七年级上册英语三分钟演讲稿（精选17篇）
For a little peace and tranquility in the financial zone that is Lujiazui, take some time off to smell the roses in an unlikely setting.
Just by the looming Oriental Pearl TV Tower behemoth is a newly-installed park complete with artificial waterways and resident geese. If this sounds cheesy, rest assured, it's not.
To complete the other-worldliness of this verdant garden, a few classical European-style villas are being built within the compound. One already-completed building houses the perfect representation of this safe haven within the business district. The Golden Atrium Garden Restaurant is quite unlike anything one has come to expect from the city's freshly-flush property developers. The villa is tasteful, inviting and homely - a far cry from some of the hideous monstrosities that have spawned from the ground below in recent times.
In fact, the building looks like it belongs in a painting, a fact not lost on the establishment's proprietors. "We were looking to find a special peaceful place in Pudong," said Phylia Wang, co-founder of Golden Atrium. "This place, with the Pearl Tower in the background, is quite unique."
The restaurant owners were interested in a few key factors. Firstly, the surroundings had to be pleasant. That they certainly are. Despite the premises being located deep within the park, prominent signs on the main road point diners in the right direction.
Secondly, the interior had to be done to their satisfaction. "We didn't want it to look like it was done for the nouveau riche," the Chinese Taiwan resident said. "That meant no gaudy ornaments or glaring chandeliers."
The restaurant is wonderfully understated. The interior, which received the bulk of the US$1 million investment, would not disagree with minor European aristocracy. Simple, elegant furniture and quality finishing prove this to be money well spent, and not squandered on ostentatious ornamentation.
The art theme, which is the third leg of the owners' strategy, is central to the overall strategy. Wang, who is in the IT business, is also a massive art buff. Her refined manner of dress reveals her gentile manner; she is clearly a lady of exquisite taste. As such, her selection of the art work that hangs in the 140-seater continues her theme of simplicity wonderfully.
The top floor of the three-story building is a dedicated event space, with works on display by one-man-shows that rotate every few months. Until December 16, local artist Xu Wenhua's piece de resistance can be appreciated. The floor can hold about 90 people, and is perfect for basic events, business conferences or for wine tastings.
All this is jolly and good, but the basis of any restaurant is its food. Here, the Chinese Taiwanese chef delivers fare that is as grand as the building itself.
For 380 yuan (US$48) diners can tuck into a set menu offering braised shark's fin, deep-fried prawns with salt and pepper, and roasted pigeon. The bird is served slightly smoked, crisping the skin and impacting flavor without sacrificing juiciness and succulence. To finish the meal, vegetables and fried rice are served, followed by dessert.
Golden Atrium also offers set lunch menus starting at 98 yuan. Diners can choose a dim sum set or a typical Cantonese lunch of sweet and sour pork, kung pow chicken or beef stew, with vegetables and fried rice.
The restaurant takes itself seriously, but not too much so, which is a refreshing change. Almost as refreshing as the park itself.
Address: 36 Dongyuan Road
Tel: 021-5888-9525
"You are what you eat."Nutrition experts often use this saying to promotebetter eating we put in our mouths does become a part of wecan look at this statement another we eat reflects who we are--aspeople and as a you want to understand another culture?Then you oughtto find out about its ning about American food can give us a real tasteof American culture.
"你吃什么就成为什么样子"营养专家经常使用这句话来倡导更好的饮食习惯，入嘴的东西确实成为我们的一部分.但我们也可以从另一个角度来看这句话，我们所吃的反映出我们自己--不论就人或文化而言.你想了解另一种文化吗?那么你应该去认识他们的食物.认识美国食物可以让我们得知美国文化的精髓。
What is "American food"?At first you might think the answer is easy many people,American food means hamburgers,hot dogs,fried chicken you have a "sweet tooth,"you might even think of apple pie or chocolatechip 's true that Americans do eat those are those the onlykind of vittles you can find in America?
