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发表于 2016-7-12 22:17:40
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But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents’ sacrifices on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud.
So while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I’d ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night -- and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning to study even more.
And it wasn’t easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged, I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me –- she said: “A good education is something that no one can take away from you.”
And when it was time for me to apply to university, I had many options, because in America, there are many kinds of universities. There are four-year universities. There are two-year community colleges which are less expensive. There are universities where you take classes at night while working during the day. So you don’t have to be a top student to attend a university. And even if your parents don’t have much money or you live in a tiny town in a rural area, in America, you can still attend university. And you can get scholarships and government loans to help pay your tuition.
So I attended Princeton University for my undergraduate degree, and I went on to Harvard University for my graduate degree in law. And with those degrees I was able to become a lawyer at a large law firm, and then I worked as an executive at a city hospital, and then I was the director of an organization that helped disadvantaged young people.
And my story isn’t unusual in America. Some of our most famous athletes, like LeBron James, and artists, like the singer Janelle Monae, came from struggling families like mine, as do many business leaders – like Howard Schultz. He’s the head of a company called Starbucks, which many of you may have heard of. When Mr. Schultz was a boy his father lost his job, leaving their family destitute. But Mr. Schultz worked hard. He got a scholarship to a university, and eventually built the largest coffeehouse company in the world.
And then there’s this other guy I know who was raised by a single mother who sometimes struggled to afford food for their family. But like me, this guy got scholarships and loans to attend universities. He became a lawyer and a professor, and then he was a state senator and then a national senator. And then, he became President of the United States. This guy I’m talking about is my husband, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
These stories are the stories of so many Americans, and of America itself. Because in America, we believe that no matter where you live or how much money your parents have, or what race or religion or ethnicity you are, if you work hard and believe in yourself, then you should have a chance to succeed. We also believe that everyone is equal, and that we all have the right to say what we think and worship as we choose, even when others don’t like what we say or don’t always agree with what we believe.
Now of course, living up to these ideals isn’t always easy. And there have been times in our history where we have fallen short. Many decades ago, there were actually laws in America that allowed discrimination against black people like me, who are a minority in the United States. But over time, ordinary citizens decided that those laws were unfair. So they held peaceful protests and marches. They called on government officials to change those laws, and they voted to elect new officials who shared their views.
And slowly but surely, America changed. We got rid of those unjust laws. And today, just 50 years later, my husband and I are President and First Lady of the United States. And that is really the story of America –- how over the course of our short history, through so many trials and struggles, we have become more equal, more inclusive, and more free.
And today in America, people of every race, religion and ethnicity live together and work together to build a better life for their children and grandchildren. And in the end, that deep yearning to leave something better for those who come after us, that is something we all truly share. In fact, there’s a Chinese saying that I love that says, “To achieve true happiness, help the next generation.”
And like so many of your parents, my parents sacrificed so much so that I could have opportunities they never dreamed of. And today, as a mother myself, I want even more opportunities for my own daughters. But of course, as I always tell my daughters, with opportunities come obligations.
And that is true for all of you as well. You all have the opportunity to receive an education from this wonderful school, and you all have an obligation to take the fullest advantage of this opportunity. And I know that’s exactly what you all are doing.
You’re winning prizes in math and science. Here, you are staging musical performances around the world. You’re volunteering in your communities. And many of you are working hard to get an education your parents never dreamed of.
So you all have so much to offer –- and that’s a good thing, because the world needs your talent. The world needs your creativity and energy more than ever before. Because we face big challenges that know no borders –- like improving the quality of our air and water, ensuring that people have good jobs, stopping the spread of disease. And soon, it will all fall to all of you to come together with people on every continent and solve these problems together.
Now, fortunately, here at this wonderful school, you’re already well on your way. For more than a decade, you’ve been building special relationships with a American school in -- an American high school, and many of you will attend universities in America or find other ways to reach out beyond your borders.
So in the years ahead, much like you and I are doing here today, you will be creating bonds of friendship across the globe that will last for decades to come. And over the past week, as I have seen both the ancient wonders and the modern achievements of your fascinating country, and as I’ve met with extraordinary young people like all of you, I am more confident than ever before in our shared future. And I cannot wait to see everything that you will achieve here in China and around the world.
Thank you again for hosting me and my family at this extraordinary school, and I wish you all the best of luck in your journey ahead. Xie-Xie. (Applause.)
演讲主要内容：
25日上午10时50分，成都七中艺术楼音乐厅，在持续20秒的热烈掌声后，美国总统奥巴马夫人米歇尔发表此次访华期间的第二场演讲。她用刚学不久的中文“你好”和“谢谢”作为开场白和结束语，并以讲故事的方式，与成都中学生分享自己的求学经历，强调教育对年轻人的重要性。
应中国国家主席习近平夫人彭丽媛邀请，米歇尔3月20日至26日对中国进行为期7天的访问，这是米歇尔第一次来中国，也是美国第一夫人首次单独正式访华。成都是此行的第三站，也是最后一站。24日晚6时许，米歇尔及其家人乘坐专机抵达成都双流国际机场。川师大实验外国语学校的小学生为米歇尔及家人送上大熊猫玩偶作为见面礼。
演讲中，米歇尔告诉大家，她在芝加哥一个经济条件并不好的家庭长大，父亲曾在当地水厂工作。但不管家庭负担多重，父母都十分重视子女的教育，坚持让米歇尔和哥哥上大学。而她也始终铭记父母的付出，加倍努力学习。上高中时，她选择了一所她认为能让自己得到更好教育的公立学校，因为学校离家很远，她每天都要早起，坐一个小时甚至一个半小时公交车上学，有时为了多学点东西，甚至早上4点半或5点就起床，“我会记起我妈妈一直告诉我的话——她说，良好的教育是谁都无法从你身上拿走的东西”。
她勉励在座学生，要珍惜和利用如今拥有的学习机会，“因为世界比以往任何时候都更需要你们的才华、创造力和能量”。
她还表达了自己的期许：“未来几年，就像你们和我今天在这里所做的，你们将在全球各地创建友谊的纽带，这些纽带将在未来几十年绵延持续。”
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