英语经典美文（经典）
在日常学习、工作和生活中，大家都不可避免的会接触到美文吧?随着网络文化的发展，美文的概念已经不限定于某种文体，或某类内容。那么问题来了，怎样才能完成一篇优秀的美文呢？下面是小编为大家收集的英语经典美文，供大家参考借鉴，希望可以帮助到有需要的朋友。
英语经典美文1
Life is colorless and tasteless, and pale and white like water, but everyone who has dreams in mind will wave the magic life brush and draw it into a colorful picture of life.
I admire Xu Zhimo's imaginative, "gently, gently walked, waved his hand, do not take a cloud", but his approach I beg to differ. Life is short, but sixty or seventy loads, like the wild goose "gently walk through, do not take away a cloud", must regret life. Such a life, just a piece of white paper, no value to speak. We should make the short life a valuable color, so that our life will be gorgeous and brilliant.
When the music giant, Beethoven, was more than 20 years old, his career had just changed. But the God of fate brought him down the disaster and made him deaf. For he loves music, it is a bolt from the blue, but Beethoven did not yield, but with a positive attitude toward life calm face, he took the fate of the throat, with passion, play the splendid music in Ivory on the piano in the white paper to write the beat note, made immortal music, shocked the whole world. Beethoven, who is stubborn and unyielding, did not give up the opportunity to coloring for life. He didn't make life worthless white paper. He became a flaming red for his life paper and made life look brilliant and brilliant.
Beijing Paralympic Games, Shen Canzhi not disabled athletes, and did not regret in life as they strive for? They make great efforts to make up for the regrets and deficiencies in their lives. They add a little bit of value to that regret and lack of life, leaving no regrets for life. Gallop on the sports field, even to win only a bunch of flowers, a warm applause, also let life unfold different splendor. Yes, since it is life, there should be color, there should be hope!
When the falling seeds can not find the dirt, they put their hopes in the last line of the crevice, rooting, germination there, smoking section. Spring green autumn yellow, suisui litter. Even if no crevice between what nutrition, they did not have to give up a chance to grow. Yes, since it is life, it has the right to create brilliance and miracles. You see, the wind blowing the crevice, a green and the birds and the corresponding, singing a hymn to life; you see, the rise of the crevice between a pine, is facing the sun, bathed in the mountain, recite a song of life poem.
God gives us the chance to live. Now that we are alive, we must wave the brush of life, and put the most beautiful colors on the palette of life, and depict the most beautiful patterns. Friends, let's hold the brush and color it for life.
生命本来无色无味，淡白如水，但是每一个心中有梦的人，都会挥动那神奇的生命画笔，把它描成一幅绚丽多彩的人生画卷。
我佩服徐志摩的才思泉涌，“轻轻的来，轻轻地走，挥一挥手，不带走一片云彩”，但他的做法我不敢苟同。人生短暂，不过六七十载，像大雁那样“轻轻地走过，不带走一片云彩”，必定会遗憾终生。这样的生命，只是一张白纸，毫无价值可言。我们应该让短暂的人生染上有价值的色彩，这样我们的生命才会绚烂多姿、光彩夺目。
音乐巨人贝多芬二十多岁的时候，事业上刚刚有了起色，可命运之神却对他降下了灾难，让他双耳失聪。对于酷爱音乐的他来说，这简直是一个晴天霹雳，然而贝多芬没有屈服，而是以积极的生命态度从容面对，他扼住了命运的`咽喉，凭着内心澎湃的激情，在象牙白的钢琴上奏出辉煌壮丽的乐曲，在雪白的纸上写下了跳动的音符，铸就了不朽的音乐，震撼了整个世界。顽强不屈的贝多芬没有放弃为生命着色的机会，没有让生命成为一张毫无价值的白纸，他为自己的生命之纸染上了一片火红，让生命变得那样灿烂夺目、光芒四射。
北京残奥会上，身残志不残的运动员们，又何尝不是为他们生命中的遗憾在努力争取？他们努力地弥补生命中的遗憾和缺失，为那一段遗憾和缺失补上一点美好、一点价值，不让生命留下一点空白，留下一点遗憾。在运动场上驰骋竞争，哪怕赢得的只是一束鲜花，一阵热烈的掌声，也让生命绽放出异样的光彩。是呀，既然是生命，就该有色彩，就该有希望！
当随风飘落的种子无法找到泥土时，它们便把最后一线生的希望寄托在石缝里，在那里生根，发芽，抽节。春绿秋黄，岁岁枯荣。即使石缝间没有什么营养，它们也不曾放弃生长的机会。是呀，既然是生命，就有权创造辉煌和奇迹！你看，清风吹过的石缝里，一簇簇碧草正与鸟儿相应和，唱着一首首生命的赞歌；你看，石缝间崛起的一棵棵青松，正迎着朝阳，沐浴着山风，朗诵着一首首生命的诗章。
上天给予我们活着的机会，既然活着，就要挥动人生的画笔，在生命的调色板上调出最绚丽的色彩，描摹最美丽的图案。朋友们，让我们紧握画笔，为生命着色吧！
英语经典美文2
冬爷爷来了，树上的叶子掉光了，北风呼啸着;大地一片萧条的景象。河里结着厚厚的冰。人们围着围巾戴着手套，穿着各款的棉袄，但还是难以抵挡寒冷的侵袭脸都冻得红扑扑的。
If winter comes, the leaves on the trees drop light, the north wind whistling, The earth a depression spectacle. The river caked with thick ice. People around scarf wearing gloves, wearing sections of the cotton-padded jacket, but still difficult to resist invasion of cold cold red face.