何谓「美式食物」?乍听之下你可能认为答案容易得很。对许多人而言，美式食物就是汉堡、热狗、炸鸡和披萨。如果你是好吃甜食的人，你可能会想到苹果派或巧克力片饼干。美国人确实吃这些东西，但这些就是你在美国唯一找得到的食物吗?
Except for Thanksgiving turkey,it's hard to find a typically"American" United States is a land of Americans eat foodfrom many different people move to America,they bring theircooking styles with 's why you can find almost every kind of ethnicfood in some cases,Americans have adopted foods from other countriesas icans love Italian pizza,Mexican tacos and Chinese the American version doesn't taste quite like the original!
除了感恩节火鸡以外，挺难找到典型的美国食物。美国是个移民之地，所以美国人吃的食物来自许多不同的国家，当人们移居美国，他们也将自己的烹调带了进来。那也就是为什么在美国你几乎可以看到所有不同民族的食物。在某些情况中，美国人把外国的食物视为最爱。美国人喜爱意大利的披萨，墨西哥的玉米饼和中国的春卷，但是这些东西的美国版味道却不很道地!
As with any large country,the U.S.A has several distinct region boasts its own special style of t the South and enjoycountry-style ney through Louisiana for some spicy a trip to New England and sample savory seafood elthrough the Midwest,"the breadbasket of the nation,"for delicious se over to the Southwest and try some tasty Tex-Mex sh yourfood tour in the Pacific Northwest with some gourmet coffee.
和许多大国一样，美国有数个截然不同的地区，每个地区都以自己特有的食物夸口。走访美国南部享受乡村式的烹调;到路易斯安纳州品尝辛辣的凯郡式料理;走一趟新英格兰试尝它美味的海鲜;再到中西部「美国的面包之乡」品尝可口的'烘培食品;乘船游览至西南部尝试一些好吃的墨式德州小吃，最后到太平洋西北岸，啜饮美食家的咖啡，作为美食之旅的句点。
Americans living at a fast pace often just "grab a quick bite."Fast foodrestaurants offer people on the run everything from fried chicken to owave dinners and instant foods make cooking at home a urse,one of the most common quick American meals is a it can fitbetween two slices of bread,Americans probably make a sandwich out of utbutter and jelly is an all-time American favorite.
生活在快速步调之下的美国人通常只能「很快地吃几口」。快餐店提供赶时间的人各种食物，从炸鸡到炒饭，应有尽有。微波炉晚餐和实时餐点使得在家烧饭省事又快速。当然，最平常的美式速餐之一就是三明治。任何能夹在两片土司中间的东西，美国人就可以把它作成一份三明治，花生酱和果酱更是一直都深受美国人的喜爱。
Americans on the go also tend to eat a lot of "junk food."Potatochips,candy bars,soft drinks and other goodies are popular peopleeat too many of these unhealthy others opt for more healthy even go "all natural."They refuse to eat any food prepared withchemicals or additives.
忙碌的美国人也趋向于吃一大堆「垃圾食物」。洋芋片、糖果、汽水和其它好吃的东西都颇受欢迎。许多人吃了太多这类不健康的零嘴，但是其它人则选择较健康的饮食习惯，有些人甚至选择「全天然」的食物，他们拒绝吃任何有化学制品或添加物的食物。
"You are what you eat."Nutrition experts often use this saying to promotebetter eating habits.What we put in our mouths does become a part of us.But wecan look at this statement another way.What we eat reflects who we are--aspeople and as a culture.Do you want to understand another culture?Then you oughtto find out about its food.Learning about American food can give us a real tasteof American culture.
"你吃什么就成为什么样子"营养专家经常使用这句话来倡导更好的饮食习惯，入嘴的东西确实成为我们的一部分.但我们也可以从另一个角度来看这句话，我们所吃的反映出我们自己--不论就人或文化而言.你想了解另一种文化吗?那么你应该去认识他们的食物.认识美国食物可以让我们得知美国文化的精髓。
What is "American food"?At first you might think the answer is easy aspie.To many people,American food means hamburgers,hot dogs,fried chicken andpizza.If you have a "sweet tooth,"you might even think of apple pie or chocolatechip cookies.It's true that Americans do eat those things.But are those the onlykind of vittles you can find in America?
