第一篇:【美聯英語】雙語閱讀:英語閱讀—情人節你所不知的神秘習俗
兩分鐘做個小測試,看看你的英語水平
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1.There are many favorite songs of Valentine's Day.Here is one of them: 人們喜歡唱的情人節歌曲有很多。下面就是一首: Let me call you sweetheart, 讓我叫你一聲甜美的人吧,I'm in love with you.我已投入了你的情河,Let me hear you whisper, 請你悄悄給我說一聲,That you love me, too.你也愛上了我。
Keep the lovelight shining, 讓愛之光照著我,In your eyes so true.那是你眼中噴出的真摯情火,Let me call you sweetheart, 讓我叫你一聲甜美的人吧,I' m in love with you.我已投入了你的情河。
2.In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th.Hearts, keys andkeyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons.The decoration meant, “You unlock my heart!” 在威爾士,雕刻有花紋的木質羹匙被視為愛情的象征,并在2月14日作為禮物互相贈送。心、鑰匙、鎖孔等刻在羹匙上的裝飾性圖案倍受青睞。它代表著,“開啟我的心!” 3.In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be.They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week.To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.在中世紀,青年男女從碗里抽出寫有名字的紙條,看看他們的情人將會是誰。他們把名字寫在衣袖上,并穿一個星期。現在,穿著袖子上帶有心形圖案的衣服意味著其他人容易懂得你的感情。
4.In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man.If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.在一些國家,年輕的男子可以向青年女子贈送衣物作為禮物。如果女子收下了禮物,則意味著她愿意嫁給這位男子。
5.Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor.If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy.If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.一些人曾經相信,在情人節里,如果一個女子看到一只知更鳥在頭上飛過,意味著她可能嫁
給一位水手;如果她看到一只麻雀,則她可能嫁給一個窮人,但卻非常快樂;如果她看到一只金翅雀,則可能嫁給一位百萬富翁。
6.A love seat is a wide chair.It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress.Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections,often in an S-shape.In this way, a couple could sit together--but not too closely!愛情座椅是一種寬大的椅子。它最初是為那些穿著肥大衣裙的女子設計的。后來的愛情座椅,或者叫做宮廷座椅,有兩個部分,經常被做成“S”形。這樣,夫妻就可以坐在一起--雖然不能太親密!
7.Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off.You will marry the person whose name you were saying when thestem fell off.想著五、六個你可能嫁或者娶的男孩或女孩的名字。當你擰蘋果把兒時,默念這些名字直到蘋果把兒被扭斷,這時,你念到的人就是你將要嫁或者娶的人。
8.Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed.Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind.Count the seeds that remain on the stem.That is the number of children you will have.摘一個已經結子的蒲公英。深呼吸,然后把種子吹向天空。數數留在蒲公英桿上的種子,那就是你將擁有的孩子的數量。
9.If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.如果你把一個蘋果切成兩半,并數清蘋果核里面子的數量,你就會知道你將會有多少個孩子。
兩分鐘做個小測試,看看你的英語水平
http://www.tmdps.cn/test/kuaisu.aspx?tid=16-73675-0
第二篇:【美聯英語】雙語閱讀:青春
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Let's take steps to banish some of the most common negative thoughts many of us repeat to ourselves.Being in a negative space is harmful to our overall well-being, because what you dwell on can easily become self fulfilling if you don't change your mindset.讓我們一起行動起來,消滅那些我們經常告訴自己的消極想法吧!如果你不改變想法,而是一味地沉浸在消極的念頭中,那么,我們的整個身心就會受到影響,因為“噩夢”也會成真。
1.I'm not good enough.我不夠好。
This type of negative thought that can apply to many categories.Maybe you don't think you're a good enough mother or good at a sport.Even if you find yourself lacking in something, there's no need to keep repeating it to yourself.The human brain is an incredible thing.Be inspired by Dr.Jill Bolte Taylor, Harvard-trained neuroscientist who suffered a stroke that left her unable to walk, read, write, talk, or remember her previous life.Dr.Taylor took eight years to recover and has since then written a best-selling book about her experience and appeared on Oprah.Keep on working toward something, and watch the leaps and
bounds you'll make.這種消極想法有很多類型。比如你認為自己不是個稱職的媽媽或不擅長運動。即使你真的發現了自己的弱點,也沒必要對自己不斷復述。人腦是神奇的。吉爾泰勒就是個激勵的好典型,她是哈佛大學的神經系統學專家,中風后她就失去了行走、閱讀、書寫、交談的能力了,甚至還失憶了。她花了八年的時間復原,用自己的經歷寫了暢銷書,還上了奧普拉的節目。堅持做一件事,親眼見證自己的變化。
2.No one cares about me.沒人關心我。
To accurately say that your family and friends don't care about you would be a very rare situation.Maybe you're being too negative and overlooking the gestures of love they show you.They don't even have to be big gestures, but it's the little things they do for you that count.And people may be reacting to the energy you're putting out;perhaps you think they don't care about you so you don't make any effort in your relationships.Start showing people you care, so they can show you back in kind.And if you don't have good relationships with the people you know, what's stopping you from making new friends?