你看冬天是一个滴水成冰，哈气成霜的季节。冬天酝酿着一个银色的梦。冬姑娘的礼物—雪花，给小朋友带来了欢乐。瞧，小朋友穿着大衣有的在滑雪，有的在打雪仗，有的在堆雪人，还有的在拍雪景，把银装素裹的世界永远留下来。
Winter is a DiShuiChengBing, HaQi into frost season. Winter ferment a silvery dream. Winter girl gift - snowflakes, give children brought joy. Lo, children overcoated some in the skiing, some in snowball fights, some is in a snowman, and still working on the snow, silver-coated world forever stay.
冬天的`雪花从天空慢慢地飘下来，真像一朵朵梅花啊！落在地上白茫茫的，人踩在上面，就咯吱咯吱响，像欢快的歌唱。
Snowflakes drifting down from the sky slowly, really like pieces of plum flower！ Fall on the ground, the white people trample on top, and squeak cheerful singing, like.
我爱冬天，更爱美丽的雪景。雪，也是冬天的象征。冬季如果少了雪花，那就只能叫冬天，不能叫冬季。你知道这为什么吗？那是因为，春雨、烈日、秋风、雪花是春夏秋冬的使者。如果少了使者，人们不由得产生一种想法：今年的冬天怎么来的这么突然？
I love the winter, the more love beautiful snow. Snow, is also the symbol of winter. Winter if less snow, it can only be called winter, cant call winter. You know why is this？ That is because, under burming sun, rain, wind, snow is chun xia qiu dongs messenger. If less angel, people cannot produce a kind of idea: the winter of this year how come so suddenly？
我爱冬天，但我更注重它的使者——雪花。俗话说：瑞雪兆丰年。雪让农民伯伯笑容更加灿烂。雪也给小朋友们带来独有的快乐。
I love the winter, but I more notice its angel - snowflakes. As the saying goes: good harest. Snow lets the farmer uncle smile more splendid. Snow also give children bring unique joy.
啊！我爱你冬天，更爱你——雪。
英语经典美文3
The Nightingale And The Rose
A young student loved a beautiful girl.He said"I am going to a dance tonight,and I am going to take the beautiful girl."
But the girl said,"I am not going to go to the dance tonight,because I haven"t got a red rose."
"I went to a dance last week,and I put a red rose on my white dress.All of the people said,"That is very beautiful,"and I was happy."
T he student said,"I am going to bring you a red rose,and then I am going to take you to the dance."The beautiful girl was happy.
T he student went to his garden,but there were not any roses in it.He sat on a bench,ant he cried.He said,"The beautiful girl is not going to come to the dance tonight,because I have not got a red rose."
There was a nightingale in a tree in the garden.She loved the student.She said,"His beautiful eyes are red,because he is crying.I am going to bring him a red rose."
She flew to a big garden,and she went to a brush.There were roses on it.This bush loved songs.The nightingale said,"Do you want a song?"
The bush said,"Yes,I do."
The nightingale said,"And I want a rose."
The bush said,"Sing me a song, and then take one of my rose."
T he nightingale sang a beautiful song,and the she said,"Now I am going to take a red rose."
The bush said,"But I have not got any red roses.All of mine are white."
The nightingale said,"I love the student,and I am going to give him a red rose."
There were big thorns on the bush.T he nightingale flew to one of them.There was a beautiful,white rose under it.
The nightingale pushed the thorn into her breast.It hurt a lot,but she pushed it into her heart.Blood came out.It fell on the white rose.
The nightingale said,"The rose is red now."She took it,and she flew to the student"s window.She put the rose down,and she knocked at the window.Then she fell into the street.She was dead.
The student went to the window,and he opened it.He said,"There is a beautiful red rose here.Who put it here?"He was very happy.
