地道美语
A: Good evening, my fellow Americans. Three days from now, after a half-century of service of our country, I shall lay down the responsibilities of office as, in a traditional and solemn ceremony, the authority of the Presidency is vested in my successor. This evening I come to you with a message of leave-taking and farewell, and to share a few final thoughts with you, my countrymen.

A: Like every other citizen, I wish the new President, and all who will labor with him, Godspeed. I pray that the coming years will be blessed with peace and prosperity for all.

A: Our people expect their President and the Congress to find essential agreement on questions of great importance, the wise resolution of which will better shape the future of our great nation. My own relations with Congress began on a remote and tenuous basis when, long ago, a member of the Senate appointed me to West Point. I then had the pleasure of building more intimate relationship with Congress during the war and immediate post-war period. Finally, we have progressed to the mutually interdependent relationship we’ve had during these past eight years.

lay down 放下，交出
He was willing to lay down his life for his country.
他愿意为祖国牺牲他的生命。

responsibility n. （常与for, of连用）责任；职责
A father has many responsibilities.
父亲要尽许多责任。

traditional a.传统的，习惯的

solemn a. 严肃的；庄严的，隆重的

vest vt. 授予, 给予,
Parliament is vested with the power of making laws.
国会有立法权.

farewell n.告别，欢送会
labor v. 出力做；努力做
We must labor for a better future.
我们应为更加美好的未来而努力。

Godspeed n. 祝幸运, 祝万事如意

bless vt. 祝福；祈祷
Bless this house!
愿上帝保佑这个家！

resolution n.正式决定(议)；决心(意)

shape v.有重大影响; 决定（某事物）的性质
These events helped to shape her future career. 这些事促成了她後来从事的事业.

Appoint vt. 任命；委派
to appoint a secretary
委派一个秘书

interdependent adj. 互相依赖的；相倚的

参考译文

A: 我的人民们，晚上好！从现在起还有3天，在为国家服务了半个世纪后，我想交出政府的权利。在一个传统而又庄严的仪式后，总统的权力将授予给下任继承者。今晚我来和大家告别，同时也来和大家分享一些最后的想法，我的人民们！

A: 像每个公民一样，我希望新任总统以及和他一起努力的人们，祝他们一切顺利。我祈祷大家都有和平、繁荣的未来。

A: 我们的人民希望他们的总统和议会在重大问题以及影响国家未来的决议上能达成一致。我和议会的关系建立在一个久远而且脆弱的基础上。很久以前，参议员议员委派我去西点军校。从那时起，在战争及战争结束后的一段时间，我有幸和议会建立了亲密的关系。最后，在过去的8年中，我们这种关系进一步升华到相互依存的关系。