名家名篇經典英語美文摘抄

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  名家名篇經典英語美文:個性的表露

  A most curious and useful thing to realize is that one never knows the impression one is creating on otherpeople. One may often guess pretty accurately whether it is good, bad, or indifferent — some people render it unnecessary for one to guess, they practically inform one — but that is not what I mean. I mean muchmore than that. I mean that one has one's self no mental picture corresponding to the mental picture whichone's personality leaves in the minds of one's friends. Has it ever struck you that there is a mysterious individual going around, walking the streets, calling at houses for tea, chatting, laughing, grumbling, arguing, and that all your friends know him and have long since added him up and come to a definite conclusion about him — without saying more than a chance, cautious word to you; and that that person is you? Supposing that you came into a drawing room where you were having tea, do you think you would recognize yourself as an individuality? I think not. You would be apt to say to yourself as guests do when disturbed in drawing rooms by other guests: “Who's this chap? See ms rather queer. I hope he won't be a bore.” And yourfirst telling would be slightly hostile. Why, even when you meet yourself in an unsuspected mirror in the very clothes that you have put on that very day and that you know by heart, you are almost always shocked by the realization that you are you. And now and then, when you have gone to the glass to arrange your hair in the full sobriety of early morning, have you not looked on an absolute stranger, and has not that stranger piqued your curiosity? And if it is thus with precise external details of form, colour, and movement, what may it not be with the vague complex effect of the mental and moral individuality?

  A man honestly tries to make a good impression. What is the result? The result merely is that his friends,in the privacy of their minds, set him down as a man who tries to make a good impression. If much depends on the result of a sing le interview, or a couple of interviews, a man may conceivably force another to accept an impression of himself which he would like to convey. But if the receiver of the impression is to have time at his disposal, then the giver of the impression may just as well sit down and put his hands in his pockets, for nothing that he can do will modify or influence in any way the impression that he will ultimately give. The real impress is, in the end, given unconsciously, not consciously; and further, it is received unconsciously, not consciously. It depends partly on both persons. And it is immutably fixed beforehand. There can be no final deception…

  一件認識起來很奇異也很受益的事是,一個人常常不清楚別人對他的印象是什麼。是好呢,是壞呢,還是不好不壞,這些倒是能夠十分準確地猜測出來——有些人甚至沒有必要讓你去猜測,他們差不多就講給你聽了——但是我想要說的不是這個。我想要說的遠不止這個。我想要說的是,一個人頭腦中對自己的印象和他本人在他朋友們頭腦中的印象,往往很不一致。你曾經想到這樣的事嗎?——世上有那麼一個詭異的人,到處跑來跑去,上街訪友,又說又笑,口出怨言,大發議論,他的朋友都對他很熟悉,對他早已知根知底,對他的看法早有定論——但除了偶爾且謹慎的隻言片語外,平時卻很少對你透露。而那個人就是你自己。比如,你走進一家客廳去喝茶,你敢說你便能認得這個人就是你自己嗎?我看不一定。很可能,你也會像客廳裡的客人那樣,當你難以忍受其他客人的騷擾時心裡就盤算說:“這是哪個傢伙,真是怪異。但願他少討人嫌。”你的第一個反應就是略帶敵意。甚至就連你突然在一面鏡子前面遇到了你自己,穿的衣服也正是你心裡記得很清楚的那天的服裝,怎麼樣,你還是會因為認出了你是你這件事而感到吃驚。還有當你有時到鏡子前去整理頭髮時,儘管是在最清醒的大清早時刻,你不是也好像瞥見一個完全陌生的人嗎?而且這陌生人還讓你頗為好奇呢。如果說連形式顏色動作這類外觀準確的細節都是這樣,那麼對於像心智和道德這種不易把握的複雜效果又將怎樣呢?

  有人真心實意地去努力留下一個好印象。但結果怎樣呢,不過是被他的朋友們在內心深處認為他是一個刻意給人留下好印象的人。如果一切只憑著單獨會一次面或見幾次面,——這個人倒很能迫使另一個人接受他本人希望造成的某種印象。但是如果接受印象的人有足夠的時間來自由支配,那麼印象的給予者就乾脆束手靜坐了,因為他的所有招數都絲毫改變不了或影響不了他最終所造成的印象。真正的印象是在結尾,是無意而不是刻意造成的。同時,它也是無意而不是刻意接受的。它的形成要靠雙方,而且是事先就已經確定的,最終的欺騙是不可能的……

  名家名篇經典英語美文:關於純樸

  Simplicity is an uprightness of soul that has no reference to self; it is different from sincerity,and itis a still higher virtue. We see many people who are sincere, without being simple; theyonly wish to passfor what they are, and they are unwilling to appear what they are not; theyare always thinking of themselves, measuring their words, and recalling their thoughts, andreviewing their actions, from the fear that they have done too much or too little. These personsare sincere, but they are simple; they are not at ease with others, and others are not at easewith them; they are not free, ingenuous, natural; we prefer people who are less correct, lessperfect, and who are less artificial. This is the decision of man, and it isthe judgment of God,who would not have us so occupied with ourselves, and thus, as it were, always arranging ourfeatures in a mirror.

