showed an inner strength that people had never seen in him before. Roosevelt ran as the Democratic candidate for governor of New York state in nineteen twenty-eight. He won by a small number of votes. Two years later, the voters of New York re-elected Roosevelt. And they cheered his creative efforts to help citizens of the state who were suffering from the Great Depression. Franklin Roosevelt always appeared strong and friendly in public. He loved to laugh and enjoy life. But his happy face hid a strong will. Throughout his life, Roosevelt worked to improve life for the common man. And he was willing to use the power of government to do this. He thought the government had the power and responsibility to improve the life of its citizens.
Roosevelt believed deeply in this. But he was less certain about the best way to do it. "Above all, we must try something," he said during the presidential campaign of nineteen thirty-two. Roosevelt believed that the country demanded creative experimentation. Americans in large numbers across the country voted for Roosevelt in nineteen thirty-two. They supported his calls for action to end the depression. But no one was really sure just what this new president from New York -- this man unable to walk -- would really do after he entered the White House. Inauguration Day in nineteen thirty-three began with clouds and a dark sky. Roosevelt went to church in the morning. And then he drove with President Hoover from the White House to the Capitol, the building where Congress meets. Roosevelt tried to talk with Hoover as they drove. But Hoover said little. He just waved without emotion at the crowd. The two men arrived at the Capitol. A huge crowd of people waited. Millions more Americans listened to a radio broadcast of the ceremony. The chief justice of the United States, Charles Evans Hughes, gave the oath of office to Roosevelt.
And then Americans waited to hear what the nation's thirty-second president would say. He told them he was sure they expected him to speak openly and honestly about the situation facing the country. He told them that their great nation would survive as it had survived in the past. That it would recover and become rich again. He talked about the danger of fear -- a nameless fear that blocked efforts to move forward. And he talked about Americans giving their support to honest, active leadership in every dark hour of their history. Here is some of Roosevelt's inaugural address in his own words. "This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
Roosevelt's words caught the emotions of the crowd. He seemed sure of himself. He promised leadership. His whole style was different from the empty promises of wealth offered by President Hoover. "Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days my friends will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves, to our fellow men." Roosevelt said that the most important need was to put people back to work. And he said the federal government would have to take an active part in creating jobs. Roosevelt said there were many ways to help the nation recover. But he said it would never be helped just by talking about it. "We must act," he said, "and act quickly."