家人朋友都不關心你,這種情況其實不太常見。可能你過于消極的想法使你忽略了他們對你表達的愛。他們甚至并不需要為你做什么驚天動地的大事,正是一些小事才真正打動人心。或者你覺得沒人關心你,所以無需再經營人際關系,但其實也許人們只有在感知到你的付出后,才會對你進行回報;關心別人,別人才會關心你。如果你和周圍人的關系處理不好,為何不結交些新朋友?
3.I really dislike this person.我真的不喜歡這個人。
If you dislike a person in your work or personal life, focusing on her bad qualities is not going to make things better.You need to let go of your assumptions about her and know that she is human too, which means she makes mistakes.Either you move on and stop thinking and talking about her, or learn to approach her or think about her in a positive manner.Focus on her good qualities, and repeat them to yourself instead of honing in on the unpleasant things.如果工作或生活中有你討厭的人,只關注她的缺點有害無益。你需要放下對她的所有成見,告訴自己她也是個人,也有犯錯的時候。要么就不再談論她和想著她,要么學著去接近她,或想想她好的一面。多想想她的優點,不要再專注于讓你不開心的事情。
4.Why is she better off?
為什么她比我好?
Comparing yourself to someone else is never productive or positive.There's always going to be someone who is younger, prettier, smarter, or richer than you.If you keep coveting what someone else has, then this may cause you to be resentful of them, which will open a whole other negative can of worms.Remember, what they don't have is your whole package.Be appreciative of what you have, because if you want to play the comparison game, remember that there are people who are also worse off than you are.和別人比較永遠不是有效率和積極的表現。總有比你年輕,漂亮,聰明,富有的人。如果你始終關注別人擁有什么,會帶來你對他們的恨意,隨即帶來更多消極的想法。記住,你所擁有的也是他們所沒有的。珍惜你所擁有的東西,如果真的想和別人比較,也別忘了總有
比你差的人。
5.I'll never reach my goal.我永遠無法達到目標。
If you think you're not going to be able “get there,” think again.There are many people who are worse off and have overcome bigger obstacles than what you are facing.Take, for example, Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, an amputee who overcame his handicap to compete in the Olympics against his able-bodied peers.Everything is within your reach as long as you work hard and have a a positive attitude.如果你認為自己達不到,再想想。比你差的人比比皆是,他們遇到的困難也比你的更大。比如,奧運會短跑選手刀鋒戰士奧斯卡·皮斯托利斯,一個被截肢的運動員,戰勝了自己的阻礙,在其他健壯的對手中脫穎而出贏得了奧運會的冠軍。只要你努力付出,有著積極的信念,任何事都能夠做到。
第三篇:美聯英語:情人節 相關情景對話
美聯英語提供:美聯英語:情人節相關口語對話
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Michael: We have worked hard today Billy.Do you want to have some suds with me this evening?
Billy: I can't.I have a date tonight.Michael: You have a date!She must be blind!
Billy: At least I have a Valentine's Date.Michael: Valentine's Date? What's that?
Billy: Valentine's Day is famous around the world these days.I can't believe you don't know about it!
Michael: Is that where guys send chocolates and flowers to the girl they fancy?
Billy: That's right.And for this Valentine's Day, I finally found the courage to ask our receptionist out for dinner.Michael: You mean Sally?
