President Barack Obama delivers his inaugural address at the Capitol building
My fellow citizens,
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them— that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence— the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
(영화 “Billy Elliot”을 이제는 뮤지컬로 만날 수 있다. 현재 영국과 호주에서 절찬리에 공연중이고 2008년 말에는 드디어 뉴욕 브로드웨이로 입성한다. 위의 포스터는 미국에서 빌리를 할 소년을 찾는 오디션 포스터다. 보통 3명의 빌리가 선발되고 그 중에 키가 너무 커버리거나 변성기에 들어가는 빌리가 있으면 다른 빌리로 대체되어진다. 그래서, 한 명의 빌리가 할 수 있는 공연기간은 기껏해야 1~2년이다. 위에 있는 오디션 포스터를 잘 보면, ‘No broken voices for boys’라는 문구가 있다. 변성기가 지나지 않은 남자아이들만이 참가할 수 있다는 뜻이다.)
요즘 어린이 합창단의 노래에 빠져 있다. 비엔나 소년 합창단부터 해서 새로이 뜨고 있는 영국의 “Libera”합창단까지 해서 거의 유튜브를 훑다시피 하고 있다. 왜 그럴까 이유를 곰곰히 생각해 보니, 생각이 많아지고 마음이 번잡해져서가 아닌가 싶다. 천상의 소리라고까지 하는 어린이들의 맑은 목소리를 들으면 마음이 정화되는 느낌이랄까?
한국에서는 “코러스” 로 소개되었던 2004년 프랑스 영화 “Les Choristes”에서도 프랑스 남부의 한 어린이 합창단의 솔로이스트가 주연을 맡아서 화제가 되었었다. 연기경험이 전무한 합창단원을 등용시킨 모험수를 건 감독은, 천마디 말보다는 한소절의 아름다운 노래가 더 큰 감동을 줄 것이라고 믿었기 때문이라고 말했다고 한다. 그래서 프랑스 전역에 있는 합창단이라는 합창단은 다 만나고 다녔다는 데… 그래서 발굴해 낸 합창단이 바로 “Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc”이다. 2006년, 2007년 두해 모두 한국을 방문해 큰 감동을 안겨 주었던 이 합창단은 우리에게 잘 알려져 있는 “오나라”와 “마법의 성”을 불러 청중들로부터 뜨거운 박수 갈채를 받기도 했다(http://www.maitrise-saintmarc.com/Videos/Tournee-Coree.htm)
영어로 변성기를 거쳤다는 것을 어떻게 표현할까? 여러가지 표현이 있겠지만, 그 중에서도 “목소리가 부서지다”라는 다소 과격한 표현이 많이 쓰여진다. “His voice has broken”하게 되면 변성기를 지났다는 것을 의미한다. 또다른 표현으로는 “His voice has gone deeper”라고도 한다. 그렇다면 변성기는 어떻게 해서 오게 되는 것일까? 제2차 성징으로 나타나는 변성기는 남성 호르몬의 영향으로 vocal cords가 두꺼워 지게 되고 그로 인해 현저히 낮아진 진동수는 어렸을 때보다는 굵고 낮은 목소리를 내게 하는 것이다. 그 뿐만 아니라 얼굴골격도 커지면서 울림통 역할을 하기 때문에 목소리가 낮아지는 것을 돕게 된다. Vocal cords가 있는 Larynx(후두)가 커지면서 그 모습을 들어내게 되는데, 그것이 “Adam’s apple”이다. 여자아이들 또한 변성기를 지나지만, 그렇다고 “Adam’s apple”이 튀어나올 만큼 그렇게 후두가 커지지는 않는 다. 그렇기 때문에 이 결후는 변성기가 완전히 지난 남자만이 가질 수 있는 신체적 특징이 된다.
이렇게 변성기를 지난 중저음 또한 그 나름대로의 멋과 맛이 있지만, 곱디 고운 소년의 목소리가 더 귀하게 느껴지는 것은 왜일까? 그것은 해마다 짧아지는 봄이 더욱더 값지게 느껴지는 것과 같은 느낌이 아닐까? 그나마 봄은 매해 오는 것이라 그 그리움을 달랠 길이 있겠지만, 한번 지난 우리의 유년시절은 다시 오지 않는 것이 아닌가? 지금 생각하면 아련하기만 한 그 시절, 어른들의 말씀을 그저 넋두리로 치부하고 말았건만 이제는그전 어른들께서 하신 말씀에 고개가 끄덕여진다.