He ran to the beautiful girl"s house,and he said,"I have brought you a red rose."
The girl looked at it,and she said,"I do not want it.A rich man has brought me some jewels.they are more beautiful than a rose.He is going to take me to the dance."
The student went home again.He threw the rose out of the window,and it fell on the dead nightingale.
A wheel crushed both of them,and people said,"Our street are very dirty.Look at that dead bird,and look at that dirty flower."(编辑 李杰)
英语经典美文4
Today is Susan’s birthday. She is nine years old. Her friends are in her home now. There is a birthday party in the evening. Look! Mary is listening to the music. And Tom is drinking orange juice. Jack and Sam are playing cards on the floor. Lily and Amy are watching TV. Someone is knocking at the door. It’s Henry. He brings a big teddy bear for Susan. The teddy bear is yellow. Susan is very happy. All the children are happy. They sing a birthday song for Susan.
参考翻译
今天是Susan的.生日。她今年九岁了。她的朋友现在正在她家中。晚上大家会开一个生日晚会。
看！Marry正在听音乐，而Tom正在喝果汁。Jack和Sam正坐在地板上玩纸牌。Lily和Amy正在看电视。有人敲门了，那是Henry。他为Susan带来了一直大的泰迪熊，这只泰迪熊是黄色的。Susan十分高兴。孩子们都非常高兴。他们为Susan唱起了生日歌。
英语经典美文5
Yiyang distance to go now for a month, even if it still can not find their own satisfaction that four days to record your feelings accompanied me time, perhaps rough speech, because of you, in my mind it is the most beautiful story. I said give all of you the next chapter.
Understanding your first 41 days, I swore off all sensible idea, put on a single word to make my sincere letter, the selection of a gift wrapped my deep tenderness, embarked on a train destined for Yiyang , duty-bound in love for the first time chose to be wearing armor of the brave. You probably never know, paranoid view of love in my modesty and pride, but I met you, we are all collapse if there is another new self. You bring me the beam of light, so clever, just shines into my heart the most cold corner. Since then, a red-hot.
April 2, after a long shaking all night and drink a few saliva, ear snoring after another sleepless night endured torture, finally arrived, a small platform to usher in the warmth of your eyes, my heart full of grievances, than this city I imagine the more desolate. "Tired?" You ask me, did not answer, silently holding your hand, rely on the power of your body, walking in this strange city, although tired but the end result of you are so relieved.
That morning, I resist the full is sleepy, listening to tell you miss lightly in my ear, along with "I love you" in the name, and you wear a necklace for me personally, a love one and not the same, has long been clear, I feel I should be long past the age sweet captured, but that moment still feel happy mess. Always wanted to be a special woman, always want to have an extraordinary experience and love the plot, but be careful when produce throbbing, suddenly found the most simple moving enough soul-stirring.
April, always rainy season. Newcomers unfamiliar to us can only wander aimlessly hanging around in the streets, most of the time to be bored to walk, no fame, no snacks, and even the so-called downtowwn street far "beyond" my expectations, really tired then find a place to eat some random point to sit down and rest, we even went to Internet cafes, you play the game, I go to bed. Unusually dull, there is fatigue, they will complain, but our mutual interlocking fingers, I am also deeply satisfied. Accompany and help you pick the color of clothes, shoes and styles for your reference, to discuss the location of accommodation, hazy rain you as I hold the umbrella, when I put a chill swept coat, placid warm my heart to heal the remnants of the city disappointed.
Holidays fleeting, eventually usher respectively, without the slightest sadness, we have each quiet smile and said goodbye sentence, I went straight to the abnormal strong, suddenly walked into the wicket, to be suddenly turned your face already It is blocked out of my sight. Miss an instant flood burst!
I have many times in the past I would look forward to the future to meet the kind of person, what kind of story happens, you deviate from my original all fantasy, but no regrets. True love can not extricate themselves in love probably is a great contrast with their mate choice criteria person! After a number means the situation around long before the achievements of this contented encounter, how lucky, finally, are you!
英语经典美文6
Where shall you seek beauty, and how shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide?
And how shall you speak of her except she be the weaver of your speech?
The aggrieved and the injured say, "Beauty is kind and gentle. Like a young mother half-shy of her own glory she walks among us."
And the passionate say, "Nay, beauty is a thing of might and dread.
Like the tempest she shakes the earth beneath us and the sky above us."
The tired and the weary say, "beauty is of soft whisperings. She speaks in our spirit.
Her voice yields to our silences like a faint light that quivers in fear of the shadow."
But the restless say, "We have heard her shouting among the mountains,
And with her cries came the sound of hoofs, and the beating of wings and the roaring of lions."
At night the watchmen of the city say, "Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east."
And at noontide the toilers and the wayfarers say, "we have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset."