何谓「美式食物」?乍听之下你可能认为答案容易得很。对许多人而言，美式食物就是汉堡、热狗、炸鸡和披萨。如果你是好吃甜食的人，你可能会想到苹果派或巧克力片饼干。美国人确实吃这些东西，但这些就是你在美国唯一找得到的食物吗?
Except for Thanksgiving turkey,it's hard to find a typically"American"food.The United States is a land of immigrants.So Americans eat foodfrom many different countries.When people move to America,they bring theircooking styles with them.That's why you can find almost every kind of ethnicfood in America.In some cases,Americans have adopted foods from other countriesas favorites.Americans love Italian pizza,Mexican tacos and Chinese eggrolls.But the American version doesn't taste quite like the original!
除了感恩节火鸡以外，挺难找到典型的美国食物。美国是个移民之地，所以美国人吃的食物来自许多不同的国家，当人们移居美国，他们也将自己的烹调带了进来。那也就是为什么在美国你几乎可以看到所有不同民族的食物。在某些情况中，美国人把外国的食物视为最爱。美国人喜爱意大利的披萨，墨西哥的玉米饼和中国的春卷，但是这些东西的美国版味道却不很道地!
As with any large country,the U.S.A has several distinct regions.Eachregion boasts its own special style of food.Visit the South and enjoycountry-style cooking.Journey through Louisiana for some spicy Cajuncuisine.Take a trip to New England and sample savory seafood dishes.Travelthrough the Midwest,"the breadbasket of the nation,"for delicious bakedgoods.Cruise over to the Southwest and try some tasty Tex-Mex treats.Finish yourfood tour in the Pacific Northwest with some gourmet coffee.
和许多大国一样，美国有数个截然不同的地区，每个地区都以自己特有的食物夸口。走访美国南部享受乡村式的烹调;到路易斯安纳州品尝辛辣的凯郡式料理;走一趟新英格兰试尝它美味的海鲜;再到中西部「美国的面包之乡」品尝可口的烘培食品;乘船游览至西南部尝试一些好吃的墨式德州小吃，最后到太平洋西北岸，啜饮美食家的咖啡，作为美食之旅的句点。
Americans living at a fast pace often just "grab a quick bite."Fast foodrestaurants offer people on the run everything from fried chicken to friedrice.Microwave dinners and instant foods make cooking at home a snap.Ofcourse,one of the most common quick American meals is a sandwich.If it can fitbetween two slices of bread,Americans probably make a sandwich out of it.Peanutbutter and jelly is an all-time American favorite.
生活在快速步调之下的美国人通常只能「很快地吃几口」。快餐店提供赶时间的人各种食物，从炸鸡到炒饭，应有尽有。微波炉晚餐和实时餐点使得在家烧饭省事又快速。当然，最平常的美式速餐之一就是三明治。任何能夹在两片土司中间的东西，美国人就可以把它作成一份三明治，花生酱和果酱更是一直都深受美国人的喜爱。
Americans on the go also tend to eat a lot of "junk food."Potatochips,candy bars,soft drinks and other goodies are popular treats.Many peopleeat too many of these unhealthy snacks.But others opt for more healthy eatinghabits.Some even go "all natural."They refuse to eat any food prepared withchemicals or additives.
忙碌的美国人也趋向于吃一大堆「垃圾食物」。洋芋片、糖果、汽水和其它好吃的东西都颇受欢迎。许多人吃了太多这类不健康的零嘴，但是其它人则选择较健康的饮食习惯，有些人甚至选择「全天然」的食物，他们拒绝吃任何有化学制品或添加物的食物。
Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Today my topic is The Road Not Taken in Life.
“Why are you doing this? Don’t you know it’s a total waste of time?” That’s what my mom yelled at the ten-year-old me, when she found out that I had signed up for an English story-telling competition.
