约翰·亚当斯是美国的第二任总统。
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nJohn Adams was the second President of the United States.
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n1735年，他出生在美国的马萨诸塞州。
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nHe was born in Massachusetts in 1735.
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n他曾在哈佛大学学习法律，并因参加独立运动而闻名。
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nHe studied law at Harvard and became identified with the movement for independence.
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n革命战争期间，他作为外交官服务于法国和荷兰之间，
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nDuring the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles,
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n并且协助谈判和平条约。
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nand helped negotiate the peace treaty with France.
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n从欧洲归来后，他被选为副总统，辅助乔治·华盛顿总统。
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nHe returned from Europe and was elected Vice President under George Washington.
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n亚当斯连任了两届副总统。
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nAdams served two terms as Vice President.
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n白宫评论说：“对一个男人来说，这是一个令人沮丧的经历，它消磨了一个人的活力、智慧以及虚荣。”
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nThe White House describes them as being "frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor, intellect, and vanity".
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n亚当斯曾向他的妻子阿碧格尔抱怨他所拥有的权利实在太少了。
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nHe complained to his wife Abigail about his frustrations with his sense of a lack of power in his position.
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n他说道：“我们的国家自做聪明，拿那个最不起眼的职位给我，
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nHe said: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office
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n那个职位简直就像某个人的即兴作品或其凭空捏造出来的东西。”
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nthat ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."
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n亚当斯第一次担任美国总统时，英法战争给美国带来了许多困扰。
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nWhen Adams first became President, the war between the French and British was causing great difficulties for the United States.
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n该战争阻碍了美国的船舶贸易，
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nIt disrupted trade and shipping to the USA
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n导致追随不同欧洲势力的美国人之间进行激烈抗争。
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nand caused fierce rivalries between Americans loyal to each of the European powers.
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n后来，他决定与法国进行和平谈判，这一决定严重分裂了美国政坛。
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nHis decision to send a peace mission to France badly divided American politics
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n在1801年的美国总统大选中，亚当斯败给了托马斯·杰斐逊。
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nand he lost the 1801 election to Thomas Jefferson.
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n亚当斯退出政坛后，回到了他的农场。
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nAdams retired from political life and returned to his farm.
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n他被视为美国最重要的开国元勋之一，
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nHe will be remembered as being one of the key Founding Fathers of the United States
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n– 开启美国政治王朝的第一人——
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nand for the first U.S. politician to start a political dynasty –
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n他的儿子约翰·昆西·亚当斯被选为美国第6任总统。
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nhis son John Quincy became America's sixth President.
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n1826年7月4日，亚当斯逝世。
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nAdams died on July 4, 1826. His most memorable words are:
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n他的名言是：“人民与国家都是在烈火中涅槃重生的。”
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