The Next Generation of Innovators(3)
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2009-12-05 06:24 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  I am extraordinarily1 excited to have you all here today.  A couple of special acknowledgements I want to make -- first of all, two of my outstanding Cabinet members:  Secretary Arne Duncan, our Education Secretary; and Secretary Steven Chu, who is our Energy Secretary.  They are both doing outstanding work each and every(每一个) day.

I want to acknowledge Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who is from Texas, and she is one of the members of our Science and Technology Committee and doing outstanding work.  NASA Administrator2 Charlie Bolden is in the house.  Where's Charlie?  There he is, right there in front.  NSF Director Dr. Arden Bement is here, right there.  Dr. John Holdren, my Science and Technology Advisor3 -- where's John?  Right there.  Melody Barnes, our Domestic Policy Council chair or head, director.  (Laughter.)  Director.

And then we've got some students from -- some wonderful students from some wonderful schools:  Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia; Longfellow Middle School in Fairfax, Virginia; the Washington Mathematics Science Technology Public Charter High School here in D.C., and the Herndon High School in Herndon, Virginia.  Welcome, everybody.  (Applause.)

Now, the students from Oakton High School are going to be demonstrating(示范,证明) the "Cougar4 Cannon5," designed to scoop6 up(铲起) and toss(投掷,摇荡) moon rocks.  I am eager to see what they do -- for two reasons.  As President, I believe that robotics(机器人技术) can inspire young people to pursue science and engineering.  And I also want to keep an eye on(照看) those robots, in case they try anything.  (Laughter.)

It's an honor to be here and to be joined by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.  Sally.  (Applause.)  This is a person who's inspired a generation of girls and boys to think bigger and set their sights higher.  I want to thank NASA and Charlie for providing the interactive7(交互的) globe -- an innovative8 and engaging way of teaching young people about our world.

Welcome, Mythbusters, from Discovery Channel.  Where are they?  There they are.  (Applause.)  I hope you guys left the explosives at home.  (Laughter.)  And finally, allow me to thank the many leaders here today who've agreed to be part of this historic effort to inspire and educate a new generation in math and science.

We live in a world of unprecedented9(空前的) perils10(冒险,危险), but also unparalleled(无比的) potential.  Our medical system holds the promise of unlocking new cures -- but it's attached to a health care system that's bankrupting families and businesses and our government.  The sources of energy that power our economy are also endangering our planet.  We confront(面对,遭遇) threats to our security that seek to exploit the very openness that is essential to our prosperity.  And we face challenges in a global marketplace that link the trader to Wall Street to the homeowner on Main Street, to the office worker in America to the factory worker in China  -- an economy in which we all share in opportunity, but we also share, unfortunately, in crisis.

The key to meeting these challenges -- to improving our health and well-being11, to harnessing clean energy, to protecting our security, and succeeding in the global economy -- will be reaffirming and strengthening America's role as the world's engine of scientific discovery and technological12 innovation.  And that leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today, especially in those fields that hold the promise of producing future innovations and innovators.  And that's why education in math and science is so important.

Now the hard truth is that for decades we've been losing ground.  One assessment13 shows American 15-year-olds now rank 21st in science and 25th in math when compared to their peers around the world.  And this isn't news.  We've seen worrying statistics like this for years.  Yet, time and again(多次,常常), we've let partisan14(效忠的,现身的) and petty bickering15(争吵,口角) stand in the way of progress.  And time and again, as a nation, we've let our children down.

So I'm here and you are here because we all believe that we can't allow division and indifference16 to imperil(危及,危险) our position in the world.  It's time for all of us -- in Washington and across America -- to take responsibility for our future.

