偶像勵志英語演講20:失敗的好處和想象的重要性(2)

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the "gay wizard" joke, I've still come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals--the first step to self-improvement.

你們知道嗎?如果在若干年后你們還僅僅記得“快樂的魔法師”這個笑話，那就證明我已經(jīng)超越了男爵夫人瑪麗·沃諾克。確定一個切實可行的目標(biāo)——這是自我提升的第一步。

Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today. I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired between that day and this.

實際上，我為今天應(yīng)該給大家講些什么絞盡了腦汁。我曾自問，在當(dāng)初自己的畢業(yè)典禮上我想要知道些什么呢?從畢業(yè)典禮那天到現(xiàn)在的21年里我得到了什么重要的經(jīng)驗和教訓(xùn)呢?

I have come up with two answers. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called "real life", I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.

我想到了兩個答案。今天是個美好的日子，我們歡聚一堂一起慶祝你們在學(xué)業(yè)上取得的成就。然而我決定跟你們談?wù)勈〉氖找?同時，你們即將邁入“現(xiàn)實生活”，所以我還要褒揚想象力的極度重要性。

These may seem quixotic or paradoxical choices, but hear with me.

這兩點似乎是不切實際或自相矛盾的選擇，但請先容我講完。

Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation, is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become. Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between the ambition I had for my self, and what those closest to me expected of me.

對于已經(jīng)42歲的我來說，回憶21歲剛剛畢業(yè)時的情景并不是一件很舒服的事情。21年前，我一直都在自己的雄心和身邊的人對我的期望之間尋求平衡。

I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was to write novels. However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that could never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension.

我一直深信，自己唯一想做的事情就是寫小說。然而，我的父母家境都很貧困，兩個人都沒上過大學(xué)，他們認為我過于豐富的想象力是令人驚訝的怪癖，根本不足以讓我支付按揭，或者獲得足夠的養(yǎng)老金。

重點講解：

1. come out

結(jié)果是;到頭來;

eg. In this grim little episode of recent American history, few people come out well.

在美國近代史上這一小段陰暗時期，很少有人能有好的結(jié)果。

eg. So what makes a good marriage? Faithfulness comes out top of the list.

那么，是什么造就了美滿的婚姻呢?結(jié)果表明忠誠是第一位的。

2. ought to do sth.

應(yīng)當(dāng)，應(yīng)該做某事;

eg. You ought to ask a lawyer's advice.

你應(yīng)當(dāng)征求一下律師的意見。

eg. Though this gives them a nice feeling, it really ought to worry them.

雖然這讓他們感覺良好，但他們其實應(yīng)該為此擔(dān)心。

eg. Mark, you've got a good wife. You ought to take care of her.

馬克，你娶了個好妻子，應(yīng)該好好待她。

3. come up with

想出，提出(計劃、想法等);

eg. I hope you can come up with a better plan than this.

我希望你們能提出一個比這個更好的計劃。

eg. Another team of scientists has come up with conflicting evidence.

另一組科學(xué)家提出了有抵觸的證據(jù)。

4. on the threshold of

在…開端;將要經(jīng)歷;面臨著;

eg. We are on the threshold of a new era in astronomy.

我們很快就將迎來天文學(xué)的新紀元。

eg. You are just on the threshold of life.

你不過剛踏上人生的道路。

5. sb. be convinced that+句子

主系表結(jié)構(gòu)，表示“某人相信……”;

eg. He was convinced that I was part of the problem.

他確信我就是問題的一部分。

eg. I was convinced that he knew the truth.

我確信他知道事實。

個人簡介：

個人經(jīng)歷(一)

1965年7月31日，喬安妮·羅琳在英國格溫特郡耶特車站大道240號的考特奇醫(yī)院出生。1970年9月，喬安妮·羅琳在溫特本尼的高地街上的圣邁克大教堂英語學(xué)校開始上小學(xué)。從小喜歡寫作和講故事的她在6歲時就寫了一篇跟兔子有關(guān)的故事。1974年9月，喬安妮·羅琳在塔茨希爾教堂小學(xué)上學(xué)。1976年秋，羅琳開始在塞德伯里的韋迪恩綜合中學(xué)上學(xué)。1982年，喬安妮·羅琳成為韋迪恩綜合中學(xué)的學(xué)生代表。1983年夏，羅琳從韋迪恩綜合中學(xué)高中部畢業(yè)，參加了牛津大學(xué)的入學(xué)考試。同年秋，羅琳開始在英國?？速愄卮髮W(xué)學(xué)習(xí)，主修法語和古典文學(xué)。1985—1986年大學(xué)第二學(xué)年，羅琳因參加了?？巳卮髮W(xué)的“法國實踐活動”而來到巴黎。她在那里教英語，這是她首次任教。

1987年春，羅琳從?？巳卮髮W(xué)畢業(yè)。大學(xué)時住過的宿舍有Duryard和Pennsylvania(哈利·波特曾住的郊外小屋的原型)。在課外時間，她認真重讀了西方奇幻經(jīng)典《魔戒》(The Lord of the Rings)，這對她后來寫作起到了巨大影響。此外，羅琳在?？巳爻堑乃姾偷竭^的許多地方都成為她后來創(chuàng)作《哈利·波特》系列中場景的來源。例如，大學(xué)的大禮堂給了她霍格沃茨大廳的靈感，對角巷則是受甘迪大街(Gandy Street)的啟發(fā)，而破釜酒吧是以?？巳禺?dāng)?shù)貎杉抑木瓢蒓ld Firehouse和Blackhorse為原型的。魁地奇的靈感來自于羅琳觀看的1986年5月21日?？巳厥フ材匪构珗@球場(St James Park)一場極其平淡的比賽，對陣的雙方是?？巳爻?Exeter City)和劍橋聯(lián)隊(Cambridge United)。根據(jù)賽后的報道，整場比賽皮球在場上飛來飛去，直到上半場結(jié)束前比賽才有了唯一一次亮點，?？巳爻堑年爢TKeith Viney在大腳解圍時，皮球擊中了一只飛過的海鷗(魁地奇中金色飛賊的來源)。