In winter say the snow-bound, "She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills."
And in the summer heat the reapers say, "We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair."
All these things have you said of beauty.
Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.
It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,
But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.
It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,
But rather a garden forever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.
英语经典美文7
It is said that we do not properly value a thing until we have lost it. It is only when a friend dies that we find out how much he was to us. So it is with health. When we are young and strong and have good health, we think little about it. It seems natural to us to be always well, and we cannot imagine what it is like to be ill. Wo we are often careless about our health, and without thinking we spoil our health by bad habits and doing silly things. It is only when we have our good health that we find that it was one of God’s best gifts to us.
Health is our most important possession. We should do our best to maintain it. Good health is necessary to happiness and success. People who are in poor health are often pessimistic or depressed. As a rule, bad health means misery and failure.
How can we keep our health? Only by knowing and carefully obeying the laws of health. A happy man is a healthy man, and only the healthy man can live a happy life.
The desire for good health is universal. Everyone who loves life understands how important health is. First, good health is the guarantee for enjoying life. The only desire of a patient is always to live an ordinary and healthy life. Second, good health establishes a firm foundation for your ambition of the career. Without it, any lofty aspiration turns to be a daydream.
Then how to keep fit? Everyone has his own answers to this question, while I think three principal suggestions should be followed. The first one is that a scientific diet should be adopted, which offers the necessities for your body. The second one is that physical exercises must be persisted, especially for the indoor people. The last, but not the least, is that the cheerful mood should be kept.
In order to keep fit, I force myself to keep away from the “junk food”, although it usually tastes good, I even form a good habit of doing morning exercises. And the beautiful music and good books always cheer me up.
英语经典美文8
Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt. (163 words) (490 words) By Francis Bacon
英语经典美文9
1、A new study finds there are more venomous fish than snakes. Here are a few of them, photographed by William Leo Smith of the American Museum of Natural History.
一项新研究结果显示，世界上有毒的鱼类甚至比毒蛇还要多。下面就为您展示其中的一些，照片是由美国自然历史博物馆的.研究员威廉·利奥·史密斯拍摄的。
2、 The 1,200 presumably venomous fish tallied in a new study is six times previous estimates. Fish with a biting bite outnumber all other venomous vertebrates combined, in fact.
一项最新的研究显示，有毒鱼类大约有1200种之多，这是此前人们估计的6倍。实际上，有毒鱼类的数量超过了其他所有有毒脊椎动物的总和。
3、"The results of this research were quite surprising," said researcher William Leo Smith of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
美国自然历史博物馆的研究员威廉·利奥·史密斯对此表示：“这项研究得到的结论非常让人吃惊。”
4、This might surprise you, too: More than 50,000 people are poisoned by fish bite s every year, Smith and his colleague said. Symptoms range from blisters to death.
史密斯和他的同事说，或许下面这个数据能让你同样感到震惊：每年，会有超过5万人因为这些有毒鱼类而发生中毒反应，其症状从发水泡到死亡不等。
5、Smith conducted the study along with Ward Wheeler, Curator in the Museum’s Division of Invertebrate Zoology. The results are reported in the Journal of Heredity.
报道说，史密斯是与美国自然历史博物馆无脊椎动物馆的馆长沃德·惠勒一同负责此项研究的，他们的研究结果发表在《遗传杂志》上。
英语经典美文10
Oprah Winfrey
By Milada Broukal
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most exciting, highest paid, and best-loved celebrities in American . She is also the country’s top television a talk show host. Oprah Winfrey is a very fine actress and a successful producer. She is a living example of what talent, hard work, and determination can do.
Oprah Winfrey has come a long way from her poor childhood home in a small Mississippi town. She was an unwanted child whose parents never married. She was brought up on her grandmother’s farm. The possibility that she would become rich and famous was not very good.
Oprah’s mother left her child in her mother’s care, so she could go to work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was a strict and difficult life for Oprah. But it also led the way for her future. She was a highly intelligent child. By the age of three, she had learned to read and write. She also made her first public appearance at that age. She gave a talk in church, which impressed everyone.” That child is gifted,” people said.
Oprah’s intelligence was resented by other children her age. They called her unkind names and pushed her away. Oprah felt very isolated and unwanted. It made her feel worse that she didn’t live with her mother and father. She felt that no one loved her. This made her angry, resentful, and rebellious. These feelings brought her much trouble as she was growing up. She often behaved badly, causing her grandmother to punish her. By the time Oprah was seven, she was too much for grandmother to discipline. Then Oprah went to live with her mother, Vernita, in Milwaukee.
