第一篇:新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語綜合教程3課文翻譯1-6
譯文
第一單元 友誼的真諦
米歇爾·E·多伊爾
馬克·K·史密斯 我們探討友誼這個概念時,遇到的第一個問題是,沒有社會公認(rèn)的擇友標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。在某一情境下,我們會把某個人稱為朋友;然而,情境一旦變遷,朋友這個稱呼就顯得沒那么貼切了。因此,人們對友誼的真諦的理解往往是非常膚淺的。為了幫助我們理解友誼的真正含義,我們需要回顧有關(guān)友誼的幾種傳統(tǒng)的看法。
一種傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀在古希臘著名的哲學(xué)家亞里士多德的著作里得以闡述。他將自己心目中真正的友誼同另外兩種友誼截然分開。這兩種友誼分別是:基于互利的友誼;基于愉悅的友誼。因此,根據(jù)亞里士多德的觀點,我們可以將友誼分為三類:
建立在功利之上的友誼。|功利并非永恒,它依照環(huán)境而變化。友誼的根基一旦消失,友誼也隨之破滅。這類友誼似乎在老人之間最為常見,因為上了年紀(jì)的人需要的不是愉悅而是實用。基于功利的友誼也同樣存在于追逐個人利益的中年人和青年人中。這些人不會在一起消磨時光,因為他們有時甚至不喜歡對方,因而覺得除非可以互相利用,否則沒有交往的必要。只有當(dāng)他們認(rèn)為彼此有希望相互利用的時
候,才會樂于呆在一起。
建立在愉悅之上的友誼。|年輕人之間的友誼常被看作是建立在愉悅基礎(chǔ)之上的,因為年輕人的生活受感情支配,他們感興趣的主要是自己的快樂和眼前的重要機(jī)會。然而,他們的情趣隨著自己日漸成長也會變化,他們交友容易,分手也干脆。年輕人的態(tài)度變化無常,甚至一日數(shù)變,難怪他們的友誼總是迅速地開始,又匆匆地結(jié)束。
建立在美德之上的友誼。|完美無瑕的友誼立足于美德。只有那些品德高尚而且擁有相似美德的人之間建立的友誼才是最完美的。品行高尚的人,其行為是相同的,或者是類似的。愛和友誼多半在品行高尚的人之間發(fā)生,而且以最高雅的形式出現(xiàn)。這種友誼是罕見的,需要時間,需要交
往。常言道,真正的朋友必須同甘共苦,歷經(jīng)風(fēng)雨。只有當(dāng)兩個人互相證明自己值得愛并獲得對方的信任之后,彼此方能接受對方為朋友。交友的意愿可能倏忽而至,但真正的友誼卻要慢慢培養(yǎng)。
另一種傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀可以在古羅馬政治家、演說家西塞羅的著作里找到。西塞羅認(rèn)為,真正的友誼只能在好人之間發(fā)生。他進(jìn)而將“好人”定義為“那些行為和生活無損于自己的榮譽(yù)、純潔、公平和開明的人;那些擺脫了貪婪、欲念和暴力的人;那些敢于依照自己的信念說話和做事的人。”好人之間建立的這種友誼立足于美德,它確實可以帶來物質(zhì)利益,但決不以追求物質(zhì)利益為目標(biāo)。人類生活在以共同的理想為基礎(chǔ)的社會。因此,在處理朋友關(guān)系和其他人際關(guān)系時,優(yōu)越于他人的人必須平等地對待那些沒那么幸運(yùn)的人。美德創(chuàng)造友誼,美德使友誼之樹常青。
