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Patrick Henry
这句是出自美国人Patrick Henry于1775年的国会演讲。最后一句是全文精华:
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty
or give me death!(我不知道其他人会采取甚么步骤,但对于我,要么就给我自由,
要么就赐我一死。)语气决绝,尽显决心。
林肯的精句
林肯于1863年南北战争后发表的The Gettysburg Address,演辞虽然只有二百多字,
但其中的精句千古传诵,那就是「government of the people, by the people,
for the people shall not perish from the earth」。其中的民主理念简短有力,
令人印象深刻。
马丁路德金
马丁路德金是美国黑人民权领袖,后来被人暗杀。他的著名演辞数段都是以I have a
dream起首。我认为最精要的一句是:I have a dream that my four little children
will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour
of their skin but by the content of theircharacter.(我有一个梦,希望将来这
个国家的人,不是以肤色来评价我的四个孩子,而是以内涵来评价他们。)志切争取消除
肤色歧视。
孟德拉
南非民运领袖孟德拉,他于1964年在法庭自辩失败,被判入狱数十年。他也是为黑人的
人权而战,他的精句是:I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free
society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see realised.
But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.
(我一直珍惜民主和自由的社会理念,希望所有人能融洽共处,机会平等。我为此理念而生,
希望见到此理念实现。但法官大人,如果有需要,我已准备好为此理念而牺牲。)
沉默是金
19世纪Tupper的两句名句。第一句︰Youth is confident, manhood wary,
and old age confident again. 意谓人生的三个阶段︰年青人充满自信,成年人则小
心翼翼、过份谨慎,年老时趋于年熟又回复自信。第二句︰Well-timed silence hath
more eloquence than speech.(适当的沉默比说话更有说服力,hath是has的古字)
相当于中国人的沉默是金。 |
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