经典的英语优秀美文，英语好文章

经典的英语优秀美文篇1

　　青春

　　Youth is not just a stage of life； it is a state of mind。

　　青春不只是人生的一个阶段；它是一种心境。

　　It is not a matter of rosy cheeks，red lips and supple knees；

　　它不是指红润的脸颊、红色的嘴唇和柔软弯曲的膝盖；

　　it is a matter of the will， a quality of the imagination，a vigor of the emotions。

　　而是指意志力、丰富的想象力、充沛的感情。

　　It is the freshness of the deep spring of life。

　　它是生命深泉之清新。

　　Youth means the predominance over of courage over timidity， of adventure over the love ofease。

　　青春意味着勇气胜过胆怯，冒险犯难胜过贪图安逸。

　　This often exists in a man of sixty more than in a boy of twenty。

　　六十岁的人往往要比二十岁的小伙子更持有这种精神。

　　Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years。

　　没有人只因活了若干年而变老。

　　We grow old by deserting our ideals。

　　我们变老是因为我们抛弃了自己的理想。

　　Years may wrinkle the skin，but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul。

　　岁月可以使皮肤产生皱纹，但是放弃热诚则会消蚀灵魂。

　　Worry，doubt，self-distrust，fear and despair - these bow the head and turn the growingspirit back to dust。

　　忧虑、怀疑、缺乏自信、恐惧和绝望—这些都会让我们垂头丧气，而且会让成长的精神化为乌有。

　　Whether sixty or sixteen，there is in every numan being‘s heart the love of wonder，

　　每个人不管是六十岁或是十六岁，心中都有一股好奇心，

　　the sweet amazement of the stars and the starlike things， the undaunted challenge ofevents，

　　对星星及星状的东西会产生一种欢喜之情，不畏任何挑战，

　　the unfailing childlike appetite for what-next and the joy of the game of living。

　　对未知的事物有着一种像孩子般永不冷却的热望，以及游戏人生的喜悦之情。

　　You are as young as your faith，as old as your doubt， as young as your self-confidence，

　　你有信心、自信和希望时，就会年轻；

　　as old as your fear， as young as your hope， as old as your despair。

　　而你若怀疑、恐惧和绝望时，就会衰老。

经典的英语优秀美文篇2

　　种梨

　　Planting a Pear Tree

　　有乡人货梨于市，颇甘芳，价腾贵。有道士破巾絮衣，丐于车前。乡人咄之，亦不去；乡人怒，加以叱骂。道士曰：“一车数百颗，老袖止丐其一，于居士亦无大损，何怒为？”观者劝置劣者一枚令去，乡人执不肯。肆中佣保者，见喋聒联不堪，遂出钱市一枚，付道士。道士拜谢，谓众日：“出家人不解吝惜。我有佳梨、请出供客。”或曰：“既有之，何不自食？”曰：“我特需此核作种。”于是掬梨大啖。且尽，把核于手，解肩上镌，坎地深数寸，纳之而覆以土。向市人索汤沃灌。好事者于临路店索得沸沈，道士接浸坎处。万目攒视，见有勾萌出，渐大；俄成树，枝叶扶苏；倏而花，倏而实，硕大芳馥，累累满树。道七乃即树头摘赐观者，顷刻向尽。已，乃以镌伐树，丁丁良久，方断；带叶荷肩头，从容徐步而去。

　　A villager took his pears to the market to sell。 His pears were juicy and sweet， but the price washigh。 A Taoist priest， in an old cap and worn cotton robe， came up to his cart and begged for apear。 The villager told him to go away but he would not。 The villager got angry and began touse strong words at him。 The Taoist priest said， ”You‘ve got a cartful of pears which must be inthe hundred， but I am asking for only one of them and one pear is not much of a loss to you。Why are you getting so angry shout it？“ The onlookers said， ”Give him a bad one and let himgo。“ A waiter in the tavern， hearing the noisy bickering in the street， came anti bought a pearfor the priest。 The priest thanked him and said to the crowd， ”As a Taoist priest I am not thatsparing。 I’ve got first-class pears and I‘d like to share them with you。“ Someone in the crowdsaid， ”Why not eat your own pears then， since you’ve got some？“

　　”But I need the core of it as seed，“ the priest said and， holding up the pear with his hands，began to eat。 When he ate up the pear， he held its core in one hand and， with the other， hetook off‘ a small shovel from his back。 He began to dig in the ground a hole two or three inchesdeep， put the core in it and then covered it with earth。 Lie asked if anyone in the crowd couldfind some hot water for him。 One of them， an obliging person， fetched some boiling water froma strop by the street。 The priest took it over and poured it where the core of the pear wasburied。

　　While tine people around watched， the core sprouted and grew and， in a moment， became atree with exuberant foliage and， in another couple of seconds， it began to blossom and bearpears。 The pears were big， emitting sweet fragrance and the tree was heavy with them。 Thepriest picked them and gave them to the people around and soon there were no more。 Thenthe priest began to cut the tree and he worked at it for a long while before he felled it。 He putthe tree， leaves and all， on his shoulder and walked off at a leisurely pace。

　　初，道士作法时，乡人亦杂立众中，引领注目，竟忘其业。道士既去，始顾车中，则梨已空矣。方悟适所侬散，皆己物也。又细视车上一靶亡，是新凿断者。心大愤恨。急迹之，转过墙隅，则断靶弃垣下，始知所伐梨本，即是物也。道士不知所在。一市粲然。

　　While the priest was playing the magic the pear seller， standing among the crowd， craned hisneck to watch， forgetting his own business。 When the priest was gone he found that all hispears in the cart were gone。 It was not until then that he realized the pears the priest haddished out were all his pears。 And then he noticed that one shaft of his cart disappeared andthe cut was fresh。 The pear seller was bursting with anger。 He dashed off to run after thepriest。 Turning the corner he found the lost shaft was lying at the foot of the wall。 And by thenhe realized that it was the shaft of his cart， not the tree， that the priest was cutting。 The priestwas nowhere to be found and the whole marketplace was immensely amazed。

经典的英语优秀美文篇3

　　Wisdom of the Birds

　　After raising three children to adulthood， my husband and I were sharing more time together， and we believed that we would have “money in the bank” some day in the not too distant future。 “Won”t it be great when we“re retired？” became a frequent sentence in our conversations。 Then， an unforgettable year arrived and changed everything。

　　It was one of those years， the kind when I found my inner voice whispering， “What else can go wrong？” My mom“s health was rapidly failing and our unwed daughter had moved back in with us after delivering a baby girl。 During the previous winter， my husband”s mother died a slow， cruel death from Alzheimer“s disease and his father had been hospitalized following emergency surgery。 My husband”s mental and physical health began deteriorating with the weight of life“s troubles。 Our friends and relatives seemed to be experiencing their unfair share of hardships too。 Then September 11th happened。 Suddenly， my husband”s seemingly secure job became very insecure as the economy wavered。 Life became a topsy-turvy struggle and our marriage was faltering under the strain。

　　Our daughter“s weakened emotional condition， created by the sudden out-of-state move by her baby”s father (he was to be the baby“s caregiver) created the need for me to request an emergency leave of absence from my job as a special education aide。 I would care for her baby while my daughter was student-teaching - student-teaching was the only portion of her schooling left to earn the elementary education degree she needed to secure her future。 Though I had been a dedicated district employee for eleven years， the unpaid， short-term leave I requested was denied。 Unfortunately， I was caught up in the poor timing of a new superintendent and new special education supervisor； neither knew me。 They didn”t realize that I had spent the last eleven years totally devoted to my special education students。 Leaving a rewarding， stable job to care for my granddaughter would be a financial burden and a difficult choice， but my heart knew it was the only right choice。

　　From the time I was a young girl， my parents had instilled in me a love of nature， of all the best， beautiful， free things that life had to offer。 Now， more than ever， I would need to draw on that love of nature； it would provide me with the strength needed to pull through the rough times。 I began to take long walks with my granddaughter and I found that I would return home physically and spiritually renewed。 Autumn was upon us； Alyssa would giggle with delight whenever I placed a leaf or a dried dandelion on the tray of her stroller。

