精選英語美文閱讀摘抄
在英語課上實施輕鬆愉悅的課外美文閱讀,可以很好地緩解學生平時學習帶來的壓力。下面小編整理了英語美文精選，希望大家喜歡!
英語美文精選摘抄
The Shoe Tacks
鞋釘
The hardworking blacksmith Jones used to work all day in his shop and so hard working was he that at times he would make the sparks fly from his hammer. The son of Mr. Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see the blacksmith everyday and for hours and hours he would enjoy himself watching how the tradesman worked.
瓊斯是個非常勤勞的鐵匠，常常一整天都在店裡工作。他工作非常努力，有時候火花會從他的錘子下飛舞而出。鄰居史密斯先生很有錢，他的兒子常常每天都來看鐵匠工作。他喜歡觀看這位工匠工作，並且一看就是連續幾個小時。
"Young man, why don't you try your hand to learn to make shoe tacks, even if it is only to pass the time?" said the blacksmith. "Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you." The lazy boy began to see what he could do. But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.
“年輕人，為什麼不親自嘗試一下如何製作鞋釘呢，哪怕只是為了消磨時間而已?”鐵匠說，“說不準，有一天它會對你有用的。” 懶懶的孩子開始想看看自己到底能做什麼。然而，僅僅經過很短的練習，他便發現自己非常熟練起來，很快他就做出了最好的鞋釘。
Old Mr. Smith died and the son on account of the war lost all his goods. He had to leave home and was forced to take up residence in another country. It so happened that in this village there were numerous shoemakers who were spending a lot of money to buy tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers' shoes.
老史密斯先生去世了，而他的兒子則因為戰爭的緣故失去了所有的財產。他不得不離開家園，在另外一個國家住了下來。巧的是，這個國家的這個地區，急需大量軍鞋，所以這個村子裡有很多鞋匠，他們總是花費很多錢購買鞋釘。有時，即使付了很高的價錢，也買不到他們想要的鞋釘。
Our young Mr. Smith, who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread, remembered that once upon a time he had learned the art of making tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers. He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in his workshop. The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer. And after a while, Mr. Smith found that he was soon making the finest tacks in the village. "How funny it seems," he used to say, "even making tacks can bring a fortune. My trade is more useful to me than were all my former riches."
在這食不果腹的困難時刻，年輕的史密斯記起自己曾學過製鞋釘這門手藝，便突發奇想，想和這些鞋匠們做一個交易。他對他們說，如果他們可以幫助他成立一個店鋪，他就可以做鞋釘。鞋匠們對他的這一提議欣喜若狂。很快，史密斯發現他做的鞋釘是村裡面最好的。“看起來可真有趣，”他常常會說，“即便是做鞋釘也會帶來財富。與我以前所有的財富相比，我現在的生意更有用，更有益。”
英語美文精選鑑賞
The World Is a Money-locker
世界是個錢櫃
When Boris left school, he could not find a job. He tried hard and pestered his relatives, but they had problems of their own. He answered advertisements until he could not afford to buy any more stamps. More than twenty chief clerks told him in different ways that they were sorry but that there were no vacancies. Some commented on his lack of education; others told him to try again later, thinking that they had got rid of him.
鮑瑞斯從學校畢業後，沒能找到工作。他努力尋職，同時也纏著他的親戚幫他找，但是他們也被自己的問題所困擾。他不停地發求職信以應聘各種招工廣告提供的職位，直到他再也買不起郵票為止。其中，有二十多家招聘單位的主管以不同的方式回覆他，“抱歉，目前沒有空缺職位。”還有一些單位認為他缺乏教育資歷;另一些則告訴他以後再來試試看，但心裡卻暗想總算把他打發走了。
Boris grew annoyed, then depressed, then a little hardened. Still he went on trying and still he failed. He began to think that he had no future at all.
鮑瑞斯先是感到惱火，後來變得沮喪，再後來就變得有些麻木了。但他依舊繼續找工作，結果依舊屢遭失敗。他開始認為自己根本就沒有什麼前途了。
"Why don't you start your own business?" one of his uncles told him. "The world is a money-locker. You'd better find a way of opening it."
“你幹嗎不自己做生意呢?”他的一個叔叔告訴他，“這個世界便是個錢櫃，你最好去找一個辦法，來開啟這個錢櫃。”
"But what can I do?"
“但我能幹些什麼呢?”
"Get out and have a look round," advised his uncle in a vague sort of way. "See what people want; then give it to them, and they will pay for it."
