see, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other’s cultures, mr. schafer and ms. zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much more. and i’m here today because i know that our future depends on connections like these among young people like you across the globe.
你們看，通過學習彼此的語言，通過展現對彼此文化的好奇心和尊重，謝弗先生、朱女士以及你們大家正在搭建理解的橋樑，這些橋樑帶來更多的豐碩成果。我今天來到你們這裡是因為我知道，我們的未來取決於全球像你們這樣年輕人間的這樣的聯繫。
that’s why when my husband and i travel abroad, we don’t just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state. we also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between nations aren’t just about relationships between governments or leaders -- they’re about relationships between people, particularly young people. so we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity for students, but also as a vital part of america’s foreign policy.
這也是為什麼我們夫婦在國外訪問時，不只參觀宮殿、議會和會晤國家元首。我們也來到學校，與像你們一樣的學生見面。因為我們相信，國與國之間的關係不只是政府或領導人之間的關係，它們是人民間―特別是年輕人之間的關係。因此，我們認為海外留學項目不只是為學生提供的教育機會，還是美國外交政策至關重要的組成部分。
through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before. ideas can cross oceans with the click of a button. companies can do business and compete with companies across the globe. and we can text, email, skype with people on every continent.
通過現代技術奇蹟，我們的世界比以往任何時候都更多地聯繫在一起。思想可以通過點擊按鈕跨越海洋。全球各地的公司可以進行業務往來和相互竟爭。我們可以與各大洲的人們通過簡訊、電子郵件和skype進行溝通。
so studying abroad isn’t just a fun way to spend a semester; it is quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy. because getting ahead in today’s workplaces isn’t just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important. it’s also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders –- experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own. or, as the chinese saying goes: “it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.”
因此，出國留學不只是以開心的方式度過一個學期——它正迅速成為全球化經濟中取得成功的關鍵。因為要走在當今職場的前沿，只在學校里取得好成績是不夠的，還應擁有國境外的真實體驗：體驗完全不同的語言、文化和社會。正如中國的一句古話所說：“讀萬卷書，不如行萬里路。”
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