Vernita worked very hard at her job as a housekeeper. It was hard for her to work and take care of her bright, troublesome child. Oprah was a burden, and she knew it. They lived in poverty in a small apartment in the city. Oprah took out all her angry feelings on her mother. She was difficult child. When Oprah was eight, Vernita sent her to live her father and stepmother in Nashville, Tennessee. But she moved again a few months later when Vernita married a man with two children. Vernita wanted Oprah with her and her new family.
Unfortunately felt she didn’t belong with them. She believed she wasn’t loved by anyone. Her angry and frustration grew stronger. She struck back by misbehaving and running away from home. Her parents found her impossible to discipline. When she was 14 they tried to send her to a special center for troubled girls. But there was no room for her. So Vernita sent Oprah back to live with her father. Vernon Winfrey was by then a successful businessman and family man. He took one look at his daughter and knew she needed guidance, love, and discipline. He gave her all three. It was a turning point in Oprah’s life. Vernon Winfrey was strict about his daughter’s education. He gave her homework in addition to her schoolwork. She was allowed to watch only one hour of television a day. She became an A student and a popular girl in her class.
Oprah watched Barbara Walters, a famous journalist and interviewer, and decided that was what she wanted to be. When she was still in high school, she got a part-time job reading news on the radio. In her senior year she won a beauty contest and a four-year scholarship to Tennessee State University. While still in college she was offered a job as a news broadcaster at a local television station. She was the first female and the first African- American newscaster in Nashville. She was promoted to anchor, the most important position on the news team, while still a senior.
After Oprah graduated she got a job with a Baltimore news station. But she soon realized that broadcasting news wasn’t enough for her. She had to let her personality shine through. She wanted to show emotion when she told a story, not just report it. Meanwhile the station manager were thinking the same way. They couldn’t stop her from commenting on the news she read. They removed her from the anchor spot and wondered what to do with her. Finally they put her on an early morning talk show called People Are Talking. No one knew what to expect.
The show was a great success. In a very short time, the managers and Oprah all knew what she was born to do. She was funny, witty, charming, warm, and compassionate. She was everything a talk show host should be. She was so successful that she got show with a bigger station in Chicago. It was called A. M. Chicago within one month the show’s ratings were the best in years. Twice she left the show to make movies, The Color Purple and Native Son. In 1985 the show was changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was broadcast nationally and soon became the most popular talk show on television . By the age of 35, Oprah Winfrey was one of the most famous celebrities in American.
英语经典美文11
For my money, a good sunset is the cheapest shot of wonder out there.Think of it —bursts of incandescent energy that can curl your toes,warm your soul, and prove cost effective all at the same time.The iciest hearts on the planet can be thawed by the heaven’s burnished flame.Countries sitting down for peace talks ought to begin with a joint viewing of rose-dipped hues and golden halos merging into growing flowers of light. And for romance, this daily dose of celestial seduction is just what the love doctor ordered.When first meeting the incredible woman who is now my wife,I quickly caught what Bonnie was about when I asked the age-worn question, “So, what do you do?”“I chase sunsets,” she replied.
I was a goner.I’m not sure if that was the exact moment when I fell in love,but it was, at least, the start of my descent.Cut to our honeymoon and one of my favorite settings in the world—Ireland, the Emerald Isle.One day we were traveling from the city of Galway toward the Ring of Kerry.Late in the afternoon we discovered that a boat up ahead could ferry us across a tributary and save some four hours’ driving time.I made for the last launch, a mere ten minutes and eighteen kilometers away.With luck, and no livestock crossings, we would just make it.All of a sudden Bonnie called out, “Stop!”Dutifully, I pulled over.Bonnie pointed to the sky.It was the sunset.Not just any sunset.This clearly was a masterpiece.Getting out, we drank deep of a heavenly show of amber and golden hues,rose finger clouds painting the broad canvas of sky.The bridge would wait another day.The Ring of Kerry wasn’t going anywhere.Bonnie and I inhaled the magnificent sunset like ambrosia.Sunsets, and sunrises for that matter, are gifts served up in plentiful procession.It’s one of life’s ways of taking a simple pause, marking the day.If we’re too busy, caught in the whirlwind of our own manufacturing, we miss the magic.What is required in order to drink the heady miracle of morning or evening lightis a consciousness of how we use the time allotted to us each day.Pausing for a moment, we willingly open our spirits to the gifts of the universe.These are indeed the gifts that help make life this good.
英语经典美文12
On my first day as an assistant professor of education at the University of Southern California, I entered the classroom with a great deal of anxiety. My large class responded to my awkward smile and brief greeting with silence. For a few moments I fussed with my notes. Then I started my lecture, stammering; no one seemed to be listening.