"젋음이 좋은 것이여~"
Some conclude that college students should bear total expenses for their higher education on the generalization that college graduates usually receive higher salaries for similar jobs than those without a college degree. We can not deny the fact that higher level of education, indeed, do associate with better income. Still, build on such fact alone, the conclusion remains questionable when more aspects are taken into consideration.
The whole argument in question rests on an assumption that it is always the case that people with higher education make more money than those less well-educated. But salary or income is, in most cases, based on contributions made by employees to companies or organizations in which they are employed. Statistics in the labor market indicate that people with professional training tend to find jobs easier than college graduates do and that blue-collar workers who do not hold college degrees are becoming the hotties in the labor market. Employers prefer to hire and pay more to highly skilled and specially trained people rather than fresh college graduates. In the auto industry, for instance, skilled technicians make two or three times more than their college educated counterparts who make the average salaries in other companies. And it is widely accepted that people's income is determined more by talent, hard work, and willingness to take risks than solely by certain qualifications such as college education. Otherwise, the unemployment rate of college graduates would not be increasing every year and the rule of supply and demand will lose much of power in controlling the labor market. Admittedly in some knowledge extensive field such as research, teaching, and practice of law the labor force are primarily consists of highly educated professionals. But such people make up only a fraction of the labor market and are thus unrepresentative of the whole employment in general.
Considering the goal of education, we find that it is even more problematic for the country to throw all the responsibility of financing college education to college students. The goal of higher education of a nation is to improve and strengthen the general level of intellectual and professional capacity of its labor force, thereby increasing the competency of the nation in the global economy. As tax payers, parents all contributes to the education system and country in various ways. It is only reasonable and necessary that the country gives some forms of financially assistance to students to ease the burden of rising education costs. Such help should go to not only students from needy or impoverished families but also outstanding students from affluent backgrounds. Doing so can significantly boost the motivation of children from millions of families to engage in higher level of study. It is understandable that the general quality of people in a country will improve and its economy will benefit both now and in years to follow.
If the burden of supporting children's higher education is dumped on parents and students, thousands of brilliant students will be deprived of chances to pursue their academic inspiration. Among those who suffer would definitely be future great scientists, business managers, artists and statesmen. The loss will be disastrous and irreversible.
In conclusion, the idea that students should also pay the full cost of their study is wrong and harmful because it is wrong to assume that higher education necessarily equalize high income. Moreover, it is in the best interest of a nation to take responsibility in financing college education so that the goal of higher education will be better met.
| Which quality do you believe is the most useful during times of difficulty? In an essay, support your position by discussing an example(or examples) from literature, the arts, science and technology, history, current events, or your own experience or observation. -------------------------------------------------------------------- There is no way we can avoid hardship during our life. Repelling hardships always remained a concern for most people. Some tries to overcome it with optimism, some calls for help, some, like Salinger, goes into hermitlike life. Staying calm is an another way, and quite a helpful one. Few of its advantages are helping people to stay logical and rational and aiding people to have optimistic thoughts. Keeping coolness during emergencies will provide reasonable thoughts to people at any situation. Fear brings stimulation. When faced with unexpected situation, people easily turn emotional and unsteady. This disorder of the mind can blur people's sense of precise decision. Sportsmen who made mistakes have easier chance to make another mistake because they are anxious about the mistake. Since people cannot make a logical solution to the problem they face, they cannot escape out of the hardship. Being steady and staying rational will help people to extricate from the situation they face. Staying unemotional can give optimistic thoughts. It is hard for people to look on the bright side when they are nervous. There is a research conducted by Korean Institute of Laughter, in which two mice are trapped inside a maze. One mouse was injected with a small amount of adrenalin, which made it overly nervous. The other one was given a medication and put into sedation. Then, they had to find their way through the maze. The nervous one became very stimulated when it couldn't find the way through and kept moving forward and backward. The sedated one bumped into troubles for few times, however, managed to find its way through. Consequently, being calm is probably very important thing to keep in mind when facing hardships. It gives rational and more 'correct' decisions and an optimistic view of the problem. Being nervous means taking a long way to solve a problem. Always trying to take a one step back and putting aside emotional thoughts will help people to react effectively to the situation they face. |