经典的英语演讲稿十三篇
my name is Sam , for those of you in the assembly that don’t know me, i am in year ………. ( may also say if they are representing the src or other group in the school etc).
i am not sure how many of you realise that today marks a very important worldwide celebration for children. today is universal children’s day. so what, you may say, what does this mean to me, and why should i even bother to listen?
well the answer is very simple, as students in china we live a life of privilege and relative safety compared to children and young people in many other parts of the world. we are very lucky. but this shouldn’t mean that we don’t care about other children and communities around the world less fortunate than ourselves.
i think some classes have been learning about how students just like us in other parts of the world have to struggle to survive. some children cant afford the things we take for granted like food, clothing, safe water and sanitation and having the opportunity to go to school.
today is a day set aside to promote worldwide unity between children and to increase the awareness by all people of the plight of vulnerable children in some parts of the world.
in nsw, we are calling our contribution to universal children's day, unicef day for change. as part of this day, our school is doing..(brief description of activity).
on behalf of the students and staff who have put time into planning this activity, i would like to thank you in advance for your support.
thank you
Not long after an old Chinese woman came back to China from her visit to her daughter in the States, she went to a city bank to deposit the US dollars her daughter gave her. At the bank counter, the clerk checked each note carefully to see if the money was real. It made the old lady out of patience.
At last she could not hold any more, uttering. "Trust me, Sir, and trust the money. They are real US dollars. They are directly from America."
Harry S. Truman: "The Truman Doctrine"
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress of the United States:
The gravity of the situation which confronts the world today necessitates my appearance before a joint session of the Congress. The foreign policy and the national security of this country are involved. One aspect of the present situation, which I present to you at this time for your consideration and decision, concerns Greece and Turkey. The United States has received from the Greek Government an urgent appeal for financial and economic assistance. Preliminary reports from the American Economic Mission now in Greece and reports from the American Ambassador in Greece corroborate the statement of the Greek Government that assistance is imperative if Greece is to survive as a free nation.
I do not believe that the American people and the Congress wish to turn a deaf ear to the appeal of the Greek Government. Greece is not a rich country. Lack of sufficient natural resources has always forced the Greek people to work hard to make both ends meet. Since 1940, this industrious, peace loving country has suffered invasion, four years of cruel enemy occupation, and bitter internal strife.
When forces of liberation entered Greece they found that the retreating Germans had destroyed virtually all the railways, roads, port facilities, communications, and merchant marine. More than a thousand villages had been burned. Eighty-five per cent of the children were tubercular. Livestock, poultry, and draft animals had almost disappeared. Inflation had wiped out practically all savings. As a result of these tragic conditions, a militant minority, exploiting human want and misery, was able to create political chaos which, until now, has made economic recovery impossible.
Greece is today without funds to finance the importation of those goods which are essential to bare subsistence. Under these circumstances, the people of Greece cannot make progress in solving their problems of reconstruction. Greece is in desperate need of financial and economic assistance to enable it to resume purchases of food, clothing, fuel, and seeds. These are indispensable for the subsistence of its people and are obtainable only from abroad. Greece must have help to import the goods necessary to restore internal order and security, so essential for economic and political recovery. The Greek Government has also asked for the assistance of experienced American administrators, economists, and technicians to insure that the financial and other aid given to Greece shall be used effectively in creating a stable and self-sustaining economy and in improving its public administration.
The very existence of the Greek state is today threatened by the terrorist activities of several thousand armed men, led by Communists, who defy the government's authority at a number of points, particularly along the northern boundaries. A Commission appointed by the United Nations security Council is at present investigating disturbed conditions in northern Greece and alleged border violations along the frontiers between Greece on the one hand and Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia on the other.
Meanwhile, the Greek Government is unable to cope with the situation. The Greek army is small and poorly equipped. It needs supplies and equipment if it is to restore authority of the government throughout Greek territory. Greece must have assistance if it is to become a self-supporting and self-respecting democracy. The United States must supply this assistance. We have already extended to Greece certain types of relief and economic aid. But these are inadequate. There is no other country to which democratic Greece can turn. No other nation is willing and able to provide the necessary support for a democratic Greek government.
The British Government, which has been helping Greece, can give no further financial or economic aid after March 31st. Great Britain finds itself under the necessity of reducing or liquidating its commitments in several parts of the world, including Greece.