I bowed my head; yes, she was right. By then I was entering Grade Six, faced with the biggest challenge yet to come—the examination to enter my dream junior high school. For that, I had given up my beloved piano lesson, my favorite cartoon program and even the playful weekend family reunion with my cousins. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if my very-strict-university-teacher mother got furious at me when I chose to do anything besides study at that crucial moment.
But that’s not all to it. Now please take a good look at the twenty-year-old me, and imagine what I was like when I was ten. Here are the key words: nervous, timid, shy, tongue-tied when facing strangers, and essentially a bookworm. These signs looked fatal to my mother, and possibly to you, too; she thought that I could be anything but a good public speaker.
Well, I myself actually said no to my English teacher at first, because I had never done anything like that before and I was afraid. But he told me since I liked reading so much, why not try to tell a story I love to everyone? He also promised me that the judges were not frightening at all; just think of them as carrots and cabbages in a vegetable patch.
The ten-year-old me was persuaded by my teacher’s words. The feeling of telling my beloved stories to someone else ignited a spark of anticipation in my little chest. So I chose to endure my mother’s ranting for an entire hour, then raised my head bravely and pleaded: “Mom, please. I just want to try.”
My mother looked as if she was on the verge of another outburst—but she only sighed. I took that as her permission, and started working with my teacher day and night to find a story, to illustrate the details, and to practice my facial expressions and gestures in front of the mirror. On the day of the competition, I went on the stage for the very first time in my life; I could feel the nervousness threatening to bring me down, and I felt cheated by my teacher: it was impossible to picture the judges as mere carrots and cabbages. But I went on. Although I only got the third prize at that time, on that stage I stayed ever since, even to this very moment.
I should thank my teacher and my mother for letting me take a road that I have never taken before. Little did I know then that this road would one day lead the shy little ten-year-old me into a wonderland; it led me to meet all of you here today. I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that it isn’t so terrifying to venture into the unknown at all; all you need is a little courage and determination. See where my road has led me, and bravely take your first step.
we know the nature of impeachment. we've been talking about it awhile now. it is chiefly designed for the president and his high ministers to somehow be called into account. it is designed to "bridle" the executive if he engages in excesses. "it is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men."² the framers confided in the congress the power if need be, to remove the president in order to strike a delicate balance between a president swollen with power and grown tyrannical, and preservation of the independence of the executive.
the nature of impeachment: a narrowly channeled exception to the separation-of-powers maxim. the federal convention of 1787 said that. it limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors and discounted and opposed the term "maladministration." "it is to be used only for great misdemeanors," so it was said in the north carolina ratification convention. and in the virginia ratification convention: "we do not trust our liberty to a particular branch. we need one branch to check the other."
"no one need be afraid" -- the north carolina ratification convention -- "no one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity." "prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community," said hamilton in the federalist papers, number 65. "we divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused."³ i do not mean political parties in that sense.
the drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment; but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term "high crime[s] and misdemeanors." of the impeachment process, it was woodrow wilson who said that "nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness. indignation so great as to overgrow party interest may secure a conviction; but nothing else can."
common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. congress has a lot to do: appropriations, tax reform, health insurance, campaign finance reform, housing, environmental protection, energy sufficiency, mass transportation. pettiness cannot be allowed to stand in the face of such overwhelming problems. so today we are not being petty. we are trying to be big, because the task we have before us is a big one.
Hello everyone，it is glad to meet you，my name is Nong Yanxing，you can alsocall me Virita, It’s my English name. I am a Howell School’s girl and I am anoutgoing girl too, so I like playing jokes with others.
I am fourteen years old and I have learnt English for six years now I’veloved English since the first time, I’ve heard it from a tape. The voice fromthe tape was very wonderful and the language was so nice .That time Ithought，how wonderful the language is! And if I can speak English as well as thespeaker in the tape，that will be amazing! So I asked my mum：“Can I learnEnglish? I really love it!” “Of course you can，but are you sure about it? Canyou insist on it?” She was a bit excited. “Of course I can，mum. I love it verymuch，I want to learn it. ”I said confidently，“Oh，my good kid，you are very good，Iam so excited about you are interested in English. ”She gave me a sweet hug. Welaughed together. Then，I’ve started my English learning way.