Billy: Yep.We are going to a very romantic restaurant for dinner.Michael: Wow!She is beautiful.Can I come along on your date?
Billy: Do you know the expression, 'Two is company, but three is a crowd'?
邁克爾:今天我們工作很辛苦。今晚你想和我去喝點啤酒嗎?
比利:我去不了。今晚我有個約會。
邁克爾:你有個約會!她肯定瞎了眼!
比利:至少我有個情人節約會。
邁克爾:情人節約會?那是什么?
比利:現在情人節世界聞名。我不相信你不知道它!
邁克爾:就是男人們給他們迷戀的女孩送巧克力和鮮花嗎?
比利:沒錯。這個情人節我最終有勇氣邀請我們的前臺小姐去吃晚飯。
邁克爾:你是指薩利嗎?
比利:是的。我們要去一個很浪漫的飯館去吃晚飯。
邁克爾:哇!她很漂亮。我能去你的約會嗎?
比利:你不知道有句俗語,“兩個好,三個吵”?
New Words
1)Suds: slang for beer
啤酒:suds是啤酒的俚語
We went to the pub and drank suds until we couldn't stand up.我們去酒吧喝啤酒,喝得直到站不起來為止。
2)Blind: someone who cannot see
瞎的,盲的:看不見的人
I love to watch the specially trained dogs that some blind people have to guide them.我喜歡看那些受過專門訓練的狗,盲人得領著它們走。
3)Fancy: if you think a person is attractive, you fancy them
迷戀:如果你覺得某人很迷人,你愛戀他們
My sister said that her best friend fancied me when I was younger.I wished I had known then!
我的姐姐說我較年輕的時候她最好的朋友迷戀我。我要是那個時候知道就好了!
4)Romantic: an emotional attraction for a heroic person, adventure, or activity
傳奇式的,浪漫的:對英雄人物、冒險的經歷或活動的情感吸引力,Sitting by an open fire sipping champagne is very romantic-especially if your wife or girlfriend is with you.坐在篝火旁呷香檳是很浪漫的-尤其是如果你的愛人或女友和你在一起。
Lesson
Valentine's day 情人節
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of Saint Valentine.But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?
每年的二月,糖果、鮮花和禮物跨越國界以圣·瓦淪丁的名義在情人間相互傳遞著。可是這個神秘的圣徒是誰呢?而且,我們為什么慶祝這個節日?
The history of Valentine's Day--and its patron saint--is very mysterious.But we do know that February has long been a month of romance.Saint Valentine's Day, as we know it today, comes from both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.情人節的歷史-以及它的守護神-非常神秘。不過我們確實知道二月成為浪漫之月已經很久了。正如我們今天所知道的,圣·瓦淪丁節起源于基督教和古羅馬的傳統。
So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young, single men--his crop of potential soldiers.那么,誰是圣·瓦淪丁?他又是怎么和這個古代習俗發生聯系的呢?一種傳說主張瓦淪丁是一個修士,三世紀期間在羅馬傳道。當君主克勞迪亞斯二世認定單身男子比那些有妻子和家庭的男子做士兵更好時,他傳令年輕、單身男子-那些可能成為他的士兵的人-不能結婚。
Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.瓦淪丁意識到這項法令是不道義的,他挑戰克勞迪亞斯并繼續秘密地為年輕情人們舉行婚禮。當瓦淪丁的行為被發覺了之后,克勞迪亞斯下令將他處死。其它的故事提出瓦淪丁被處死可能是因為他企圖幫助基督徒逃離嚴酷的羅馬監獄。在那里,他們經常遭到拷打和折磨。
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl--who may have been his jailor's daughter--who visited him during his confinement.Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.根據一種傳說,瓦淪丁實際上自己發出了第一個“情人節”問候。有人相信瓦淪丁在監獄的時候和來探望他的一個年輕女孩相戀了,女孩可能是典獄長的女兒。臨死前,據說他給她寫了一封信,落款是“From your Valentine ”,這個表達方式今天還被使用。
Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is unclear, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure.It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most
popular saints in England and France.盡管瓦淪丁傳說背后的真實性不確定,但是故事的確強調了他是一個有同情心的、英雄式的,以及最重要的是他是一個浪漫的人物。到中世紀的時候,瓦淪丁成為英格蘭和法國最受歡迎的圣徒之一也就不奇怪了。