我們由此可以看出,傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀由三個要素構(gòu)成:朋友以相伴為樂;朋友必須彼此受益;彼此都有志于崇高的事業(yè)。這些傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀告訴我們,兩個品德高尚的朋友是永不分離的,因為彼此認(rèn)同對方的高尚品德。因此,認(rèn)識朋友就是認(rèn)識自我,了解朋友就是了解自我。可 1 以說朋友就好比是一面鏡子,每個人都可以從朋友身上看清自己。置身于品德高尚的朋友之中,我們會對美德達(dá)成共識,共同為之不遺余力。這樣的友誼是永恒的,因為朋友應(yīng)該具備的一切品質(zhì)都凝結(jié)在這種友誼關(guān)系中。
第二單元 你的愛有多深 有人認(rèn)為愛如浮云 有人認(rèn)為愛堅強(qiáng)如鐵
有人認(rèn)為愛是一種生活方式 有人認(rèn)為愛是一種感覺 有人說愛要執(zhí)著 有人說愛不要約束 有人說愛是生命的全部 有人說不知道愛為何物
在我們生命中的某個階段,我們會經(jīng)歷難以名狀的情 感。這種情感只能體會,無法用語言描述。莫大的喜悅伴隨著絲絲的傷感一同降臨,這就是愛。
在緊張忙碌的生活中,我們竟能找到時間,沉湎于感情之中,這的確令人感佩。然而,此時我想知道:我們是否懂得愛到底有多么深刻。記得上學(xué)的時候,我迷戀的對象真是數(shù)不清:我的數(shù)學(xué)老師、鄰居的兒子、好朋友的弟弟,還有另外一些因為眼睛的顏色、胡子的形狀或走路的姿勢而讓我傾慕的人。年少時的愛慕,不會帶來傷害,如肥皂泡一樣轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。那些稚氣、大膽的想法和行為,現(xiàn)在想來大可一笑了之。但是,在那時,對我來說,沒有比戀愛更重要的事了。接著就進(jìn)入了真正“談”情“說”愛的階段。
我在女子學(xué)校學(xué)習(xí),和男孩子交往的機(jī)會寥寥無幾,因此,我熱切地期待著我們學(xué)校和男子學(xué)校舉辦的交誼會。交誼會上,一群精心打扮的年輕男子毫無顧忌地盯著我們。這三個小時中的點點滴滴,成了我們在以后四個星期中足夠的談資,我們在議論時,心情澎湃。即使是在那個時候,我也沒有真正交男朋友的需要。
在我的成長歲月中,不知何故,我相信愛情該來的時候自然會來。事實果真如此。當(dāng)我有了穩(wěn)定的工作,有了長期的計劃和比較安定的生活(我現(xiàn)在還不到25歲呢!)時,愛情降臨了。我也比較成熟了,能夠步入不貪圖許多回報而需要大量付出的感情關(guān)系。
我的愛情是在友誼這塊地基上建起的高樓大廈。愛情經(jīng)過曠日持久的培養(yǎng)才開花。我和我的戀人相互理解、同甘共苦、相互關(guān)心,投入了豐富的感情,才使愛情發(fā)展到今天。愛情意味著情投意合。你也許會說,我屬于浪漫的傳統(tǒng)派。但是,依我看,愛情需要培養(yǎng)。我們必須把愛情同強(qiáng)烈而短暫的激情或身體的愉悅區(qū)別開來。
我們的父輩,接受了理想愛情的灌輸。那是一個約束、壓抑、崇敬、仰慕和十足浪漫的年代。長裙、嫻靜質(zhì)樸的外表、卷曲的長發(fā)、恬靜的氣質(zhì)、羞怯的目光——這一切常使人想起一個消逝久遠(yuǎn)的年代。那個年代,男女之間的距離無論如何都有助于維持愛情以及戀愛關(guān)系的神圣性。
年輕的一代人,由于觀念開放,隨著男女之間交往界線的消退,他們便急于趕浪頭,匆忙戀愛,以至于難以區(qū)分身體的互相吸引與心靈的相投。我們從媒體中接觸到的人和事,使我們的感情歷程大大加速,要想慢慢地體會自己的感受,確實需要付出努力。
學(xué)校里的青少年在全然沒有感情的關(guān)系中所背負(fù)的感情包袱,令我深感難過。也許有些人會把他們目前的感情狀況歸結(jié)為同齡人之間所施加的壓力。但是,可曾有任何人停下來想一想同齡人之間的壓力來自何處?我們是否嘗試著弄清楚是誰造成了這樣的轉(zhuǎn)變?可曾有人費(fèi)神去研究青少年的心理呢?