At that moment of panic I noticed in the fifth row a poised, attentive young woman in a summer dress. Her skin was tanned, her brown eyes were clear and alert, her hair was golden. Her animated expression and warm smile were an invitation for me to go on. When I"d say something, she would nod, or say, "Oh, yes!" and write it down. She emanated the comforting feeling that she cared about what I was trying so haltingly to say.
I began to speak directly to her and my confidence and enthusiasm returned. After a while I risked looking about. The other students had begun listening and taking notes, This stunning young woman had pulled me through.
After class, I scanned the roll to find her name: Liani. Her papers, which I read over the subsequent weeks, were written with creativity, sensitivity and a delicate sense of humor.
I had asked all my students to visit my office during the semester, and I awaited Liani"s visit with special interest. I wanted to tell her how she had saved my first day, and encourage her to develop her qualities of caring and awareness.
Liani never came. About five weeks into the semester, She missed two weeks of classes. I asked the students seated around her if they knew why. I was shocked to learn that they did not even know her name. I thought of Albert Schweitzer"s poignant statement: "We are all so much together and yet we are all dying of loneliness."
I went to our dean of women. The moment I mentioned Liani"s name, she winced. "Oh, I"m sorry, Leo," she said. "I thought you"d been told..."
Liani had driven to Pacific Palisades, a lovely community near downtown Los Angeles where cliffs fall abruptly into the sea. There, shocked picnickers later reported, she jumped to her death.
Liani was 22 years old! And her God-given uniqueness was gone forever.
I called Liani"s parents. From the tenderness with which Liani"s mother spoke of her, I knew that she had been loved. But it was obvious to me that Liani had not felt loved.
"What are we doing?" I asked a colleague. "We"re so busy teaching things. What"s the value of teaching Liani to read, write, do arithmetic, if we taught her nothing of what she truly needed to know: how to live in Joy, how to have a sense of personal worth and dignity?"
I decided to do something to help others who needed to feel loved. I would teach a course on love.
I spent months in library research but found little help. Almost all the books on love dealt with sex or romantic love. There was virtually nothing on love in general.
But perhaps if I offered myself only as a facilitator, the students and I could teach one another and learn together. I called the course Love Class.
It took only one announcement to fill this non-credit course. I gave each student a reading list, but there were no assigned texts, no attendance requirements, no exams. We just shared our reading, our ideas, our experiences.
My premise is that love is learned. Our "teachers" are the loving people we encounter. If we find no models of love, then we grow up love-starved and unloving. The happy possibility, I told my student, is that love can be learned at any moment of our lives if we are willing to put in the time, the energy and the practice.
Few missed even one session of Love class. I had to crowd the students closer together as they brought mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, husbands, wives,—even grandparents. Scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and end at 10, the class often continued until well past midnight.
One of the first things I tried to get across was the importance of touching. "How many of you have hugged someone—other than a girlfriend, boyfriend or your spouse—within the past week?" Few hands went up. One student said, "I"m always afraid that my motives will be misinterpreted." From the nervous laughter, I could tell that many shared the young woman"s feeling.(：夏根建)"Love has a need to be expressed physically," I responded.
"I feel fortunate to have grown up in a passionate, hugging Italian family. I associate hugging with a more universal kind of love.
"But if you are afraid of being misunderstood, verbalize your feelings to the person you"re hugging. And for people who are really uncomfortable about being embraced, a warm, two-handed handshake will satisfy the need to be touched."
We began to hug one another after each class. Eventually hugging became a common greeting among class members on campus.
We never left Love Class without a plan to share love.
For Love Class assignment we agreed to share something of ourselves, without expectation of reward. Some students helped disabled children. Others assisted derelicts on Skid Row. Many volunteered to work on suicide hot lines, hoping to find the Lianis before it was too late.
I went with one of my students, Joel, to a nursing home not far from U.S.C. A number of aged people were lying in beds in old cotton gowns, staring at the ceiling. Joel looked around and then asked, "What"ll I do?" I said, "You see that woman over there? Go say hello,"
He went over and said, "Uh, hello."
She looked at him suspiciously for a minute. "Are you a relative?"
"No."
"Good! Sit down, young man."
Oh, the things she told him! This woman knew so much about love, pain, suffering. Even about approaching death, with which she had to make some kind of peace. But no one had cared about listening—until Joel. He started visiting her once a week. Soon, that day began to be known as "Joel"s Day." He would come and all the old people would gather.
Then the elderly woman asked her daughter to bring her in a glamorous dressing gown. When Joel came for his visit, he found her sitting up in bed in a beautiful satin gown, her hair done up stylishly. She hadn"t had her hair fixed in ages: why have your hair done if nobody really sees you? Before long, others in the ward were dressing up for Joel.
The years since I began Love Class have been the most exciting of my life. While attempting to open doors to love for others, I found that the doors were opening for me.
