In This Winter of Our Hardship
巴拉克·胡赛因·奥巴马（1961— ），生于美国夏威夷，父亲是来自肯尼亚的黑人，穆斯林，母亲是堪萨斯州的白人。美国第四十四任总统，也是美国历史上第一任非洲裔总统。
Ace in the Hole
Understand these new words before you read this article.
1. proclaim v. 正式宣布
2. faint-hearted adj. 胆怯的，怯懦的
3. ambition n. 抱负，雄心，野心；渴望得到的东西
4. legacy n. 遗产， 遗赠物；遗留之物
5. determination n. 决心；果断；坚定；决定
My fellow citizens，
I stand here today humbled by the task before us， grateful for the trust you have bestowed， mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation， as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet， every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments， America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office， but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers， and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war， against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened， a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some， but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost； jobs shed； businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly； our schools fail too many； and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.