#每日英文閱讀
Joe Biden's inauguration speech (excerpt)
This is America's day. This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause, a cause of democracy. The people - the will of the people - has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded.
今天是美國重要的一天，也是民主的重要時刻，是歷史上的一天、滿載著希望、革新與信念的一天。在多年的磨練中，美國歷經重重考驗，克服萬難。如今，我們慶祝的並不是一位候選人的勝利，而是民主的勝利。人們的心願，我們聽見了，也十分珍視。
We've learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and, at this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed. So now on this hallowed ground where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundations, we come together as one nation under God - indivisible - to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries.
我們再次體悟到，民主是珍貴的，是脆弱的，但今晚，我的朋友，民主再次取得勝利。此時此刻，在這神聖的土地上，在這幾天前還發生了試圖撼動國會基石的土地上，我們再次以完整國家的姿態呈現在上帝面前，就像兩世紀多以來的傳統一樣，實現和平的政權轉移。
As we look ahead in our uniquely American way, restless, bold, optimistic, and set our sights on a nation we know we can be and must be, I thank my predecessors of both parties. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. And I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the strength of our nation, as does President Carter, who I spoke with last night who cannot be with us today, but who we salute for his lifetime of service.
當我們展望這條獨特的美國未來之路，我們知道所有人可以也必須無從止歇、勇敢、樂觀、將眼光放遠至整個國家。我感謝前幾任來自兩方政黨的總統，發自內心地感謝他們。我知道，我國的憲法是如此堅韌、國家是如此強大。前美國總統吉米·卡特也同樣非常堅毅，雖然他今日無法到場，但是我昨夜有跟他對談過。我們知道，他竭盡了一生服務美國。
I've just taken a sacred oath each of those patriots have taken. The oath first sworn by George Washington. But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. On we the people who seek a more perfect union. This is a great nation, we are good people. And over the centuries through storm and strife in peace and in war we've come so far. But we still have far to go.
就像每個愛國者一樣，我已立下神聖的誓約。最初的宣誓者為喬治·華盛頓，但美國的故事並不只是靠著我們之中的任何一人來寫下，也不是其中幾人，而是所有人，所有希望這個國家變得更好的人。這是一個很棒的國家，而我們是很棒的人。過去幾世紀以來，我們歷經風暴與衝突，有過戰爭與和平，才走到現在，但我們還有很長的路要走。
We'll press forward with speed and urgency for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibility. Much to do, much to heal, much to restore, much to build and much to gain. Few people in our nation's history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we're in now. A once in a century virus that silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as in all of World War Two.
為了度過這個充滿危難的冬天以及難以預期的未來，我們會疾速向前邁進。我們有很多事情要做、要治癒、要恢復、重建、鞏固。在我國的歷史上，很少有人像今日一樣，過得如此艱困。這百年難見的病毒悄悄地壟罩整個國家，帶走的性命就如同第二次世界大戰一樣多。
Millions of jobs have been lost. Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed. A cry for racial justice, some 400 years in the making, moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer. A cry for survival comes from the planet itself, a cry that can't be any more desperate or any more clear now. The rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism, that we must confront and we will defeat.
數百萬的人失去工作，成千上萬的公司倒閉，這四百年來呼喊著種族正義的聲音深深地撼動我們。實現正義的夢想不能再拖延下去。地球為了生存而發出了呼喊，而那道呼喊已經絕望至極、鮮明不已。政治極端主義、白人至上、本土恐怖主義的興起…若不面對，就只有戰敗的一途。
To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy - unity. Unity. In another January on New Year's Day in 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. When he put pen to paper the president said, and I quote, 'if my name ever goes down in history, it'll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it'.
為了克服這些困難，拯救生命和保住美國的未來，所需要的不僅僅是言語，而是民主中最難達成的元素—團結。團結。1863 年 1 月，亞伯拉罕·林肯在新年簽署了解放奴隸宣言。當他把筆放下時，我引述他當時說的話：「如果我的名字能永留青史，那會是因為這項法案，以及我全心全意的投入。」
My whole soul is in it today, on this January day. My whole soul is in this. Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight the foes we face - anger, resentment and hatred. Extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, and hopelessness.
我也全心全意的投入今天，在 1 月的這一天。我的整個心靈都是。讓美國人重聚在一起，團結所有的人民，統一整個國家。我邀請每位美國人一起實現這個目標。讓我們團結一心，共同對抗眼前的敵人—憤怒、怨恨、仇恨；極端主義、違法亂紀、暴力、疾病、失業、以及絕望。
精選單字
rise to 面對（艱難困境）
crucible 嚴峻的考驗
prevail 崛起
seek to 力求
look ahead 展望
take a oath 宣誓
patriot 愛國者
storm and strife 風暴與衝突
peril 危險
defer 拖延
elusive 困難的
艾咪碎碎念：昨晚是美國的就職典禮，大家有沒有收看呢？今天和大家分享拜登的就職典禮前半段，有興趣的人可以點網址看全文唷～不過有點長就是了 :P