At the beginning，I loved English because it sounds comfortable ,but I can’tbelieve that how difficult to learn English grammar. Then I felt tired, and Ireally want to give it up. Buton that main time，my English teacher found me wasa bit strange，“What wrong with you，Virita?You look a bit strange.” “Nothing, Ijust think English grammar is so difficult. It is boring，I don’t want to learnit anymore!” “Why?You can’t give it up，Virita. I can help you just trustme.”“Really?” “Of course!” Then she helped me with my English grammar afterclass everyday. She told me how to find a good way for my own to learn Englishgrammar. How to find a good way to remember the English new words. She told metry to love English! Interests is the best teacher! So my English marks improvevery fast. And in the finally exam，I got the best marks at school. I was sohappy .But my English teacher warned me again “Don’t be proud of it. Hastyclimbers have the sudden falls. You should come on!”
I also like watching Holly Wood movies, for example, The Green Man in theAvengers is very strong and V in V of vendetta is very cool. Most of actors andactresses speak English in the film, and I really want to understand the wholemeaning about a film without any caption one day. Itis difficult for me to makeit come true. I should work harder.
English is a very beautiful language .And itis my friend，a real friend.Although I can’t feel it with my hands, but I can feel it with my heart. Englishbrought me a lot and I have a big dream about English. To make it come true ,Ishould work harder and learn more Western culture. We’ll love each other moreand more.
This is the story with English and me.
Thanks for listening.
hello,everybody ,i'm happy to make a speech here.my name's sheng aifeng.i'm from kun tong primary school.today my topic is a story of a small village. next i will tell you a sad story about ourselves.long long ago,there was a beautiful village,it was my hometown.how nice it was! look,there was a beautiful forest near river,the trees were tall and straight,the sky was blue, the air was flesh, it looked like a green sea. my great pleasure to share my dream with you today.i have kept the dream in my mind for so long that whoever in the sun is able to live a happy life for ever. i think this dream is deeply rooted in the future. as we can see, we are now not far away from violence, poverty, diseases, environmental pollution and even wars. most of people are in need of what they have never enjoyed. however, i still can stick to my innermost dream, as i still can see the bright lights in our future. i believe, there will be a day when those from the rich counties are really willing to share what they have with those from the poor countries; there will be a day when we are surprised to find that the word poverty has long been out of our memories; there will be a day when we are together to share our dreams and we will all contribute to making our common dreams come true. i will not just wait but to take action to live in my dream. people lived there happily.but with the development of the society,more and more buildings stood in our village,many new cupboardstables、chairs and others came out. so woods became fewer and fewer,even some floods ofen happened, people lived there sadly.after we hear the story,should we do something for it? we're young pioneers,proecting trees is our duty,let's do by ourselves.i hope everyone makes a contribution to protecting our environment, our hometown anji will become more and more beautiful. 美食英语三分钟演讲稿 (3)
Happiness is like a snowflake, each one unique because the perception of a meaningful life varies from person to person. To many people, happiness means a simple life without any ups and downs, but my happiness comes from a life full of challenge and experience.
When I was a child, happiness was the rare taste of independence, a brave leap from the mundane. I remember the first time I tried to to ride a bike by myself without the support wheels. I went back home with a flat tire, skinned knees, and the biggest grin my face could hold. While other toddlers preferred the safe and secure, I was tumbling down hills and swerving off sidewalks. Even now, I can still recall the exhilaration I had felt when I managed to stay atop that bike for those few short moments.
Later on, overcoming challenges that I encountered in life was what brought me happiness. You see, I started learning the violin. It was extremely hard and I sounded like I was flaying a cat every time I picked it up. My fingers were awkward and the bow slipped off the strings more times than it stayed on. I spent three hours everyday, sawing at my violin. My fingers bruised and my neck ached, but gradually the mistakes lessened and I was making music. Three years later, I was First Chair violinist in the school orchestra. I still remember the pride I had felt when I took my very first bow in front of an applauding audience. Happiness had felt so much sweeter after a hard won success.
