小布什：差生也能當總統

什么？差生也能當總統？是的，你沒聽錯，美國前總統小布什在南方衛理公會大學畢業典禮上是這么說的。這是他卸任后首次出席大學畢業典禮并發表演講，整場演講幽默風趣，同時不乏勵志之語，下面就讓我們一起來看看。

節選一

Thank you. Thank you very much. President Turner， thanks. Members of the Board of Trustees， Provost Ludden， faculty， staff， distinguished guests， parents， and-most importantly-the Class of 2015， I（Applause.）… I thank you for your warm welcome， and I appreciate the invitation to be with you.

You know， when I mentioned this speech to some pals， they were surprised I was going to give it. （Laughter.） I havent given a commencement address since leaving office. You know， my decision is quite practical. So I got a call from my landlord- （laughter）-Gerald Turner. （Laughter.）Rather than raising the rent or threatening to with hold our security deposit-（laughter）-I wasrelieved to hear President Turner ask if I believed in free speech. （Applause.） I said yeah. He said，“Perfect. Heres your chance to give one.” （Laughter and applause.）

謝謝，非常感謝！泰納校長，謝謝你。理事會成員們、教務長勒登、教職員工們、工作人員們、嘉賓們、家長們，以及最重要的，2015屆畢業生們，我（鼓掌）……我感謝你們的熱情歡迎，很榮幸被邀請來與你們共處這段時光。

我和我的朋友們提到這次演講時，他們都感到很驚訝。（笑聲）自從卸任以來，我還沒有發表過畢業演講。我決定來演講的原因很實際，我接到了房東的電話——（笑聲）——杰拉德·泰納。（笑聲）我心想他是不是要漲租金或是要扣住我們的押金呢？——（笑聲）——還好，泰納校長只是問我是否相信言論自由，我松了口氣。（掌聲）我說信啊，他說： “那太好了，那你就來我這里免費演講一次吧。”（笑聲和掌聲）

小編講解：關于決定來演講的原因，小布什解釋得風趣幽默。這里有兩個表達值得一提，一個是pal，意思是“朋友，伙伴，哥們兒”，這是個非常口語化的詞;另一個是be relieved to，意思是“（聽到，看到，發現）……時松了口氣，如釋重負”。

例如：The words all over the street. Lynne is gonna give you a promotion，pal.

消息已經傳開了。琳恩要給你升職，朋友。

Shes relieved to know that the flood has been controlled。

得知洪水已經得到控制，她松了口氣。

節選二

Most of all， I congratulate the members of the Class of 2015. You worked hard to reach this milestone. You leave with life long friends and fond memories. You will always remember how much you enjoyed the right to buy a required campus meal plan. （Laughter.） Youll remember your frequent battles with the Park ‘N Pony Office. （Laughter.） And you may or may not remember those productive nights at the Barley House. （Laughter and applause.）

You were founding members of the mighty SMU Mob， bouncing like mad and watching in wonder as your then-Student Body President， Senor Lobster-（laughter）-danced with joy afierall those Pony victories right here in Moody. （Applause.） And youll think back to those carefree fallgame days on the Boulevard-though I dont recall seeing too many of you in the football stadium.（Laughter.）

To those of you who are graduating this afternoon with high honors， awards， and distinctions， I say， “well done.” And as l like to tell the “C” students： You， too， can be President. （Laughter andapplause.）

最重要的，我要祝賀2015屆的畢業生們，你們為到達這一里程碑付出了努力。你們將帶著持續終生的友誼和多彩的記憶離開，你們會記得曾經有多享受學校的強制飲食套餐。