　　As the trees became bare， I became aware of bird“s nests that had been hidden in the dense summer foliage。 ”Alyssa， look - a little bird“s nest，” I would say。 One of the most beautiful nests we found was a tiny， circular one created from bits of dried grasses。 The weaving was tight， strong， and yet soft to the touch。 Surely it would have rivaled one of Frank Lloyd Wright“s creations。 Some were crafted from feathers， dryer lint and bits of pet fur。 Still other nests were masterpieces of corn silks， twine， strands of Easter grass and cellophane。 How resourceful those little birds were！ Each day， my eyes were drawn upward as I discovered more nests。 Some were reinforced with mud， forming super strong foundations。 Through wind， rain， thunder and lightning， they held together。 I began to think about the birds - how simple， yet how hard their lives were。 It occurred to me that no matter what obstacles were placed in their path， they managed to overcome， to survive。 And faithfully， they started each new day with a song。

　　Those walks helped transform an extremely difficult， desperate time in my life to a more peaceful one。 Through my observations of nature， I had faith that everything would work out and we would prevail。 Like the birds and their nests， our family had a strong foundation。 We were now living a more simple life， spending only what we needed to spend， and all the time becoming more resourceful。 Courageously， the little birds of the air huddle close during stormy times， and the current turbulence seemed to be drawing our family closer together。 And in the same way that the little birds started each day with a song， we began to listen to beautiful music more often。 A sense of tranquility was settling over our home。

　　Time has a way of healing， of smoothing over the bumpy parts of our lives。 Gradually we see things from a different perspective。 One afternoon， while out walking with my granddaughter， I witnessed the most exceptional message of all from the birds。 ”Look at the geese， Alyssa，“ I said， as a flock of geese flew overhead in a perfect V formation。 For some odd reason， one goose left the group and started to fly in an entirely different direction。 The main flock completely changed its course and gradually picked up their wayward member。 As I watched this simple， beautiful display， I couldn”t help but think of my family。 Our lives too， it seemed， had gone astray for a while。 But through courage， inner strength and pure love， our family would change its course and triumph。 I knew that all would be well。 (：夏根建)

经典的英语优秀美文篇4

　　A Lesson Learned at Midnight By James Q。 DuPont

　　午夜的一课 詹姆斯。Q。杜邦

　　Ever since one midnight， in nineteen hundred and nine， when I first heard my mother crying， I have been groping for beliefs to help me through the rough going and confusions of life。 My dad’s voice was low and troubled as he tried to comfort Mother。 And in their anguish， they both forgot the nearness of my bedroom。 I overheard them。 I was only seven then， and while their problem of that time has long since been solved and forgotten， the big discovery I made that night is still right with me： life is not all hearts and flowers； it’s hard and cruel for most of us much of the time。 We all have troubles， they just differ in nature， that’s all。 And that leads to my first belief。

　　自1909年的一个午夜第一次听到母亲哭泣以来，我一直寻找信仰帮我度过生活中的艰辛与困惑。父亲安慰母亲时，声音低沉而忧郁。极度的痛苦让他们忘记我的卧室就在附近。我无意中听到了他们的谈话，那时我只有七岁。尽管他们当时的问题如今已经解决也被遗忘，但那一晚的重大发现仍然教导我：生活并不总是充满鲜花和爱情。许多时候生活对于我们大多数人来说艰辛而残酷，我们都有烦恼，只是烦恼的性质不同，仅此而已。这就是我的第一个信念。

　　I believe the human race is very， very tough—almost impossible to discourage。 If it wasn’t， then why do we have such words as “laugh” and “sing” and “music” and “dance”—in the language of all mankind since the beginning of recorded time？ This belief makes me downright proud to be a human being。

　　我相信人类十分坚强，几乎不可能感到灰心沮丧。如若不然，为何有史以来人类所有的语言中都有“欢笑”、“歌唱”、“音乐”和“舞蹈”这样的词呢？这一信念让我无比自豪，因为我是一个人。

　　Next， I believe there is good and evil in all of us。 Thomas Mann comes close to expressing what I’m trying to say with his carefully worded sentence about the “frightfully radical duality” between the brain and the beast in man—in all of us。

　　其次，我相信我们都有善和恶的一面。托马斯。曼字斟句酌地阐述了人类(我们所有人)身上存在的理智这一“极基本的双重性”时，几乎道出了我的观点。

　　This belief helps me because so long as I remember that there are certain forces of evil ever present in me—and never forget that there is also a divine spark of goodness in me， too—then I find the “score” of my bad mistakes at the end of each day is greatly reduced。 “Forewarned of evil， is half the battle against it。” I believe in trying to be charitable， in trying to understand and forgive people， especially in trying to forgive very keen or brilliant people。 A man may be a genius， but he can still do things that practically break your heart。

　　这种信仰让我受益，因为只要记住自己身上一直存在着某些邪恶的力量——但也从未忘记自己身上也有上帝赐予的善良火花——我就会发现每天结束时，错误和悔恨的“得分”大大降低。可见“事先警惕恶行是与之斗争成功的一半”。我相信人要尽量乐善好施，尽量理解和宽恕别人，尤其要宽恕特别敏锐和聪慧的人，因为即使天才也会做出让你伤心的事情。

　　I believe most if not all of our very finest thoughts and many of our finest deeds must be kept to ourselves alone—at least until after we die。 This used confuse me。 But now I realize that by their very nature， these finest things we do and cannot talk about are a sort of secret preview of a better life to come。I believe there is no escape from the rule that we must do many， many little things to accomplish even just one big thing。 This gives me patience when I need it most。

　　我相信，即使不是全部，大多数我们提出的最富创见的思想，大多数我们实施的最富成果的行为，都不应让人知道我们提出和实施的——至少要到我们去世之后才能让人知道。这一点过去常让我感到困惑，但如今我明白，我们完成这些最美妙的事情却秘而不宣，实质上是暗地里预见未来更美好的生活。我相信我们必须做许许多多小事才能成就大事，哪怕只一件大事。这一规律无法逃避。这种信仰使我在最需要办大事的时候很耐心。

　　And then I believe in having the courage to be myself。 Or perhaps I should say， to be honest with myself。 Sometimes this is practically impossible， but I’m sure I should always try。

　　还有，我相信要有勇气还自己本色。或许我该说，要对自己实事求是。有时这几乎不可能，但我确信我应该永远努力为之。

　　Finally， and most important to me， I do believe in God。 I’m sure there is a very wise and wonderful Being who designed， constructed， and operates this existence as we mortals know it： this universe with its galaxies and spiral nebulae， its stars and moons and planets and beautiful women， its trees and pearls and deep green moss—and its hopes and prayers for peace。

　　最后一点，也是对我而言最重要的一点，我深深信仰上帝。我确信有一位非常睿智和神奇的神灵设计、建造并统治这个世界，就像我们凡人所认识的样子：这个宇宙有星群、螺旋型的星云、星星、月亮、行星、美女、树木、珍珠和深绿的苔藓，还有希望和对和平的祈祷。

经典的英语优秀美文篇5

　　Isn’t it amazing how one person， sharing one idea， at the right time and place can change the course of your life‘s history？ This is certainly what happened in my life。 When I was 14， I was hitchhiking from Houston， Texas， through El Paso on my way to California。 I was following my dream， journeying with the sun。 I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world， first in California and then in Hawaii， where I would later live。

　　Upon reaching downtown El Paso， I met an old man， a bum， on the street corner。 He saw me walking， stopped me and questioned me as I passed by。 He asked me if I was running away from home， I suppose because I looked so young。 I told him， “Not exactly， sir，” since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings while saying， “It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart。 Son。 ”

　　The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee。 I told him， “No， sir， but a soda would be great。” We walked to a corner malt shop and sat down on a couple of swiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks。

　　After conversing for a few minutes， the friendly bum told me to follow him。 He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me。 We walked a couple of blocks until we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library。

　　We walked up its front steps and stopped at a small information stand。 Here the bum spoke to a smiling old lady， and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for a moment while he and I entered the library。 I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered into this magnificent hall of learning。