We have considered how the United Nations might assist in this crisis. But the situation is an urgent one, requiring immediate action, and the United Nations and its related organizations are not in a position to extend help of the kind that is required.
It is important to note that the Greek Government has asked for our aid in utilizing effectively the financial and other assistance we may give to Greece, and in improving its public administration. It is of the utmost importance that we supervise the use of any funds made available to Greece in such a manner that each dollar spent will count toward making Greece self-supporting, and will help to build an economy in which a healthy democracy can flourish.
No government is perfect. One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected. The Government of Greece is not perfect. Nevertheless it represents eighty-five per cent of the members of the Greek Parliament who were chosen in an election last year. Foreign observers, including 692 Americans, considered this election to be a fair expression of the views of the Greek people.
The Greek Government has been operating in an atmosphere of chaos and extremism. It has made mistakes. The extension of aid by this country does not mean that the United States condones everything that the Greek Government has done or will do. We have condemned in the past, and we condemn now, extremist measures of the right or the left. We have in the past advised tolerance, and we advise tolerance now.
Greek's neighbor, Turkey, also deserves our attention. The future of Turkey, as an independent and economically sound state, is clearly no less important to the freedom-loving peoples of the world than the future of Greece. The circumstances in which Turkey finds itself today are considerably different from those of Greece. Turkey has been spared the disasters that have beset Greece. And during the war, the United States and Great Britain furnished Turkey with material aid.
Nevertheless, Turkey now needs our support. Since the war, Turkey has sought financial assistance from Great Britain and the United States for the purpose of effecting that modernization necessary for the maintenance of its national integrity. That integrity is essential to the preservation of order in the Middle East. The British government has informed us that, owing to its own difficulties, it can no longer extend financial or economic aid to Turkey. As in the case of Greece, if Turkey is to have the assistance it needs, the United States must supply it. We are the only country able to provide that help.
I am fully aware of the broad implications involved if the United States extends assistance to Greece and Turkey, and I shall discuss these implications with you at this time. One of the primary objectives of the foreign policy of the United States is the creation of conditions in which we and other nations will be able to work out a way of life free from coercion. This was a fundamental issue in the war with Germany and Japan. Our victory was won over countries which sought to impose their will, and their way of life, upon other nations.
To ensure the peaceful development of nations, free from coercion, the United States has taken a leading part in establishing the United Nations. The United Nations is designed to make possible lasting freedom and independence for all its members. We shall not realize our objectives, however, unless we are willing to help free peoples to maintain their free institutions and their national integrity against aggressive movements that seek to impose upon them totalitarian regimes. This is no more than a frank recognition that totalitarian regimes imposed upon free peoples, by direct or indirect aggression, undermine the foundations of international peace, and hence the security of the United States.
The peoples of a number of countries of the world have recently had totalitarian regimes forced upon them against their will. The Government of the United States has made frequent protests against coercion and intimidation in violation of the Yalta agreement in Poland, Rumania, and Bulgaria. I must also state that in a number of other countries there have been similar developments.
At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms.
I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.
I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.
I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.
The world is not static, and the status quo is not sacred. But we cannot allow changes in the status quo in violation of the Charter of the United Nations by such methods as coercion, or by such subterfuges as political infiltration. In helping free and independent nations to maintain their freedom, the United States will be giving effect to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
It is necessary only to glance at a map to realize that the survival and integrity of the Greek nation are of grave importance in a much wider situation. If Greece should fall under the control of an armed minority, the effect upon its neighbor, Turkey, would be immediate and serious. Confusion and disorder might well spread throughout the entire Middle East. Moreover, the disappearance of Greece as an independent state would have a profound effect upon those countries in Europe whose peoples are struggling against great difficulties to maintain their freedoms and their independence while they repair the damages of war.
It would be an unspeakable tragedy if these countries, which have struggled so long against overwhelming odds, should lose that victory for which they sacrificed so much. Collapse of free institutions and loss of independence would be disastrous not only for them but for the world. Discouragement and possibly failure would quickly be the lot of neighboring peoples striving to maintain their freedom and independence.
Should we fail to aid Greece and Turkey in this fateful hour, the effect will be far reaching to the West as well as to the East.