從這一代人處理個人生活的方式上,我們很容易看出他們的思想傾向。跟從前相比,現(xiàn)在有更多的情感在欲望的壓力下扭曲。他們更注重外表的美麗而忽視內(nèi)在的魅力。兩性交往隨便了,親密無間卻少了;激情多了,感情卻少了;個人獲得的多了,相互間分享的少了;尋機(jī)
獲利的現(xiàn)象多了,無私的奉獻(xiàn)少了。簡而言之,“自我”多了,愛的分享少了。在這個競爭激烈的年代,我們已經(jīng)變得麻木不仁,將戀愛的實質(zhì)拋于腦后。作為戀愛中的人,不只是意味著把紅色的玫瑰花和五毛錢一張的卡片送給戀人,我們要做的事情還很多。我們將自己的時間、陪伴、支持和友誼作為禮物送給自己的戀人了嗎?我們是否確定了生活中最重要的事情,而后真誠地做好每一件事?我們是否先在情感上成熟起來,再盡情地追求愛情?我們是否給自己、給他人足夠的時間和空間以鞏固戀情的發(fā)展?我們是否為了追求有意義的、永恒的友誼而不遺余力?我們是否履行了自己的承諾?我們是否將自己的精力和感情傾注于終生不渝的關(guān)系而不是浪費(fèi)在朝秦暮楚的關(guān)系中?
人的生命只有一次,我們必須去體驗?zāi)苁刮覀兏鼮閳詮?qiáng)的每件事。真正的愛情一生只有一次。我們?nèi)斡奢p佻的行為令自己身心疲憊,當(dāng)真正的愛情到來時,我們卻沒有能力伸開雙臂迎接它的降臨。
第三單元
追求以公眾利益為宗旨的幸福
在過去的50年里,我們西方國家的經(jīng)濟(jì)獲得了史無前例的增長。我們的家園、車輛、假期、工作、教育,尤其是健康,均得以改善。依據(jù)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)經(jīng)濟(jì)理論,這些改善原本應(yīng)該使我們更加幸福,然而,調(diào)查顯示并非如此。英國人和美國人接受幸福程度的調(diào)查時說,在過去的50年里,他們的幸福程度并沒有得到改善。抑郁癥患者人數(shù)上升,同時犯罪率大幅增長也說明了人們對生活的不滿足。
上述事實對我們個人以及社會優(yōu)先考慮的諸多事情都提出了挑戰(zhàn)。事實上,我們現(xiàn)在的處境是人類從未經(jīng)歷過的。當(dāng)大多數(shù)人還在為溫飽發(fā)愁時,物質(zhì)條件的改善的確能令他們幸福一些。富庶國家(比如,人均年收入在兩萬美元以上)的人民比貧窮國家的人民幸福一些;而貧窮國家的人民,如果稍微富裕,也會幸福得多。然而,物質(zhì)上的匱乏一旦消除,收入的增加便不如親情、友情、鄰里和睦等人際關(guān)系那么重要。但是,我們在追求更高的收入時犧牲了太多這樣的關(guān)系,這很危險。
渴望幸福是人類本性的核心。人人都渴望這樣一個社會:人們盡可能地幸福,每個人的幸福同等重要。這應(yīng)當(dāng)是我們這個時代的人生哲學(xué),應(yīng)當(dāng)用來指導(dǎo)公共利益的維護(hù)準(zhǔn)則和每個人 3 的行為,應(yīng)當(dāng)逐漸取代無法使我們更加幸福的極端的個人主義。
金錢的確是影響個人幸福的關(guān)鍵因素之一。但是,金錢本身能使我們最終獲得幸福嗎?在任何一個社會,富人往往比窮人幸福。然而,當(dāng)一個西方國家越來越富有的時候,其人民的幸福程度在總體上并未得到改善。隨著時間的推移,我們的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)和期望隨著收入的增加而上升。蓋洛普民意測驗每年都向美國人提問:“一個四口之家至少需要多少錢才能在這個國家生活下去?”人們說出的數(shù)字上升的幅度與平均收入增加的幅度是一樣的。因為人們總是拿自己的收入和他人的收入以及他們慣于擁有的收入相比較,只有當(dāng)他們認(rèn)為和平均水準(zhǔn)相比有所上升時才感到幸福。