And that's why I'm committed to moving our country from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math education over the next decade.  To meet this goal, the Recovery Act included the largest investment in education in history while preventing hundreds of thousands of educators from being fired because of state budget shortfalls.  Under the outstanding leadership of Arne Duncan, we've launched a $4 billion Race to the Top fund, one of the largest investments in education reform in history.#p#分页标题#e#

And through the Race to the Top, states won't just be receiving funding, they'll have to compete for funding.  And in this competition, producing the most innovative programs in math and science will be an advantage.  In addition, we are challenging states to improve achievement by raising standards, using data to better inform decisions, and taking new approaches to turn around struggling schools.  And because a great teacher is the single most important factor in a great education, we're asking states to focus on teacher effectiveness and to make it possible for professionals -- like many of the people in this room -- to bring their experience and enthusiasm into the classroom.

But you are here because you know the success we seek is not going to be attained17(达到,获得) by government alone.  It depends on the dedication18 of students and parents, and the commitment of private citizens, organizations, and companies.  It depends on all of us.  That's why, back in April, at the National Academy of Sciences, I issued a challenge:  to encourage folks to think of new and creative ways of engaging young people in science and engineering.  And we are here because the leaders in this room answered that call to action.

Today, we are launching the "Educate to Innovate19" campaign, a nationwide effort to help reach the goal this administration has set:  moving to the top in science and math education in the next decade.  We've got leaders from private companies and universities, foundations and non-profits, and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers, and teachers from across America.  The initial commitment of the private sector20 to this campaign is more than $260 million –- and we only expect the campaign to grow.

Business leaders from Intel, Xerox21, Kodak, and Time Warner Cable are teaming up with Sally Ride, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the Carnegie Corporation, to find and replicate22 successful science, math, and technology programs all across America.  Sesame Street has begun a two-year initiative to teach young kids about math and science.  And Discovery Communications is going to deliver interactive science content to 60,000 schools reaching 35 million students.

These efforts extend beyond the classroom.  Time Warner Cable is joining with the Coalition23 for Science After School and FIRST Robotics -- the program created by inventor Dean Kamen, which gave us the "Cougar Cannon" -- to connect one million students with fun after-school activities, like robotics competitions.  The MacArthur Foundation and industry leaders like Sony are launching a nationwide challenge to design compelling, freely available, science-related video games.  And organizations representing teachers, scientists, mathematicians24, and engineers -- joined by volunteers in the community -- are participating in a grassroots effort called "National Lab Day" to reach 10 million young people with hands-on learning.

Students will launch rockets, construct miniature windmills, and get their hands dirty.  They'll have the chance to build and create -- and maybe destroy just a little bit -- (laughter) -- to see the promise of being the makers25 of things, and not just the consumers of things.

The administration is participating as well.  We've already had a number of science-focused events with young people at the White House, including Astronomy Night a few weeks ago.  The National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, under the leadership of a terrific scientist, Steven Chu, have launched an innovative -- an initiative to inspire tens of thousands of students to pursue careers in clean energy.

And today, I'm announcing that we're going to have an annual science fair at the White House with the winners of national competitions in science and technology.  If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House.  Well, if you're a young person and you've produced the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too.  Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and entertainers as role models, and here at the White House we're going to lead by example.  We're going to show young people how cool science can be.

Through these efforts, we're going to expand the scope and scale of science and math education all across America.  And we're going to expand opportunities for all our young people -- including women and minorities who too often have been underrepresented in scientific and technological fields, but who are no less capable of succeeding in math and science and pursuing careers that will help improve our lives and grow our economy.  I also want to note that this is only the beginning.  We're going to challenge the private sector to partner with community colleges, for example, to help train the workers of today for the jobs of tomorrow, even as we make college more affordable26 -- so that, by 2020, America once again leads the world in producing college graduates.#p#分页标题#e#

Now, I have to say to the young people who are here, we can't let students off the hook.  In the end, the success of this campaign depends on them.  But I believe strongly that America's young people will rise to the challenge if given the opportunity -- and given a little bit of a push.  We've got to work together to create those opportunities, because our future depends on it.