But in Japan, Saint Valentine's Day is slightly different: The only ones doing the giving are females, and they usually send a gift of chocolates to their love interests.但是在日本,圣·瓦淪丁節有點不同:送禮物的只是女孩,而且她們通常根據戀人的喜好送巧克力做禮物。
This unique custom seems to have its roots in a campaign that a Japanese chocolate manufacturer started in 1958, promoting St.Valentine's Day as “the day women confess their love to a man with a gift of chocolate.” The manufacturer sold heart-shaped chocolates at a department store in Tokyo.Only five were sold that first year, but this “Valentine Sale” became more and more popular with each passing year, and the custom of females sending chocolates to males on Saint Valentine's Day gradually took root.這個獨特的習俗似乎源于一家日本巧克力生產商于1958年將圣·瓦淪丁節宣傳為“女人用巧克力做為禮物向她所愛的人表白愛意的日子。”的推廣活動。生產商在東京的一家百貨商店賣心型巧克力。第一年只賣出了五塊,不過這個“情人節銷售”逐年變得越來越受歡迎,而且在圣·瓦淪丁節女性給男性送巧克力的習俗也慢慢生根。
Today, chocolates are frequently given to members of one's own family.Gift giving on Saint Valentine's Day has also become quite common among school friends and colleagues at work.現在,人們經常給自己的家人送巧克力。同學和同事之間在圣·瓦淪丁節送禮物也變得相當普遍。
What's more, in Japan Saint Valentine's Day is followed up a month later by “White Day,” on March 14.This is the day when the men who received chocolates from women on Saint Valentine's Day give gifts like candy in return.This is also a custom unique to Japan, introduced and promoted by a Japanese confectionery company.But, perhaps because its history is still short, White Day is not yet as popular as St.Valentine's Day.此外,在日本圣·瓦淪丁節一個月之后的3月14日隨之而來的是“白色情人節”。這是圣·瓦淪丁節時從女士那里收到巧克力的男士回贈如糖果等禮物的日子。這也是日本的一個獨特習俗,由日本的糖果公司發起并推廣。不過,也許是由于它的歷史還短的緣故,白色情人節還不如圣·瓦淪丁節那么普遍。
Dialogue
Jeff: Those roses are beautiful Joan.Joan: I know.Smell them.Don't they smell wonderful?
Jeff: They do.Which romantic sent you those?
Joan: The only man that I need.Jeff: Who's that?
Joan: My husband of course.Jeff: I wonder if he knows how lucky he is to be married to you.Joan: I think so!I tell him at least five times a week what a lucky guy he is.Jeff: I hope I can be as lucky in love as you are.Joan: It has nothing to do with luck Jeff!You need to be sensitive, patient and considerate.Jeff: That sounds like too much hard work.I think I will stay single!
杰夫:那些玫瑰很漂亮,瓊。
瓊:我知道,聞一聞,它們不是很好聞嗎?
杰夫:沒錯,哪一個浪漫的人送給你的?
瓊:我需要的、唯一的那個男人。
杰夫:那是誰?
瓊:當然是我丈夫了。
杰夫:我在想他是否知道他娶了你有多么幸運?
瓊:我想是的!每周我至少告訴他五次他是一個多么幸運的人。
杰夫:我希望我能像你那么幸運,在愛河里暢游。
瓊:這和運氣沒有關系,杰夫!你得敏感、周到、有耐心。
杰夫:那聽起來太難了。我想我會保持獨身!美聯英語:www.tmdps.cn
第四篇:【美聯英語】雙語閱讀:目標和夢想
小編給你一個美聯英語官方免費試聽課申請鏈接: http://m.meten.com/test/waijiao.aspx?tid=16-73675-0 美聯英語提供:目標和夢想
Are you waiting for your dreams to come true and change your life?
I am sorry to tell you that dreams don't come true.你是否還在等待實現夢想來改變你的生活?