We must take immediate and resolute action. I therefore ask the Congress to provide authority for assistance to Greece and Turkey in the amount of $400,000,000 for the period ending June 30, 1948. In requesting these funds, I have taken into consideration the maximum amount of relief assistance which would be furnished to Greece out of the $350,000,000 which I recently requested that the Congress authorize for the prevention of starvation and suffering in countries devastated by the war.
In addition to funds, I ask the Congress to authorize the detail of American civilian and military personnel to Greece and Turkey, at the request of those countries, to assist in the tasks of reconstruction, and for the purpose of supervising the use of such financial and material assistance as may be furnished. I recommend that authority also be provided for the instruction and training of selected Greek and Turkish personnel. Finally, I ask that the Congress provide authority which will permit the speediest and most effective use, in terms of needed commodities, supplies, and equipment, of such funds as may be authorized. If further funds, or further authority, should be needed for purposes indicated in this message, I shall not hesitate to bring the situation before the Congress. On this subject the Executive and Legislative branches of the Government must work together.
This is a serious course upon which we embark. I would not recommend it except that the alternative is much more serious. The United States contributed $341,000,000,000 toward winning World War II. This is an investment in world freedom and world peace. The assistance that I am recommending for Greece and Turkey amounts to little more than 1 tenth of 1 per cent of this investment. It is only common sense that we should safeguard this investment and make sure that it was not in vain. The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of a people for a better life has died.
We must keep that hope alive.
The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world. And we shall surely endanger the welfare of this nation.
Great responsibilities have been placed upon us by the swift movement of events.
I am confident that the Congress will face these responsibilities squarely.
Hello, everybody! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. How is everybody doing today? (Applause.) How about Tim Spicer? (Applause.) I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade. And I am just so glad that all could join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. (Applause.)I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. And my mother, she didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.Now, as you might imagine, I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” (Laughter.)So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. That’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.
kung fu panda
have you ever seen the movie kung fu panda? it is an interesting movie about a lazy and slacker panda , named po , who is the biggest fan of kung fu around the village he lived .
he is very fat and is always laughed by others . besides , his father is a duck , can you believe it？i was puzzled at first , but that is not a case .
po always wants to be a master to protect himself and his family , besides his small village .but he did not make any process at the beginning . occasionally ,he won a match of fighting and he was selected by an intelligent and famous fighter , staring to learn the kung fu regularly . his master teaches him how to fight and to save the world . at last , he beat tai lung who is a leopard . po became the master at the final .
there is an interesting detail that he set the relation with his friends , monkey , tigress , viper and mantis .
after seeing this movie , i realized that no matter how hard it is , as long as we have the dream and fight for it , we will make it someday . also it is the same in our true life , we should always warn ourself that we need to set an objective aim in our mind . we must be smart and brave to make our dream come true .
finally ,this movie is an excellent and wonderful movie , if you
have time ,you can watch it .
Hello everyone!
I don't know if you remember Goethe once said: There is a long time between today and tomorrow; "Learn to do things quickly while you are still in the spirit".
For example, the luxury giant Louis Vuitton, the wonderful ups and downs of his life turning point amazed future generations. Born into a carpenter's family in the countryside, before the age of 14, his most contact was with flying sawdust. His life took a turn when he was 14, and he became a luxury giant.
When Louis Vuitton was 14 years old, two fashionably dressed young men came to the village. They laughed at the villagers for their old-fashioned clothes, "Why does the moon look so dirty in this ghost place"! These words stabbed Louis Vuitton deeply, and he was determined to go to Paris and see what the difference was between the people and the moon. After wandering all the way, Louis Vuitton finally came to Paris, but found that the moon here is not as clean and complete as that of his hometown, and the people's dresses made him an eye-opener. The destitute child lives in extreme hardship in Paris with no family and no reason. Later, he was starved to the door of a high-end luggage store, and the good-hearted owner rescued him. When he woke up, he seized the opportunity and asked the owner to take him in as a clerk. The shop owner rejected him, and after some setbacks, Louis Vuitton finally found his first job in Paris as an ordinary clothes bundler. He cherishes this job very much, asks the masters for advice humbly, studies the practice assiduously, and strives to make every detail perfect. He has always believed that everything learned today will become the seeds of tomorrow, and everything you have learned cannot be viewed from an overly utilitarian perspective. They are neither high nor low, nor worthless. It is safe”, what you sow today will reap what kind of tomorrow.
