Hillary Clinton brought years of speculation to an end last night byofficially announcing she is running to become the first woman president of theUnited States.

美国前国务卿希拉里·克林顿(HillaryClinton)4月12日晚正式宣布参选下届2016年美国总统，为外界持续数年的揣测画上了句号。如果竞选成功，她将成为美国历史上首位女总统。

Her second bid for the White House comes seven years after she was defeatedby an upstart Barack Obama and forced to admit she was unable to "crack thehighest, hardest glass ceiling" for women in US politics.

这是希拉里第二次参加总统选举。七年前，在2008年美国总统选举中，巴拉克·奥巴马(BarackObama)异军突起，希拉里被迫承认自己无法在美国政治领域为女性“打破那层最高、最坚固的玻璃天花板”。

Mrs Clinton has been known to the American people for decades as a FirstLady who stood by her husband during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, a senator fromNew York and a globe-trotting US secretary of state.

数十年来，在美国民众的眼中，希拉里一直是站在丈夫身边伴他走过莱温斯基性丑闻的第一夫人，是纽约州联邦参议员，是周游各国的国务卿。

But the 67-year-old, who recently became a grandmother, hopes tore-introduce herself to voters as a gentler and more human candidate who istaking nothing for granted.

然而，现年67岁、刚刚当上外祖母的希拉里，却想向她的选民重新介绍自己——一个更温和、更具人性的总统候选人，对任何事都不掉以轻心。

She launched the campaign with a short online video where she promised tobe a "champion for everyday Americans", who would represent the country'straditional heartland as well as a rapidly changing country that includes gaypeople and ethnic minorities.

希拉里用一个网络短视频开启了她的竞选之旅。她在视频中承诺要成为“普通美国民众的捍卫者”。所谓普通美国民众，不仅指代传统美国核心人群，还包括日新月异的国土上的同性恋者和少数族裔。

"I'm hitting the road to earn your vote, because it's your time and I hopeyou will join me on this journey," she said.

“我要开始争取你们的选票，因为这是你们的时代，我希望你们能和我一起踏上征程。”她在视频中说。

Her campaign, which will be officially known as Hillary for America, saidit would be "humble" in its effort to make her the most powerful person in theworld.

竞选活动将被正式命名为“Hillary forAmerica”，竞选团队表示将以一种“谦卑”的姿态来开展活动，努力让希拉里成为世界上最具权势的人。

Mrs Clinton's second quest for the White House is likely to begin withsmall-scale events in Iowa, the rural state where Mr Obama's insurgent firstdefeated her in 2008.

此次是希拉里第二次参加总统选举，很可能会在爱荷华州先行举办一系列小规模活动。2008年，在与奥巴马的较量中，希拉里就在这个农业州遭遇了滑铁卢。

The candidate is expected to hold intimate events in coffee shops andcommunity centres rather than mega-rallies in front of thousands ofsupporters.

据悉，她将在咖啡店和社区中心举办一系列亲民活动，而不会选择在数千支持者面前举行大型集会。

Unlike the 2008 campaign, when Mr Obama was already a household name backedby an army of young supporters, Mrs Clinton faces no high-profile opponents inthe race to become the Democratic nominee for president.

2008年时，奥巴马已经是一个家喻户晓的名字，拥有大批的年轻支持者。与当时的情况不同，希拉里此次角逐民主党候选人时，并未遇到什么备受瞩目的对手。

Mrs Clinton holds an overwhelming lead in the polls and in fundraising andseveral potential rivals in her own party have opted to stay on the sidelinesrather than challenge her path to the White House.

希拉里在票数和筹资上占据了压倒性优势。党内几位潜在竞争对手纷纷选择旁观，而并未对她的白宫竞选之路发起挑战。

Her real test is likely to come in next November's general election, whereshe will face the winner of a crowded Republican field of candidates thatincludes Jeb Bush, the brother of George W Bush.

希拉里的真正考验可能会在2016年11月总统大选时到来。届时，她的对手将是从共和党多位候选人中脱颖而出的胜利者。共和党候选人中包括乔治·W·布什(GeorgeW Bush)的弟弟杰布·布什(Jeb Bush)。

Bill Clinton defeated Mr Bush's father, George HW Bush, in 1992 and the2016 election could see another face off between the two American politicaldynasties.

1992年，比尔·克林顿(Bill Clinton)曾打败杰布·布什的父亲乔治·HW·布什(George HWBush)，当选总统。此次2016年总统选举中，我们将看到美国两大政治家族的又一场对决。

Mr Clinton will be supported on the campaign trail by her husband, whoremains one of the most popular figures in US public life but is expected toplay "a backstage advisor" role for the first year of the campaign.

希拉里的竞选活动将得到丈夫克林顿的支持。作为美国公众生活中最受欢迎的人物之一，克林顿此次在竞选活动第一年中将扮演“幕后顾问”的角色。

She will also be joined by her daughter Chelsea, who recently gave birth toher first child, Charlotte. Mrs Clinton has often mentioned her concern forCharlotte and the infant's generation as one of her motivations for running forpresident.

希拉里的女儿切尔西(Chelsea)也将参与到母亲的竞选之中。切尔西近期刚刚生下了第一个孩子夏洛特(Charlotte)。希拉里常常提到，对夏洛特以及夏洛特这一代人的担忧，是她竞选总统的动力之一。

Vocabulary:

upstart: 崛起的

glass ceiling: 玻璃天花板，指在公司企业和机关团体中，限制某些群体(女性、少数民族)晋升到高级职位的障碍。

globe-trotting: 全球奔波的

hit the road: 启程

insurgent: (集团内部的)反对派;反抗者先考托福还是gre

campaign trail: 竞选游说之行

（译者：清欢君）