很遺憾,那樣夢想是不能成真的。
Rather, it is your goals that can forever change your life.You need to set goals in order turn your dreams into reality.但是,你的目標卻能永遠的改變你的生活
如果要想夢想成真,你就需要給自己訂立目標
Don't Confuse Dreams and Goals
Dreams are easy.They are free, too.不要將你的夢想和目標拒之門外
夢想簡單易得
However, dreams by themselves are just that… dreams.然而,夢想本身也就是夢想
They are imaginary.And they don't produce tangible results.它們是被想象出來的,它們也不會形成有形的產物。
You need to turn your dreams into action.You need goals to make the visions
of your dreams real.你要做的就是將你的夢想變為行動。你需要設立目標,將你的夢想變得觸手可及。
“Dreams can inspire you, but goals can change your life.”
夢想能夠激勵你,但是目標才能改變你的生活
Goals are all about action.Goals turn dreams into reality.目標與一系列的行動相關。目標能讓夢想成真。
Goals change you and can change your life.目標可以改變你,改變你的生活。
Don't confuse your dreams with goals.不要將你有了目標的夢想拒之門外。
Dreams occupy your mind.Goals take over your reality.夢想充實你的內心世界,目標占據著你的現實生活。
What will it take to turn your dreams into goals?
怎樣才能把你的夢想轉化成你的目標?
Here are 10 Big Differences Between Goals and Dreams:
這里有夢想和目標的10個不同點
Goals are something you are acting on.目標是你正在做的某些事。
Dreams are something you are just thinking about.Goals require action.Dreams can happen without lifting a finger, even while you are asleep.夢想是你內心正在思考的某些東西。目標需要行動。睡覺的時候可以產生夢想,甚至不動一根手指也一樣可以辦到。
Goals have deadlines.Dreams are just, well, dreams.目標是有期限的,而夢想只是夢想。
Goals must have a deadline.They have a time limit.Dreams can go on forever.In fact, many people maintain dreams their entire lives without ever reaching them.目標肯定有一個有效期,它們是有時間限制的。但是夢想卻能永遠存在。事實上,許多人都有一個一生都沒能實現的夢想。
Dreams are free.Goals have a cost.夢想不需要你支付任何東西,而目標是需要付出代價的。
While you can daydream for free, goals don't come without a price.Time, money, effort and sweat.How will you pay for your goals?
做白日夢不需要有付出,但是目標卻不可能沒有付出。時間,金錢,精力,汗水。為了達成你的目標,你打算付出些什么呢?
Goals produce results.Dreams don't.目標是可以產生一定的結果的,但夢想不會。
Want to change your life? Your job? Your status in life? Goals can do that.A good friend of mine made six-figures on the ebook he published.He did that.Had it stayed as a dream, his life would have been as it always was.想要你的生活,工作,社會地位有些改變嗎?目標可以幫你做到。我的一個好朋友出版的電子書數量超過了六位數,他確實做到了。如果他一直讓夢想只是夢想的話,他的生活還是跟以往一樣,沒有任何改變。
Dreams are imaginary.Goals are based in reality.夢想是想象的產物,而目標確實存在于現實生活中。
You may dream of being Superman, but that is probably not going to happen.Goals are about what you can actually accomplish.They are grounded in the reality of our world.Goals should be big, but not supernatural.你的夢想可能是做一個超人,但很可能它不能成真。目標與你實際完成的事有關,它們存在于我們的現實生活中。目標可以很大,但絕不是超自然。
Goals have a finish line.Dreams never have to end.目標有一個終點,但夢想卻可以是沒有邊際的。
Dreams can go on forever.They don't have to have an ending point.Goals must have a specific outcome.夢想可以一直存在,他不需要有終結點。但目標肯定會有一個特定的結果。
Dreams can inspire you.Goals can change your life.夢想可以一直激勵你,而目標才能改變你的生活。
Dreams can bring you motivation.They can inspire you.But, goals can change your life forever.夢想能給你帶來激情,它能一直鼓勵你,但是目標才能一直改變你的生活。
Goals must have focus.Dreams don't.我們必須專注目標,夢想可以不用。
Dreams can be drifting, ever-changing thoughts.Goals must be laser-focused.They must be specific and they must be always on your mind.夢想是可以隨著思想的變化而變化的,但是目標必須要有焦點。它們是具體的,印在你腦海里的。
Goals require hard work.Dreams just require your imagination.目標需要我們努力工作,而夢想只需要你的想象。
Dreaming is easy.做夢都挺容易的。
Almost everyone has a dream.But, fewer people have goals.幾乎人人都有夢想。但是極少人有目標。
Goals are hard and they require hard work.(See #3)
完成目標是艱難的,同時也需要我們為此而努力地工作。
