英語美文摘抄
美文,大概就是美的化身,它是一種情感,一種體驗和一種表達。下面是學習啦小編帶來的經(jīng)典英語美文摘抄,歡迎閱讀!
經(jīng)典英語美文摘抄篇一
什么東西比金錢更重要
It is physically impossible for a well-educated intellectual, or brave man to make money the chief object① of his thoughts; as physically impossible as it is for him to make his dinner the principal object of them.
一個受過良好教育、有頭腦的、有膽識的人完全不可能將金錢當作他考慮的主要對象,正如他完全不可能將美餐當做他主要考慮對象一樣。
All healthy people like their dinner, but their dinner is not the mainobject of their lives. So all healthy-minded people like making money--ought to like it and to enjoy the sensation② of winning; but the main object of their lives is not money; it is something better than money.
所有健康的人都喜歡享用美餐,但美餐并不是他們生活的主要目標。同樣道理,所有思想健全的人都喜歡掙錢--喜歡并體驗掙到鈔票的興奮感是正當?shù)?然而,他們生活的主要目標并不是金錢,而是比金錢更珍貴的東西。
A good soldier, for instance③, mainly wishes to do his fighting well. He is glad of his pay--very properly so --and justly grumbles④ when you keep him ten months without it; still, his main notion⑤ of life is to win battles, not to be paid for winning them.
例如,一位優(yōu)秀的士兵主要想打好仗。他為自己的薪餉感到高興--完全合乎情理;假如,你扣發(fā)他十個月軍餉,他發(fā)牢騷理所應(yīng)當。不過,他的人生主要目標仍然是打勝仗,并非為了薪餉而打勝仗。
So too of doctors. They like fees no doubt--ought to like them; yet the entire object of their lives is not fees. They, on the whole desire to cure the sick, would rather cure their patients and lose their fee than kill them and get it. And so with all other brave and rightly trained men: their work is first, their fee is second, very important always, but still second.
醫(yī)生也是如此。毫無疑問,他們都喜歡收診費--本應(yīng)如此;然而他們?nèi)松娜磕繕瞬⒉皇窃\費??偟恼f來,他們都想把病人治好,而且寧愿把病人治好而得不到診金,也不愿為了診金而把病人治死。所有其他有膽識的、受過正當培訓的人也是如此:他們總是工作第一、報酬第二。報酬盡管總是非常重要,但還是第二。
But in every nation, there is a vast class of people who are cowardly⑥, and more or less stupid. And with these people, just as certainly the fee is first and the work second, as with brave people the work is first and the fee second.
可是,在每個國家,都有一大批怯懦的、多少有點愚蠢的人。對于這些人而言,無疑是報酬第一、工作第二,正如有膽識的人工作第一、報酬第二一樣。
And this is no small distinction⑦. It is the whole distinction in a man. You cannot serve two masters; you must serve one or the other. If your work is first with you, and your fee is second, work is your master.
這決非細微差異,這是根本性差異,區(qū)分一個人的根本性差異。你不能侍奉兩個主人,你必須侍奉其中一個,非此即彼。假如就你而言是工作第一、報酬第二,那么工作就是你的主人。
Observe, then, all wise work is mainly threefold⑧ in character. It is honest, useful, and cheerful. I hardly know anything more strange than that you recognize honesty in play, and do not in work.
請注意,一切明確的工作本質(zhì)上都具有三重性:誠實、有用和愉悅。人們在娛樂中講究誠實而在工作中卻不講誠實--據(jù)我所知,沒有比這更奇怪的事情了。
In your lightest games you have always someone to see what you call "fair play". In boxing you must hit fair; in racing, start fair. Your watchword is fair play; your hatred, foul play. Did it ever strike you that you wanted another watchword⑨ also, fair work, and another hatred also, foul⑩ work?