Roosevelt had a strong and serious look on his face. He told the crowd that all the necessary action was possible under the American system of government. But he warned that Congress must cooperate with him to get the nation moving again. Then, his speech finished, Roosevelt waved to the crowd and smiled. Herbert Hoover shook his hand and left. Roosevelt rode alone through the huge crowds back to the White House. And he immediately began a series of conferences. Roosevelt's inauguration speech of nineteen thirty-three was one of the most powerful and important speeches in American history. Roosevelt's speech was like an ocean wave that washes away one period of history and brings in a new one. The president seemed strong. He gave people hope. The new president promised the American people action. And action came quickly. During the next three months, Roosevelt and the Democrats would pass more major new programs than the nation had seen in many years. We look at this beginning of the Roosevelt administration in our next program.
重点解析
1.in support of 支持；支援
They are raising a fund in support of this good cause.
他们正在为赞助这一有益的事业而集资。
2.wait for 等候；等待
Just wait for me in the lounge.
请在休息室里等我就行了。
3.well-known 著名的；出名的
He is well-known to the local police.
当地警察都知道他。
4.move forward 向前发展；向前移动
After this, we are equipped to move forward.
在这之后，我们就足以继续向前讨论了。
参考译文
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语之建国史话节目。我是史蒂夫·恩伯，和我一起主持节目的是雪莉·格里菲斯。在本周的系列节目中，我们将从富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福总统的故事开始。1932年，美国人厌倦了共和党总统胡佛的政策。他们认为胡佛在对抗经济萧条方面做得太少了。他们在那年的选举中，让富兰克林·罗斯福和他的民主党人取得了巨大的胜利。罗斯福认为，联邦政府应该采取更多措施来帮助普通的美国民众。1932年秋天的选举，给许多美国人带来了希望。但罗斯福直到1933年3月，即大选四个月后才成为总统。在那几个月里，美国经济跌至历史最低水平。
胡佛总统试图安排一次世界经济会议，他呼吁当选总统罗斯福和他一起发表保守性声明，支持商业。罗斯福表示拒绝，在他真正成为总统之前，就开始像总统那样行事是不正确的。他不想把自己与选民刚刚拒绝的政策联系在一起。由民主党控制的国会也拒绝帮助胡佛。那是一段奇怪的时期，一个充满不确定性和愤怒的季节，经济比以往任何时候都糟糕。排队等食物的人比以前多，愤怒的农民暴徒聚集在农村。华盛顿的政客们似乎无法共同努力结束这场危机。胡佛说，我们已经走到了尽头，我们无能为力了。在全国各地，美国人都在等待着，他们担心、不确定、害怕。新总统会怎么做？
新总统51岁，他的姓氏为美国公众所熟知。西奥多·罗斯福是他的一位远亲，30年前他曾是美国最伟大的总统之一。富兰克林·罗斯福出生于纽约一个富裕而重要的家庭，他上过最好的学校：格罗顿、哈佛和哥伦比亚法学院。在1910年，他赢得了纽约州议会的选举。作为一名州参议员，他显示出极大的智慧和政治理解力，并为其他民主党候选人努力工作。接下来，富兰克林·罗斯福在伍德罗·威尔逊总统的领导下担任海军助理部长。1920年，他是民主党一位不成功的副总统候选人。第二年，罗斯福遭遇了个人悲剧。他和家人在度假航海时，他的身体突然变冷了。他感到背部和腿部剧痛。医生赶来了，但疼痛越来越严重。在数周里，罗斯福被迫仰卧。最后，医生发现罗斯福是小儿麻痹症的受害者。由于疾病，他失去了对双腿的控制，再也无法走路了。
罗斯福一直是位热爱运动的积极分子，但现在他只能靠轮椅生活。他所有的金钱和名望都无法使他恢复双腿的力量。许多美国人认为，疾病会终结罗斯福的政治梦想。但他们错了，他显示出一种人们从未见过的内在力量。罗斯福在1928年竞选纽约州州长的民主党候选人，他以少数票获胜。两年后，纽约的选民再次选举罗斯福。他们为他给饱受大萧条之苦的国家公民做出的创造性努力而欢呼。富兰克林·罗斯福在公众面前总是显得坚强友好，他喜欢笑，也会享受生活。但他快乐的脸上隐藏着坚强的意志。罗斯福一生致力于改善普通人的生活，他愿意利用政府的力量来做到这一点。他认为，政府有权力和责任改善公民的生活。
罗斯福对此深信不疑，但他不太确定最好的方法。“最重要的是，我们必须尝试一些东西，”他在1932年的总统竞选中说道。罗斯福认为，这个国家需要创造性的实验。1932年，全国各地的大量美国人投票支持罗斯福。他们支持他呼吁采取行动结束大萧条，但没有人真正确定这位来自纽约的新总统，这位不能走路的人，在入主白宫后会采取什么行动。1933年的就职典礼，开始于乌云密布的天空。罗斯福早上去教堂，然后他和胡佛总统一起从白宫驱车前往国会大厦，国会大厦是国会开会的地方。他们开车时，罗斯福试图和胡佛谈话。但胡佛很少说话，他只是毫无感情地向人群挥手。这两个人来到国会大厦，一大群人等着。数以百万计的美国人通过广播收听了仪式的报道，美国首席大法官查尔斯· 埃文斯· 休斯为罗斯福宣誓就职。
随后，美国人等着听这位美国第32任总统会怎么说。他告诉他们，他确信他们希望他公开、诚实地谈论国家面临的形势。他告诉他们，他们伟大的国家将像过去一样生存下去，它会恢复并再次变得富有。他谈到了恐惧的危险，一种莫名的恐惧阻碍了前进的努力。他还谈到，美国人在历史上的每一个黑暗时刻都支持诚实、积极的领导。以下是罗斯福用他自己的话发表的就职演说。这个伟大的国家会像它所忍受的那样，将会复兴和繁荣。因此，首先，让我坚定地相信，我们唯一需要恐惧的是恐惧本身——无名的、毫无理性的、毫无道理的恐惧，它使我们将退却转化为前进所需的努力陷于瘫痪之中。”
罗斯福的话感染了群众的情绪，他似乎对自己很有信心。他承诺自己的领导，他的整个风格不同于胡佛总统有关财富的空洞承诺。“幸福不仅仅在于拥有金钱；而在于成就的喜悦和创造性努力的激动中。在疯狂追逐转瞬即逝的利润的过程中，不应忘记工作带来的快乐和道德激励。在这些黑暗的日子里，如果我的朋友们教导我们，我们的真正命运不是为别人服务，而是为我们自己、为我们的同胞服务，他们付出的一切将是值得的。”罗斯福说，最重要的需要是让人们重返工作岗位，联邦政府必须在创造就业机会方面积极的行动。罗斯福说，有很多方法可以帮助国家复苏。但他说，光靠嘴上说说这件事，是帮不上忙的。”“我们必须行动起来，”他说，“迅速行动起来。”
罗斯福的脸上展示出一种强烈而严肃的表情，他告诉群众，在美国政府体制下，采取一切必要的行动都是可能的。但他警告说，国会必须与他合作，让国家重新运转起来。演讲结束后，罗斯福向人群挥手微笑。赫伯特·胡佛与他握手后就离开了。罗斯福独自坐在车中，穿过人群回到白宫。他立即开始了一系列的会议。1933年罗斯福的就职演说，是美国历史上最具影响力、最重要的演说之一。罗斯福的演讲犹如海浪，冲走了一段历史，带来了新篇章。总统看起来很强势，他带给人们希望。新总统向美国人民承诺，将采取行动。行动很快就开始了。在接下来的三个月中，罗斯福和民主党将通过比美国过去数年来都更多的新的重大计划。我们将在下一期节目中探讨罗斯福政府开端时期的故事。
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