英语演讲原文：奥巴马演讲 庆祝父亲节

奥巴马演讲庆祝父亲节
Hi, everybody. This Father’s Day weekend, I’d like to spend a couple minutes talking about what’s sometimes my hardest, but always my most rewarding job – being a dad.
I grew up without my father around. He left when I was two years old, and even though my sister and I were lucky enough to have a wonderful mother and caring grandparents to raise us, I felt his absence. And I wonder what my life would have been like had he been a greater presence.
That’s why I’ve tried so hard to be a good dad for my own children. I haven’t always succeeded, of course – in the past, my job has kept me away from home more often than I liked, and the burden of raising two young girls would sometimes fall too heavily on Michelle.
But between my own experiences growing up, and my ongoing 1 （不间断的） efforts to be the best father I can be, I’ve learned a few things about what our children need most from their parents.
First, they need our time. And more important than the quantity of hours we spend with them is the quality of those
hours. Maybe it’s just asking about their day, or talking a walk together, but the smallest moments can have the biggest impact.
They also need structure, including learning the values of self-discipline and responsibility. Malia and Sasha may live in the White House these days, but Michelle and I still make sure they finish their schoolwork, do their chores（杂务，零工） , and walk the dog.
And above all, children need our unconditional 2 love –whether they succeed or make mistakes; when life is easy and when life is tough.
And life is tough for a lot of Americans today. More and more kids grow up without a father figure. Others miss a father who’s away serving his country in uniform. And even for those dads who are present in their children’s lives, the recession 3 has taken a harsh 4 toll 5 . If you’re out of a job or struggling to pay the bills, doing whatever it takes to keep the kids healthy, happy and safe can understandably take precedence over（优先于，高于） all else.
That’s why my administration has offered men who want to be good fathers a little extra support. We’ve boosted 6
community and faith-based groups focused on fatherhood, partnered with businesses to offer opportunities for fathers to spend time with their kids at the bowling 7 alley 8 or ballpark（棒球场） , and worked with military chaplains（牧师） to help deployed 9 dads connect with their children.
We’re doing this because we all have a stake in forging 10 stronger bonds between fathers and their children. And you can find out more about some of what we’re doing at .
But we also know that every father has a personal responsibility to do right by our kids as well. All of us can encourage our children to turn off the video games and pick up a book. All of us can pack a healthy lunch for our son, or go outside and play ball with our daughter. And all of us can teach our children the difference between right and wrong, and show them through our own example the value in treating one another as we wish to be treated.
Our kids are pretty smart. They understand that life won’t always be perfect, that sometimes, the road gets rough, that even great pa rents don’t get everything right.
But more than anything, they just want us to be a part of
their lives.
So recently, I took on a second job: assistant coach for Sasha’s basketball team.On Sundays, we’d get the team together to practice, and a coup le of times, I’d help coach the games. It was a lot of fun – even if Sasha rolled her eyes when her dad voiced his displeasure with the refs.
But I was so proud watching her run up and down the court, seeing her learn and improve and gain confidence. And I was hopeful that in the years to come, she’d look back on experiences like these as the ones that helped define 11 her as a person – and as a parent herself.
In the end, that’s what being a parent is all about – those precious moments with our children that fill us with pride and excitement for their future; the chances we have to set an example or offer a piece of advice; the opportunities to just be there and show them that we love them.
That’s something worth remembering this Father’s Day, and every day.
Thanks, and Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. Have a great weekend.
■文章重点单词注释：
1
ongoing
adj.进行中的，前进的
参考例句：
The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。

The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2
unconditional
adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的
参考例句：
The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。

My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

3
recession
n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）
参考例句：
Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。

A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

4
harsh
adj.严厉（酷）的，刺耳的，刺目的，毛糙的
参考例句：
The sunlight is very harsh.太阳光很刺眼。

Although his words are harsh,there is positiveness in them.虽然他的话很苛刻，但有建设性。

5
toll
n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)
参考例句：
The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。

The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

6
boosted
v.促进( boost的过去式和过去分词 )；增加；吹捧；向上推起
参考例句：
The shop's new look has boosted its takings considerably. 焕然一新的店铺大大提高了销售额。

来自《简明英汉词典》
The boy had to be boosted up onto the large horse. 那男孩必须让人托着才能骑上那高头大马。

来自《简明英汉词典》
7
bowling
n.保龄球运动
参考例句：
Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。

Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动，高尔夫还是保龄球？
8
alley
n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路
参考例句：
We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。

The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

9
deployed
（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )；施展；部署；有
效地利用
参考例句：
Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。

The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

10
forging
锻炼，伪造
参考例句：
The blacksmith is forging the horseshoe. 铁匠正在打造马蹄铁。

They are forging ahead with their plans. 他们正在慢慢推行他们的计划。

11
define
vt.解释，下定义，阐述，限定，规定
参考例句：
Please define the words.请解释这些字的意义。

It's hard to define exactly what has changed.很难解释清楚到底发生了什么变化。