I ate in a greasy spoon in Arizona not long ago. When I ordered pork chops, somebody said, "You"re crazy, Nobody eats pork chops in a place like this." But the chops were magnificent.
"I"d like to meet the chef," I said to the waitress.
We walked back to the kitchen and there he was, a big, sweaty man. "What"s the matter?" he demanded.
"Nothing. Those pork chops were just fantastic."
He looked at me as though I was out of my mind. Obviously it was hard for him to receive a compliment. Then he said warmly, "Would you like another?"
Isn"t that beautiful? Had I not learned how to be loving, I would have thought nice things about the chef"s pork chops, but probably wouldn"t have told him—just as I had failed to tell Liani how much she had helped me that first day in class. That"s one of the things love is: sharing joy with people.
Another secret of love is knowing that you are yourself special, that in all the world there is only one of you. If I had a magic wand and a single wish, I would wave the wand over everybody and have each individual say, and believe, "I like me, right this minute. Just as I am, and what I can become. I"m great."
The pursuit of love has made a wonder of my life. But what would my existence have been like had I never known Liani? Would I still be stammering out subject matter at students, year after year, with little concern about the vulnerable human beings behind the masks? Who can tell? Liani presented me with the challenge, and I took it up! It has made all the difference.
I wish Liani were here today. I would hold her in my arms and say, "Many people have helped me learn about love, but you gave me the impetus. Thank you. I love you." But I believe my love for Liani has, in some mysterious way already reached her.
英语经典美文13
11. Choosing an Occupation
Hodeslea, Eastbourne,November 5, 1892
Dear Sir,I am very sorry that the pressure of other occupations has prevented me form sending an earlier reply to your letter. In my opinion a man's first duty is to find a way of supporting himself, thereby relieving other people of the necessity of supporting him. Moreover, the learning to so work of practical value in the world, in an exact and careful manner, is of itself, a very important education the effects of which make themselves felt in all other pursuits. The habit of doing that which you do not dare about when you would much rather be doing something else, is invaluable. It would have saved me a frightful waste of time if I had ever had it drilled into me in youth.
Success in any scientific career requires an unusual equipment of capacity, industry, and energy. If you possess that equipment, you will find leisure enough after your daily commercial work is over, to make an opening in the scientific ranks for yourself. If you do not, you had better stick to commerce. Nothing is less to be desired than the fate of a young man who, as the Scotch proverb says, in 'trying to make a spoon spoils a horn," and becomes a mere hanger-on in literature or in science, when he might have been a useful and a valuable member of Society in other occupations.
I think that your father ought to see this letter. (244 words) Yours faithfully
T.H. Huxley
From Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley By Leonard Huxley
英语经典美文14
1.Prose of its very nature is longer than verse,and the virtues peculiar to it manifest themselves gradually. If the cardinal virtue of poetry is love, the cardinal virtue of prose is justice; and, whereas love makes you act and speak on the spur of moment, justice needs inquiry, patience, and a control even of the noblest passions. By justice here I do not mean justice only to particular people or ideas, but a habit of justice in all the processes of thought, a style tranquillized and a form moulded by that habit.
本质上，散文长于韵文，散文独有的品质逐渐显现。若诗歌的主要品质是爱，那散文的主要品质就是正义;而且，尽管爱会让你一时心血来潮的去动作和表达，但正义则需要质询，耐心和对强烈感情的控制。这里所说的正义，并非专对某些人或思想，正义是所有思想过程中的习惯，以及由此习惯铸就的形态和沉静的.风格。
2.The master of prose is not cold, but will not let any word or image inflame him with a heat irrelevant to his purpose. Unhasting, unresting, he pursues it, subduing all the riches of his mind to it, rejecting all beauties that are not germane to it; making his own beauty out of the very accomplishment of it, out of the whole work and its proportions, so that you must read to the end before you know that it is beautiful.
散文大家并不冷漠，但也不会因头脑发热，让任意与其目的无关的词汇或形象扰乱自己。从容不迫，坚持不懈，他追寻着它，献出自己毕生的智慧，赶走所有与它无关的浮华。成就散文创造自己的美，美渗透于整体和部分，所以你只有把它读完，才能发现它的美。
3.But he has his reward, for he is trusted and convinces, as those who are at the mercy of their own eloquence do not; and he gives a pleasure all the greater for being hardly noticed. In the best prose, whether narrative or argument, we are so led on as we read, that we do not stop to applaud the writer, nor do we stop to question him.