這一過程反而達(dá)不到預(yù)期的目的。我努力工作、賺更多錢的動力是:這會使我更幸福一些。其他的社會成員也同樣如此,他們也關(guān)注自己相對的生活標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。既然社會整體無法以自己為參照物而提高自己的地位,那么社會成員為使自己更加幸福所付出的努力可以說是一種浪費(fèi)
—— 當(dāng)休閑與工作的天平偏向工作時,工作是“沒有效率”的。
為了進(jìn)一步證實這一論點,我從社會地位方面加以說明。人的地位可能來源于所掙得的收入或所花費(fèi)的金錢。人們工作,至少部分原因是為了提高自己的地位。然而,地位是一種等級體系:第一,第二,第三,等等,所以當(dāng)一個人的地位提高了,其他人的地位就同等程度地下降。這是一種得失平衡的游戲:從整個社會看,為了提高地位而犧牲個人的生活,是一種浪費(fèi)。因此,永無止境的競爭極具破壞性:我們在追求一種總體不變的東西時失去了家庭生活和平和的心境。
在某種意義上,人們最渴望的是尊重。他們追求經(jīng)濟(jì)地位因為它可以贏來尊重。但是,我們可以重視也可以輕視經(jīng)濟(jì)地位。在一個競爭日益激烈的社會,如果我們不放寬尊重的標(biāo)準(zhǔn),社會上能力偏低的人會感到生活更加艱辛。我們應(yīng)該尊重那些同他人一起合作而自己沒有獲益的人,那些在各個階層上施展才能、努力工作的人。因此,讓每個人都能學(xué)會一種本領(lǐng)尤為重要。在英國,這意味著只要年輕人愿意,一定要確保他們每個人都學(xué)會手藝,使那些學(xué)業(yè)不成功的人也能在職業(yè)生涯中感到自豪,不會在長大成人時覺得自己是失敗者。
人與人之間難免產(chǎn)生比較,因為等級體系的存在是必要的,不可避免的。有些人得到晉升,而另一些人卻沒有。此外,職位得以晉升的人薪水也要提高,因為他們有才華,雇主也樂意招賢納士。所以,在人們挑選工作和選擇雇主的關(guān)鍵時刻,薪水作為一個重要因素影響著他們的決定。存在的問題是,大部分的職業(yè)沒有客觀的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來衡量個人的業(yè)績,所以事實上只能拿一個人同自己的同事作比較才能得到評估。然而,這種等級評定的方法非常主觀,從根本上改變了雇員與顧主、雇員與同事之間的合作關(guān)系。
如果我們渴望一個更加幸福的社會,我們就應(yīng)該著重強(qiáng)調(diào)人們所珍視的經(jīng)歷——首要的是親情關(guān)系、工作關(guān)系和鄰里關(guān)系,人們珍視這些經(jīng)歷并非因為別人擁有它們,而是因為這些經(jīng)歷擁有內(nèi)在的價值。我們當(dāng)前享受的充分的舒適和安逸,看來有可能使我們的生活幸福一些,可是人與人之間關(guān)系的惡化又有可能降低了我們的幸福程度。
我們生活在一個空前的個人主義的時代。許多人都感到最重要的責(zé)任是充分發(fā)揮自己的才干,挖掘自己的潛力。這是一個可怕的、孤單的目標(biāo)。當(dāng)然,他們也感受到自己應(yīng)該對他人承擔(dān)的責(zé)任,但是在西方國家,這些責(zé)任缺乏一套清晰的理念。無論是古老的、虔誠的世界 4 觀,還是戰(zhàn)后社會的團(tuán)結(jié)精神和國家的凝聚意識,皆蕩然無存。我們?nèi)粏适Я斯怖婊蚣w意義的概念。
我們要想幸福一些,必須在改變外在環(huán)境的同時改變我們內(nèi)在的態(tài)度。我說的是一種永恒的人生哲學(xué),它能使我們在自身找到積極的力量同時也能發(fā)現(xiàn)他人身上蘊(yùn)涵的積極因素。這種對他人和自己懷有的同情心,是可以學(xué)會的,學(xué)校應(yīng)該將這種同情心教給學(xué)生。每個城市都應(yīng)該有這樣的政策:在年輕人中間推廣更健康的人生哲學(xué),幫助他們區(qū)別膚淺的快樂和真正的幸福。
