高级英语第九单元奥巴马演讲课文内容讲解.docx

高级英语第九单元奥巴马演讲课文内容讲解.docx

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高级英语第九单元奥巴马演讲课文内容讲解

1.AMoreperfectunion

ThetitleistakenfromthePreambletotheconstitutionoftheUnitedStates.Thepreamblerunslikethis:

WethePeopleoftheUnitedStates,inOrdertoformamoreperfectUnion,establishJustice,insuredomesticTranquility,provideforthecommonDefense,promotethegeneralWelfare,andsecuretheBlessingsofLibertytoourselvesandourPosterity,doordainandestablishthisConstitutionfortheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Whenthefoundingfatherwrote“toformamoreperfectUnion”theymeanttheU.S.establishedontheconstitutionwouldbeabetterstatethanthoseintheOldWorld（Europe）.Theywerefollowingthecallofbuilding“aCityontheHill.”ButwhenBarackObamausedthephrase,theimplicationwasthatthecurrentunionwasfarfrombeingperfectanditwasthetaskoftheAmericanpeopletomakeitmoreperfect,torealizethegoalsetoutintheconstitution.

2.“Wethepeople,inordertofromamoreunion.”（Para.1）

Obamabeganthespeechwithaquotefromtheconstitutionfortwopurposes.Oneistoshowwherethetitlecamefrom,theotheristoappealtotheaudiencebecause,accordingtoAmericanpoliticalscientists,theAmericanpeopleworshiptheConstitution,regardingitasasacreddocumentliketheBible.

3.Twohundredand21yearsago….indemocracy.

（2）

In1787,inahalloppositethismeetingplaceontheothersideofthestreet,55mengatheredandworkedout,aftermuchdebateanddeliberation,theconstitution.

1）improbable:

notlikelytohappen

2）Thissentencemodeledonthebeginningofthe“GettysburgAddress”byLincoln.Theaddressbeganwith“Fourscoreandsevenyearsagoourfathersbroughtforthonthiscontinentanewnation,conceivedinliberty,anddedicatedtothepropositionthatallmenarecreatedequal.”

3）InAmericanhistoryandAmericangovernment,manyscholarsholdthatthewritingandimplementationoftheConstitutionisanexperimentbecauseitwasthefirstwrittendocumentinitiatingthebeginningoftheendoftheconceptofthedivinerightofkings.AtthattimetheU.S.wassmallandweak.Noonecouldbesureifitwouldsurviveortheexperimentcouldsucceed.Thereforeyouhave“improbableexperiment.”

4.Farmersandscholars…thatlastedthroughthe…

（2）

1.traveledacrosstheocean:

referringtotheearlysettlers,thePuritanswhosailedacrosstheAtlanticocean

2.maderealtheirdeclarationofindependence…:

turnedtheconceptsembodiedintheDeclarationofIndependenceintoarticlesintheConstitution.

3.thatlastedthroughthespringof1787:

TheConstitutionalConventionmetinthePhiladelphiaStateHousefromMay25toSeptember17,1787;theConventionwasattendedby55delegatesfrom12states.（RhodeIslanddeclinedtosenddelegatestotheconvention.）

5.Thedocumenttheyproduced…unfinished.（3）

1）Aftermuch,sometimesheated,debate,theConstitutionwasfinallyadoptedbytheconvention.Ofthe55delegatesonly39signed.Theconventionprovidedthatthenewconstitutionwouldgointoeffectwhenratifyingconventionsnineofthe13stateshadapprovedit.Indiscussion,oneissuethatarosewastheapportioningofseatsintheHouseofRepresentativesaccordingtopopulation.ThesouthernStateswantedslavestobeincludedinthepopulationtotalwhenallottingCongressionalseatsbutleftoutindeterminingliabilityfordirecttaxation.TheNorthernStateswantedslavesexcludedfromrepresentation,sincetheywereneithercitizensnorvoters,butincludedfortaxpurposessincetheywereaspeciesofproperty.Theresultwasacompromise,the“three-fifths”clauses,wherebyaslavewascountedasthree-fifthsofapersonforthepurposesofbothrepresentationanddirecttaxation.

2）eventual:

happeningattheendof,orasaresultof,aseriesofevents

3）ultimate:

bywhichaprocessorseriescomestoanend

4）whenObamasaidthedocumenttheyproducedwaseventuallysignedbutultimatelyunfinishedhemeanttheConstitutionwasfinallyadoptedbytheconventionandinJune1788NewHampshirebecametheninthstatetoratifytheconstitutionandlaterthatyearVirginiaandNewYorkalsoratifiedtheconstitutionanditwentintoeffect.Butsincetheproblemofslaverywasnotsolved,theprocessdidnotenduntilthecivilwarandtheenactmentofconstitutionalAmendments14（1868）and15（1870）.

6.Itwasstainedby…tofuturegenerations.（3）

1）.Stain:

tospoiltheappearancebypatchesorstreaksofcolorordirt,tobringshameupon（someone’scharacter,reputation,）todisgrace;todishonor

2.originalsin:

AccordingtotheBible,thesinofhavingeatentheforbiddenfruitcommittedbyAdamandEve,istraditionallyviewedastransmittedinitsessentialguiltandconsequentpenaltiesfromAdamasheadofthehumanracetoallunredeemedhumanity.原罪

3）DuringtheWarofindependence,theBritishannouncedthatfreedomwouldbegiventothoseslaveslefttheirmastersandwentovertotheBritishside.SeventeenoftheslavesownedbyGeorgeWashingtonalsodesertedhimandfledtotheBritishside.SotheslaveissuewasaseriousissueattheConstitutionalConvention.