在最不重要的比賽中,你總是請人做裁判,確保人們常說的公平競賽。拳擊中,你出拳必須公正;賽跑時,你起跑必須公正。你的口號就是公正比賽,你所深惡痛絕的就是違反規(guī)則。那么,你可曾想過,你還需要另一個口號,那就是老老實實地工作;你深惡痛絕的應(yīng)是投機取巧。
經(jīng)典英語美文摘抄篇二
Mother & Child 媽媽與孩子
It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty-seven third graders eagerly anticipated the great day of gifts giving.
那是1961年的圣誕節(jié)。我在俄亥俄州的一個小鎮(zhèn)上教小學三年級。班上27個孩子都在積極參加"禮物贈送日"的活動。
A tree covered with tinsel and gaudy paper chains graced one corner. In another rested a manger scene produced from cardboard and poster paints by chubby, and sometimes grubby, hands. Someone had brought a doll and placed it on the straw in the cardboard box that served as the manger. It didn't matter that you could pull a string and hear the blue-eyed, golden-haired dolly say, "My name is Susie." "But Jesus was a boy baby!" one of the boys proclaimed. Nonetheless, Susie stayed.
教室的一角被一棵樹裝點得熠熠生輝,樹上綴滿了金銀絲帛和華麗的彩紙。教室的另一角是一個涂著海報油彩由紙板制成的馬槽,這出自孩子們那胖乎乎、臟兮兮的小手。有人帶來了一個娃娃,把它放在紙板槽里的稻草上(假裝小耶穌)。只要拉拉它身上的一條細繩,這個藍眼睛、金發(fā)的娃娃就會說道,"我叫蘇西",不過這都沒有關(guān)系。一個男孩提出:"耶穌可是個小男孩呀!"不過蘇西還是留了下來。
Each day the children produced some new wonder -- strings of popcorn, hand-made trinkets, and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she remained aloof, watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly withdrawn. I hoped the festivities would appeal to her. But nothing did. We made cards and gifts for mothers and dads, for sisters and brothers, for grandparents, and for each other. At home the students made the popular fried marbles and vied with one another to bring in the prettiest ones. " You put them in a hot frying pan, Teacher. And you let them get real hot, and then you watch what happens inside. But you don't fry them too long or they break."So, as my gift to them, I made each of my students a little pouch for carrying their fried marbles. And I knew they had each made something for me: bookmarks carefully cut, colored, and sometimes pasted together; cards and special drawings; liquid embroidery doilies, hand-fringed, of course.
每天孩子們都會做點兒新玩意--爆米花串成的細鏈子、手工做的小裝飾品和墻紙樣做的德國式風鈴,我們把這些風鈴掛在了天花板上。但自始至終,她都是孤零零地遠遠觀望,仿佛是隔了一道幾里長的障礙。我猜想著這個沉默的孩子發(fā)生了什么事,原來那個快樂的孩子怎么突然變得沉默寡言起來。我希望節(jié)日的活動能吸引她,可還是無濟于事。我們制作了許多卡片和禮物,準備把它們送給爸爸媽媽、兄弟姐妹、祖父母和身邊的同學。學生們在家里做了當時很流行“油炸"玻璃彈子,并且相互比著,要把最好看的拿來。"老師,把玻璃彈子放在熱油鍋里,讓它們燒熱,然后看看里面的變化。但不要炸得時間過長否則會破裂。"所以,我給每個學生做了一個裝"油炸彈子"的小袋作為禮物送給他們。我知道他們每個人也都為我做了禮物:仔細剪裁、著色,或已粘集成串的書簽;賀卡和特別繪制的圖片;透明的鑲邊碗碟墊布,當然是手工編制的流蘇。
The day of gift-giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our handiwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special pouch for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened the package so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away. I had not penetrated the wall of isolation she had built around herself.