Dreams stretch your imagination.Goals stretch you.夢想可以拓寬你的想象力,而目標是拓展你自己。
Dreaming leads to bigger dreams.They stretch the limits of your imagination.But, goals stretch you.They increase your skills, your abilities, and change you forever.做夢可以產生更大的夢想。它可以拓寬你的想象力,而目標則是拓展你自己。它可以增加你的技巧,提高你的能力,永遠的改變你。
Goals Do Come True 完成目標
Dreams can inspire you, but goals can change your life.夢想可以鼓勵你,而目標則能永遠的改變你。
Sometimes it only takes one step to change a dream into a goal.有時,只需一步,夢想就能變為目標。
Yet, it can take years to take that goal to the finish line.也有可能,需要好多年才能完成這個目標。
Always dream big, but make sure your goals are just as big.夢想很大,但請記住你的目標也一樣。
Because dreams don't come true… but goals do.因為夢想不能成真,但目標可以。
第五篇:【美聯英語】雙語閱讀:瑪格麗特
小編給你一個美聯英語官方免費試聽課申請鏈接: http://m.meten.com/test/waijiao.aspx?tid=16-73675-0 美聯英語提供:瑪格麗特?撒切爾
Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s longest-serving and only woman prime minister, has died aged 87 after suffering a stroke, prompting a flood of tributes from across the globe.瑪格麗特?撒切爾(Margaret Thatcher)因中風去世,享年87歲,在世界各地引發了一陣哀悼浪潮。撒切爾是英國任職最長的首相,也是唯一的女首相。
Leaders lined up to pay their respects to the former prime minister, who revolutionised the UK economy during an 11-year tenure, as she rolled back the state and put in place some of the country’s most radical and controversial reforms.各國領導人紛紛向這位英國前首相表達敬意。在其長達11年的任期中,撒切爾領導了英國經濟的革命,縮減了政府職能,并實施了該國最為激進、最有爭議的一些改革。
David Cameron, UK prime minister, described the former Conservative prime minister as the “greatest peacetime prime minister”.英國現首相戴維?卡梅倫(David Cameron)把這位前保守黨首相稱為“英國和平時期最偉大的首相”。
“[She] took a country that was on its knees and made Britain stand tall again.We can’t deny that Lady Thatcher divided opinion.For many of us, she was and is
an inspiration.For others she was a force to be defined against.卡梅倫表示:“(她)臨危受命,讓英國重新站起來,再度屹立。不可否認,人們對她的評價各異。在我們許多人看來,她過去和現在都是一位鼓舞人心的人物。在其他人看來,她是一種特色鮮明的力量。
“But if there is one thing that cuts through all of this – one thing that runs through everything she did – it was her lion-hearted love for this country,” he said.“但如果說有一個中心貫穿著她的一生——在她所做的每一件事中都體現出來,那就是她對這個國家的無比熱愛。”
President Barack Obama said: “The world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.”
美國總統巴拉克?奧巴馬(Barack Obama)表示:“世界失去了一位積極倡導自由的領袖,美國失去了一位真正的朋友。”
The prime minister’s office announced that parliament would be recalled for a special session on Wednesday to pay tribute to Thatcher.Her funeral will be held at the end of next week at St Paul’s Cathedral.英國首相辦公室宣布,周三議會將召開一次特別會議,向撒切爾致哀。她的葬禮將于下周末在倫敦圣保羅大教堂(St Paul's Cathedral)舉行。
She will have a “full ceremonial funeral” with military honours as was afforded to the Queen Mother and Lady Diana.The British flag flew at half mast over Parliament to honour Thatcher as all UK political parties suspended campaigning for the local elections on May 2.撒切爾將享有帶有軍事禮儀的“禮儀葬禮”,禮遇同王太后和戴安娜一樣。英國國會降半旗向撒切爾致哀,各政黨暫停針對5月2日地方選舉的競選活動。
Thatcher, who transformed Britain with her free-market revolution, had been in poor health since suffering minor strokes in 2002.自從2002年患上中風以來,撒切爾的健康狀況一直很差。她曾以自己的自由市場革命改變了英國的面貌。
Statesmen past and present shared their memories of the woman dubbed the “Iron Lady”.Tony Blair, the second longest-serving postwar prime minister, called her “a towering political figure”.“Very few leaders get to change not only the political landscape of their country but of the world.Margaret was such a leader.Her global impact was vast.”