因此,我希望在這個新的世紀(jì)我們最終能夠把人類的最大幸福當(dāng)作我們的公益觀。這可能有兩個結(jié)果。這種人生觀可以明確地指導(dǎo)政策的制定,但是更重要的是,在日常的生活中,它會激勵我們因為別人幸福而感到更大的快樂,同時幫助他人獲得更大的幸福。只有這樣,我們才不會以自我為中心,才會更加幸福。
第四單元 如何變老
盡管文章的標(biāo)題是“如何變老”,真正要談的卻是如何不老。在我這個年紀(jì),討論“如何不老”,著實更為重要。首要的一條忠告是,要慎重地選擇祖先。雖然我的父母皆屬早逝,但是考慮到我其他的祖先,我的選擇尚好。我的外祖父在六十七歲風(fēng)華正茂時早逝,這是事實,可我的外祖母,還有我的祖父、祖母,都活到了八十多歲。在那些與我血緣關(guān)系稍疏些的祖先中,我只發(fā)現(xiàn)有一位不長壽的,他死于一種當(dāng)前罕見的病:被砍了頭。我的一位曾祖母是吉本的朋友,活到九十二歲,其精神狀態(tài)之好自始至終都讓子孫們敬畏,一直到她撒手人寰的那天。我的外祖母,生養(yǎng)了十個孩子,其中一個夭折,另外九個健康成長。此外,她還有過多次小產(chǎn)。她守寡之后,即刻投身于婦女的高等教育事業(yè)。她是格頓學(xué)院的創(chuàng)始人之一,為促使醫(yī)療事業(yè)向婦女敞開大門而不遺余力。她過去常講這樣的一個故事:她在意大利遇見一個滿面哀傷的老紳士,便詢問他為何如此憂傷,老紳士說剛剛和自己兩個孫子道別。“天哪!”她叫道,“我有七十二個孫子孫女,如果和其中的一個分別一次就傷心一次,那我的生活豈不太凄慘了!”“非同尋常的母親啊!”老紳士回答道。
但是,作為七十二子孫中的一員,我更喜歡她的這一處世秘訣。外祖母八十高齡后感到入睡有些困難,她便常常在半夜到凌晨三點這段時間閱讀科普書籍。我想,她無暇顧及自己是否老了。我認(rèn)為這就是保持年輕的秘訣。如果你擁有廣泛的、自己鐘愛的興趣和活動,又能從中體會自己老當(dāng)益壯,你就沒有理由從那些只有在統(tǒng)計學(xué)中才有意義的數(shù)字上考慮生命已經(jīng)度過多少春秋,更沒有理由擔(dān)憂自己的未來也許很短暫。
說到健康,我很少生病,因此無法提供有用的建議。我隨心所欲地吃喝,不能清醒時就睡覺。我做任何事情都不是因為這些事情對健康有利。不過,我喜歡做的事情實際上大多都有益于健康。
就心理而言,老年人應(yīng)慎防兩種危險。其一就是過度地沉湎于過去。人不能活在記憶中,不能生活在因美好往昔的逝去而悵然若失中,也不能生活在緬懷已故朋友的哀痛中。人的心思必須放在未來上,想想可以有所作為的事情。這并非一件輕而易舉的事:一個人經(jīng)歷的往事,漸漸變成一個沉重的包袱。人們很容易以為過去的情感比現(xiàn)在強(qiáng)烈,過去的頭腦也比現(xiàn)在敏銳。倘若真的如此,我們就要忘卻這個事實;如果忘卻了這個事實,事實也許就不再是事實 5 了。
另一種要提防的危險是:依戀年輕人,希望從他們的勃勃生機(jī)中汲取活力。當(dāng)你的孩子已長大成人,他們就想過自己的生活;如果你仍像他們小時候那樣關(guān)注他們,你很可能就成了他們的包袱。動物在下一代能夠自食其力時就不再給予關(guān)注;人類因幼年時期較長而很難做到這一點。
孩子已長大成人,叮囑他們不犯錯誤已經(jīng)沒有意義,因為他們不再相信你的話,再說錯誤是教育不可或缺的一部分。但是,如果你的興趣無法擺脫個人感情的支配,你也許會發(fā)現(xiàn),假如不關(guān)注子孫,生活就會空虛無望。在這種情況下,你必須意識到,雖然你仍可以給他們提供物質(zhì)上的幫助,比如給他們一筆零花錢或為他們編織毛線外套,但是你絕不能期望他們會樂意和你呆在一起。