　　The bum first led me to a table and asked me to sit down and wait for a moment while he looked for something special amongst the shelves。 A few moments later， he returned with a couple of old books under his arms and set them on the table。 He then sat down beside me and spoke。 He started with a few statements that were very special and that changed my life。 He said， “There are two things that I want to teach you， young man， and they are these：

　　”Number one is to never judge a book by its cover， for a cover can fool you。 “He followed with， ”I ll bet you think I m a bum， don t you， young man？“

　　I said， ”Well， uh， yes， I guess so， sir。 “

　　”Well， young man， I’ve got a little surprise for you。 I am one of the wealthiest men in the world。 I have probably everything any man could ever want。 I originally come from the Northeast and have all the things that money can buy。 But a year ago， my wife passed away， bless her soul， and since then I have been deeply reflecting upon life。 I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life， one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum on the streets。 I made a commitment to myself to do exactly that for one year。 For the past year I have been going from city to city doing just that。 So， you see， don‘t ever judge a book by its cover， for a cover can fool you。

　　“Number two is to learn how to read， my boy。 For there is only one thing that people can’t take away from you， and that is your wisdom。 ” At that moment， he reached forward， grabbed my right hand in his and put them upon the books he‘d pulled from the shelves。 They were the writings of Plato and Aristotle-immortal classics from ancient times。

　　The bum then led me back past the smiling old woman near the entrance， down the steps and back on the streets near where we first met。 His parting request was for me to never forget what he taught me。

　　I haven’t。

　　如果一个人，在适当的时候和地方因为一句话而改变了他的人生历程，你会感到惊异和不可思议吗？然而这的确是千真万确的，它就发生在我14岁那年。那时，我正在从得克萨斯州的休斯敦，经由爱坡索市前往加利福尼亚州去的旅途中。日出即行，日落即息，痴痴地追寻着我的梦想。我本来在读高中，也许我天生就不是读书的材料，因此我不得不中途辍学。随即我决心要到世界上最大的海浪上去冲浪，先准备到加利福尼亚州，再到夏威夷，然后我准备就在那里住下来。

　　在刚进入爱坡索市区的时候，我看到有一个老头，一个流浪者，坐在街道的拐角处。他看见了走路的我，当我就要从他的旁边走过去时，他拦住了我，并开口向我发问。他问我是不是偷着从家里跑出来的，我想他这么问我一定是看我太年轻，觉得我太嫩的缘故。“不完全是，先生，“因为是我爸爸开车把我送到休斯敦的高速公路上的，他还一边为我祝福，一边说：‘儿子，追寻你的梦想和心中的憧憬非常重要。’”

　　然后那个流浪者问我他能请我喝咖啡吗？我回答说：“不，先生，一杯汽水就可以了。”

　　于是，我们走进街道拐角处的一家酒吧，坐在一双转椅上，喝着饮料。

　　在闲聊了几分钟后，这个和蔼可亲的老流浪汉要我跟他走。他告诉我说他有一样大东西给我看，要与我分享。我们走过了几个街区，来到了爱坡索市的公立图书馆。

　　我们沿着它前面的台阶向上走，在一处小小的咨询台前停了下来。老流浪汉向一位笑容可掬的老太太说了几句话，并问她是否愿意在他和我进图书馆时帮忙照看一下我的行李。我把行李放在那位老奶奶般的人那里，走进了那座宏伟的学习殿堂。

　　老流浪汉先把我带到一张桌子前，让我坐下来稍等片刻，而他则到那些林立的书架中去寻找那个特别重要的东西去了。不一会儿，他腋下夹着几本旧书回来了。他把书放到桌子上，然后他在我的身边坐了下来，打开了话匣子，出口便不凡，其话语非常特别，改变了我一生的命运。他说：“年轻人，我想教你两件事，就是：第一是切记不要从封面来判断一本书的好坏，因为封面有时也会蒙骗你。”他接着说道：“我敢打赌，你一定认为我是个老流浪汉，是不是？年轻人。”

　　我说：“嗯，是的，先生，我想是的。”

　　“嗯，年轻人，我要给你一个小惊喜：其实我是这个世界上最富有的人之一，人们梦寐以求的任何东西我几乎都有。我最初从美国东北部来，凡是金钱能买到的东西，我全都有。但是一年前，我妻子死了，愿上帝保祐她的在天之灵，从那以后，我开始深深地反思人生的意义。我意识到，生活中有些东西我还没有体验过，其中之一就是做一个沿街乞讨的流浪汉滋味如何。于是我对自己发誓要像流浪汉一样活一年。在过去的一年里，我从一个城市流浪到另一个城市，就像流浪汉一样生活。所以，你看，切记不要从封面来判断一本书的好坏，因为封面有时也会蒙骗你。”

　　“第二，我的孩子，是要学会如何读书。因为这个世界上只有一种东西是别人无法从你的身上拿走的，那，就是你的智慧！”说到这，他俯身向着我，抓住我的右手放在他从书架中找到的书上。那是柏拉图和亚里士多德的著作--尚古以降已经流传了几千年的不朽的经典。

经典的英语优秀美文篇6

　　Our character， basically， is a composite of our habits。 “Sow a thought， reap an action； sow an action， reap a habit； sow a habit， reap a character； sow a character， reap a destiny，” the maxim goes。

　　从根本上来讲，我们的个性是塑成习惯的成分之一。有一句箴言讲到：“播下一个想法，收获一个行动；播下一个行动，收获一个习惯；播下一个习惯，收获一个性格；播下一个性格，收获一份命运。”

　　Habits are powerful factors in our lives。 Because they are consistent， often unconscious patterns， they constantly， daily， express our character and produce our effectiveness or ineffectiveness。

　　习惯是我们生活中有力的因素。因为习惯的持续性，人们常常不能意识到它们。于是，每一天，我们的习惯总在彰显着我们的性格，我们是否有效率也源自习惯。

　　As Horace Mann， the great educator， once said， “Habits are like a cable。 We weave a strand of it everyday and soon it cannot be broken。” I personally do not agree with the last part of his expression。 I know habits can be learned and unlearned。 But I also know it isn’t a quick fix。 It involves a process and a tremendous commitment。

　　正如伟大的教育学家霍瑞斯·曼曾经说的那样：“习惯犹如一根缆绳。我们每日为其编织一股，不久它便不容易断裂。”我个人不认同他最后一段的表达。我知晓有些习惯是后天习得的，而有些则是不学就有的。可我也明白习惯无法速成，它是一段涉及郑重承诺的过程。

　　Those of us who watched the lunar voyage of Apollo 11 were transfixed as we saw the first men walk on the moon and return to earth。 But to get there， those astronauts literally had to break out of the tremendous gravity pull of the earth。 More energy was spent in the first few minutes of lift， in the first few miles of travel， than was used over the next several days to travel half a million miles。

　　我们之中见证过阿波罗11号登月的人，当看到人类在月球上跨出第一步并返回地球时，瞠目结舌。但为了抵达月球，毫不夸张地说，这些宇航员得挣脱地球对其极大的地心引力。在升起的头几分钟、太空旅程的头几英里中，宇航员耗费的能量要远大于之后几天五十万英里旅程中的能量。

　　Habits， too， have tremendous gravity pull more than most people realize or would admit。 Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination， impatience， criticalness， or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little willpower and a few minor changes in our lives。 “Lift off” takes a tremendous effort， but once we break out of the gravity pull， our freedom takes on a whole new dimension。

　　习惯也具有极强的牵引力，比大多数人意识到或承认的还来得多。对于一些根深蒂固的习惯，像是拖延症、不耐烦、挑剔或自私，它们违反了人类效率的基本原则。而要戒掉这些陋习，仅靠那一丁点的意志力和生活中极小的改变，是无济于事的。“起飞时分”要付出巨大努力，而一旦我们挣脱地心引力，我们享有的自由便会展现出一个全新的维度。

　　Like any natural force， gravity pull can work with us or against us。 The gravity pull of some of our habits may currently be keeping us from going where we want to go。 But it is also gravity pull that keeps our world together， that keeps the planets in their orbits and our universe in order。 It is a powerful force， and if we use it effectively， we can use the gravity pull of habit to create the cohesiveness and order necessary to establish effectiveness in our lives。

