第1届21世纪杯全国英语演讲比赛冠军刘欣

更多精彩，即将呈现，欢迎关注乐育菁英(公众号：elitebund)!

追寻21世纪杯全国英语演讲比赛，提供最优秀的外语学习平台，倾听中国乃至世界最优秀的外语声音，成就最流利最地道的外语口语！

第1届•北京

演讲主题：风雨兼程十五载——迎接新世纪的曙光 

1996 Session, Beijing Topic: 15 Years On: Preparing for the Next Century

冠军：刘欣，南京大学  

Champion:Liu Xin, Nanjing University

演讲题目：选择的重要性

Title：Knowing the Consequences of Choice

第1届21世纪杯全国英语演讲比赛冠军刘欣演讲稿

Knowing the Consequences of Choice

刘欣：南京大学外国语学院选手，第1届“21世纪杯全国大学生英语演讲比赛冠军。

资料来源：21世纪英语网，并由Victor（微信号：victorbund）编辑、整理、校对 。

Over the past  Spring Festival, I got involved in a family dispute. Right before I got home, four satellite channels of CCTV were added to the 14 channels we already had. In prime time at night, they all had interesting shows. Therefore, the five of us-my parents, my sisters and I----had to argue over what to watch. Finally, we agreed that we should watch the"most interesting"programme... If we could agree what that was.

在过去的春节里，我卷入了一场家庭纠纷。就在我回家之前，我们已经有14个频道，加上了4个中央电视台的卫星频道。在晚上的黄金时间，他们都有有趣的节目。因此，我们五个，我的父母，我的姐妹和我，不得不争论该看什么。最后，我们同意看“最有趣”的节目。。。如果我们能达成一致的话。

However, all of us still remember that for a long time after we had TV, there were only two or three channels available.The increase in options reveals an important change in our life: the abundance of choice.

然而，我们都还记得，在我们有了电视之后的很长一段时间里，只有两三个频道可用。选择的增加揭示了我们生活中的一个重要变化：选择的丰富。

Fifteen years ago we were all dressed in one style and in one colour. Today, we select from a wide variety of designs and shades.

十五年前，我们都穿着同一种风格和同一种颜色的衣服。今天，我们从各种各样的设计和色调中挑选。

Fifteen years ago, we read few newspapers.Today, we read English newspapers like the China Daily and the 21st Century, aswell as various Chinese newspapers.

15年前，我们很少看报纸。今天，我们阅读英文报纸，如《中国日报》和《21世纪》，以及各种中文报纸。

Fifteen years ago,English majors took only courses in language and literature. Today, we also study Western culture,journalism, business communications, international relations, and computer science.

15年前，英语专业学生只修语言和文学课程。今天，我们还学习西方文化、新闻、商业传播、国际关系和计算机科学。

The emergence of choices marks the beginning of a new era in our life; an era of diversity, of material and cultural richness, and the rebirth of the Chinese nation.

选择的出现标志着我们生活中一个新时代的开始；一个多元化、物质文化丰富、中华民族重生的时代。

We now enjoy the abundance of choice. Butthis has not come easily.

我们现在享受丰富的选择。但这并非易事。

About 150 years ago,China was forced to open up its door under the threat of Western canons and gunboats. It has been through the struggle and sacrifice of generations that we finally have gained the opportunity to choose for ourselves. The policy of reform and openness is the choice that has made all the difference.

大约150年前，在西方教规和炮艇的威胁下，中国被迫打开国门。经过几代人的奋斗和牺牲，我们终于获得了为自己选择的机会。改革开放政策是一个决定一切的选择。

Like others of my age, I'm too young tohave experienced the time when the Chinese people had no right to choose. However,as the next century draws near, it is time to ask: What does choice really mean to us young people?

像我这个年纪的人一样，我太年轻了，没有经历过中国人没有选择权的时代。然而，随着下一个世纪的临近，是时候问：选择对我们年轻人来说到底意味着什么？

Is choice a game that relies on chance or luck? Is choice an empty promise that never materializes? Or is choice a puzzle so difficult that we have to avoid it?

选择是靠运气还是靠运气的游戏？选择是一个永远不会实现的空洞承诺吗？或者选择是一个如此困难以至于我们不得不避免的难题？

First, I would like to say: To choose means to claim opportunities.

首先，我想说的是：选择意味着索取机会。

I am a third-year English major. An important choice for me, of course, is what to do upon graduation. I can go to graduate school, at home or abroad. I can go to work as a teacher, a translator, a journalist, an editor and a diplomat. Actually, the system of mutual selection has allowed me to approach almost every job opportunity in China.

