雅思阅读练习——奥巴马给女儿的信

　　奥巴马在即将上任之际，写了封公开信给两个尚未成年的女儿。

　　亲爱的玛丽亚和萨莎：

　　这些是我想要让你们得到的东西：在一个梦想不受限制、无事不能成就的世界中长大，长成具慈悲心、坚持理想，能帮忙打造这样一个世界的女性。我要每个孩子都有和你们一样的机会，去学习、梦想、成长、发展。这就是我带领我们一家开始这趟大冒险的原因。我深以你俩为荣，你们永远不会明白我有多爱你们，在我们准备一同在白宫开始新生活之际，我没有一天不为你们的忍耐、沉稳、明理和幽默而心存感激。

　　Dear Malia and Sasha，

　　I know that you‘ve both had a lot of fun these last two years on thecampaign trail， going to picnics and parades and state fairs， eating all sortsof junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I alsoknow that it hasn‘t always been easy for you and Mom， and that as excited as youboth are about that new puppy， it doesn’t make up for all the time we‘ve beenapart. I know how much I’ve missed these past two years， and today I want totell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on thisjourney.

　　When I was a young man， I thought life was all about me-about how I‘d makemy way in the world， become successful， and get the things I want. But then thetwo of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and thosesmiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly， allmy big plans for myself didn’t seem so important anymore. I soon found that thegreatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my ownlife wouldn‘t count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had everyopportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end， girls， that’swhy I ran for President： because of what I want for you and for every child inthis nation.

　　I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schoolsthat challenge them， inspire them， and instill in them a sense of wonder aboutthe world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even iftheir parents aren‘t rich. And I want them to get good jobs： jobs that pay welland give them benefits like health care， jobs that let them spend time withtheir own kids and retire with dignity.

　　I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to seenew technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planetcleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reachbeyond the divides of race and region， gender and religion that keep us fromseeing the best in each other.

　　Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and otherdangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do， I want to make surethat it is only for a very good reason， that we try our best to settle ourdifferences with others peacefully， and that we do everything possible to keepour servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that theblessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the greatprivilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

　　That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age，reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling meabout the men and women who marched for equality because they believed thosewords put to paper two centuries ago should mean something

　　She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfectbut because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work ofperfecting our union falls to each of us. It‘s a charge we pass on to ourchildren， coming closer with each new generation to what we know America shouldbe.

　　I hope both of you will take up that work， righting the wrongs that you seeand working to give others the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have anobligation to give something back to this country that has given our family somuch-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation toyourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger thanyourself that you will realize your true potential.

　　These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits onyour dreams and no achievements beyond your reach， and to grow intocompassionate， committed women who will help build that world. And I want everychild to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that yougirls have. That‘s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

　　I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And Iam grateful every day for your patience， poise， grace， and humor as we prepareto start our new life together in the White House.