And I just want to mention the importance not only of students but also of parents.  You know, I was in Asia, I think many of you are aware, for a week, and I was having lunch with the President of South Korea, President Lee.  And I was interested in education policy -- they've grown enormously over the last 40 years.  And I asked him, what are the biggest challenges in your education policy?  He said, the biggest challenge that I have is that my parents are too demanding.  (Laughter.)  He said, even if somebody is dirt poor, they are insisting that their kids are getting the best education.  He said, I've had to import thousands of foreign teachers because they're all insisting that Korean children have to learn English in elementary school.  That was the biggest education challenge that he had, was an insistence27, a demand from parents for excellence28 in the schools.

And the same thing was true when I went to China.  I was talking to the mayor of Shanghai, and I asked him about how he was doing recruiting teachers, given that they've got 25 million people in this one city.  He said, we don't have problems recruiting teachers because teaching is so revered29 and the pay scales for teachers are actually comparable to doctors and other professions.

That gives you a sense of what's happening around the world.  There is a hunger for knowledge, an insistence on excellence, a reverence30 for science and math and technology and learning.  That used to be what we were about.  That's what we're going to be about again.

     And I have to say that this doesn't get a lot of focus.  Not once was I asked about education policy during my trip by the press.  And oftentimes events like this get short shrift.  They're not what's debated on cable.  But this is probably going to make more of a difference in determining how well we do as a country than just about anything else that we do here.

     Everyone in this room understands how important science and math can be.  And it goes beyond the facts in a biology textbook or the questions on an algebra31 quiz.  It's about the ability to understand our world:  to harness and train that human capacity to solve problems and think critically, a set of skills that informs the decisions we make throughout our lives.

So, yes, improving education in math and science is about producing engineers and researchers and scientists and innovators who are going to help transform our economy and our lives for the better.  But it's also about something more.  It's about expanding opportunity for all Americans in a world where an education is the key to success.  It's about an informed citizenry in an era where many of the problems we face as a nation are, at root, scientific problems.  And it's about the power of science to not only unlock new discoveries, but to unlock in the minds of our young people a sense of promise, a sense that with some hard work -- with effort -- they have the potential to achieve extraordinary things.

This is a difficult time in our country, and it would be easy to grow cynical32 and wonder if America's best days are behind us -- especially at a time of economic uncertainty33, especially when we've seen so many, from Wall Street to Washington, fail to take responsibility for so long.  But I believe we have an opportunity now to move beyond the failures of the recent past and to recapture that spirit of American innovation and optimism.

This nation wasn't built on greed.  It wasn't built on reckless(鲁莽的) risk.  It wasn't built on short-term gains and short-sighted policies.  It was forged on stronger stuff, by bold men and women who dared to invent something new or improve something old -- who took big chances on big ideas, who believed that in America all things are possible.  That's our history.  And, if we remain fixed34 on the work ahead, if we build on the progress we've made today, this is going to be our legacy35 as well.

So, with that, just as proof of the extraordinary promise of American young people, I'd like to invite Steven Harris and Brian Hortelano from Oakton High School to come up here and demonstrate what their team has built.  And it's flashing so far.  I don't see it whirling.  (Laughter.)  Where are they?  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

