第12届21世纪杯全国英语演讲比赛冠军陈星演讲：奉献即有收获，附双语演讲稿
Giving is Receiving-Personal Growth in Volunteer Work奉献即有收获 (by 陈星 南京大学 第十二届“21世纪·联想杯”全国英语演讲比赛冠军)英语演讲视频，附整理的双语演讲稿
Morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Last summer, I volunteered to work as an English teacher in a primary school for children of migrant workers. To be accurate, I didn’t volunteer. I was dragged in. When my friends first hit upon the idea of this project, I was all against it: “What? To spend my vacation standing in the heat, yelling at a bunch of nine-year-olds who couldn’t even speak proper Putonghua? After all, there’s no pay for my toil. No, I’m not going.” But my friends twisted my arms to have me join them.
去年夏天，我自愿在一所外地农民工子弟小学当起了一名英语教师。确切的说，我并不是自告奋勇去参加的。我其实是被拽着参加的。当我的朋友首次提出参加这个计划时我是完全反对的：“什么？让我整个暑假冒着酷暑， 对着一帮9岁大的小孩大声嚷嚷，他们甚者连普通话都说不标准。而且我的辛苦工作是无偿服务。不，我绝对不会去的。”但是在朋友的坚持下，我还是去了。
Unexpectedly, the first lesson I taught turned out a lesson for me. The moment I stepped into the shabby classroom, I was touched by the loud, respectful voices in unison: “Good morning, teacher!” Instead of fooling around, the children were thirsty for knowledge and efficient in absorbing everything I was able to give them. I started to blame myself because I hadn’t even prepared for the class. During the break, I leaned over the squeaky desk, chatting with a sweaty boy in the front row: “Without air-conditioning, it’s pretty hot here. Are you tired?”
出乎意料的是，我的第一节课却变成了我的一课。当我踏进那间破旧的教室，我被一阵充满敬意，整齐的喊声深深打动了。“老师，早上好！”这些孩子没有四处打闹，对知识如饥似渴的他们有效地吸收我交给他们的知识。让我鄙视自己，因为我事前根本没有备课。课间休息时，我靠在一张吱吱作响的桌子旁，与前排一位满头大汗的男孩子聊天：“这里没有空调，实在太热了，你感到热吗？”
“Not at all,” said he, shaking his head. “It’s fine here. My Dad builds asphalt roads. That is really tiring and hot.”
“一点都不，”他摇摇头说，“这里很好。我爸爸在修沥青公路。那里才是真的又热又累人。”
As summer advanced, my enthusiasm as a teacher grew. I prepared my teaching carefully and even used some methods my teachers used. I organized many group activities to give the kids fun. Strangely enough, the heat was also becoming less and less unbearable.
随着夏天的推移，我作为一名老师的热情在上涨。我认真的备课，甚至采用了一些我老师曾经用过的教学方法。我组织了许多小组活动让孩子们玩得很开心。奇怪的是，这酷暑热浪也逐渐让人能忍受了。
Soon, my one-month volunteer work came to an end. When I was leaving my last class, I turned back and saw smiling faces and waving hands. Never before had I ever had such a feeling of sadness, which was nevertheless mixed with a sense of enrichment, fulfillment and happiness. I was paid for my work, amply paid, not in terms of money, but something more valuable.
不久，我为期一个月的志愿活动接近尾声 。当我结束作何一节课时，我转身，看到那张张笑脸和学的挥动的手。我从未感到过如此伤心，但是这种感觉却夹杂着充实,满足和幸福。我的工作得到了回报，而且获益很大。这种报偿不是用金钱来衡量的，而是其他一些更加珍贵的东西。
My English was improved. I was able to teach it, although not very professional. I learned about the grassroots-level society. Inside myself a heart is growing, a heart that not only beats for myself, but cares for others as well.