　　与其他自然力一样，地心引力对我们而言，是助力，亦可是对抗力。我们一些习惯所具有的引力也许正在妨碍我们抵达目的地。然而同时也是地心引力将世界凝聚，使各大行星在轨道上运转，让我们的宇宙井然有序。引力是很强大的，我们倘若能有效运用它，便可用习惯的引力来创建凝聚力和秩序，使我们的生活有效率。

经典的英语优秀美文篇7

　　A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present。 On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office， a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car， admiring it。

　　”Is this your car， Mister？“ he said。

　　Paul nodded。 ”My brother gave it to me for Christmas。“ The boy was astounded。 ”You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing？ Boy， I wish 。 。 。“ He hesitated。

　　Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for。 He was going to wish he had a brother like that。 But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels。

　　”I wish，“ the boy went on， ”That I could be a brother like that。“

　　Paul looked at the boy in astonishment， then impulsively he added， ”Would you like to take a ride in my car？“

　　”Oh yes， I’d love that。“

　　After a short ride， the boy turned with his eyes aglow， said， ”Mister， would you mind driving in front of my house？“

　　Paul smiled a little。 He thought he knew what the lad wanted。 He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile。 But Paul was wrong again。 ”Will you stop where those two steps are？“ the boy asked。

　　He ran up the steps。 Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back， but he was not coming fast。 He was carrying his little crippled brother。 He sat him down on the bottom step， then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car。

　　”There she is， Buddy， just like I told you upstairs。

　　His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent。 And some day I’m gonna give you one just like it 。 。 。 then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about。“

　　Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car。 The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride。 That Christmas Eve， Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said： ”It is more blessed to give 。 。 。 “

经典的英语优秀美文篇8

　　why Measure Life in Heartbeats？

　　Hemingway once wrote that courage is grace under pressure。 But I wouldrather think with the 18th-century Italian dramatist， Vittorio Alfieri， that”often the test of courage is not to die but t0 1ive。“ For living with cancerengenders more than pressure； it begets terror。 To live with it， to face up toit-that‘s courage。

　　Hope is our most effective ”drug“ in treating cancer。 There is almost nocancer (at any stage) that cannot be treated。 By instilling hope in a patient，we can help develop a positive； combative attitude to his disease。 Illogical，unproven？ Perhaps。 But many doaors believe that this must become a partof cancer therapy if the therapy is to be effective。

　　I have had the joy of two beautiful and wonderful wives， the happiness ofparenthood and the love of eight children。 My work was constantly chal-lenging and fulfilling。 I have always loved music and books， ballet and thetheater。 I was addicted to fitness， tennis， golf， curling， hunting and fishing。

　　Good food and wine graced my table。 My home was a warm and happyplace。

　　But when I became aware of my imminent mortality， my attitudes changed。

　　There was real meaning to the words， ”This is the first day of the rest ofyour life。“ There was a heightened awareness of each sunny day， the beautyof flowers， the song of a bird。 How often do we reflect on the joy of breath。

　　ing easily， of swallowing without effort and discomfort， of walking withoutpain， of a complete and peaceful night’s sleep？

　　After I became ill， I embarked upon many things I had been putting offbefore。 I read the books Ihad set aside for retirement and wrote one myself，entitled TheArt of Surgery。 My wife Madeleine and I took more holidays。

　　We played tennis regularly and curled avidly； we took the boys fishing。 WhenI review these past few years， it seems in many ways that I have lived alifetime since I acquired cancer。 On my last holiday in the Bahamas， as Iwalked along the beach feeling the gentle waves wash over my feet， I felt apart of tlie universe， even if only a minuscule one，like a grain of sand on thebeach。

　　Although I had to restrict the size of my practice， I felt closer empathy withmy patients。 When I walked into the Intensive Care Unit there was an awe-some feeling knowing I， too， had been a patient there。 It was a special satis-faction to comfort my patients with cancer， knowing that it is possible toenjoy life after the anguish of that diagnosis。 It gave me a warm feeling tosee the sparkle in one patient‘s eyes-a man with a totallaryngectomy-when I asked if he would enjoy a cold beer and went to get him one。

　　If one realizes that our time on this earth is but a tiny fraction of that withinthe cosmos， then life calculated in years may not be as important as wethink。 Why measure life in heartbeats？ When life is so dependent on such anunreliable function as the beating of the heart， then it is fragile indeed。 Theonly thing that one can depend upon with absolute certainty is death。

　　I believe that death may be the most important part of life。 I believe that lifeis infinitesinially brief in relation to the immensity of eternity。 I believe，because of my religious faith， that I shall ”return to the Father“in an afterlifethat is beyond description。 I believe that though my life was short in years， itwas fullin experience， joy， love and accomplishment； that my owriimmor-tality will reside in the memories of my loved ones left behind， mother，brother， wife， children， dear friends。 I believe that I will die with loved onesclose by and， one hopes， achieve that great gift of God-ileath in peace， andwith dignity。

　　何必以心跳定生死？

　　海明威曾经写过，勇气就是临危不惧。不过，我更赞同18世纪意大利戏剧家维多利奥·阿尔菲利的观点：“对勇气的考验往往不是去死，而是要活。”身患癌症，不仅带来痛苦，而且引起恐惧。抱病生活，并敢于正视这一现实，这就是勇气。

　　希望是我们治疗癌症最有效的“药物”。几乎没有任何癌症(无论发展到哪一期)是不能医治的。把希望灌输到病人心里，我们就可以帮助他树立起积极与疾病作斗争的观念。也许此话不合逻辑，言之无据，是吗？然而，许多医生认为，要想使疗法有效，这必须成为癌症治疗的一部分。

　　我有幸先后拥有两位美丽贤惠的妻子所带来的欢欣，体验过为人之父的乐趣，并得到八个子女的爱。过去，我的工作一直富有挑战性，令人有成就感。我一向喜欢听音乐和读书，酷爱芭蕾舞和戏剧。我曾经醉心于健身运动、网球、高尔夫球、冰上溜石、打猎和垂钓。我的餐桌摆满美酒佳肴。我的家温馨而又幸福。

　　可是，当我知道自己大限将至时，生活态度就变了。“这是您余生的开始。”这句话对我有了实实在在的含义。对每一个晴天丽日，对鸟语花香，我的感触倍加强烈。平日呼吸轻松，吞食自如，走路毫不费劲，一夜安寝到天明，我们几曾回味过其中的乐趣？

　　患病后，我着手做以前搁置下来的许多事情。我阅读了本来留到退休后才读的书，而且还写了一本题为《外科术》的书。我与夫人马德琳度假更加频繁。我们经常去打网球，劲头十足地在冰上溜石，还带儿子们去钓鱼。回顾过去几年，从许多方面来看，自从得了癌症以后，我似乎已经活了一辈子。上次到巴哈马度假期间，我沿着海滩漫步，海浪轻轻抚揉着我的双脚，此时此刻我蓦然觉得自己与整个宇宙融为一体，尽管我微不足道，就像海滩上的一粒沙子。

　　虽然我不得不限制自己的医务工作量，我感到与病人更加心灵相通。当我走进特别护理室时，一种敬畏之感油然而生，因为我知道自己也曾是这里的病人。我明白，在经历了被确诊为癌症的极度痛苦之后，仍有可能享受生活，因此，安慰癌症患者成了一种特别的乐事。一位病人做了喉部切除手术，我问他是否想喝冻啤酒，而且为他拿来了一杯，这时我看到他眼里闪现出了火花，一股暖流顿时涌上我的心头。

　　倘若人们意识到人生在世只不过是宇宙的时间长河中转瞬即逝的一刹那，那么以岁月计算的生命就不会像我们所想的那样重要了。何必以心跳来定生死呢？当生命依赖于心跳这样一种不可靠的功能时，它的确脆弱不堪。而只有死亡才是人们唯一可以绝对依赖的。

　　我认为死亡可能是人生中最重要的一环。我认为与那漫长的永生相比，生命是极其短暂的。基于我的宗教信仰，我相信在我身后那难以描绘的时光里，我将回归圣父。我相信，我的生命以年月计算，虽然是短暂的，但经历丰富，充满了欢乐、爱情和成就；我将永远活在我所爱的人，即我的母亲、兄弟、儿女和密友的记忆中。我相信，在弥留之际，我的亲朋好友将陪伴在我身旁：我希望得到上帝的恩赐——带着尊严，安详地告别人间。

