肯尼迪登月演讲《We choose to go to the moon》英文原文.docx
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肯尼迪登月演讲《Wechoosetogotothemoon》英文原文
PresidentPitzer,Mr.VicePresident,Governor,CongressmanThomas,SenatorWiley,andCongressmanMiller,Mr.Webb,Mr.Bell,scientists,distinguishedguests,andladiesandgentlemen:
Iappreciateyourpresidenthavingmademeanhonoraryvisitingprofessor,andIwillassureyouthatmyfirstlecturewillbeverybrief.
IamdelightedtobehereandI'mparticularlydelightedtobehereonthisoccasion.
Wemeetatacollegenotedforknowledge,inacitynotedforprogress,inastatenotedforstrength,andwestandinneedofallthree,forwemeetinanhourofchangeandchallenge,inadecadeofhopeandfear,inanageofbothknowledgeandignorance.Thegreaterourknowledgeincreases,thegreaterourignoranceunfolds.
Despitethestrikingfactthatmostofthescientiststhattheworldhaseverknownarealiveandworkingtoday,despitethefactthatthisNation'sownscientificmanpowerisdoublingevery12yearsinarateofgrowthmorethanthreetimesthatofourpopulationasawhole,despitethat,thevaststretchesoftheunknownandtheunansweredandtheunfinishedstillfaroutstripourcollectivecomprehension.
Nomancanfullygrasphowfarandhowfastwehavecome,butcondense,ifyouwill,the50,000yearsofman'srecordedhistoryinatimespanofbutahalf-century.Statedintheseterms,weknowverylittleaboutthefirst40years,exceptattheendofthemadvancedmanhadlearnedtousetheskinsofanimalstocoverthem.Thenabout10yearsago,underthisstandard,manemergedfromhiscavestoconstructotherkindsofshelter.Onlyfiveyearsagomanlearnedtowriteanduseacartwithwheels.Christianitybeganlessthantwoyearsago.Theprintingpresscamethisyear,andthenlessthantwomonthsago,duringthiswhole50-yearspanofhumanhistory,thesteamengineprovidedanewsourceofpower.Newtonexploredthemeaningofgravity.Lastmonthelectriclightsandtelephonesandautomobilesandairplanesbecameavailable.Onlylastweekdidwedeveloppenicillinandtelevisionandnuclearpower,andnowifAmerica'snewspacecraftsucceedsinreachingVenus,wewillhaveliterallyreachedthestarsbeforemidnighttonight.
Thisisabreathtakingpace,andsuchapacecannothelpbutcreatenewillsasitdispelsold,newignorance,newproblems,newdangers.Surelytheopeningvistasofspacepromisehighcostsandhardships,aswellashighreward.
Soitisnotsurprisingthatsomewouldhaveusstaywherewearealittlelongertorest,towait.ButthiscityofHouston,thisstateofTexas,thiscountryoftheUnitedStateswasnotbuiltbythosewhowaitedandrestedandwishedtolookbehindthem.Thiscountrywasconqueredbythosewhomovedforward--andsowillspace.
WilliamBradford,speakingin1630ofthefoundingofthePlymouthBayColony,saidthatallgreatandhonorableactionsareaccompaniedwithgreatdifficulties,andbothmustbeenterprisedandovercomewithanswerablecourage.
Ifthiscapsulehistoryofourprogressteachesusanything,itisthatman,inhisquestforknowledgeandprogress,isdeterminedandcannotbedeterred.Theexplorationofspacewillgoahead,whetherwejoininitornot,anditisoneofthegreatadventuresofalltime,andnonationwhichexpectstobetheleaderofothernationscanexpecttostaybehindinthisraceforspace.
Thosewhocamebeforeusmadecertainthatthiscountryrodethefirstwavesoftheindustrialrevolution,thefirstwavesofmoderninvention,andthefirstwaveofnuclearpower,andthisgenerationdoesnotintendtofounderinthebackwashofthecomingageofspace.Wemeantobeapartofit--wemeantoleadit.Fortheeyesoftheworldnowlookintospace,tothemoonandtotheplanetsbeyond,andwehavevowedthatweshallnotseeitgovernedbyahostileflagofconquest,butbyabanneroffreedomandpeace.Wehavevowedthatweshallnotseespacefilledwithweaponsofmassdestruction,butwithinstrumentsofknowledgeandunderstanding.
YetthevowsofthisNationcanonlybefulfilledifweinthisNationarefirst,and,therefore,weintendtobefirst.Inshort,ourleadershipinscienceandindustry,ourhopesforpeaceandsecurity,ourobligationstoourselvesaswellasothers,allrequireustomakethiseffort,tosolvethesemysteries,tosolvethemforthegoodofallmen,andtobecometheworld'sleadingspace-faringnation.
Wesetsailonthisnewseabecausethereisnewknowledgetobegained,andnewrightstobewon,andtheymustbewonandusedfortheprogressofallpeople.Forspacescience,likenuclearscienceandalltechnology,hasnoconscienceofitsown.Whetheritwillbecomeaforceforgoodorilldependsonman,andonlyiftheUnitedStatesoccupiesapositionofpre-eminencecanwehelpdecidewhetherthisnewoceanwillbeaseaofpeaceoranewterrifyingtheaterofwar.I