When I got older and saw more of the world, I wanted to contribute more. So when most people my age chose to spend the three months before college relaxing, I decided to get a part-time job as a TA at a summer school. I woke up at the crack of dawn, took an hour's bus to the school every day and spent most of the summer vacation sitting in the back of classrooms, grading papers and taking notes on the lecture and tutoring students. It definitely wasn't the most glamorous summer, but it was one of the happiest and most memorable moments of my life. It didn’t just make me happy because it had been my first part-time job. I was happy because I had spent my time doing something worthwhile. I had contributed in my own way, and the children were going to do better in school in the coming year.
Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of cuts and bruises, but the scars left behind are the testimony of my own unique experiences and the fulfilling life that I want to pursue. Our time is limited and I want to experience as much as life can offer. My happiness comes from living an exciting and worthy life, true to myself and true to the world.
If personal happiness were a self portrait, then each day would be a stroke of the brush, each experience a splash of vivid paint. And when we are old, we can look back upon our life and the dots will connect, every brush of color will come together and reveal a life worth living and a person worth being.
A little frog tired perennial life of small ditch - ditch water is less and less, it is not what food. Every day the little frog kept jumping, want to escape from this place. And its companion day idly squat in the muddy puddles, said: "now it is still hungry you? What's the hurry?" finally one day, the frog jumped, jumped into the pond next to a river, that there are many delicious, it can freely.
The little frog cried out to his friend, "come on, this is heaven!" but his companion said, "I am used to it. I have lived here since I was a child!"
Soon the water in the ditch dried up, and the companion of the little frog starved to death
Only the courage to break their own circle, it is possible to change their own destiny, it may have a broader space for development. Those who cling to habits, do not want to get out of the habit of people who will never have a breakthrough
John in order to choose the wise after the death of his home, he visited the heaven and hell
He first came to the hell, to see all the people are sitting at the table, the table filled with all kinds of delicious foods. The strange thing is, they are all one in the blues. John emaciation with sallow complexion, a closer look only to find the original table on the left arm people are tied with a fork, right arm tied with a knife, knife the fork and handle up to 4 feet, grasp the knife and fork to eat all the things on the table, so they only watched the food hungry.
John went to heaven, and all the way to find dining equipment with hell. But people here are as like as two peas ruddy, and everywhere is full of laughter. John felt very strange, why they are not afraid of hunger? John quickly found the answer, the original heaven never handle food to feed themselves but, happily to others to eat, so, who can eat delicious food; and hell who only want to feed themselves, so only to starve.
Heaven and hell have only one step away, but because of the warmth and love between people, heaven has become a place for laughter, the hell became a place full of complaints and hunger
the drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment; but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term "high crime[s] and misdemeanors." of the impeachment process, it was woodrow wilson who said that "nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness. indignation so great as to overgrow party interest may secure a conviction; but nothing else can."
common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. congress has a lot to do: appropriations, tax reform, health insurance, campaign finance reform, housing, environmental protection, energy sufficiency, mass transportation. pettiness cannot be allowed to stand in the face of such overwhelming problems. so today we are not being petty. we are trying to be big, because the task we have before us is a big one.
this morning, in a discussion of the evidence, we were told that the evidence which purports to support the allegations of misuse of the cia by the president is thin. we're told that that evidence is insufficient. what that recital of the evidence this morning did not include is what the president did know on june the 23rd, 1972.
the president did know that it was republican money, that it was money from the committee for the re-election of the president, which was found in the possession of one of the burglars arrested on june the 17th. what the president did know on the 23rd of june was the prior activities of e. howard hunt, which included his participation in the break-in of daniel ellsberg's psychiatrist, which included howard hunt's participation in the dita beard itt affair, which included howard hunt's fabrication of cables designed to discredit the kennedy administration.