经典的英语优秀美文篇9

　　Dream to Be a Hero

　　Most parents who want to send their kids to camp in the summertime have to pay hundreds， even thousands of dollars。If your kid happens be a really good basketball player，you probably won”t have to pay a dime。Your kid will go to camp，basketball camp，courtesy of Nike Adidas。those shoe companies scour the country for the best basketball talent and compeite like crazy to get those kids into their brand，offering free shoes，free tips，free camps to even younger players。

　　Inteviewer ：How old were you when they started

　　To singling you out？ Were you just a little kid？

　　Tyson Chandler：It was about 5th garde，6th grade。

　　When we first met him in 1997，Tyson Chandler had just finished 8th grade but he and his teamnates on the southern Califolia all stars were already sponsored and equipped by Nike。

　　Interviewer：You are all wearing Nike。

　　Chandler：Yeah。

　　Interviewer：You are Nikemen

　　Chandler：AlI Nike。

　　Nike and Adidas have turned summertime into a huge basketball

　　bazaar，spending millions of dollars to coral every kid with a decent jump shot。Betting that one Of two of them wiIl develop into supestar and human bi11boards。

　　As soon as kids are finished with their junior high or high school seasons in the spring，coaches armed with free shoes are weid1ing to recruit them from Nike summer teams or Adidas summer team that will play all the way through August。

　　Both Nike and Adidas have sponsored youth tournaments in LasVegas。Hundreds of kids as young as 12 showing their skills on the court，and strutting their stuff on the strip。 At an age when them only mail most kids get is birthday party nvitations，Tyson

　　got recruitment letters from UCLA and Arizona and Syracuse。

　　They wanted him for later，Nike already had him。Both companies also have their hooks in high school basketball teams，all around the country。

　　There are more than a hundred Nike high schools and a hundred Addidas high schools。They get free shoes，free uniforms and free equipment and often cash for the coach。In return Nike and

　　Adidas get exposure，loyalty and a pipeline for promsing players。More and more，the best teenage players are turning

　　pro right from high school。

　　Tyson“s mother is worried that things are moving to fast for her son。

　　Interviewer：Do you worry sometimes about what this is doing to your kid？

　　Mother：Yes，I do，I worry cause I don”t want him to move too fast，I still want him to be a kid。

　　Interviewer：He is a kid。

　　Mother：Yeah，but a lot of people overlook that because of his height。

　　许多父母情愿花上几百，甚至几千美元也要把孩子送进夏令营。如果你的孩子是一个灌篮高手，你也许就不用花费分文。你的孩子将可以参加一个由耐克和阿迪达任斯举办的篮球夏令营。这些鞋业公司到全国各地搜罗篮鸣球精英，争先恐后地将这些孩子招至自家公司旗下，甚至为小孩子们提供免费鞋子、对免费的旅行和免费的夏令营。

　　记者：他们把你挑出来的时出候你多大？当时你还是个小孩子吧？

　　泰森·钱德勒：那时候我大约五、六年级。

　　1997年初见到泰森·钱德勒的时候，他刚刚读完八年但他和他在加利福尼亚南部的全明星篮球赛的队友们已全部获得耐克公司赞助，并获全套耐克装备。

　　记者：你们都穿耐克。

　　钱德勒：是的。

　　记者：你的鞋子也是耐克的。

　　记者：你们都是耐克人。

　　钱德勒：全是耐克。

　　耐克和阿迪达斯把暑假时光变成了一个大型篮球市场，为了一个优美的跳跃投篮动作就在每个孩子身上技资数百万美元，希望他们中的一个或两个能成长为超级明星或活招牌。一旦孩子们完成了春季的初中或高中学业，那些以免费鞋子做诱饵的教练就开始将他们从耐克或阿迪达斯夏令营队招募进来，然后整个八月便持续进行比赛。

　　耐克和阿迪达斯都赞助了拉斯维加斯的青年锦标赛。成百上千的小孩子，甚至只有十二岁的小不点也在赛场上展示着他们的球技，在繁华大街上炫耀着自己的球技。同龄的孩子此时收到的只是生日宴会的邀请函，而泰森则收到加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶分校、亚利桑那大学和锡拉丘兹大学的录取通知书。这些大学只能排后了，因为现在他属于耐克。两家公司在全国中学的篮球队里都有星探，全国大约有一百多所耐克中学和一百所阿迪达斯中学。他们提供免费的鞋子、免费的球服和免费的装备，还为教练支付酬金。作为回报，耐克和阿迪达斯则获得曝光率、忠诚以及输送大有前途的球员。于是，这些出类拔萃的少年球员一从中学毕业就成了职业球员。

　　泰森的妈妈有些担心，这样的发展对她儿子来说是不是太快了些。

　　记者：有时你是不是会担心孩子现在的经历？

　　妈妈：是的。我担心，因为我不想他发展得太快。我想让他做个小孩子。

　　记者：他本来就是个小孩子。

　　妈妈：是的，可是许多人都因为他的身高而忽视这一点。

经典的英语优秀美文篇10

　　泥土的微笑

　　All over my garden Ive planted nothing but roses， fragrant and if looked at from afar-ablaze with colour like sunset clouds。 I would be very happy if any one of my visiting friends should desire to pick and take some for their homes。I trust that any friend of nune carrying the roses would vanish into the distance feeling that his emotion had been rekindled。

　　我在花园里种满了芬芳的玫瑰花，远远望去，他们像一片燃烧的晚霞。如果来访的朋友想摘些花带回家，我会很高兴。我相信朋友捧着火红的玫瑰渐渐走远的背影，一定能点燃易感的情怀。

　　A close friend came for a visit the other day， I know her to be a lover of flowers and plants， and for that reason I told her at her departure that she should pick a bunch of roses to decorate her boudoir。 I promised that the scent ofthe roses would be wafted far， far away。

　　有一天，一位非常要好的女友来探望我，我知道她平素最喜欢花花草草了，临别时我说，采一束玫瑰点缀你的闺房，保证十里飘香。

　　That girl friend of mine， tiptoeing into the garden in high spirits， sniffed here and smelt there， but in the end she didnt pick a single rose。 I said there were so many of them tbat she could pick as many as shed like to， I told her that I was not a florist and didnt make a living out of them。 While saying so I raised the scissors for the sacrifice of the flowers， but she vehemently stopped me， crying no， no， no！

　　女友轻轻地跨进花园，东闻闻，西嗅嗅，神采飞扬，就是不肯采摘。我说没关系，多的是，并让她尽管采摘。我告诉她我又不是花店的老板，不会靠玫瑰赚钱的，说完我就举起剪刀准备献美。女友急忙拦住，高声叫着不可不可。

　　To cut such beautiful roses would hurt one， she said。With her hands clutching at my sleeves， she told me that by no means should they be cut。 Roses are the smiling face of the earth， and who could be so iron hearted as to destroy a smile so exhilarating

　　这么美丽的玫瑰剪下来，让人心疼，她说道。她紧抓住我的袖子叮咛道：千万不能剪啊，玫瑰是泥土的微笑，谁忍心杀戮美得醉人的微笑

　　My mind was thoroughly boggled： the ugly earth， the humble earth，the plain earth-it is only because of the roses that it reveals an amazing and bright smile， and it is for the sake of that smile that it wins the care and pity of men。

　　我的灵魂悚然一惊，丑陋的泥土、卑微的泥土、朴素的泥土，因为玫瑰，它露出了惊艳一笑。因为这一笑，它让人爱惜非常。

　　Of late a friend of mine i_nvited me to appreciate a Tang Dynasty vase that he was fortunate enough to have bought at an auction。 The vase， with its slim neck， plump body， and fine little flowers on a blue and white background， has a noble shape and a rich colouring， elegant， refined， proud， poised， and supercilious， an extreme embodiment of the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty。 I was filled with wonder to think that while everyone present was talang great care not to cause the slightest damage to the Tang treasure， it was to me nothing but an object made of clay。 It had only become a piece of classic art after being baked in a china kiln。

