UKiset考试：英国女王2018圣诞致辞主题——peace and goodwill

　　又是一年圣诞节，备考UKiset考试的你昨天都是怎么过的呢？

　　在英国，每年圣诞节，英国女王都会向公众发表圣诞致辞（Queen's Christmas Message）。

　　这可是由女王亲自撰稿、公开发表的个人演讲，也是英音控们一年等一回的王室腔听力材料。

　　今年，92岁超长待机的女王奶奶，同样送上了这场充满仪式感的“保留节目”。

　　去年，英国女王圣诞致辞的主题是“家（home）”。今年致辞的主题则是“和平与善意 (peace and goodwill) ”。

　　1952年，女王迎来了在位的首个圣诞节，这也是她第一个没有父亲在身边的圣诞节。从父亲的手中接下了家国重担，年轻的女王当时通过广播第一次做圣诞演讲：

　　在这场演讲中，她这样说道：

　　Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people.

　　每年圣诞节的这个时候，我挚爱的父亲会向他身处全世界的子民发表演讲。如今，我接下了这份责任，而你们也成为了我的子民。

　　My father, and my grandfather before him, worked all their lives to unite our peoples ever more closely, and to maintain its ideals which were so near to their hearts. I shall strive to carry on their work.

　　我的父亲，以及在他之前，我的祖父，为了更紧密地团结我们的民众，为了维护他们心中的那份理想而奉献终生。我将努力继承他们的工作。

　　在过去的66年间，女王圣诞演讲的形式随着时代发生了很大的变化，但不论形式几何，这些演讲都成为了经典，在历史上留下了浓墨重彩的一笔。

　　For many, the service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge, is when Christmas begins. Listened to by millions of people around the world, it starts with a chorister singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City.

　　对很多人而言，剑桥大学国王学院的“九篇读经与圣诞颂歌庆典”教堂礼拜，标志着圣诞节的开始。它由一名合唱团成员带头从赞美诗《昔日在大卫城中歌》的第一段唱起，全世界数百万人共同聆听。

　　The priest who introduced this service to King’s College chapel, exactly one hundred years ago, was Eric Milner-White. He had served as a military chaplain in the First World War. Just six weeks after the Armistice, he wanted a new kind of service which, with its message of peace and goodwill, spoke to the needs of the times.

　　整整一百年前，神父艾瑞克·米尔纳·怀特为国王学院教堂引进了这项礼拜，他曾在第一次世界大战期间担任随军牧师。停战日后的第六周，他希望用这样一项全新的礼拜活动，把和平和善意的精神，传递给那个时代正需要它们的人们。

　　2018 has been a year of centenaries. The Royal Air Force celebrated its 100th anniversary with a memorable fly-past demonstrating a thrilling unity of purpose and execution. We owe them and all our Armed Services our deepest gratitude.

　　2018年，是百年纪念的一年。这一年，皇家空军用一场令人印象深刻的飞行表演，庆祝它的100周年纪念日，展示出了目标与执行力的惊人一致。在此，我们对他们和其他所有我们的武装部队，致以最深切的感谢。

　　My father served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. He was a midshipman in HMS Collingwood at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The British fleet lost 14 ships and 6,000 men in that engagement.

　　一战期间，我的父亲也曾在皇家海军服役。1916年日德兰战役中，他是皇家海军科林伍德海事学院的一名准尉。在那场战事中，英国舰队失去了14艘舰艇和6000名士兵。

　　My father wrote in a letter: ‘How and why we were not hit beats me’. Like others, he lost friends in the war.

　　我的父亲在一封信中写道：“我甚至不知道，我们是怎样从枪林弹雨中生还的。”和其他人一样，他在那场战争中失去了不少朋友。

　　At Christmas, we become keenly aware of loved ones who have died, whatever the circumstances. But, of course, we would not grieve if we did not love.

　　正值圣诞之时，无论何种情境，我们都会尤其怀念那些已经过世的亲人们。但确实，如果我们从没爱过，也不会懂得悲伤痛楚。

　　Closer to home, it’s been a busy year for my family, with two weddings and two babies, and another child expected soon. It helps to keep a grandmother well occupied. We have had other celebrations too, including the 70th birthday of The Prince of Wales.

　　说起家庭，过去这一年来我的家庭很是忙碌。我们举办了两场婚礼，迎来了两个新生儿，另外还有一个孩子即将出生。这让身为祖母的我非常充实忙碌。我们也庆祝了其他一些喜事，其中包括威尔士亲王的70岁生日。

　　Some cultures believe a long life brings wisdom. I’d like to think so. Perhaps part of that wisdom is to recognise some of life’s baffling paradoxes, such as the way human beings have a huge propensity for good, and yet a capacity for evil. Even the power of faith, which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice, can fall victim to tribalism.

　　一些文化认为，长寿者多智，我也乐于相信这一点。或许，认识到生命中那些令人困惑的悖论，也是这种智慧的一部分。比如，原本人性向善，但却也有恶的能力。而信仰的力量也是如此，它激发人们慷慨伟大的牺牲精神，却也能让人屈服于宗族主义。

　　But through the many changes I have seen over the years, faith, family and friendship have been not only a constant for me but a source of personal comfort and reassurance.

　　这些年经历了种种变迁，我的信仰、家庭和友谊不仅是我永恒的坚守，同时也是给予我慰藉与心安的源泉。

　　In April, the Commonwealth Heads of Government met in London. My father welcomed just eight countries to the first such meeting in 1948. Now the Commonwealth includes 53 countries with 2.4 billion people, a third of the world’s population.

　　今年四月，英联邦各国元首会议在伦敦举办。1948年我父亲第一次举办这场会议的时候，只有8个国家列席。而现在，我们有53个国家、24亿人参与其中，相当于全世界人口的三分之一。

　　Its strength lies in the bonds of affection it promotes, and a common desire to live in a better, more peaceful world. Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.

　　英联邦的力量源于它所促进的情感纽带，以及生活在一个更好、更安宁的世界的共同愿景。即使彼此间存在最根深蒂固的分歧，只要待他人以尊重、视对方为平等的人，就永远是增进理解的第一步。

　　Indeed, the Commonwealth Games, held this year on Australia’s Gold Coast, are known universally as the Friendly Games because of their emphasis on goodwill and mutual respect.

　　实际上，今年在澳大利亚黄金海岸举办的英联邦运动会，正因强调善意与相互尊重，被人们视为一场“友谊运动会”。

　　The Christmas story retains its appeal since it doesn’t provide theoretical explanations for the puzzles of life. Instead it’s about the birth of a child and the hope that birth 2,000 years ago brought to the world. Only a few people acknowledged Jesus when he was born. Now billions follow him.

　　圣诞节的故事，并没有为人生的谜题带来理论化的解释，但也正是它的魅力所在。相反的，它讲述了一个新生儿的诞生，以及他的诞生在2000年前为这个世界带来希望的故事。当耶稣降生的时候，没几个人承认他；而现在，数十亿人追随他。

　　I believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone. It's needed as much as ever.

　　我坚信他所传递的和平与善意，永远也不会过时。任何人都可以体会到这种和平与善意，而我们也一如既往地需要它。

　　A very happy Christmas to you all.

　　祝你们所有人圣诞快乐。

　　以上就是小编为大家整理的关于英国女王的圣诞致辞。更多UKiset线上课程、UKiset词汇量等问题可以咨询我们。