we were further cautioned today that perhaps these proceedings ought to be delayed because certainly there would be new evidence forthcoming from the president of the united states. there has not even been an obfuscated indication that this committee would receive any additional materials from the president. the committee subpoena is outstanding, and if the president wants to supply that material, the committee sits here. the fact is that on yesterday, the american people waited with great anxiety for eight hours, not knowing whether their president would obey an order of the supreme court of the united states.
at this point, i would like to juxtapose a few of the impeachment criteria with some of the actions the president has engaged in. impeachment criteria: james madison, from the virginia ratification convention. "if the president be connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter him, he may be impeached."
we have heard time and time again that the evidence reflects the payment to defendants money. the president had knowledge that these funds were being paid and these were funds collected for the 1972 presidential campaign. we know that the president met with mr. henry petersen 27 times to discuss matters related to watergate, and immediately thereafter met with the very persons who were implicated in the information mr. petersen was receiving. the words are: "if the president is connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter that person, he may be impeached."
"who can so properly be the inquisitors for the nation as the representatives of the nation themselves?" "the subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men."¹ and that's what we're talking about. in other words, [the jurisdiction comes] from the abuse or violation of some public trust.
it is wrong, i suggest, it is a misreading of the constitution for any member here to assert that for a member to vote for an article of impeachment means that that member must be convinced that the president should be removed from office. the constitution doesn't say that. the powers relating to impeachment are an essential check in the hands of the body of the legislature against and upon the encroachments of the executive. the division between the two branches of the legislature, the house and the senate, assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge, the framers of this constitution were very astute. they did not make the accusers and the judgers -- and the judges the same person.
we know the nature of impeachment. we've been talking about it awhile now. it is chiefly designed for the president and his high ministers to somehow be called into account. it is designed to "bridle" the executive if he engages in excesses. "it is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men."² the framers confided in the congress the power if need be, to remove the president in order to strike a delicate balance between a president swollen with power and grown tyrannical, and preservation of the independence of the executive.
the nature of impeachment: a narrowly channeled exception to the separation-of-powers maxim. the federal convention of 1787 said that. it limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors and discounted and opposed the term "maladministration." "it is to be used only for great misdemeanors," so it was said in the north carolina ratification convention. and in the virginia ratification convention: "we do not trust our liberty to a particular branch. we need one branch to check the other."
"no one need be afraid" -- the north carolina ratification convention -- "no one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity." "prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community," said hamilton in the federalist papers, number 65. "we divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused."³ i do not mean political parties in that sense.
The Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn is a very important Chinese festival. It falls on the 15th day of August. A few days before the festival, everyone in the family will help to make the house clean and beautiful. Lanterns will be hung in front of the house.
On the evening there will be a big family dinner. People who work far away from their homes will try to come back for the union. After dinner, people will light the lanterns which are usually red and round. Children will play with their own toy lanterns happily.
At night the moon is usually round and bright. People can enjoy the moon while eating moon-cakes which are the special food for this festival. They can look back on the past and look forward to the future together. It is said that there was a dragon in the sky. The dragon wanted to swallow up the moon. To protect the frighten the dragon away.
I was seventeen, almost a senior in high school. I was riding my bike to school. I had taken a special route to pick up a gift, but that day, "the road less traveled by" led to disaster. Crossing a road, a drunk driver ran a red light, slammed into me, and shattered my left knee.
It made all the difference.
I was forced to postpone college, plunged into painful therapy . . . but eventually, I also learned much about life and myself. I found the strength to withstand adversity, learned compassion, and above all, I learned that the road not taken is not just about regrets or choices but also about the perpetual now and the always-coming future.
When I first studied Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” in middle school, I was unable to grasp its ambiguity. I always thought that Frost’s persona chooses “a road less traveled by” and lives life being subversive and irreverent. I was wrong. In the poem, both of the two roads that “diverged in a yellow wood” are actually “about the same.” But there has to be a choice, and sometimes, they it can be involuntary (as I learned the hard way). This makes me extremely thankful and resolute when I can make conscious choices and plan for the future, and so I know now that Frost's poem is also about "the road not [yet] taken."