Intheend,theConstitutioninArticleOneSectionTwopoint3statesthatRepresentativesanddirecttaxesshallbeapportionedamongtheseveralStateswhichmaybeincludedwithinthisUnion,accordingtotheirrespectivenumbers,whichshallbedeterminedbyaddingtothewholenumberoffreepersons,includingthoseboundtoserviceforatermofyears,andexcludingIndiansnottaxed,three-fifthsofallotherpersons.AndinArticleoneSectionNinePoint1,theConstitutionsays“ThemigrationorimportationofsuchpersonsasanyoftheStatesnowexistingshallthinkpropertoadmit,shallnotbeprohibitedbythecongresspriortotheyearonethousandeighthundredandeight…”Asaresult,SouthCarolinaandGeorgiaimported90,000newslavesinthe20yearsbefore1808.

7.Ofcourse,theanswer….Thatcouldbeandshouldovertime.（4）

1）embed:

Originallyitmeanstoset（flowers,etc.）inearth;hereitmeanstofixfirmlyinthemind,memory,etc.TobeembeddedwithinourConstitutionmeanstobesetorincludedintheConstitution.

2）Itmaybecorrecttosaytheidealoflibertyandjusticeintheconstitutionmakesitpossiblefortheresolutionoftheslaveissue,buttheconstitutionitselfdoesnotprovideanysolution.OtherwiseitwouldnottakeacivilWar,,averydestructivewar,toputanendtoaslaverysystem.AndtherewouldbenonecessityforconstitutionalAmendments14and15andCivilrightsof1964andtheVotingrightsActof1965.

3）Notetheparallelstructureof“aconstitutionthat…”“aconstitutionthat…”aunionthatforemphasis.

Alsonottheuseofmodalauxiliaries:

“could”and“should.”“could”indicatespossibilityand“should”denotesobligationordesirability.

8.andyetwordson…ascitizensofUS.（5）

AndyettheConstitutionoranylawisnotenoughtosettheslavesfreeortofivepeopleofdifferentoriginsorbeliefsintheUnitedStatesequalrights.ObamaisreferringtothefactthatblackslaveswerenotlegallygreeduntilaftertheCivilWarandwomendidnothavevotingrightsuntil1921.

1）wordsonaparchment:

referringtotheconstitutionwhichisthefirstwrittenconstitutionintheworld;theideamaycomefromtheDeadSeaScrolldiscoveredbetween1947and1956whichwereconsideredtobewrittenbetween3rdcenturyB.C.and1stcenturyA.D.Obamameantthatanylaworagreementortreaty,ifitisnotenforced,isofnovalue.

2）Creed;anysetofbeliefsorprinciples.

3）Everycolorandcreed:

peopleofdifferentethnicitiesandbeliefs,especiallyreligionsbeliefs;colorandcreed:

alliteration

9.Whatwouldbeneeded…andrealityoftheirtime.（5）

OnlythroughstrugglesindifferentformsdidgenerationaftergenerationofAmericanssucceedinbringingtherightspromisedintheconstitutiontopeopleofdifferentsex,colororbelief.

1）Whowerewillingtodotheirpart:

NotallAmericansindifferentperiodsofAmericanhistorywouldstruggleforthegoal,onlysomewhohadtheawarenessanddeterminationwouldtakepartinthestruggle.ThisisexemplifiedbytheCivilRightsMovementandthefeministmovement.

2）Onthestreet,inthecourts,throughacivilwar:

Nottheuseofprepositionstoavoidtherepetitionoftheprepositionofin.

3）Tonarrowthatgapbetweenthepromiseofouridealsandtherealityoftheirtime:

Thisisanimportantconcept.ManyAmericansbelievethefoundingfathershadworkedoutanidealmodelandthecurrentproblemsanddrawbacksexistbecauseAmericanshavenotfollowedtheguidanceofthefoundingfathers.Alltheyneedtodoistogobacktothefoundingprinciples.

In“Ihaveadream,”MartinKingsaid,“Inasensewe’vecometoournationscapitaltocashacheck.WhenthearchitectsofourrepublicwrotethemagnificentwordsoftheConstitutionandtheDeclarationofIndependence,theyweresigningapromissorynotetowhicheveryAmericanwastofallheir,Thisnotewasapromisethatallmen_yes,blackmenaswellaswhitemenshouldbeguaranteedtheunalienablerightsoflife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.”

10.thefunctionofthefirst5paragraphs:

TheyserveasabackgroundleadingtoObama’scampaignin2008.Obamastartswithaquotationfromtheconstitution,bringingouttheideaof“amoreperfectunion.”ThenhemovesontodescribethebirthoftheConstitutionandpointsouthatbecauseofthecompromiseontheslaveryissue,theprocessofperfectingtheuniondidnotstopthere.Inthecourseofhistory,generationsofAmericanshavestruggledhardtonarrowthegapbetweenpromiseandrealityandtoperfecttheunion.TheninPara.6hepointsoutthisisoneofthe