我是英语专业三年级的学生。当然，对我来说，一个重要的选择是毕业后该做什么。我可以在国内或国外读研究生。我可以去当老师，翻译，记者，编辑和外交官。实际上，这种相互选择的制度让我几乎可以接触到中国的每一个工作机会。

Indeed, this is not going to be an easy choice. I would love to work in such big cities as Beijing or Shanghai or Shenzhen. I would also love to return to my hometown, which is intimate, though slightly lagging in development. I would love to stay in the coastal area where life is exciting and fast-paced. I would also love to put down roots in centraland western China, which is underdeveloped, but holds great potential.

事实上，这不是一个容易的选择。我喜欢在北京、上海、深圳等大城市工作。我也很想回到我的家乡，这是一个亲密的地方，虽然发展稍显滞后。我很想呆在沿海地区，那里的生活是令人兴奋和快节奏的。我也很想扎根中西部地区，那里不发达，但潜力巨大。

All of these sound good. But they are only possibilities. To choose one is by no means an easy matter. To those of us whoare bewildered at the abundance of opportunities, I would like to say: Tochoose means to accept challenge.

所有这些听起来都不错。但这是唯一的可能性。选择一个绝非易事。对于我们这些对丰富的机会感到困惑的人，我想说：选择接受挑战的方式。

To us young people, challenge often emerges in the form of competition. In the next century,competition will not only come from other college graduates, but also from people of all ages and of all origins.

对我们年轻人来说，挑战往往以竞争的形式出现。在下个世纪，竞争将不仅来自其他大学毕业生，而且来自所有年龄和出身的人。

With increasing international exchanges, wehave to face growing competition from the whole outside world. This is callingfor a higher level of our personal development.

随着国际交流的日益频繁，我们不得不面对来自外部世界的日益激烈的竞争。这要求我们的个人发展水平更高。

Fifteen years ago, the knowledge of a foreign language or of computer operation was merely considered an advantage.But today, with wider educational opportunities, this same knowledge has become essential to everyone.

15年前，对外语或计算机操作的了解仅仅被认为是一种优势。但是今天，随着教育机会的扩大，同样的知识对每个人都是必不可少的。

Given this situation, even our smallest choices will require great wisdom and personal determination.

在这种情况下，即使是最小的选择也需要极大的智慧和个人的决心。

As we gain more initiative in choice making, the consequence of each choice also becomes more important.

随着我们在选择中获得更多的主动权，每个选择的结果也变得更加重要。

Nuclear power, for instance, may improveour quality of life. However, it can also be used to damage the lives and possessions of millions.

例如，核能可以改善我们的生活质量。然而，它也可以用来破坏数百万人的生命和财产。

Economic development has enriched our lives but brought with it serious harm to our air, water and health.

经济的发展丰富了我们的生活，但也给我们的空气、水和健康带来了严重的危害。

To those of us who are blind to the consequences of their choices, I would like to say, To choose means to take  responsibility. When we are making choices for ourselves, we cannot casually say: "It's just my own business." As policy makers of the next century, we cannot fail to see our responsibility to those who share the earth with us.

对于我们这些对自己选择的后果视而不见的人，我想说，选择承担责任的手段。当我们为自己做选择时，我们不能随便说：“这只是我自己的事。”作为下个世纪的决策者，我们不能不看到我们对那些与我们共享地球的人的责任。

The traditional Chinese culture teaches us to study hard and work hard so as to honor our family. To me, however, this family is not just the five of us who quarreled over television programmes.Rather, it is the whole of the human family. As I am making my choices for myself, I will not forget the smile of my teacher when I correctly spelled out the word "China" for the first time, I will not forget the happyfaces of the boys and girls we helped to send back to school in the mountains of Jiangxi Province. I will not forget the tearful eyes of women and childrenin Bosnia, Chechnya and Somali, where millions are suffering from war, famineor poverty.

中国传统文化教导我们要努力学习，努力工作，以家庭为荣。然而，对我来说，这个家庭不仅仅是我们五个为电视节目吵架的人。而是整个人类大家庭。当我在为自己做选择时，我不会忘记当我第一次正确地拼写“中国”一词时我的老师的微笑，我不会忘记我们帮助送回江西省山区学校孩子们的快乐的笑脸。我不会忘记波斯尼亚、车臣和索马里的妇女和儿童含泪的眼神，那里数百万人正遭受战争、饥荒或贫穷。

All these people, known and unknown, make up our big human family. At different points, they came into my life and broaden my perspective.Now as I am to make choices for myself, it is time to make efforts to improve their lives, for a world will benefit us all only ifevery one in it can lead apeaceful and prosperous life.

所有这些人，已知的和未知的，组成了我们人类的大家庭。在不同的时候，他们走进了我的生活，开阔了我的视野，现在我要为自己做选择，是时候努力改善他们的生活了，因为只有每个人都能过上幸福富足的生活，一个世界才会惠及我们大家。

Thank you!

谢谢您！