“出去，四處瞧瞧，”叔叔馬馬虎虎地建議他，“看看人們需要什麼，你就提供什麼，那樣人們就會掏錢購買的。”
Boris began to cycle around the town and found a suitable piece of a waste ground in the end. Then he set up his business as a cycle repairer. He worked hard, made friends with his customers and gradually managed to build up his goodwill and profit. After a few months, he saved enough money to be able to buy various accessories which he displayed at his site. A few months later, he found that he had more work than he could deal with by himself. He found a number of empty shops but they were all no good: in the wrong position, too expensive or with some other snag. But at long last, he managed to find an empty shop on a new estate where there were plenty of customers but no competition.
鮑瑞斯開始騎車，在整個城鎮轉來轉去，最後他發現了一塊合適的荒地。隨後他在這片荒地上創立了自己的修車攤生意。他工作勤勤懇懇，與顧客結交朋友，逐漸樹立了自己的良好信譽，積累了資金。數月之後，他攢足了錢，購買了各種各樣的配件，並把買來的配件整齊地擺在地攤上。又過了幾個月，他發現他的生意很多，一個人已經應接不暇。因此，他開始四處尋找空鋪面。他看過數家空鋪面房，但都不理想，不是位置不合適，就是價格太貴，或有其他意想不到的不便。但最終，他在一塊新開發的地段上找到了一家空鋪面房，此處客源充足，而且競爭較少。
Boris and his assistant taught themselves how to repair scooters and motor-cycles. Slowly but surely the profits increased and the business developed.
鮑瑞斯和他的助手在工作中自學瞭如何維修小型摩托車和摩托車。利潤逐漸、穩定地增長，生意也漸漸興隆起來。
At last, Boris had managed to open the money-locker and found bank notes and gold coins inside.
鮑瑞斯終於設法打開了世界這個錢櫃，並且從中找到了鈔票和金幣。
英語美文精選賞析
Are You Rich?
您富有嗎?
It was Thanksgiving morning and in the crowded kitchen of my small home I was busy preparing the traditional Thanksgiving turkey when the doorbell rang. I opened the front door and saw two small children in rags huddling together inside the storm door on the top step.
感恩節的早晨，狹小的家裡。我正在擁擠的廚房裡忙著烹調傳統特色的感恩節火雞。突然，門鈴響了。我開啟前門，只見兩個衣衫襤褸的小孩 蜷縮著相互偎依在我家擋風門棟裡的最高臺階上。
"Any old papers, lady?"
"太太，請問您有舊報紙嗎?"
I was busy. I wanted to say no — until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals, sopped with sleet.
當時，我正忙得不可開交。我本來想對他們說沒有，但當我看到他們腳上只穿著一雙被冰雪浸溼得再單薄不過的便鞋時，我改變了主意。
"Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa."
"進屋來吧，我來給你們煮一杯熱可可茶。"
There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone. I served them cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household budget.
他們一聲不響地跟我進了屋，他們浸溼的便鞋在爐邊留下了一連串的腳印。我給他們端上可可茶和果醬麵包，以便幫助他們抵禦外面的風寒。然後我回到了廚房，又開始了我的家庭理財工作。
The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, "Lady ... are you rich?"
前屋裡一片沉默，這讓我感到很奇怪。我向屋裡望去，只見小女孩手裡端著空茶杯，認真地凝視著它。小男孩則平靜地問道：“太太，您富有嗎 ?"
"Am I rich? Mercy, no!" I looked at my shabby slipcovers. The girl put her cup back in its saucer — carefully.
"我富有嗎? 天哪，我可算不上。"我盯著那破舊的沙發套說道。這時，那個小女孩非常小心地把杯子放回茶碟裡。
"Your cups match your saucers."
"您的杯子和茶碟非常相配。"
Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach. They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn't said thank you. They didn't need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched.
她說話的聲音聽起來很成熟，並帶著一種飢渴，而這種飢渴卻非出於對食物的飢渴。然後，他們抱著舊報紙，頂著風雪離開了。他們甚至連一聲"謝謝"都沒有說。其實，他們根本沒有必要說。他們的表現已經勝過了道謝。非常樸素的一對藍色陶瓷杯碟，但它們確實很相配。
I tasted the potatoes and stirred the gravy. Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job — these things matched, too.
我品嚐了一下鍋裡煮著的土豆，然後又攪拌了幾下肉汁。棕色肉湯加土豆，遮風擋雨的房子，擁有一份穩定工作的丈夫——這一切的一切同樣也很匹配。
I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my hearth. I let them be. I want them there in case I ever forget again how very rich I am.
我把椅子從爐邊向後拉開些，然後將起居室整理乾淨。爐邊留下的泥腳印還沒有幹。其實，我想讓它們留在那裡。想讓它們留在那裡，以便提醒我不要忘記我是多麼的富有。