我的英语水平得到了提高。虽然不是很专业，但我可以胜任这份教学工作了。我了解到了基层社会。我的内心激情澎湃，这不单单是对自己的鞭策，也是在关心着其他人。
The volunteer work gave me a precious little chance to say thanks to people like the little boy’s father, who construct highways and undergrounds, build up modern skyscrapers, and make our cities more and more beautiful. To help the children with their English was all I could do at present to show my gratitude to these unsung heroes. The world may not have been fair to them, so people like me are obliged to do whatever we can to help make their life better. Whatever I do for them, however, I know it cannot be compared with what they have done to improve the quality of life in our cities.
这次志愿工作给我一次难得的机会向诸如那位小男孩的父亲一样的人们表达谢意。他们修建高速公路和地铁、建设现代化摩天大楼，让我们的城市越来越漂亮。而要表达我对这些无名英雄的感激之情，我目前力所能及的事情只是给他们的小孩教英语。这个世界对他们可能不太公平，所以我们这些幸运和幸福的人有义务尽我们所能，让他们生活的更好一些。然而，我所做的事情微不足道我知道，比起他们为提高无名的城市生活质量所做的贡献。
Ladies and gentlemen, now I realize that volunteering is not just a one-time personal experience. It should be a lifetime activity of everybody. Many of us are now offering our assistance to the needy and to each other. Our efforts have indeed made a difference. Whether we are helping children with their schooling, or caring for the elderly in nursing homes, or helping out with 2008 Beijing Olympics, we will not only contribute to the harmony of the world but also elevate ourselves. Emerson once said, “It’s one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” He was right.
女士们先生们，现在我意识到志愿活动不应该是一次个人经历。这应该成为每一个人的一种终生行为。现在我们中的很多人都在为彼此和那些需要帮助的人提供援助。我们这些努力确实是能改变现状。不管我们是在教育方面帮助孩子还是在敬老院照顾老人们，或者参加2008年北京奥运会的志愿活动，这些都不只是为社会的和谐贡献自己的力量，同时也是在提升袭击的道德修养。爱默生曾经说过：“此生最美好的一种报偿就是， 任何对别人的真诚帮助必然也是对自己的帮助。”他是对的。
I hear that my university is going to organize another voluntary teaching program this summer. This time I won’t be dragged in. I will volunteer.
我听说学校今年夏天将组织另一次义务教学活动。这一次 我不会再被拽着参加了。我会自告奋勇。谢谢。
主持人英语问答环节：
HOST: Thank you contestant number 5. Euthanasia is a way of relieving ill people’s pain and saving them from the tortures of their illness. Do we have the right to take people’s lives for this reason? Or should the right to die be considered a “right” for terminally ill patients?
主持人：谢谢5号选手。 安乐死是一种解除病人的痛苦，从疾病的折磨中拯救他们的方法。那我们有权利因为这个原因剥夺他们的生命吗？或者对于患了不治之症的人而言，死亡的权利能算是一种权利吗？
CHEN: Thank you very much for the question.
陈星：非常感谢您的提问
“When I am dead ,my dearest,sing no sad songs for me.Plant thou no roses at my head,no shady cypress tree.Be the green grass above me with showers and dewdrops wet.And if thou wilt, remember.And if thou wilt,forget.” For many,death is not frightening. For many,death is beautiful. For many ,suffering from incurable deadly diseases ,death is a longing .But no matter what they think ,we can’t make the decision for them .Death is their own business .
