經典英文文章閱讀
閱讀是人們獲取資訊的一種重要手段,也是現代社會中人們生存和發展所必備的一項社會文化技能。下面是小編帶來的,歡迎閱讀!
1
Morrie:My Old Professor
莫里:我的老教授
Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.
你曾真正擁有一位良師嗎? 一位認為你雖然未加雕琢卻彌足珍貴的老師,一位 視你為珠寶,認為你充滿智慧並能打磨出驕傲光芒的老師?如果你足夠幸運能找到這樣的老師,你將總會找到回來的路。
My old professor’s death sentence came in the summer of 1994. Doctors guessed he had two years left. Morrie knew it was less. But my old professor had made a profound decision, one he began to construct the day he came out of the doctor’s office with a sword hanging over his head.0 Do I wither up and disappear, or do I make the best of my time left? He had asked himself. He would not wither. He would not be ashamed of dying. Instead, he would make death his final project, the center point of his days. Since everyone was going to die, he could be of great value, right? He could be researched. A human textbook. Study me in my slow and patient demise. Watch what happens to me. Learn with me. Morrie would walk that final bridge between life and death, and narrate the trip.
我的老教授的死亡判決是在1994年的夏天下達的。醫生估計他還有兩年的時 間,而莫里知道他的時日還要更短。但我的老教授作出了一個重大決定,這個決定 是在他頭頂懸著利劍、走出診所的那天就開始醞釀的。我就這樣枯竭下去直到消亡 嗎?還是充分利用所剩下的時間?他問自己。他不甘心枯竭而死。他絕不會因為死 亡而羞愧,相反,他要把死亡當做他最後的課題,作為他餘生的主要功課。既然每 個人都有一死,他為何不能死有所值呢?他可以讓別人去研究。他可以成為一本關 於人的教科書。研究我緩慢而耐心的死亡過程,觀察在我身上發生的一切,從我這 兒學到點什麼。莫里將走過最後那座連線生與死的橋樑,並講述這段旅程。
The last class of my old professor’s life had only one student. I was the student. The last class took place once a week in his house, by a window in the study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink leaves. The class met on Tuesdays. It began after breakfast. The subject was The Meaning of Life. It was taught from experience. No grades were given, but there were oral exams each week. You were expected to respond to questions, and you were expected to pose questions of your own. You were also required to perform physical tasks now and then, such as lifting the professor’s head to a comfortable spot on the pillow or placing his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Kissing him good-bye earned you extra credit. No books were required, yet many topics were covered, including love, work, community, family, aging, forgiveness, and, finally, death.
我的老教授一生中的最後一門課只有一個學生。我就是那個學生。最後一門課 程每星期在他家裡上一次,就在書房的窗前,他在那兒可以看到淡紅色的樹葉從一 棵小木槿上掉落下來。上課的時間是每個星期二,吃完早餐便開始。課的主題是生 活的意義,這是用他的親身經歷來教授的。不打分數,但每星期都有口試。你得準 備回答問題,還得準備提出自己的問題。你還要不時幹一些體力活,比如把教授的 頭在枕頭上挪動一下,或者把眼鏡架到他的鼻樑上。分別時親吻他能得到額外的 學分。課堂上不需要教材,但涉及的題目很多,包括愛情、工作、社會、家庭、衰 老、諒解,以及最後的話題——死亡。
I look back sometimes at the person I was before I rediscovered my old professor.I want to talk to that person. I want to tell him what to look out for, what mistakes to avoid. I want to tell him to be more open, to ignore the lure of advertised values, to pay attention when your loved ones are speaking,as if it were the last time you might hear them. Mostly I want to tell that person to get on an airplane and visit a gentle old man in West Newton, Massachusetts sooner rather than later, before that old man gets sick and loses his ability to dance. I know I cannot do this. None of us can undo what we’ve done, or relive a life already recorded. But if Professor Morris Schwartz taught me anything at ail, it was this: there is no such thing as “too late” in life. He was changing until the day he said good-bye.
有時,我會回想在我再次找到老教授之前的那個自己。我想和過去的自己談一 談。我想告訴他應該追尋什麼,應該避免哪些錯誤。我想告訴他要更加寬容,要忽 視商業價值的誘惑,要注意傾聽所愛之人的言語,就彷彿這是你最後一次聽他們說 話一樣。而我最想告訴他的是:乘飛機去看望住在馬薩諸塞州西紐頓的那個溫柔的 老人吧,宜早不宜遲,在那個老人生病之前,在他失去跳舞能力之前就去拜訪他 吧!我知道我不能這樣做了。沒有人能讓我們回到從前,把過去重新來過,把已經 逝去的生命重新喚醒。但是,如果莫里?斯瓦茲教授教給我了什麼,那就是:生活 中永遠沒有“太遲”。直到他與世長辭的最後一刻他都沒有停止改變。
2
If You Can't Get a Miracle, Become One
如果你不能得到奇蹟,就讓自己成為奇蹟
People often expect someone with a severe disability to be inactive, maybe even angry and withdrawn. I like to surprise them by showing that I lead a very adventurous and fulfilling existence. Despite my physical limitations, I'm living as though I have no limits.
人們常常認為一個有著嚴重殘疾的人應該是消極的, 甚至也許脾氣暴躁、沉默寡言。而我想令他們涼訝,我要向他們展示我的生活極具冒險色彩。並且富有成就。儘管我沒有四肢,有著嚴重的身體缺陷,但我就像沒有限制一樣生活著。
I often ask myself the very question: "Nick, how can you be so happy?" Here is my answer: I found happiness when I realized that as imperfect as I may be, I am the perfect Nick Vujicic. I am God's creation, designed according to His plan for me. That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement. I'm always trying to be better so I can better serve Him and the world!
