This evening I come to you with a message of leave-taking and farewell， and to share a few final thoughts with you， my countrymen. Our people expect their President and the Congress to find essential agreement on issues of great moment， the wise resolution of which will better shape the future of the nation.BMy own relations with the Congress， which began on a remote and tenuous basis when， long ago， a member of the Senate appointed me to West Point， have since ranged to the intimate during the war and immediate post-war period， and finally to the mutually interdependent during these past eight years.In this final relationship， the Congress and the Administration have， on most vital issues， cooperated well， to serve the nation good， rather than mere partisanship， and so have assured that the business of the nation should go forward.So， my official relationship with Congress ends in a feeling—on my part—of gratitude that we have been able to do so much together.
We now stand ten years past the midpoint of a century that has witnessed four major wars among great nations. Three of these involved our own country.Despite these holocausts， America is today the strongest， the most influential， and most productive nation in the world.CUnderstandably proud of this pre-eminence， we yet realize that America"s leadership and prestige depend， not merely upon our unmatched material progress， riches and military strength， but on how we use our power in the interests of world peace and human betterment.
难点重点，一目了然！
长难句解析Sentence Structures
AThree days from now， after a half century in the service of our country， I shall lay down the responsibilities of office as， in traditional and solemn ceremony；the authority of the Presidency is vested in my successor.
三天以后，为国家服役半个世纪的我将在一个传统而庄严的仪式上，把总统的职责移交给我的继任者。
Iay down 停止行使，放弃。例如：He shouldn"t lay down his office.他不应该放弃他的职务。
AMy own relations with the Congress， which began on a remote and tenuous basis when， long ago， a member of the Senate appointed me to West Point， have since ranged to the intimate during the war and immediate post-war period， and finally to the mutually interdependent during these past eight years.
我个人与国会的关系，开始于很久以前，建立在疏远且不牢固的基础之上，当时一个参议员推荐我去西点军校，在二战期间及战争刚刚结束的时期，这种关系变得亲密了，最终在过去的八年里形成了互相依存的关系。
本句含有一个由which引导的非限制性定语从句，which是关系代词，从句中又有一个when引导的时间状语从句。
CUnderstandably proud of this pre-eminence， we yet realize that America"s leadership and prestige depend， not merely upon our unmatched material progress， riches and military strength， but on how we use our power in the interests of world peace and human betterment.
我们为我们的杰出而自豪，然而我们也认识到美国的领导地位和威望不仅取决于我们无以伦比的物质加工能力、财富和军事实力，还取决于我们如何为人类的进步和世界的和平而使用这种力量。
in the interest of 为了。例如：In the interest of safety， no smoking is allowed.为了安全，严禁吸烟。
40.High Hopes of Britain"s Future英国未来的希望
Track 040. MP3
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总词汇量：0408词汇
每篇好演讲都有灵魂！
今日关键语导读Today"s Key Points
人的一生总难免会做错一些事情，还要面对别人的批评。如何去对待自己失误与别人的批评指责呢？英国首相托尼·布莱尔述说他永远把英国放在第一位，并不计较个人得失，对英国未来充满希望的豪情。
文中障碍词抢先攻克！
障碍词先听为快Words and Expressions
精彩文字，耳听心受！
好英文娓娓动听Words and Expressions
I have come back here， to Sedgefield， to my constituency， where my political journey began and where it is fitting it should end.Today I announce my decision to stand down from the leadership of the Labour Party.The party will now select a new leader.On 27 June I will tender my resignation from the office of Prime Minister to the Queen.I have been Prime Minister of this country for just over 10 years.In this job， in the world today， that is long enough for me but more especially for the country.
AAs for my own leadership， throughout these 10 years， where the predictable has competed with the utterly unpredicted， right at the outset one thing was clear to me-without the Labour Party allowing me to lead it， nothing could ever have been done. But I knew my duty was to put the country first.That much was obvious to me when just under 13 years ago I became Labour"s leader.What I had to learn， however， as Prime Minister was what putting the country first really meant.
Decision-making is hard. Everyone always says‘Listen to the people’.The trouble is they don"t always agree.When you are in opposition， you meet this group and they say“Why can"t you do this？”And you say“It"s really a good question.Thank you.”And they go away and say“It"s great， he really listened.”
Your duty is to act according to your conviction. All of that can get contorted so that people think you act according to some messianic zeal.Doubt， hesitation， reflection， consideration and re-consideration—these are all the good companions of proper decision-making.But the ultimate obligation is to decide.
BBut I ask you to accept one thing—hand on heart， I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong.That"s your call.But believe one thing if nothing else—I did what I thought was right for our country.I came into office with high hopes for Britain"s future.I leave it with even higher hopes for Britain"s future.This is a country that can， today， be excited by the opportunities， not constantly fretful of the dangers.
This is the greatest nation on Earth. It has been an honour to serve it.CI give my thanks to you， the British people， for the times I have succeeded， and my apologies to you for the times I have fallen short.
难点重点，一目了然！
长难句解析Sentence Structures
AAs for my own leadership， throughout these 10 years， where the predictable has competed with the utterly unpredicted， right at the outset one thing was clear to me—without the Labour Party allowing me to lead it， nothing could ever have been done.
回顾我的10年工作，也许最终证明我做错了，正如某些人所批评的。从开始有一点就是很清楚的，如果没有工党的信任，所有的一切都无从说起。
at the outset 开端，开始。例如：At the outset of her career， she was full of optimism but now.她事业伊始十分乐观，但现在已今非昔比了。
BBut I ask you to accept one thing—hand on heart， I did what I thought was right.
然而我希望你们认可一样东西：我全心全意地做了我认为正确的事情。