A year later, Louis Vuitton again came to the luggage store where he had initially starved, and again asked the owner to take him in, but the owner again refused him. In the end, he used his intelligence and ingenuity to make the shopkeeper make an exception to take him as an apprentice.
Apprentice Louis Vuitton is diligent, humble and enthusiastic in the store. Because he has worked as a carpenter, the luggage he makes is stronger; because he has worked as a bundler, the luggage he makes is more scientific and reasonable in space design. Soon, Louis Vuitton became a young master with excellent craftsmanship, and the luggage he introduced has maintained a good and outstanding sales record. Finally, he opened a luggage store on the Champs-élysées, paving the way for the advent of the fashion brand LV (Louis Vuitton).
It can be seen that any success is inseparable from accumulation. Without accumulation, there will be no discovery and innovation, and there will be no creation. In today's increasingly competitive society, we can't just work hard, but also pay attention to scientific thinking.
My speech is over, thank you all!
亲爱的朋友们：
大家好!
不知道大家记不记得歌德曾经说过：在今天和明天之间，有一段很长的时间;“趁你还有精神的时候，学习迅速办事”。
好比奢侈品巨头路易·威登，他人生转折的精彩跌宕让后人赞叹不已。他出生于乡下一个木匠之家，14岁之前他接触最多的是飞溅的木屑。14岁时他的人生有了转折，他后来成了奢侈品巨头。
在路易·威登14岁时，村子里来了两位打扮时尚的年轻人，他们嘲笑村民们衣着老土，“这个鬼地方怎么月亮都显得那么肮脏”!这些话深深地刺伤了路易·威登，他决心要去巴黎，看看那里的人和月亮究竟有什么不同。一路颠沛游离，路易·威登终于来到巴黎，却发现这里的月亮并不比家乡的干净圆满，人们的装扮倒让他大开眼界。这个赤贫的孩子在巴黎无亲无故，生活异常艰难困苦。后来，他竟饿倒在一家高档皮箱店门口，好心肠的店主将其救起。他醒来后，抓住机会，请求店主收留他当一名店员。店主拒绝了他，经过一番坎坷挫折，路易·威登终于在巴黎找到了第一份工作，当了一名普通的捆衣工。他十分珍惜这份工作，虚心向师傅们请教，刻苦钻研实践，力争每一个细节都完美无缺。他始终相信：今天所学的一切都必将成为明天的种子，不能用过于功利的眼光来看待眼前所学的一切，它们并没有高低贵贱之分，更不会毫无价值，“既来之则安之”，在今天种下什么，以后就会收获一个什么样的明天。
一年后，路易·威登再次来到最初饿倒的那家皮箱店，再次请求店主收留他，店主再次拒绝了他。最终他用自己的聪明与才智让店主破例收留了他做一名学徒。
学徒路易·威登在店里勤奋精进，谦卑热忱，因为做过木工，他做的皮箱更加结实;因为做过捆衣工，他做的皮箱在空间设计上更加科学合理。很快，路易·威登成为一位手艺超群的年轻师傅，他所推出的皮箱一直保持着良好突出的销量记录。最后，他在香榭丽舍大街开了一家皮箱店，为时尚品牌lv(路易威登)的问世开辟出了道路。
可见任何成功都离不开积累，没有积累就谈不上发现与创新，也就没有创造。在当下这个日益竞争激烈的社会，我们不能一味的努力，还要讲究科学的思考。
我的演讲结束，谢谢大家!
Good morning,ladies and gentlemen,today i am so happy to stand here to give you a rather, a real story of mine.
Though with time going by,i can still remember what you once told should be a brave ing,you looked into my in,year out,nearly most of my memories are fading little by only this simple sentence remained,without being forgotten in my life.
Again and again,i can not stop myself from thinking about ordinary,but so impressive,so moving,just like the brightest sunshine,it helps me go through the darkest night.I am such a sensitive girl in your said,my sorroful facial expression made feel so ver,there is one thing i never tell you,that is ,i am becoming a big girl gradually with your words and smiles.I never tell you about it,for i believe oneday,you can see the great changes of mine for is what i want to do in i know,that will be the best gift for you.