有些老人因害怕死亡而煩惱。年輕人有這種感受是可以理解的。年輕人害怕在戰(zhàn)場上犧牲,這情有可原。他們認(rèn)為,死亡會剝奪生活賦予的最美好的東西,這讓他們深感痛苦。但是,飽嘗人世酸甜苦辣的老者已挖掘自己的潛力、實現(xiàn)了自己的抱負(fù),倘若再對死亡產(chǎn)生恐懼之心,未免有些可恥。克服恐懼之心的最好的辦法是 —— 至少我這樣看 ——
開拓更廣泛的、不局限于個人感情的興趣,讓包圍自我的墻壁漸漸地消失,你的生活就漸漸融入人類的生活中。一個人的存在應(yīng)該像一條河——初始為涓涓細(xì)流,裹在狹窄的岸
間,在巖石的縫隙中、在呼嘯的瀑布上奔瀉。河床漸漸變寬,河岸逐漸隱退,水流平緩,河水沒有明顯的停滯,最終融入海洋的懷抱,毫無痛苦地結(jié)束了獨(dú)立個體的存在。上了年紀(jì)的人,倘若能以這種態(tài)度看待人生,就不會因為害怕死亡而不安,因為他所喜愛的一切將繼續(xù)存在。而且,當(dāng)生命力衰竭之時,疲憊感油然而生,長眠的念頭并非令人厭惡。我希望在尚能勞作之時告別人世,知道他人會將我未竟的事業(yè)繼續(xù)下去,同時回想這一生有可能做的事情,都盡力而為了,由此可以滿意地安息了。
第五單元 網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育
在最近的一次出差途中,有人問及我的職業(yè),我說自己是從事編寫和教授大學(xué)課程的。“哦?那在哪兒教書?”他問道。我不假思索,老老實實地答道:“虛無空間里”。
我說的是實情。1990年起,我就在被朋友稱作“鍵盤大學(xué)”里教遠(yuǎn)程學(xué)位教育課程并提供輔導(dǎo)。我的課堂是在充滿電荷的空間里,其間一端連著我的電話插座,另一端連著一群年齡偏大的大學(xué)生家里的電腦。
1990年,我籌建了美國第一個遠(yuǎn)程學(xué)習(xí)者在線輔導(dǎo)中 心。迄今為止,我已在線輔導(dǎo)了7000多個學(xué)生,其中只有幾個人不及格,而我本人卻從未與他們謀面。
由于無法更清楚地解釋我的工作環(huán)境,我只能告訴這位問話者:我在虛擬空間教書,“是個虛擬大學(xué)的教師。”我試著向他解釋“遠(yuǎn)程教育······在線學(xué)位課程······虛擬大學(xué)”等
等。
那人的臉上仍舊一片茫然。我不清楚他沉默不語到底是因肅然起敬所致,還是純粹對此稀里糊涂。我猜想兩個原因都有。于是,我就開始解釋這些天來經(jīng)常解釋的事情:我認(rèn)為,美國 6 的大學(xué)教育在衰退,而美國的教育新思維正在興起。
遠(yuǎn)程教學(xué)(即師生不用謀面的教育課程)并不是件新生事物。英國巴斯大學(xué)的艾塞克·彼特曼爵士曾突發(fā)奇想,讓鄉(xiāng)村居民把圣經(jīng)轉(zhuǎn)換成速記文字,然后郵寄給他評閱,以這種辦法教會他們文秘技能。1840年他就開始實施,從中賺取了大筆的金錢。我并不教速記,我教心理學(xué)和職業(yè)拓展。但還是和艾塞克爵士一樣,很多課程是自己編寫的。我的崗位是在萬維網(wǎng),我把作業(yè)張貼在電子布告欄上,把批閱過的試卷用電子郵件通過國際電話線發(fā)送出去,而且免交關(guān)稅;必要時,把班級學(xué)生召集起來,在網(wǎng)上聊天室里在線講課。
難道這種方式能夠摒棄現(xiàn)實中的大學(xué)教育嗎?學(xué)生難道不用整齊地坐在教室里聆聽老師——講壇上的圣人——講課就能學(xué)到知識嗎?
絕對可以,毫無疑問。事實上,很多人都認(rèn)為沒有校園的大學(xué)難以想象,可我現(xiàn)在卻以為不在網(wǎng)絡(luò)空間這塊充滿自由氛圍的地方教書才是匪夷所思呢。
在網(wǎng)絡(luò)空間里,我傾聽、閱讀、評價、思考學(xué)生們表述的觀點——一次一個,輪流發(fā)言。他們必須書面把見解傳輸給我,他們不能坐在后排座位上,無所事事地打發(fā)時光。他們必須思考,最令他們頭疼的是,他們必須寫作。思考與寫作,那不就是傳統(tǒng)教育培養(yǎng)出來的人才所具備的特質(zhì)嗎?
