阅读，不是为了得到什么，而是在被生活打击的无路可退时最后的安身之所。静静等待，阅读，一定会给予你奖励。下面是英语美文:一次杰出的演讲 A Remarkable Speech的资料，希望你会喜欢！
A Remarkable Speech
一次杰出的演讲
By Walter MacPeek
For weeks the troop had been busy preparing for its Parents' Night program. Everything was in order. The walls were filled with displays, the scouts with enthusiasm and the tables with good things to eat.
这个童子军中队已为筹备“父母之夜”晚会忙碌了好几个星期。一切都井井有条。墙上贴满了展览作品，童子军队员们热情洋溢，餐桌上摆满了好吃的食物。
Now it was time for Jimmie Davis to give his oration . This was the moment he had looked forward to for many weeks. As he arose, he caught a glimpse of his mother's beaming face and his father's stolid , assured countenance . He started with a great burst of enthusiasm. He waxed more eloquent, conscious that his listeners were paying a high tribute to him by their careful attention.
现在到了吉米·戴维斯发表演讲的时候了。这是他几个星期以来一直在期待的时刻。他站起来的时候，瞥见他母亲那神采奕奕的脸庞和父亲那不动声色却充满自信的面孔。他以极大的热情开始演讲。意识到听众们听得全神贯注，表现出了对他的高度赞许，他讲得越来越生动感人。
Then something happened. The world seemed to swim before him. He slowed down—faltered—stopped. His face flushed, his hands sought each other frantically and in desperation he looked helplessly toward his scoutmaster.
然后发生了一些事情。世界似乎在他面前晃动起来。他慢了下 来，变得结结巴巴，最后停下了。他的脸憋得通红，双手使劲地拧绞着，在绝望中，他无助地朝童子军队长看去。
Having heard that boyish masterpiece rehearsed again and again, the boy's leader supplied the missing words and Jimmie went on. But somehow it was different now. The masterpiece had been spoiled.
由于在排练时反复听到这篇有点儿孩子气但很棒的演讲，童子军队长为他接上了忘掉的词，吉米继续演讲。但是，不知为什么，演讲现在变得有些不同。精彩的演讲已经被搞得一塌糊涂。
Jimmie paused again—and the scoutmaster prompted him again. For the remaining two minutes, the oration seemed more the scoutmaster's than the boy's.
吉米又停顿下来了——那个童子军队长又一次提示他。在余下的两分钟里，好像是童子军队长在演讲而不是吉米。
But Jimmie finished it. In the heart of Jimmie, who sat down knowing that he had failed, there was a heavy load. Chagrin was plainly written on the face of his mother and a twitch of the father's face indicated a pained consciousness of shame.
但吉米完成了演讲。吉米坐了下来，他心里知道自己讲砸了，心情十分沉重。懊恼清楚地写在吉米母亲的脸上，父亲脸上的一个抽搐则表明了他内心羞愧的痛苦感受。
The audience applauded in a perfunctory way, sorry for and pitying the boy who they thought had failed.
听众们对这个他们认为已经失败了的男孩感到遗憾又同情，敷衍地鼓了鼓掌。
But the scoutmaster was on his feet. His eyes twinkled. All listened tensely , for he did not talk loudly.
但那个童子军队长站了起来。他的双眼闪闪发亮。所有人都凝神静听，因为他说话的声音并不大。
I am more happy than any of you can possibly understand because of what has just happened. You have seen a boy make a glorious victory out of what might have been a miserable failure. Jimmie had his chance to quit. To have quit would have been easy. But to finish the job, even in the face of 200 people required the highest kind of bravery and courage I know. You may someday hear a better oratorical effect, but I am confident that you will never see a finer demonstration of the spirit of our troop than Jimmie has just given you—to play the game even under difficulties!
“对于刚才所发生的一切，我比你们任何一位所能理解的还要高兴。因为你们刚才看到了一个化惨败为伟大胜利的男孩。吉米有机会放弃演讲。放弃很容易。但我知道，要完成演讲，而且是面对两百位观众完成演讲，需要最大的勇气和胆识。也许有一天，你们可能会听到一次效果更好的演讲，但是我相信，你们将永远也看不到一个比吉米刚才所表现出来的、体现了我们童子军精神——即使遇到困难也决不退缩的精神——的更好典范。”
The people thundered their applause now. Jimmie's mother sat straight and proud. The old look of assurance was back on the face of the boy's father. The entire group was enthusiastic again and Jimmie felt himself, with a lump in his throat , say something to the friend beside him that sounded like, "Gee , if I can be that kind of scoutmaster someday."
这时，雷鸣般的掌声响起。吉米的母亲骄傲地坐得笔直。吉米父亲的脸上又恢复了原先的那种自信。整个团队的热情重新高涨，吉米找到了存在感。吉米哽咽着对坐在旁边的一位朋友说道：“啊，如果有一天，我也能成为像咱们童子军队长那样的人，该多好啊。”