I suddenly think of a song named MY HEART WILL GO e is a beautiful sentence going like are safe in my than once,i was moved to tears by it.I know ,i am also safe in your heart.i have already forgotten when i told you i was going to leave for Australia this summer just smiled as usual,gently ever you decide to do,i will be in favor of it,but, just onething,remember,when you fell lonely abroad,do not forget we are here ,praying for are all around you,far across the distance and space between us.i closed my eyes,the flashback memories we had together,once we played games on the palyground,we played jokes on each other,you always wrote a lot of sentences on my articles to encourage the most unforgetable thing,you told me,you believed m i could be a big er or later.
At that specific moment,i suddenly understood the meaning of this sentence on that day,i smiled as you used to,looking at last words i said were,keep walking in sunshine.
Yes,keep walking in sunshine.I said to you ,also to myself.I know i am not alone wiht your company,and we can keep walking in sunshine till the last minute of our days.
I promise,i will be a big girl.
One of the legacies of receiving a world-class education is the sobering awareness of the inadequacy of our knowledge. Some years ago, one of the people I admire and respect most architect is Renzo Piano just turned 70 and I asked him what felt like. He said that, as much as he had thought about and prepared for that moment, it still came as a shock. Now I can attest to that feeling of shock but more than anything he said it made him feel that our proper lifespan should be 210 years, 70 to learn, 70 to do, and 70 to teach the next generation.
This lovely description captures an elementary fact of life: a good life has the feeling that we’re learning more and more as we go. And that we could do even better if we just learned a bit more. I hope that you are fortunate enough to carry that spirit of life with you and we must hope together that it continues to define this nation and the world. In the centuries ahead, on behalf of Columbia University, I extend to all our graduates the centennial class of 20xx warmest k you!
keep your direction
what would you do if you failed? many people may choose to give up. however, the surest way to success is to keep your direction and stick to your goal.
on your way to success, you must keep your direction. it is just like a lamp, guiding you in darkness and helping you overcome obstacles on your way. otherwise, you will easily get lost or hesitate to go ahead.
direction means objectives. you can get nowhere without an objective in life.
you can try to write your objective on paper and make some plans to achieve it. in this way, you will know how to arrange your time and to spend your time properly. and you should also have a belief that you are sure to succeed as long as you keep your direction all the time.
坚持你的方向
如果失败了你会怎么做?很多人可能会选择放弃。然而，要想成功，最可靠的方法就是坚持你的方向和目标。
在通往成功的路上，你必须坚持你的方向。它就像一盏灯，在黑暗中为你指路，帮助你度过难关。否则，你很容易就会迷失方向或犹豫不前。
方向意味着目标。人生如果没有目标，将一事无成。
你可以试着把你的目标写在纸上，并制定实现目标的计划。这样，你就会懂得如何合理安排时间，如何正确地支配时间。而且你还要有这样的信念：只要你一直坚持自己的方向，你就一定可以成功。
Youth
Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind ; it is not rosy cheeks , red lips and supple knees, it is a matter of the emotions : it is the freshness ; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life .Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite , for adventure over the love of ease. This often existsin a man of 60 more than a boy of 20 . Nobody grows old merely by a number of years . We grow old by deserting our ideals.
Years wrinkle the skin , but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul .Worry , fear , self –distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust .
Whether 60 of 16 , there is in every human being ‘s heart the lure of wonders, the unfailing childlike appetite of what’s next and the joy of the game of living . In the center of your heart and my heart there’s a wireless station : so long as it receives messages of beauty , hope ,cheer, courage and power from men and from the infinite, so long as you are young .
When the aerials are down , and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old ,even at 20 , but as long as your aerials are up ,to catch waves of optimism , there is hope you may die young at 80.
Thank you!