　　近日，一个朋友在拍卖会上有幸购得一个花瓶，花瓶细颈大肚，碎花蓝白图案，看上去流光溢彩。从造型到色彩，整个如唐朝盛世的化身，雍容、华贵、高傲、悠闲，目空一切。朋友邀请我们大家观赏。奇怪的是每一个参观者都小心谨慎，生怕碰坏这盛唐的宝贝。其实它不过是一撮泥土而已，在经过窑烧之后才干修百炼成瓷中经典的口。

　　Both the exqusiteness of the boccaro teapots made in south China， and the shockingly beautiful sculptures by Clay Sculptor Zhang of Tianjin arent they all smiles of the earth They are such exquisite treasures that-even if they look ugly， humble， plain， or whatever-they no doubt deserve respect and veneration。

　　江南的紫砂壶玲珑剔透，天津泥人张的彩塑令人拍案叫绝，它们不都是泥土的微笑吗它们弥足珍贵，即使曾丑陋，即使曾卑微，即使曾朴素，同样让人肃然起敬。

　　Now I understand that no one， however ordinary， should be condemned to anonymity， and that anyone who adds a dash of colour to life deserves our respect。

　　我懂得了，即使再平凡的人，也没有理由被埋没，只要努力活出色彩，一定会叫人刮目相看。

　　天才养成攻略

　　Lesson one： New challenges require new ways of thinking

　　面对新挑战，要有新思路

　　Part car， part jet fighter， part spaceship， Bloodhound SSC aims to be the first land vehicle to break the 1，000mph barrier。 One of the key challenges has been to design the wheels。 How do you create the fastest wheels in history， make them stable and reliable at supersonic speeds， and with limited resources

　　部分汽车、部分喷气式飞机、部分宇宙飞船，猎犬号超级汽车的目标是做世界上第一辆时速突破1000英里的汽车。而这面临的一项关键挑战是车轮的设计。如果换做是你，你会如何在有限的资源下发明出超音速汽车上用的轮子呢

　　After much deliberation， and devising ideas that pushed the boundaries of material technology， Mark Chapman， chief engineer of the Bloodhound project said the team decided to take a step back and change the way they were trying to solve problems。 Theres very little weve actually developed thats new， he says， whats unique is how we apply technologies。

　　猎犬号项目的总工程师马克查普曼思来想去，觉得材料还是不够好。最后他和他的团队决定退回一步、换个角度看有没有别的办法。我们实际创新的东西并不多，马克说：我们的独特之处在于应用技术的方式别具一格。

　　They adopted an approach called the design of experiments a mathematical technique of problem solving through doing lots of little experiments and then looking at the statistics all glued together。 All of a sudden， where wed been knocking our head against the wall for maybe two， three， four months， we came up with a wheel design that would hold together and was strong enough， he says。

　　他们采用实验设计的方法做了很多的小实验，综合所得的数据再得出精确设计。花了三四个月绞尽脑汁做尽各种实验之后，很突然地我们做出了一个大胆的设计：把各种可用的(飞机、飞船所用的)技术都融合在一辆车上，从而使它足够强大。马克说。

　　Lesson two： Let evidence shape your opinion

　　观点要用证据来证明

　　Like his peers， geophysicist Steven Jacobsen from Northwestern University believed that water on Earth originated from comets。 But by studying rocks， which allow scientists to peer back in time， he discovered water hidden inside ringwoodite， which lies in the Earths mantle， and which suggests that the oceans gradually made its way out of the planets interior many centuries ago。

　　美国西北大学地球物理学家史蒂文雅各布森曾认为，地球上的水源于彗星。但通过对岩石的研究，他发现地幔的林伍德石里面也藏有水，这一发现表明或许在N个世纪之前，海洋是从地球内部自己慢慢溢出来的。

　　I had a pretty hard time convincing others， he admits。 Yet two key pieces of evidence uncovered this year seem to support his point of view。 Time will tell whether the new theories are true， and there may be further twists to the tale。 But thinking about the fact that you may be the first person to see something for the first time doesnt happen very often， he says。 When it does its thrilling。

　　那时候我难说服别的学者相信这个。史蒂文说。但是今年新发现的两个关键证据似乎支持了他的理论。所以，一个新理论的正确与否可能需要时间来慢慢印证，在被世人接受前可能会经历很多曲折。但是如果你发现你是第一个发现这个规律的人，且时间又证明你是对的之后，你会倍受鼓舞的。史蒂文说。

　　Lesson three： It really is 99% perspiration

　　天才的99%确实是汗水

　　Sheila Nirenberg at Cornell University is trying to develop a new prosthetic device for treating blindness。 Key to this was cracking the code that transmits information from the eye to the brain。 Once I realised this， I couldnt eat， I couldnt sleep all I wanted to do was work， says Nirenberg。

　　康奈尔大学希拉尼伦伯格正在研究治疗失明的新型假体，其中破解眼睛与大脑的信息交流密码是最关键的。我意识到这一点之后，就吃不下饭、睡不着觉，只想全身心投入工作。尼伦伯格说。

　　Sometimes Im exhausted and I get burnt out， she adds。 But then I get an email from somebody in crisis or somebody whos getting macular degeneration， and they cant see their own childrens faces， and it is like， How can I possibly complain It gives me the energy to just go back and keep doing it。

　　每次觉得筋疲力尽、江郎才尽的时候，我都会收到一些到正处于危险状态马上要失明的、或是患有黄斑部退化症的病人的邮件，这些人将没办法看清自己孩子的长相、无法看这五颜六色的世界。每当这个时候，我就跟自己说我怎么能够抱怨呢，然后就又动力十足的继续工作。

　　Lesson four： The answer isnt always what you expect

　　结果并不总是和预想的一样

　　Sylvia Earle has spent decades trying to see the ocean with new eyes。 Her dream machine is a submarine that could take scientists all the way to the bottom of the deepest ocean floor。 What sort of material could best withstand the types of pressure you would encounter thousands of miles below the ocean surface It could be steel， it could be titanium， it could be some sort of ceramic， or some kind of aluminium system， says Earle。 But glass is the ultimate material。 By her estimates， a glass sphere about four-to-six inches (10-15cm) thick should be able safely explore the ocean depths she dreams of exploring。

　　西尔维亚厄尔花了几十年的时间试图让人们用新的方式亲近海底，她的梦想号潜艇可以让科学家潜入到最深的海底。那种材料才能够承受住深海的巨大压力呢厄尔说：我想过用钢、钛、陶瓷等，但最终发现其实玻璃才是终极王者。根据她的预计，一块10-15厘米厚的玻璃板就能让她进入梦寐以求的那片深海世界。

　　Glass is the oldest material known to man and one of the least understood， says Tony Lawson， Earles engineering director at Deep Ocean and Exploration Research Marine。 It has a higgledy-piggledy molecular structure a bit like a liquid， rather than the ordered lattices often found in other solids。 As a result， when glass is evenly squeezed from all sides as it would be under the ocean the molecules cram closer together and form a tighter structure。

　　厄尔的项目技术总监称，虽然玻璃是人类已知的最古老材料，但是我们对它的了解却甚少。玻璃的分子结构有点像是液体，排列方式没有一般固体的有规律。因此，当玻璃被海洋里的压力从四面八方压迫时，它的分子会被压在一起，形成更紧密的结构。

　　Lesson five： A little luck goes a long way

　　偶尔的一点好运也可以维持很久

　　It was hailed as one of the biggest success stories in the history of space exploration 20 years of planning ended earlier this year with the Philae lander rendezvousing with Comet 67P over 300 million miles (480 million kilometres) away from Earth。

　　菲莱探测器被誉为太空探索史上最大跨越之一，历经20年的策划期终于在年初发射并成功在离地球四亿八千万公里的67P彗星上着陆。

　　The biggest challenge， says Stephan Ulamec， manager of the Philae lander programme， was how to design a probe to land on a body whose makeup they had little knowledge about。 We had no idea of the size， we had no idea of the day-night cycle， which influences the thermal design， we had no idea of the gravity， so how fast would the lander impact， we had no idea how the surface looked， he says。