END
12:03 P.M. EST



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 extraordinarily Vlwxw     
adv.格外地;极端地
参考例句:
  • She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
  • The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨,大海出奇地宁静。
2 administrator SJeyZ     
n.经营管理者,行政官员
参考例句:
  • The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
  • He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。
3 advisor JKByk     
n.顾问,指导老师,劝告者
参考例句:
  • They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
  • The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。
4 cougar 0zdxf     
n.美洲狮;美洲豹
参考例句:
  • I saw a cougar slinking toward its prey.我看到一只美洲狮正在潜随猎物。
  • I have never seen a cougar.我从未见过美洲豹。
5 cannon 3T8yc     
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮
参考例句:
  • The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
  • The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。
6 scoop QD1zn     
n.铲子,舀取,独家新闻;v.汲取,舀取,抢先登出
参考例句:
  • In the morning he must get his boy to scoop it out.早上一定得叫佣人把它剜出来。
  • Uh,one scoop of coffee and one scoop of chocolate for me.我要一勺咖啡的和一勺巧克力的。
7 interactive KqZzFY     
adj.相互作用的,互相影响的,(电脑)交互的
参考例句:
  • The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
  • This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。
8 innovative D6Vxq     
adj.革新的,新颖的,富有革新精神的
参考例句:
  • Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
  • He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。
9 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的,新奇的
参考例句:
  • The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
  • A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
10 perils 3c233786f6fe7aad593bf1198cc33cbe     
极大危险( peril的名词复数 ); 危险的事(或环境)
参考例句:
  • The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
  • With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难?
11 well-being Fe3zbn     
n.安康,安乐,幸福
参考例句:
  • He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
  • My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福,却被误解为多管闲事。
12 technological gqiwY     
adj.技术的;工艺的
参考例句:
  • A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
  • Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今, 随着科技进步,生活节奏不断增快。
13 assessment vO7yu     
n.评价;评估;对财产的估价,被估定的金额
参考例句:
  • This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
  • What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何?
14 partisan w4ZzY     
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒
参考例句:
  • In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中,他们忘掉一切党派之争。
  • The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。
15 bickering TyizSV     
v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 );口角;(水等)作潺潺声;闪烁
参考例句:
  • The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
  • The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
16 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
17 attained 1f2c1bee274e81555decf78fe9b16b2f     
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况)
参考例句:
  • She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
  • Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。
18 dedication pxMx9     
n.奉献,献身,致力,题献,献辞
参考例句:
  • We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
  • Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。
19 innovate p62xr     
v.革新,变革,创始
参考例句:
  • We must innovate in order to make progress.我们必须改革以便取得进步。
  • It is necessary to innovate and develop military theories.创新和发展军事理论是必要的。
20 sector yjczYn     
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形
参考例句:
  • The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
  • The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
21 xerox ffPwL     
n./v.施乐复印机,静电复印
参考例句:
  • Xerox and Lucent are two more high-tech companies run by women.施乐和朗讯是另外两家由女性经营的大科技公司。
  • You cannot take it home,but you can xerox it.你不能把它带回家,但可以复印。
22 replicate PVAxN     
v.折叠,复制,模写;n.同样的样品;adj.转折的
参考例句:
  • The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
  • It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样,它还可以被轻易的复制。
23 coalition pWlyi     
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合
参考例句:
  • The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
  • Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。
24 mathematicians bca28c194cb123ba0303d3afafc32cb4     
数学家( mathematician的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Do you suppose our mathematicians are unequal to that? 你以为我们的数学家做不到这一点吗? 来自英汉文学
  • Mathematicians can solve problems with two variables. 数学家们可以用两个变数来解决问题。 来自哲学部分
25 makers 22a4efff03ac42c1785d09a48313d352     
n.制造者,制造商(maker的复数形式)
参考例句:
  • The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
  • The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 affordable kz6zfq     
adj.支付得起的,不太昂贵的
参考例句:
  • The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
  • There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。
27 insistence A6qxB     
n.坚持;强调;坚决主张
参考例句:
  • They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
  • His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。
28 excellence ZnhxM     
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德
参考例句:
  • His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
  • My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。
29 revered 1d4a411490949024694bf40d95a0d35f     
v.崇敬,尊崇,敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例,现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句
30 reverence BByzT     
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬
参考例句:
  • He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
  • We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统,但不被传统所束缚。
31 algebra MKRyW     
n.代数学
参考例句:
  • He was not good at algebra in middle school.他中学时不擅长代数。
  • The boy can't figure out the algebra problems.这个男孩做不出这道代数题。
32 cynical Dnbz9     
adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的,不信世道向善的
参考例句:
  • The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大,他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
  • He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。
33 uncertainty NlFwK     
n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物
参考例句:
  • Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
  • After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后,压力开始产生影响了。
34 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
35 legacy 59YzD     
n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西
参考例句:
  • They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
  • He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。
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