青春
青春不是指岁月，而是指心态。粉嫩的脸，红润的唇，矫健的膝并不是青春。青春表现在意志的坚强与懦弱。想象的丰富与苍白、情感的充沛与贫乏等方面。青春是生命深处清泉的喷涌。青春是追求。只有当勇气盖过怯弱、进取压倒苟安之时，青春才存在。果如此，则60见之长者比20岁之少年更具青春活力。仅仅岁月的流逝并不能使他们衰老。而一旦抛弃理想和信念，则垂垂老也。
岁月只能使皮肤起皱。而一旦丧失生活的激情，则连灵魂枯老，使人生枯如死水，毫无活力。
60岁长者也好，16岁少年也罢，每个人的内心深处都渴望奇迹，都如孩子一般眨着期待的双眼，期待着下一次，期待着生活的情趣，你我灵魂深处都有一座无线电中转站------只有你我年轻，则总能听到希望的呼唤，总能发出喜悦的欢呼，总能传达勇气的讯号，总能表现出青春的活力………
一旦青春的天线倒下，你的灵魂即为玩世不恭之雪、悲观厌世之冰覆盖;即使你年方20.其实你已垂垂老也。而只要你青春的天线高高耸起，就可以随时接收到乐观的电波-----即使你年过八旬，行将就木，而你却仍然拥有青春，你仍然年轻。
谢谢!
Hello, my name is Hao Hao. I am a small member of class 3 in grade six. Today, my topic is my ideal.
Edison, a British scientist, will not be surprised. He is a world-famous invention King. He invented more than one thousand kinds of life. My ideal is to become a great inventor like Edison.
Remember in the third grade textbook, we see Edison to invent almost blind eyes, his train was deaf in one ear, also burned a dress by sulfuric acid. However, his determination to pursue science has not wavered. It is this stubborn spirit, persistent efforts and attitude towards learning that made Edison a great inventor.
I think, if I really want to be an inventor like Edison, I want to carry forward his spirit of not afraid of difficulties and perseverance. For this reason, I want to do four words: diligence, perseverance, courage and thinking. "Diligence" is diligence. All the people who have a good job are the result of hard work. "Constant" is perseverance, there is perseverance can be expected to achieve. "Bravery" is the determination to overcome difficulties when learning difficulties. "Thinking" is equally important. Learning is always combined with thinking. Todays "thinking" is also dared to fantasize. Only by opening the wings of fantasy can invention become reality.
A plow, a harvest, in order to achieve the ideal, I will pay hard!
well, welcome to the white house,everybody. and that was one of the best introductions i’ve ever had. (applause.) so we’re so proud of kiara for the introduction and for sharing yourstory, and you’re just so poised. and iknow geoff canada is just out there all excited -- (laughter) -- and proud, andi know your mom is proud. i know she is. she should be.
kiara and the rest of these youngpeople grew up in a 97-square-block section of harlem. it’s a place where the odds used to bestacked against them every single day, even just graduating from high schoolwas a challenge. but with the help ofsome very dedicated adults and a program called the harlem children’s zone,they’re right on track to go to college. together, students, teachers, administrators, parents, community, they’rechanging the odds in this neighborhood. and that’s what we’re here to talk about today -– changing the odds forevery american child so that no matter who they are, no matter where they areborn, they have a chance to succeed in today’s economy.
now, the good news is that,thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of the american people all across thecountry over the last five years, our economy has grown stronger. our businesses have now created more than 8million new jobs since the depths of the recession. our manufacturing, our housing sectors arerebounding. our energy and technologyand auto industries are booming. we’vegot to keep our economy growing. we’vegot to make sure that everybody is sharing in that growth. we’ve got to keep creating jobs, and then we’vegot to make sure that wages and benefits are such that families can rebuild alittle bit of security. we’ve got tomake sure this recovery, which is real, leaves nobody behind. and that’s going to be my focus throughoutthe year.
this is going to be a year ofaction. that’s what the american peopleexpect, and they’re ready and willing to pitch in and help. this is not just a job for government; thisis a job for everybody.
working people are looking forthe kind of stable, secure jobs that too often went overseas in the past coupleof decades. so next week, i’ll join companies and colleges and take action toboost high-tech manufacturing -- the kind that attracts good new jobs and helpsgrow a middle class. business owners areready to play their part to hire more workers. so this month, i’m going to host ceos here at the white house not once,but twice: first to lay out specificsteps we can take to help more workers earn the skills that they need for today’snew jobs; second, they’re going to announce commitments that we’re making toput more of the long-term unemployed back to work.