　　据菲莱项目的负责人斯蒂芬介绍，在这20年里遇到的最大挑战是对彗星构造了解较少，不知道该如何设计这个探测器。我们不知道彗星的昼夜循环情况会影响保热设计，不知道彗星的重力也无法预测探测器着陆后对转速的影响，甚至不清楚彗星表面的样子。

　　They needed to create design parameters that could cope with an extremely wide range of possible comet structures but banked on the comet being a relatively even potato shape with enough flat surfaces for the probe to land on。 Even then， not everything went to plan， and two decades of meticulous planning could have failed within minutes at touchdown。 Philaes anchoring harpoons didnt fire as planned， and it bounced off the comet before settling onto its icy surface and successfully beaming data back to its relieved creators。

　　科学家们需要建立尽可能符合多种彗星结构的设计参数，但是还是得寄希望于彗星的表面要够平坦。可即便是花了20年设计、缜密计划过的菲莱还是在着陆的几分钟里有点小失败：鱼叉系统未如计划打开，无法准确钉入彗星表面。不过幸运的是，菲莱还是成功地把数据发回了地球。

　　Lesson six： Genius is indefinable

　　天才定义不明

　　Its a funny word： the word genius， says Nirenberg。 I just sort of ignore it and just go on with life。 You just do what you do independent of whatever labels attached to you。 I dont know really how else to explain it。

　　天才这个词很有趣，尼伦伯格说，我常常忽略这个标签继续走自己的路。只需要抛掉别人在你身上贴的各种标签做自己想做到的事就好了。因为所谓天才真是判断标准不一、无法解释的事情。

　　旅行的N种正能量

　　I am currently on a massive adventure with my family： we are seven months into a year-long trip around Australia。

　　我和家人正在一同展开一场声势浩大的冒险活动：全年畅游澳大利亚，这是其中的第七个月。

　　Coaching and traveling can bring up the same opportunities to shift long-held beliefs and ways of being。

　　无论是乘坐马车观光还是一般的旅行，都能为你提供许多机会，让你改变积习的顽信，改换陈旧的生活方式。

　　When we sit down with a coach of any kind， it is because we want to achieve a particular goal in our lives， be it work， relationships， wellbeing or something else。

　　当我们坐上一列马车无论是哪种马车，我们想要的是实现一种心愿，无论这心愿是工作顺遂，广结善缘，生活安康还是其他的心愿。

　　When we travel， we want to achieve a particular goal， be it experiences， connections， expansion or relaxation。

　　当我们外出旅行的时候，我们想要的是达到某一目标，无论这目标是积累经验，构建人脉，博闻强识还是休闲放松。

　　When we are travelling， we find ourselves in new places and new spaces， physically and internally； it is the same with coaching。

　　在我们的旅行途中，我们会发现自己置身于新的地理位置，也获得了新的心灵空间；乘马车观光亦是如此。

　　As travelers， we have to look at things in a different way； we need to draw on inner resources -- resources we may not have ever tapped into before。 This builds inner confidence in other areas of our lives。

　　作为旅行者，我们会以不同的方式看待事物；我们要开放自己的内在感官这些内在感官或可能是我们从未开发过的矿藏。由此，我们能够充实内在的信心，以便应对生活的方方面面。

　　When we travel， we have to be willing to look at things in a new way， a different way。 We need to see things from another perspective and work with what is right in front of us， not with what we hope it to be。

　　在旅程中，我们应学会用新的，不一样的眼光看待事物。我们应从不同的视角看待事情，接受当下所面对的人和事，而不是沉湎于自己所希冀的幻想之中。

　　One of the foundations of life coaching is knowing where you are starting from -- what is working in your life and what is not working -- and using that starting point to chart a course to where you need to go。

　　坐马车旅程也是从人生旅途的某个驿站开始的行程。你要知道自己从哪里出发你的生活中那些方面顺心如意，那些方面不尽人意你从这个点出发，向着你必须到达的目的地，开始一段旅程。

　　As a roaming traveler， you do not have room for extra baggage： extra baggage wears you down emotionally and physically， a weight you do not need。 Coaching allows us to uncover baggage we may not even know we have。

　　作为一个随遇而安的旅人，你无需过多的行装：过重的行李会让你身体劳乏，心灵疲惫，你本可以避开这幅重担。乘着马车旅行，你会发现，原来你背负着许多包袱，自己从未意识到。

　　When traveling with others (as we are in life)， we have to forgive quicker， let go longer and generate compassion to ourselves and others， as a group/family dynamic can be as changeable as the wind。

　　当我们与旁人结伴旅行的时候(正如我们在生命中共同走过一段人生一样)，我们应该原谅那些来去匆匆的人，放下独来独往的人，既要爱自己，也要爱他人，因为团队/家庭成员之间的关系和风一样善变。

　　When we move from one place to another we experience movement： I was in a different place yesterday to where I am today； tomorrow I can be somewhere completely different again。

　　当我们从一个地方来到另一个地方的时候，我们所体验到的就是无所不在的变动：昨天我曾在一个不同的地方；今天我正在这个地方；明天我会去另一个完全陌生的地方。

经典的英语优秀美文篇11

　　Two Truths to Live by

　　人生的两条真理

　　The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go。 For life is paradox： it enjoins us to cling to its many gifts even while it ordains their eventual relinquishment。 The rabbis of Old put it this way：” A man comes to this world with his fist clenched， but when he dies， his hand is open。

　　生活的艺术是要懂得何时紧紧抓住，何时学会放弃。因为人生就是一对矛盾，它促使我们牢牢抓住人生的很多赐予，但同时又注定了我们对这些给予最终的放弃。老一辈犹太学者是这样说的：人来到这个世界的时候拳头是紧握的，而当离开的时候，手却是松开的。

　　Surely we ought to hold fast to life， for it is wondrous， and full of a beauty that breaks through every pore of God’s own earth。 We know that this is so， but all too often we recognize this truth only in our backward glance when we remember what it was and then suddenly realize that it is no more。

　　当然，我们应该仅仅抓住生活，因为生活是神奇的，是充满着美的——上帝创造的大地的每一个空间都充斥着至美。我们都知道这点，但我们却常常在回首往事之时才明白这个道理，然后突然意识到逝去的时光已经一去不复返了。

　　We remember a beauty that faded， a love that waned。 But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered， that we failed to respond with love when it was tendered。

　　我们追忆逝去的美丽，残缺的爱情，但是更令人痛心的回忆是当繁花盛开之时错过了欣赏它的美丽；当爱情眷顾之时却未能做出回应。

　　This not an easy lesson to learn， especially when we are young and think that the world is ours to command， that whatever we desire with the full force of our passionate being can， nay， ill， be ours。

　　学会(珍爱美好的事物)是不容易做到的。尤其是我们年轻时，认为世界是由我们掌握的，只要我们自己满腔热情，全力以赴的去追求，我们想要的东西就能够——不，是一定能够得到。

　　But then life moves along to confront us with realities， and slowly but surely this second truth dawns upon us。 At every stage of life we sustain losses—and grow in the process。And ultimately， as the parable of the open and closed hand suggests， we must confront the inevitability of our own demise， losing ourselves as it were， all that we were or dreamed to be。

　　随着我们的成长，生活使我们不得不面对现实，而第二种真理逐渐被我们所感知，所理解。 在人生的每一个阶段，我们都要承受损失，在这个过程中我们慢慢的长大。 最终，正如松手和握拳的比喻那样：我们自己也得走向不可抗拒的死亡，失去了原有的自我，失去了以往的或梦想过的一切。

　　The insight gleaned from that experience is really as commonplace as was the experience itself： life’s gifts are precious--but we are too heedless of them。

　　我们在阅历中所积累起来的洞察力就像我们的经历本身一样的平凡生活的赐予是可贵的，可是我们却常常忽视了它们的存在。

　　Here then is the first pile of life’s paradoxical demands on us： Never too busy for the wonder and the awe of life。 Be reverent before each dawning day。 Embrace each hour。 Seize each golden minute。

　　生命中有太多似非而是的矛盾，以下是第一种矛盾给我们的启迪：不要过于忙碌而忽略领悟生命的神奇，失掉对生命的敬畏。在破晓时分怀抱虔诚心情迎接每一天，拥抱每一个时辰，把握好黄金般的每一分钟。