但他也有所回报，因为人们信任他，他也使人们信服，这正是那些靠口才的人所不能得到的;他不露声色而给人更大的愉悦。最好的散文，无论是叙述或辩论，都使我们着迷，已无心停下来为作者叫好，亦或质询什么。
英语经典美文15
青春奇妙无穷,充满魅力,充满痛楚.青春年少的时候根本不知青春为何物,直到青春一去不复返了才对青春有了真正的认识。
Man's youth is a wonderful thing: it is so full of anguish and of magic and he nevr comes to know it as it is, until it has gone from him forever. It is the thing he cannot bear to lose, it is the thing whose passing he watches with infinite sorrow and regret, it is the thing whose loss with a sad and secret joy, the thing he would never willingly relive again, could it be restored to him by any magic.
青春奇妙无穷,充满魅力,充满痛楚.青春年少的时候根本不知青春为何物,直到青春一去不复返了才对青春有了真正的认识.谁都想让青春永驻,不忍青春离去;眼睁睁地看着青春流逝,心中会涌起无穷的忧伤和惋惜;青春的失去是人们永远感到悲哀的事;青春的失去是人们真正觉得悲喜交集的事;即便奇迹出现青春复苏,谁都不会心甘情愿重度青春的岁月。
Why is this? The reason is that the strange and bitter miracle of life is nowhere else so evident as in our youth. And what is the essence of that strange and bitter miracle of life which we feel so poignant, so unutterable, with such a bitter pain and joy, when we are young? It is this: that being rich, we are so poor; that being mighty, we can yet have nothing; that seeing, breathig, smelling, tasting all around us the impossible wealth and glory of this earth, feeling with an intolerable certitude that the whole structure of the enchanted life – the most fortunate, wealthy, good, and happy life that any man has ever known – is ours – is ours at once, immediately and forever, the moment that we choose to take a step, or stretch a hand, or say a word- we yet know that we can reeally keep, hold, take, and possess forever- nothing. All passes; nothing lasts: the moment that we put our hand upon it , it melts away like smoke, is gone forever, and the snake is eating at our heart again; we see then what we are and what our lives must come to.
为什么如此?因为在青春时代,生活充满了奇特而辛酸的不可思议的事.我们在青春年少时带着悲喜交集的心情,十分强烈而不可名状地感受到人生的奇特辛酸/不可思议的.经历.其实质是什么呢? 其实质是这样的:青春年少的时候,虽然殷实富足,却非常贫穷;虽然力气强大,却一无所有;世间的富贵荣华触目皆是,简直可以呼吸到,闻到嗅到,还可以品尝到,心中的自信按捺不住,深切地感受到整个被陶醉了的生活——人类迄今为止所直到的最幸运/最富有的美好幸福的生活,只要我们决定向前迈步,奋发努力,便立即归我们所有了,并将永远属于我们.然而,我们知道,我们真的永远不能抓到什么,永远不能获得什么,永远不能占有什么.一切匆匆过去,荡然无存.我们一出手它就烟消云散,飘然而去,一去不复返了.于是,心中泛起阵阵隐痛,看到了自己真实的面孔,看到了自己未来生活的必然走向。
A young man is so strong, so mad, so certain, and so lost. He has everything and he is able to use nothing. He hurls the great shoulder of his strength forever against phantasmalbarriers, he is a wave whose power explodes in lost mid – oceans under timeless skies, here-aches out to grip a fume of painted smoke, he wants all, feels the thirst and power foreverything, and finally gets nothing. In the end, he is destroyed by his own strength, devoured by his own hunger, impoverished by his own wealth. Thoughtless of money or the accumulation of material possessions, he is none the less defeated in the end by his own greed a greed that makes the avarice of King Midas seem paltry by comparison.
青年人非常坚强,狂热自信,但容易迷惘混沌,虽然机缘无数,却把握不住,虽然身强体壮,试图冲破重重虚幻的屏障,却如同一个波浪,最终还是无力地消失在旷远浩淼的大海中央,他伸出手想要抓住斑斓的云烟,他想得到世间的万物,渴望主宰一切,最终却是一无所获.最后,他被自己的力量所毁灭,被自己的饥饿所吞食,被自己的财富弄得贫穷潦倒.他对金钱或财富的积累不以为意漫不经心,然而最终还是被自己的贪欲所吞噬。
And that is the reason why, when youth is gone, every man will look back upon that period of his life with infinite sorrow and regret. It is the bitter sorrow and regret of a man who knows that once he had a great talent and wasted it , of a man who knows that once he had a great treasure and got nothing from it , of a man who knows that he had strength enough for everything and never used it.
青春消逝,蓦然回首,无论是谁,心中都会充满无尽的忧伤,充满无穷的懊悔.曾经才智卓越,却白白浪费了,曾经财富殷实,却一无所有,曾经本事高强,却从未利用.一个认识到自己失落青春的人回忆起来总是充满悲伤和懊悔。
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