（注：这是女儿于2014年6月作为毕业生代表在高中毕业典礼上所做的英文演讲辞，中文为我俩共同翻译。）
早上好，尊敬的F先生，W先生，各位嘉宾，老师，家人，当然，还有我们2014届毕业生，
感谢你们给我这个机会，让我代表2014届毕业班站在这里。这对我是一种至高无上的荣誉。
我们都走过了漫漫长路才到达这里，而我相信每个人都有一个独特的故事。对于我来说，我的道路开始于我在中国QD就读的小学。每一天，我经过一面墙，上面有一句话：“是金子总会发光。”这些镀金字当时并没有照进我幼小的心灵。
在我中学分班考试的一天，我发现自己被陌生的面孔淹没。他们既有来头，又有很多朋友。相比之下，我觉得自己一无是处。他们仿佛是黄金，但我只是铅。这种沉重感一直伴随着我，直到成绩揭晓：我万万没有想到—— 在我的500多名同学之中，我的成绩排在第一名。那些金色的字从内心冲击着我：“是金子总会发光。”
两年后，我发现自己又再次陷入了陌生的处境。我来到了这所红砖装点的学校就读9年级。尽管我仅仅是因为个人喜好而选择了AIS，当我第一次打卡入校，从台阶走向小橱时，一种莫名的恐惧感却攫住了我。我不知道去哪里，更不知道将会发生什么。不久，我发现，虽然我的英语写作水平不错，但我在现实生活中根本没法与人交流。我连我的同学都听不懂；我做梦也不会想到我会在这里成绩拔尖；我更无法想象我在这简短的4年中能与大家建立持久的友谊。很多同学在开学第一天都会经历这种与世隔绝的奇特感觉。但我们是怎么克服这一切挫折，闪耀着走到今天的？我们挑战了自我，忘却了种种尴尬和无奈。我们把旧有的偏见变成了一视同仁的接纳。我们靠着执着和坚持走到了这里；而如果我们继续相信这些力量，它们将带我们走得更远。
每个人生来都是金子。每个人都心怀着远大的梦想开启自己的人生。只要相信自己，刻苦努力，我们的梦想终将成真。然而，在我们人生的旅程中，我们被外面的世界灌输了种种残酷的“现实”：比如说，我们暗淡无光或是瑕疵斑斑; 比如说，我们永远不会被人发现; 甚至，我们根本不是金子，而只是蒙上一层黄色的路边石子。有时，这些话在我们一次次努力的时候困扰着我们，以至于我们开始怀疑自己。我们生来的金色就是这样一点点褪去。难怪一些黄金（元素79），通过中子俘获和β衰变，褪成黯淡的铅（元素82）。坏消息是，把铅变回金子要困难得多。因此，我们必须努力不让生而具有的金子褪色。而如果你保持像金子一样，你终究将大放异彩。
做好准备。外面的世界并不像我们将要离开的小安乐窝一样友好。比如，不论你如何乞求得到一个A，外面的上司都不会把你的成绩提高一分一毫。社会不在乎有多少人性的金子变成铅；它只想要货币的金子奔流不息。这是一个既累人又毫无公道的游戏，因为并不是每一滴汗水都能带你到你想去的地方。不要让你金子般的激情消逝在生活的倦意之中。
像金子一样活着。幸运的是，我们的金色和物理成分毫无关系，而是我们心中的信念燃烧出的光华。很快，我们之中很多同学将登上飞机，奔赴异域，奔向另一个崭新的世界。记住，不论怎样，都要像金子一样活着。保留你在AIS积累起的珍贵光芒。永远记住你的热情与你的博爱；永远保持你那充满希望的美丽心灵。
不要担心你不是100％的纯金。纯金是柔软的，它的完美就像亮闪闪的广告那样致命地脆弱，而任何一点逆境就会让它变形。包容自己的一点点缺陷，这些缺陷反而会给予你刚性和个性，来面对生活中的挑战。
像金子一样活着，不管别人怎么看。眺望前方，挑起重担。不要等到你的梦想破灭消散。不久，我们可能会告别我们挚爱的朋友，老师和家人。但是，这不是故事的终结; 这仅仅是一个全新的开端。这个时代属于我们。无论你在哪里，请永远记住，你是金子，而你迟早一定会发光。那一天，我的朋友，并不那么遥远。环顾四周，我们已经站在这里，穿着我们引以为傲的礼服，闪耀着，庆祝着我们人生中第一次金色的胜利！
恭喜2014届毕业班！
英文原文如下：
ValedictorianAddress:
Stay Gold
Good morning, Mr. F, Mr. W, distinguished guests, faculty, family and ofcourse, my class of 2014.