　　Hold fast to life。。。 but not so fast that you cannot let go。 This is the second side of life‘s coin， the opposite pole of its paradox： we must accept our losses， and learn how to let go。

　　紧紧抓住生命但是不要过于执着而不懂得放手。这是生命之道的另一个层面，矛盾的另一极：我们必须接受失去，并且学会放弃。

经典的英语优秀美文篇12

　　野草 Wild Grass

　　有这样一个故事。

　　There is a story which goes like this：

　　有人问：世界上什么东西的气力最大？回答纷纭的很，有的说“象”，有的说“狮”，有人开玩笑似的说：是“金刚”。金刚有多少气力，当然大家全不知道。

　　Someone asked， “What is the most powerful thing in the world？” There was a variety of answers。 “Elephant，” someone said。 “Lion，” another said。 “Buddha‘s guardian warrior，” still another said half-jokingly。 As to how powerful the Buddha’s guardian warrior was， no one was sure。

　　结果，这一切答案完全不对，世界上气力最大的，是植物的种子。一粒种子所可以显现出来的力，简直是超越一切，这儿又是一个故事。

　　In fact none of the answers was correct。 The most powerful thing in the world is the seed of plants。 The force displayed by a seed is simply incomparable。 Here goes another story：

　　人的头盖骨，结合得非常致密与坚固，生理学家和解剖学者用尽了一切的方法，要把它完整地分出来，都没有这种力气，后来忽然有人发明了一个方法，就是把一些植物的种子放在要剖析的头盖骨里，给它以温度与湿度，使它发芽，一发芽，这些种子便以可怕的力量，将一切机械力所不能分开的骨骼，完整地分开了，植物种子力量之大，如此如此。

　　The bones of a human skull are so tightly and firmly joined that no physiologist and anatomist had succeeded in taking them apart whatever means they tried。 Then someone invented a method。 He put sonic seeds of a plant in the skull to be dissected and provided the necessary temperature and moisture to make them germinate。 Once the seeds germinated， they manifested a terrible force with which he succeeded in opening up the human skull that had failed to be opened even by mechanical means。

　　这，也许特殊了一点，常人不容易理解，那么，你看见笋的成长吗？你看见过被压在瓦砾和石块下面的一颗小草的生成吗？他为着向往阳光，为着达成它的生之意志，不管上面的石块如何重，石块与石块之间如何狭，它必定要曲曲折折地，但是顽强不屈地透到地面上来，它的根往土壤钻，它的芽往地面挺，这是一种不可抗的力，阻止它的石块，结果也被它掀翻，一粒种子的力量的大，如此如此。

　　You may think this is too unusual a story to be grasped by the common mind。 Well， have you ever seen how the bamboo shoots grow？ Have you ever seen how frail young grass grow out from under debris and rubble？ In order to get the sunshine and bring its will to grow into play， no matter how heavy the rocks are and how narrow the space between the rocks， it will wind its way up irresistibly， its roots drilling downward and its sprouts shooting upward。 This is an irresistible force。 Any rock lying in its way will be overturned。 This again shows how powerful a seed can be。

　　没有一个人将小草叫做“大力士，但是它的力量之大，的确是世界无比。这种力，是一般人看不见的生命力，只要生命存在，这种力就要显现，上面的石块，丝毫不足以阻挡，因为它是一种“长期坑战的力，有弹性，能屈能伸的力，有韧性，不达目的不止的力。

　　Though the little grass has never been said to be herculean， the power it shows is matchless in the world。 It is an invisible force of life。 So long as there is life， the force will show itself。 The rock above it is not heavy enough to prevent it from growing because it is a force that keeps growing over a period of time， because it is an elastic force that can shrink and expand， because it is a tenacious force that will not stop growing until it is grown。

　　种子不落在肥土而落在瓦砾中，有生命力的种子决不会悲观和叹气，因为有了阻力才有磨炼。生命开始的一瞬间就带了斗争来的草，才是坚韧的草，也只有这种草，才可以傲然地对那些玻璃棚中养育着的盆花哄笑。

　　The seed does not choose to fall on fertile land but among debris。 If it is filled with life， it is never pessimistic or sad， for it is tempered by resistance and pressure。 The grass that fights its way out since the moment it is hom can be called “strong' and “temacious”； only the grass that fights its way up since its birth has the right to laugh with justified pride at the potted plants in glassed green houses。

经典的英语优秀美文篇13

　　The Olympics represents the noble ideal of sports overcoming the barriers of politics withchampion athletes of all nations gathering in the spirit of sportsmanship。 However， the stakesgo beyond who wins the gold medal。 Shortly after each competition， nations begin to vieafresh for the bid to host the next game。 Winning the vote to host is not merely an honor， itis a political conquest in global recognition。 It also spins revenue from the influx of tourists，participants and Olympic related paraphernalia。

　　However， all that glitters is not gold。 For some residents of Beijing， the site of Olympic 2008，the impact of winning the bid cuts deep and far into their personal lives。 The capital isexpecting to pour billions of dollars into sports facilities and related upgrades such as roads，public transport， landscaping and sanitation。 For the bustling city of bicycles and traffic jamstucked among imperial relics， the Olympics is an opportunity for urban renewal。

　　Yet for those within the areas， something must give way to make room for the model OlympicVillage。

　　Decades of family homes will be uprooted and dispersed among apartments on the outskirtsof the city。 Although modern plumbing and sanitation will replace chamber pots， the move isan upheaval of a community and its way of life and social dynamics。 It will be interesting tofollow up on those and study the effects ofthe transplant。

　　The Olympics upgrades are not disposable stage props that can be easily discarded after theshow。 Experts are afraid that without the heartbeat of ordinary people dwelling in the ancientcity， the high tech Olympic City would become culturally dry。 Careful urban planning andstringent regulations such as building restrictions can preserve the impression of an intactneighborhood。 Nevertheless， without the residents， aesthetic is lost and only the facaderemains， waiting to be filled by tourists and businesses。

　　Nonetheless who can begrudge anyone a more comfortable living environment？ Even withoutthe Olympics， can the drumbeat of modernization be stopped？ And whether the changes arefor better or worse， who should presume to judge such things other than those whose livesbear the brunt of the impact？

　　奥运会所代表的崇高理想，就是各国的运动选手用运动员精神超越政治障碍聚集在一起。可是，其利害关系不仅在于谁获得金牌。每一届奥运会后不久，各国又重新开始争夺下一届奥运会的主办权。获得主办权不仅仅是一种荣誉，也代表着在政治上被全球认同的胜利。此外，还可以通过接踵而来的游客、参赛者和和奥运会有关的设备迅速增加税收。

　　然而，我们不能只看其表面(该句亦可直译为“闪闪发光的未必都是金子”)。对于北京2008年奥运会场地的那些居民来说，获得主办权对他们生活的’影响是深远的。首都预计要在运动设施及其相关的改进，如道路、公共交通、环境景观和公共卫生等方面投入数十亿美元。对于其皇家遗址中到处存放自行车、交通拥堵的繁忙城市，奥运会是一次都市翻新的机会。可是对于那些住在规划用地的人而言，他们必须放弃一些东西来为—个现代化的奥运村腾地儿。

　　几十年的家园被连根拔起，而被分散到城市郊区的公寓。虽然现代化的管道和卫生设备将取代便盆，但是迁移对一个社区及其生活方式和社会变迁过程仍然是一个大变动。追踪这些人并研究迁移给他们带来的影响将是很有意义的。

　　为奥运会所做的改进工程，并非是戏剧演出结束后轻易就可以丢弃的舞台小道具。专家们担心在这座古城中缺乏了普通 居民的声迹，高科技的奥运城会在文化上几近枯竭。即使细心的城市规划和严厉的法规，例如建筑管制可以保留原封不动的社区外观，然而没有了居民，美感仍会失落，而只留下空壳，等待游客和商业的填充。

　　不过，谁能妒忌一些人有较舒适的居住环境呢？即使没有奥运会，现代化的鼓点声是否能被阻挡？而且社会变迁的好与坏，除了那些深受其影响的人以外，还有谁能擅自判断呢？