and on january 28th, in my stateof the union address -- which i want all the legislators here to know i’m goingto try to keep a little shorter than usual -- (laughter) -- they’re cheeringsilently -- (laughter) -- i will mobilize the country around the nationalmission of making sure our economy offers every american who works hard a fairshot at success. anybody in this countrywho works hard should have a fair shot at success, period. it doesn’t matter where they come from, whatregion of the country, what they look like, what their last name is -- theyshould be able to succeed.
and obviously we’re coming off ofa rancorous political year, but i genuinely believe that this is not a partisanissue. because when you talk to the american people, you know that there arepeople working in soup kitchens, and people who are mentoring, and people whoare starting small businesses and hiring their neighbors, and very rarely arethey checking are they democrat or republican. there’s a sense of neighborliness that’s inherent in the american people-- we just have to tap into that.
and i’ve been very happy to seethat there are republicans like rand paul, who’s here today, who are ready toengage in this debate. that’s a goodthing. we’ve got democratic andrepublican elected officials across the country who are ready to roll up theirsleeves and get to work. and this shouldbe a challenge that unites us all.
i don’t care whether the ideasare democrat or republican. i do carethat they work. i do care that they aresubject to evaluation, and we can see if we are using tax dollars in a certainway, if we’re starting a certain program, i want to make sure that young peoplelike kiara are actually benefiting from them.
now, it’s one thing to say weshould help more americans get ahead, but talk is cheap. we’ve got to actually make sure that we doit. and i will work with anybody who’swilling to lay out some concrete ideas to create jobs, help more middle-classfamilies find security in today’s economy, and offer new ladders of opportunityfor folks to climb into the middle class.
and, personally, i hope we startby listening to the majority of the american people and restoring theunemployment insurance for americans who need a little help supporting theirfamilies while they look for a new job. and i’m glad the republicans and democrats in the senate are workingtogether to extend that lifeline. i hopetheir colleagues in the house will join them to set this right.
today i want to talk aboutsomething very particular, a specific example of how we can make adifference. we are here with leaders whoare determined to change the odds in their communities the way these kids andtheir parents and dedicated citizens have changed the odds in harlem. it’s now been 50 years since presidentjohnson declared an unconditional war on poverty in america. and that groundbreaking effort created newavenues of opportunity for generations of americans. it strengthened our safety net for workingfamilies and seniors, americans with disabilities and the poor, so that when wefall -- and you never know what life brings you -- we can bounce backfaster. it made us a better country anda stronger country.
in a speech 50 years ago,president johnson talked about communities “on the outskirts ofhope where opportunitywas hard to come by.” well, today’seconomic challenges are differentbut they’ve still resulted in communitieswhere in recent decades wrenching economic changehas made opportunity harderand harder to come by. there arecommunities where for toomany young people it feels like their future onlyextends to the next street corner or theoutskirts of town, too manycommunities where no matter how hard you work, your destinyfeels like it’salready been determined for you before you took that first step.
i’m not just talking aboutpockets of poverty in our inner cities. that’s the stereotype.i’mtalking about suburban neighborhoods that have been hammered by the housingcrisis. i’mtalking about manufacturingtowns that still haven’t recovered after the local plant shut downand jobsdried up. there are islands of ruralamerica where jobs are scarce -- they were scarceeven before the recession hit-- so that young people feel like if they want to actually succeed,they’ve gotto leave town, they’ve got to leave their communities.
and i’ve seen this personallyeven before i got into politics. infact, this is what drove meinto politics. i was just two years out of college when i first moved to the south sideof chicago.i was hired by a group ofchurches to help organize a community that had been devastatedwhen the localsteel plants closed their doors. and i’dwalk through neighborhoods filled up withboarded-up houses and crumblingschools, and single parents and dads who had nothing to dowith their kids, andkids who were hanging out on the street corners without any hope orprospectsfor the future.
but these churches cametogether. and then they started workingwith other non-profits andlocal businesses. and the government -- local, state and federal -- participated. and we startedgetting some things done thatgave people hope. and that experiencetaught me thatgovernment does not have all the answers -- no amount of moneycan take the place of a lovingparent in a child’s life. but i did learn that when communities andgovernments and businessesand not-for-profits work together, we can make adifference. kiara is proof -- all theseyoungpeople are proof we can make a difference.