I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to stand beforeyou today. I consider it a great honor to represent the 2014 graduating classof the AIS.
We have all traveled a long way to reach here today, and I believeeverybody has a unique story to tell. For me, my road began in primary school in QD, China. Each day I walked past a quote hanging on the wall thatread: “If you are gold, you will surely shine someday.” These gold-platedcharacters, however, did not shine into my young mind all at once.
On the day of my middle school entrance exam, I found myself submerged ina sea of strange faces, each boasting of prestigious origins and plenty offriends. I felt worthless among them. It seemed as though they were gold, but Iwas only lead. This heaviness stayed with me until the scores came out: I couldnever have guessed -- I was first place among my grade of five hundredstudents. The golden words struck out at me through that inner voice: “If youare gold, you will surely shine some day.”
And two years later, I found myself again in a strange situation, here atour red-brick AIS, about to begin grade nine. Although I chose AIS purelybecause I liked it, when I actually beeped in for the first time and went downthe stairs to the locker area, I felt terrified. I didn't know where to go, orwhat to expect. Soon I found out that despite my confidence in writing English,I was barely able to communicate in English in a real life situation. Icouldn’t understand my classmates. I didn’t dream I could outscore my peers, orbuild any lasting friendships in these brief four years. Many of my class couldprobably relate to this bizarre sense of feeling like an outcast andexperiencing isolation on the first days of school. How did we make itthrough, shining like we do today? We challenged ourselves, discardingembarrassment and frustration. We transformed our outdated values into a newer,broader, acceptance. Dedication and perseverance have brought us here, and willbring us further on still, if we trust their power.
Everyone is born gold. Everyone starts life with a big dream beating intheir heart. By believing in ourselves and by working hard our dreams willeventually come true. Throughout the course of our lives, however, we get toldvery harsh “realities” by the outside world: that we are tarnished or impure;that we are never going to be discovered; that we are just not gold, but,instead, roadside pebbles painted yellow. Sometimes these words haunt our everyendeavour, so much so that we even start to question ourselves. This ishow our natural goldness wears down. This is how some gold (element 79), vianeutron capture and beta decay, turns into lead (element 82). The bad news isthat it is far harder to turn lead back into gold than the reverse. For thisreason, we must strive never to lose that gold we began with. And if you staygold, you are eventually going to shine.
Be prepared. The world outside is not as friendly as this safe littlehaven we are departing from. The authority out there, for instance, won’t giveyou a percentage more on your grade no matter how hard you plead for an A.Society does not care how much human gold it has to turn into lead, as long as money gold flows in seeming prosperity. It is a tiring game, and anunfair one, because not every drop of sweat leads you somewhere you want to go.Don’t let your golden passion fade away in the weariness of life.
Stay gold. Fortunately for us, our goldness does not depend on ourphysical composition, but on the burning faith in our hearts. Very soon many ofus will board a plane to an alien country and another brave new world.Remember to stay gold and don’t waver. Retain that precious gleam you havebuilt up here at AIS. Remember both your passion and your compassion,remember your beautiful soul filled with bountiful hope.
Don’t worry that you are not 100% pure gold. Pure gold is soft, like thefragile perfection of advertisements that glitter in your face, but deformswhen confronted with a subtle shake of adversity. Allow yourself to alloy withsome flaws, which actually give you the rigidity and character towithstand the many challenges you will face in life.
Stay gold, no matter what you are told. Look forward and bear up the load.Don’t wait till your dream is dead and cold. Shortly, we may say goodbye to ourdearest friends, teachers or family. But this is not the end; this is just afresh new beginning. The era ahead of us belongs to us. No matter where youland, please always remember that you are gold, and you will surely shinesomeday. That day, my friends, is not that distant. Look around; we are alreadyhere, in our proud attire, shining in our first golden victory.
Congratulations to the class of 2014.