我經常問自己:“力克,你怎麼能如此幸福呢?”這就是我的回答:當我意識到雖然我可能並不完美,但我是完美的力克·胡哲時,我找到了幸福。上帝根據他對我的計劃創造了我,這並不是說我沒有改進的空間了,我一直在盡力做到更好,這樣才能更好地服務於上帝和世界。
I do believe my life has no limits. I want you to feel the same way about your life, no matter what your challenges may be. As we begin our journey together, please take a moment to think about any limitations you've placed on your life or that you've allowed others to place on it. Now think about what it would be like to free of those limitations. What would your life be if anything were possible?
我確實相信我的人生沒有侷限。我希望不論面對什麼挑戰,你對你的人生也有著和我相同的感觸。當我們一起開始旅行時,請花上一小會兒,想想你曾經給自己的人生設定的所有限制,或者你曾經允許別人對你的人生施加的限制。現在想想如果沒有那些限制,人生會是怎樣?如果一切皆有可能.你的人生會是怎樣?
I'm officially disabled, but I'm truly enabled because of my lack of limbs. My unique challenges have opened up unique opportunities to reach so many in need. Just imagine what is possible for you!
我身患殘疾,但因為沒有四肢,我真的無所不能。非同尋常的挑戰賦子我非同尋常的機會,走到眾多需要我的人身邊。只要想象一下你可能做什麼!
Too often we tell ourselves we aren't smart enough or attractive enough or talented enough to pursue our dreams. We buy into what others say about us, or we put restrictions on ourselves. What's worse is that when you consider yourself unworthy, you are putting limits on how God can work through you!
我們常常告訴自己我們不夠聰明,或者不夠有吸引力,或者天賦不夠,不能追求夢想。我們接受別人對我們的看法,或者我們自己限制自己。更糟糕的是,當你認為自己毫無價值時,你是在限制上帝在你身上能取得的收穫!
When you give up on your dreams, you put God in a box. After all, you are His creation. He made you for a purpose. Therefore your life cannot be limited any more than God's love can be contained.
當你放棄夢想,你把上帝放在了盒子裡。畢竟,你是他的創作。他創造你是有用意的。所以,正如上帝的愛不能被限制一樣,你的生活也不能被限制。
I have a choice. You have a choice. We can choose to dwell on disappointments and shortcomings. We can choose to be bitter, angry, or sad. Or when faced with hard times and hurtful people, we can choose to learn from the experience and move forward, taking responsibility for our own happiness.
我有一個選擇。你有一個選擇。我們可以選擇對失望之事和自身缺點耿耿於懷,我們可以選擇痛苦、生氣或者悲傷。或者當面對艱難困苦和傷害自己的人時,我們可以選擇從這種經歷中學習,勇往直前,如此才能為自己的幸福負責。
As God's child, you are beautiful and precious, worth more than all the diamonds in the world. You and I are perfectly suited to be who we were meant to be! Even still, it should always be our goal to become an even better person and stretch out boundaries by dreaming big. Adjustments are necessary along the way because life isn't always rosy, but it is always worth living. I'm here to tell you that no matter what your circumstances may be, as long as you are breathing, you have a contribution to make.
作為上帝的孩子,你是美麗和珍貴的,價值超過世界上所有的鑽石。你和我都完全適合成為上帝希望我們成為的人!即使如此,我們要成為更優秀的人,要有遠大的理想,衝破重重侷限,這應該永遠是我們的目標。人生旅程中,調整是必要的,因為生活並非一直燦爛美好,但活著永遠是值得的。我在這裡告訴你,不管你的情況如何,只要你在呼吸,你都要有所貢獻。
I can't put a hand on your shoulder to reassure you, but I can speak from the heart. However desperate your life may seem, there is hope. As bad as circumstances appear, there are better days ahead. No matter how dire your circumstances may appear, you can rise above them. l'o wish for change will change nothing. To make the decision to take action right now will change everything!
我不能把一隻手放在你的肩上安慰你,但我可以對你說心底的話。不論生活有似多麼絕望,總會有希望。不論情況顯得多麼糟糕.光明的日子總在前方。不論境遇看來多麼可怕,你定能一一超越。希望改變不會改變任何事物,只有現在就下定決心,採取行動,才能改變一切!
All events come together for the good. I'm certain of that because it's been true in my life. What good is a life without limbs? Just by looking at me, people know that I faced and overcame many obstacles and hardships. That makes them willing to listen to me as a source of inspiration. They allow me to share my faith, to tell them they are loved, and to give them hope.
世間一切事情皆為美好而來。對此我堅信不疑,因為我的生命便是如此。沒有四肢的人生有什麼好呢?只要看看我.人們就知道我曾經面對過多少障礙和艱難,我戰勝過多少障礙和艱難,這令他們願意傾聽我的聲音,並視之為激發他們生命鬥志的源泉。他們讓我和他們一起分享我的信念,讓我告訴他們自己是被愛著的,讓我給他們以希望。
That is my contribution. It's important to recognize your own value. Know that you also have something to contribute. If you feel frustrated right now, that's okay. Your sense of frustration means you want more for your life than you have right now. That's all good. Often it's the challenges in life that show us who we are truly meant to be.
這就是我的貢獻。重要的是要認識到自己的價值,知道你也能有所貢獻。如果現在你感到沮喪,沒關係。挫折感意味著你想為自己的生活擁有比現在更多的事物,這非常好。常常正是生活中的挑戰告訴我們真正要成為什麼樣的人。