“当我死去时，我最亲爱的，别为我哀歌悲切。我的墓前不要栽玫瑰，也不要柏树茂密。愿绿茵覆盖我的身躯，还有那湿润的灵珠雨水。如果你愿意，就把我怀念。如果你不愿意，就把我忘却。” 对于很多人而言，死亡并不恐怖。对于很多人而言，死亡是美好的。对于很多遭受不治之症折磨的人来说，死亡是一种渴望。但无论他们想什么，我们都不能替他们做这个决定。死亡是他们自己的事。
Whether for good intention or bad ,if we decide to take another person’s life ,it’s murder .We take it for granted that people suffering from terminal diseases ,want to die .Perhaps it might be so ,in some cases ,but how are we to tell ? We can’t make the decision for others .Many old people ,suffering from Alzheimer’s ,seem to be living a most pitiable life to us. They no longer even recognize the beloved ones around them .But perhaps they’re enjoying their life ,because they are now cut off from any worldly affairs and problems. They are kind of reliving their childhood.They are ,perhaps ,enjoying it .We can’t terminate their life . Some people ,suffering from cancer ,seem to be living most painful life to us ,with all these torturing treatments and the prospect of death in front of them . But ,perhaps ,deep down in their heart ,they want to go on ,they want to live ,they want to fight ,they want to feel every bit of sunshine on earth ,and hear the pitter-patter of rain in spring . Some people ,vegetable people ,can’t express themselves ,and to us they are not even living a life .But how are we to know that they want to die ? Perhaps ,deep down in their heart ,they want to struggle ,they want to see life conquering death . And ,besides,miracles do happen now and then .There are cases that when a vegetable person is wakened from his long slumber by love and caring ,if we rob him of that chance ,we are committing murder .We are extinguishing hope .
不管是出于好心与否，如果我们决定夺去别人的生命，这种行为就是谋杀。我们理所当然地认为那些长期遭受不治之症折磨的人们想结束自己的生命。可能某些情况下，事实是这样的，但我们怎样去判断呢？我们不能为其他人做这个决定。在我们看来，许多患有老年痴呆症的老人似乎在过着一种最悲惨的生活。他们甚至认不出身边爱着他们的人。但是他们可能也在享受他们的生活，因为现在他们与所有的凡人俗事和问题完全隔绝。他们重温他们的童年，他们可能很享受这样的生活。因此，我们不能结束他们的生命。 在我们看来，一些备受癌症折磨的人似乎过着最痛苦的生活。因为摆在他们面前的是折磨人的治疗和死亡的命运。但是也许他们内心深处还想继续走下去，继续活下来。他们想和病魔抗争，他们想沐浴地球上的每一缕阳光，聆听春天里噼噼啪啪的雨滴声。一些人，还有一些植物人，他们无法表达自己的想法。这在我们看来，他们简直就不是在生活。但是我们怎么知道他们想死呢？可能在他们的内心，他们想抗争，他们想见证生命战胜死亡。更何况，奇迹总是不时地发生。例如，通过精心照顾，爱的力量会让以为植物人从长期的沉睡中苏醒过来。如果我们不给他机会，那我们就是在谋杀。我们就是在扼杀希望。
If we make the right to take another person’s life away illegal ,I shudder to think what the consequences will be .Perhaps some family ,tired of taking care of an old person ,might get rid of him for that reason . Perhaps a family full of daughters ,sons ,granddaughters ,grandsons ,gaping at the inheritance ,will want to get rid of the old person for that reason . I really shudder to think the consequences.
如果我们拥有非法夺取别人生命的权利，我不敢想象后果将会是怎样。可能一些厌烦了照顾一位老人的家庭会以这个原因而放弃老人。可能一个儿孙满堂的家庭会因为对遗产虎视眈眈而想要放弃这位老人。我真的很害怕去想由此产生的后果。
No ! If I want to die ,it’s my own business .No one is going to take that decision for me .Yes ,death might be a beautiful journey after the experience we have on earth ,but I don’t want
to be hurried onto that journey by anybody else . If I am determined ,my life is terminated by another person ,I will rise from my grave and haunt that person ,“…and he will always feel the shadows ,he will always feel the rain ,and he will always hear the nightingale weep on ,as if in pain .”
不！如果我想结束生命，这是我自己的事情。没有人能为我做这个决定。的确！可能当我们有了在这个尘世的各种经历后，死亡是一个美丽的旅程。但我不想被任何一个人驱赶到这个旅程。如果我自己决定活下去，而我的生命断送于他人之手，我会从坟墓中爬出来，纠缠困扰这个人，“他将会感受到阴魂不散，他将时刻感受到雨水，他将时刻听到宛如夜莺痛苦的哭泣。”
Thank you .
谢谢。
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