已卸任和在任的政治家們共同悼念有“鐵娘子”綽號的撒切爾。英國戰后任期第二長的首相托尼布萊爾(Tony Blair)稱撒切爾為“一位偉大的政治人物。”“不但改變本國政治版圖、還改變世界政治版圖的領袖人物非常少,撒切爾就是其中的一位。她在全球播下了深遠的影響。”
George W.Bush, former US president, described her as a “great ally” who “strengthened the special relationship”.美國前總統小布什(George W.Bush)稱撒切爾為一位“強化了美英特殊關系的偉大盟友”。
Thatcher had a particularly close relationship with Ronald Reagan, the former US president.撒切爾與美國前總統羅納德?里根(Ronald Reagan)之間保持了一種極為密切的關系。
With Reagan, she helped bring about the end of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall.The British prime minister saw herself as the perfect intermediary between the two countries, having struck up constructive relationships with both Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet president, and a man with whom she told Reagan “we can do business”.她和里根一道促成了蘇聯的解體和柏林墻的倒塌。這位英國前首相把自己視為美蘇兩國間的完美中間人,與里根和蘇聯總統米哈伊爾?戈爾巴喬夫(Mikhail Gorbachev)都建立了富有建設意義的關系。她告訴里根,戈爾巴喬夫是一個“我們能和他打交道”的人。
Mr Gorbachev said Thatcher helped end the Cold War: “Thatcher was a politician whose word carried great weight,” he said in a statement on his website.“Our first meeting in 1984 marked the beginning of a relationship that was at times difficult, not always smooth, but was treated seriously and responsibly by both sides.”
戈爾巴喬夫在自己網站上發布的聲明中表示,撒切爾幫助結束了冷戰:“撒切爾是一位一言九鼎的政治家。我們在1984年第一次會面,隨后便開啟了一段時而棘手、并非一帆風順但雙方都認真負責予以對待的關系。”
Lech Walesa, Poland’s former president and anti-communist freedom figure, said Thatcher was key in hastening the fall of the Iron Curtain: “She was a great person.She did a great deal for the world, along with Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II and Solidarity, she contributed to the demise of communism in Poland and central Europe.”
波蘭前總統、反對共產主義的自由派人士列赫?瓦文薩(Lech Walesa)表示,撒切爾在加
速“鐵幕”(Iron Curtain)倒塌的過程中發揮了關鍵的作用:“她是一位偉人。她為世界做出了巨大的貢獻,她與羅納德?里根、教皇約翰?保羅二世(Pope John Paul II)和波蘭團結工會(Solidarity)一起,推動了波蘭與中歐共產主義政權的終結。”
Her other great success abroad was in the Falklands War against Argentina, which invaded the islands in 1982.Thatcher defied resistance in her own cabinet to send a 25,000-strong task force to the tiny archipelago, which troops eventually recaptured after two months.撒切爾在海外的其他巨大勝利,還包括1982年的英阿福克蘭群島戰爭(Falklands war,又稱馬島戰爭)。她不顧自己內閣的反對,向面積微小的福克蘭群島派出了2.5萬人的特遣部隊,最終于兩個月后奪回了該群島。
Her legacy was just as long-lasting at home.A succession of prime ministers, Labour and Conservative alike, have felt unable or unwilling to depart from the blueprint she established of a state serviced by privatised utilities and free of the stranglehold of organised unions.撒切爾在國內留下的遺產同樣意義深遠。歷任首相,無論出自工黨還是保守黨,都感到不能或不愿背離她為英國設定的藍圖——公用事業私有化,企業不受有組織工會的鉗制。