  To be wholly occupied with others, never to look within, is the state of blindness of those whoare entirely engrossed by what is present and addressed to their senses; this is the veryreverse of simplicity. To be absorbed in self in whatever engages us, whether we are laboringfor our fellow beings or for God-to bewise in our own eyes reserved, and full of ourselves,troubled at the least thing that disturbs our self-complacency, is the opposite extreme. Thisis false wisdom, which, with all its glory, is but little less absurd than that folly, which pursuesonly pleasure. The one is intoxicated with all it sees around it; theother with all that it imaginesit has within; but it is delirium in both. To be absorbed in the contemplation of our ownminds is really worse than to be engrossed by outward things, because it appears like wisdomand yet is not, we do not think of curing it, we pride ourselves upon it, we prove of it, it givesus an unnatural strength, it is a sort of frenzy, we are not conscious of it, we are dying, andwe think ourselves in health.

  Simplicity consists in a just medium, in which we are neither too much excited, nor toocomposed. The soulis not carried away by outward things, so that it cannot make all necessaryreflections; neither does it make those continual references to self, that a jealous sense of itsown excellence multiplies to infinity.That freedom of the soul, which looks straight onward inits path, losing no time to reason upon its steps, to study them, or to contemplate those thatit has already taken, is true simplicity.

  名家名篇經典英語美文:伊拉克戰爭中犧牲戰士寫給兒子的信

  To son, Cecil,

  Just a quick note preface before I start in earnest. When I wrote this you were 8, still a little boy. In 2002, I was called to active duty in the Marine Corps in the War on Terrorism. On the 11th of September 2001 when America was attacked, I knew that I would eventually have to go and I was filled with a deep senseof sadness. That night as you and Keiko were asleep, I looked at your little faces and couldn’t help but fight the tears. I knew it would be hard for you because I had a similar experience. When I was a little boy aged 6, my Dad, your Grandpa Cawley, was sent to Vietnam during the War there. I remember how much I missed him, too. But now unfortunately I have come to realise just how rough it must have been for Grandpa to be away from his children for a year. Thinking about this, I wanted to put my thoughts and feelings downfor you and your sister. I am so sorry that I had to leave for such a long time. There is no place I wouldrather be than with you and Keiko. You two are the lights of my life. I have known no greater joy than in the few years since you two were born. I hope to have many more years with you. If this doesn’t happen, then know that I love you more than words can express. If for some reason I don’t make it home, I will need you to take care of your little sister and your Mom. You will be the Man of the Cawley family. Be good my son and God will watch over you as he has me. I will be waiting impatiently for the time when we can allbe together again.

  All my love, Dad

  ***Two days after Cawley’s death, his last letter arrived at his family’s home in Utah. Written on the packaging of an MRE Meal Ready to Eat, the US military’s frontline ration it consisted of a message in Japanese to his wife and his final words to his children.***

  Dear Cecil and Keiko,

  Hi little guys. How are you? Daddy is fine. I miss you. Send me a letter okay. It will make me very happy.I am proud of you. You are such good kids. I will see you again.

  Love, Daddy -

  給兒子塞西爾:

  在正式開始前先簡單說幾句。 當我寫這封信的時候,你才8歲,還是一個小男孩。2002年,我被徵召在海軍陸戰隊服現役,參加反恐戰爭。2001年9月11日美國遭受襲擊之時,我便知道我終究是要走的,我為此感到深深的悲哀。那天晚上,當你和惠子熟睡之際,我看著你們的小臉蛋,強忍著眼中的淚水。我知道接下來的日子對你們會是艱難的,因為我也有過類似的經歷。當我還是一個6歲的孩子的時候,我爸爸,也就是你們的爺爺考利,被派往越南參加那裡的戰爭。我還記得當時我也是多麼地想念他。然而不幸的是,現在我開始體會到,你爺爺離開自己的孩子們一年之久,該是多麼痛苦的事情。想到這些,我打算把我的想法和感受給你和你妹妹寫下來。我非常難過不得不離開這麼長時間。除了與你和惠子在一起,我哪兒也不願去。你們倆是我生命中的光芒。你們倆來到這個世界後的這幾年,是我生命中最快樂的時光。我希望還可以和你們一起度過更多的歲月。如果事情沒能如此,我希望你們知道我對你們的愛無法言傳。如果因故我不能再回到家裡,我需要你來照顧你妹妹和媽媽。你將是考利家族的男人。乖一點,我的孩子,如果上帝將我收回,他會照看你的。我會焦急地等待著我們全家重聚的那一天。

  我全部的愛, 爸爸

  ***在考利陣亡後2天,他最後的家書到達了他在猶他州的家。信是寫在美軍前線士兵配給的快餐包裝紙上的。信中有用日文寫給妻子的留言,以及給孩子們的絕筆。***

  親愛的塞西爾和惠子:

  嗨,小傢伙們。你們好嗎?爸爸很好。我想念你們。給我來封信好嗎?那會讓我非常開心的。我為你們而自豪。你們都是這麼好的孩子。我會與你們重聚的。

  愛你們的爸爸