For everyone, this means something slightly different. For me, it means constant vigilance, learning, and love. Our journey is hard, complex, and it often presents unexpected twists, but reflecting on the roads not taken and not yet taken each day gives us a little more strength and confidence. Life cannot and will not me perfect, and the truth is it will end. But as Willa Cather would say, “The end is nothing, the road is all.” The road not taken in the past, and the road not yet taken that lies ahead.
But about the present? It joints the past and the future. What then, is “the road not taken” in the perpetual now? Personally, I find an answer in these lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses”:
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Thank you.
it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the negro. this sweltering summer of the negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.
those who hope that the negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. there will be neither rest nor tranquility in america until the negro is granted his citizenship rights. the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
but there is something that i must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
the marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
we cannot walk alone.and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. we cannot turn back. there are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "when will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. we cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. we can never be satisfied as long as a negro in mississippi cannot vote and a negro in new york believes he has nothing for which to vote. no, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
it is obvious today that america has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. instead of honoring this sacred obligation, america has given the negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." but we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. we refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.
so we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
we have also come to this hallowed spot to remind america of the fierce urgency of now. this is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of god's children. now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.
it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the negro. this sweltering summer of the negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.
those who hope that the negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. there will be neither rest nor tranquility in america until the negro is granted his citizenship rights. the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
but there is something that i must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
we've gone from losing 9 million jobs during the financial crisis to creating 10 million jobs. we've reduced the unemployment rate from 10% in october of to 6.1% today. and for the first time since the 1990s, american manufacturing is steadily5 adding jobs-over 700,000 since . and surveys of both american and foreign business leaders confirm that america once again is viewed as the best place in the world to build and invest.
that's all good news.
but an awful lot of middle class americans are still not feeling the effects of this recovery. since the year , gross domestic product-our gdp - has risen by 25%. and productivity in america is up by 30%. but middle class wages during that same time period have gone up by only fourteen cents.
folks, it's long past time to cut the middle class back into the deal, so they can benefit from the economic growth they helped create. folks, there used to be a bargain in this country supported by democrats6 and republicans, business and labor7. the bargain was simple. if an employee contributed to the growth and profitability of the company, they got to share in the profits and the benefits as well. that's what built the middle class. it's time to restore the bargain, to deal the middle class back in. because, folks, when the middle class does well, everybody does well-the wealthy get wealthier and the poor have a way up.
you know, the middle class is not a number. it's a value set. it means being able to own your home; raise your children in a safe neighborhood; send them to a good school where if they do well they can qualify to go to college and if they get accepted you'd be able to find a way to be able to send them to college. and in the meantime, if your parents need help, being able to take care of them, and hope to put aside enough money so that your children will not have to take care of you.
that's the american dream. that's what this country was built on. and that's what we'redetermined8 to restore.
in order to do that, it's time to have a fair tax structure, one that values paychecks as much as unearned income and inherited wealth, to take some of the burden off of the middle class. it's time to close tax loopholes so we can reduce the deficit9, and invest in rebuilding america - our bridges, our ports, our highways, rails, providing good jobs.
with corporate10 profits at near record highs, we should encourage corporations to invest more in research and development and the salaries of their employees. it's time for us to invest in educational opportunity to guarantee that we have the most highly skilledworkforce11 in the world, for 6 out of every 10 jobs in the near term is going to require some education beyond high school. folks, it's long past due to increase the minimum wage that will lift millions of hardworking families out of poverty target poverty and in the process produce a ripple12 effect that boosts wages for the middle class and spurs economic growth for the united states of america. economists13 acknowledge that if we do these and other things, wages will go up and we'll increase the gross domestic product of the united states.
my fellow americans, we know how to do this. we've done it before. it's the way we used to do business and we can do it that way again. all the middle class in this country want is a chance. no guarantee, just a chance.
americans want to work. and when given a fair shot, the american worker has never, ever, ever, let his country down. folks, it's never a good bet to bet against the american people.
thanks for listening.