for the last 17 years, the harlemchildren’s zone -- the brainchild of geoffrey canada, who’shere today -- hasproven we can make a difference. and itoperated on a basic premise that eachchild will do better if all the childrenaround them are doing better. so in harlem,staff membersgo door to door and they recruit soon-to-be parents for “babycollege,” preparing them forthose crucial first few months of life; makingsure that they understand how to talk to theirchild and read to their child,and sometimes working with parents to teach them how to read sothey can readto their child and give them the healthy start that they need.
and then, early childhoodeducation to get kids learning at four years old. and then acharter school that help studentssucceed all the way through high school. and medical careand healthy foods that are available close tohome. and exercise. i was very pleased to hearthat -- michellewas very pleased to hear that -- (laughter) -- that they’ve got a strong physedprogram. and then students gettinghelp finding internships and applying to college, and anoutstanding, dedicatedstaff that tries to make sure that nobody slips through the cracks orfallsbehind.
and this is an incredibleachievement, and the results have been tremendous. today,preschool students in the harlemchildren’s zone are better prepared for kindergarten. lastyear, a study found that students whowin a spot in one of the charter schools score higher onstandardized teststhan those who don’t. in a neighborhood where higher education was oncejustsomething that other people did, you’ve got hundreds of kids who’ve now gone tocollege.
and harlem is not the onlycommunity that’s found success taking on these challengestogether. in cincinnati, a focus on education hashelped to make sure more kids are ready forkindergarten. in nashville, they’ve redesigned high schoolsand boosted graduation rates byalmost 20 percent over the past 12 years. in milwaukee, they’ve cut teen pregnancy inhalf.
every community is different,with different needs and different approaches. butcommunities that are making the most progress on these issues havesome things in common.they don’t lookfor a single silver bullet; instead they bring together local governmentandnonprofits and businesses and teachers and parents around a shared goal. that’s whatgeoffrey did when he started theharlem children’s zone. government wasinvolved -- so don’tbe confused here, it has an important role to play. and already there are governmentresourcesgoing into these communities. but it’simportant that our faith institutions and ourbusinesses and the parents andthe communities themselves are involved in designing andthinking through howdo we move forward.
and the second thing is they’reholding themselves accountable by delivering measurableresults. we don’t fund things, we don’t start projectsjust for the sake of starting them.they’vegot to work. if they don’t work weshould try something else. and sometimesthose of uswho care deeply about advancing opportunity aren’t willing tosubject some of theseprograms to that test: do they work?
in my state of the union addresslast year, i announced our commitment to identifymore communities like these-- urban, rural, tribal -- where dedicated citizens aredetermined to make adifference and turn things around. andwe challenged them. we said ifyou candemonstrate the ability and the will to launch an all-encompassing,all-hands-on-deckapproach to reducing poverty and expanding opportunity, we’llhelp you get the resourcesto do it. we’lltake resources from some of the programs that we’re already doingandconcentrate them. we’ll make sure thatour agencies are working together more effectively.we’ll put in talent to help you plan. but we’re also going to hold you accountableand measureyour progress.
我最近读了一本书，名叫《宝葫芦的秘密》，这本书的主人公名叫王葆，和我一样，他也是一名小学生，他天真烂漫，喜欢幻想，爱出风头，又知错能改，正直。他想拥有一个宝葫芦，帮他做各种各样的事情，没想到有一天梦想成真了——在他钓鱼的时候，一次偶然的机会，使他得到了宝葫芦。
这个宝葫芦能帮王葆完成任何事情，例如：变好吃的，帮他完成手工，帮他变出满屋子的'花草，甚至是在考试的时候帮他调换试卷……虽然宝葫芦给了他一种“特殊的幸福”，但是麻烦却接二连三地找上门来，使得他在亲人、朋友面前出丑、尴尬，最后他知道那些东西都是别人的，这使他非常气愤，想扔掉宝葫芦，可是却怎么也摆脱不了宝葫芦。最后还好王葆只是做了一场梦，在这场梦之后，他受到了极大的教育。
通过读这本书，我觉得无论做什么事情，也一定不要抱有不劳而获的心思，如果有不劳而获的心思，终将会让人变得懒惰、迟钝。以后在我们做事情的时候，一定要积极动脑、动手，勤学好问，做一个聪明而勤奋的人。