贈送禮物的那天終于到了。在交換禮物時我們?yōu)閷Ψ接H手做的小禮品不停地歡呼叫好。而整個過程,她只是安靜地坐在那兒看著。我為她做的小袋很特別,紅綠相間還鑲著白邊。我非常想看到她笑一笑。她打開包裝,動作又慢又小心。我等待著,但是她卻轉(zhuǎn)過了身。我還是沒能穿過她在自己周圍樹起的高墻,這堵墻將她與大家隔離了開來。
After school the children left in little groups, chattering about the great day yet to come when long-hoped-for two-wheelers and bright sleds would appear beside their trees at home. She lingered, watching them bundle up and go out the door. I sat down in a child-sized chair to catch my breath, hardly aware of what was happening, when she came to me with outstretched hands, bearing a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. She said nothing. "For me?" I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and gingerly opened it. There inside, glistening green, a fried marble hung from a golden chain. Then I looked into that elderly eight-year-old face and saw the question in her dark brown eyes. In a flash I knew -- she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows. A mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.
放學后,學生們?nèi)齻z倆地離開了,邊走邊說著即將到來的圣誕節(jié):家中的圣誕樹旁將發(fā)現(xiàn)自己心系已久的自行車和嶄新發(fā)亮的雪橇。她慢慢地走在后面,看著大家擁擠著走出門外。我坐在孩子們的小椅子上稍稍松了口氣,對要發(fā)生的事沒有一點準備。這時她向我走來,雙手拿著一個白色的盒子向我伸過來。盒子沒有打包裝,稍有些臟。好像是被孩子未洗過的小手摸過了好多遍。她沒有說話。"給我的嗎?"我微微一笑。她沒出聲,只是點點頭。我接過盒子,非常小心地打開它。盒子里面有一條金色的鏈子,上面墜著一塊閃閃發(fā)光的“油炸"玻璃彈子。然后我看著她的臉,雖只有8歲,可卻是成人的表情。在她深棕色的眼睛里我找到了問題的答案。我在一瞬間明白過來--這是她為媽媽做的項鏈,她再也見不到的媽媽,再也不能抱她、給她梳頭或一起講故事的媽媽。她的媽媽已再也不能分享她充滿童稚的快樂,分擔她孩子氣的憂傷。就在3個星期前她的媽媽離開了人世。
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and secured the simple clasp at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the shiny piece of glass and the tarnished golden chain, then back at the giver. I meant it when I whispered," Oh, Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it."Neither of us could stop the tears. She stumbled into my arms and we wept together. And for that brief moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.
我拿起那條鏈子。她用雙手接過它,向前探了探身,在我的脖子后把簡易的項鏈鉤系好。然后她向后退了幾步,好像在看看是否合適。我低下頭看著閃閃發(fā)亮的玻璃珠和已失去光澤的金色鏈子,然后抬起頭望著她。我很認真地輕聲說道:“哦,瑪麗亞,這鏈子真漂亮。你媽媽一定會喜歡的。"我們已無法抑制住淚水。她踉踉蹌蹌地撲進我的懷里,我們都哭了。在那短暫的一刻我成了她的媽媽,而她送給了我一份最珍貴的禮物:她的信任和愛。By Patricia A. Habada
經(jīng)典英語美文摘抄篇三
FAMILY
FAMILY= (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU
A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
Daddy, may I ask you a question?
Yeah sure, what is it? replied the man.
Daddy, how much do you make an hour?
That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing? the man said angrily. I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?
pleaded the little boy.
If you must know, I make an hour.
Oh, the little boy replied, with his head down. Looking up, he said, Daddy, may I please borrow ?
The father was furious, If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behavior.
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that and he really didn't ask for money very often.
The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
Are you asleep, son? He asked.
No daddy, I'm awake, replied the boy.
I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier, said the man, It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the you asked for.
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. Oh, thank you daddy! He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father.
Why do you want more money if you already have some? the father grumbled.
Because I didn't have enough, but now I do, the little boy replied. Daddy, I have now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.
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