我不是憑借他們的臉龐或是他們在寬敞教室里所坐位置來認(rèn)識我的學(xué)生,而是通過他們每周作業(yè)里的文字和觀點了解他們。這些文字與觀點大家都能在線讀到。我不是講壇上的圣人——我更像是他們身邊的向?qū)АMǔ#瑢W(xué)生們之間“說”的或?qū)懙臇|西、把自己工作和職業(yè)體會融入論文和辯論的方式,比起我能夠提供的任何東西都更加實用,更有啟迪性。
我學(xué)生的年齡一般是四十歲,還有不少五六十歲。他們通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)來上學(xué)。因為他們不能或者不愿意辭去工作、離開兒女或?qū)O輩們搬進(jìn)大學(xué)校園——那樣的大學(xué)無非就是一個依照中世紀(jì)修道院模式建立起來的教育實體。
他們大多數(shù)了解自己所談?wù)摰臇|西,不僅如此,他們清楚自己為何返回大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)。網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育適合他們,因為網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育尊重學(xué)員界定知識和追求知識的能力,鼓勵他們抒發(fā)自己的觀點和見解,沒有教師干擾,因為教師可能會情不自禁地介入他們的爭論,把原本很有啟發(fā)性的課堂討論“平息”或者“引到別的話題上去”。
學(xué)生們體驗到的東西完全不同于依照傳統(tǒng)工廠模式運(yùn)作的美國教育。在傳統(tǒng)教育中,生產(chǎn)線上的每個人接收到相同標(biāo)準(zhǔn)單位的信息(講座和教材),然后必須通過同一質(zhì)量檢查(客觀考試)。學(xué)生們坐在整齊排列的座位上,舉手請求允許后才發(fā)言,不斷地看著鐘表學(xué)課本、聽講座,課本和講座被分解成不相關(guān)聯(lián)的知識玩意兒。沒有證據(jù)顯示,這樣的工廠模式是有效的學(xué)習(xí)途徑,而只能證明這是一種很便利的方式:大學(xué)在成績報告單上記錄下標(biāo)準(zhǔn)份量的知識已如期地傳授。
或許,在虛擬環(huán)境下教大學(xué)文科課程對我來說特別有意義,因為它可以追溯到我當(dāng)年所了解到的真正的大學(xué)文科教育。在希臘雅典研讀哲學(xué)時,老師教導(dǎo)我,要學(xué)到東西就得扔掉課本和筆記本這些不過是記憶工具的東西,要依賴我們與生俱來的本領(lǐng)進(jìn)行批判性思考。
我的網(wǎng)絡(luò)學(xué)生的確是有教材,但那都是學(xué)習(xí)的輔助材料,不是他們汲取知識的唯一源泉。他們還將從網(wǎng)上辯論、會議和論文寫作的合作中學(xué)到知識。學(xué)生們要為發(fā)言認(rèn)真思考;他們每周來上課時,充分準(zhǔn)備好辯論,通過鍵盤上的交流獲取真知。
說也奇怪,虛擬大學(xué)興許正是柏拉圖這樣的古典哲學(xué)家喜歡授課的地方——假如他那個時期有因特網(wǎng)的話。你問我本人的意見?我也認(rèn)為教育應(yīng)該比較少地在校園里開展,而更多地應(yīng)該在參與者的腦子里進(jìn)行。
第六單元 文化沖擊
我們不妨把文化沖擊稱為突然置身國外的人們所得的職業(yè)病。和大部分疾病一樣,這種病有其獨(dú)特的起因、癥狀和療法。
文化沖擊是因為我們失去熟悉的社會交往標(biāo)記和符號而產(chǎn)生的焦慮所促成。這些標(biāo)志或暗示包括我們應(yīng)付日常生活各種情境時使用的諸多方式方法:與人會面時何時握手、該說些什么;在什么時間、以什么方式付小費(fèi);如何吩咐傭人;怎樣購物;何時該接受、何時該拒絕他人的邀請;別人說的話,何時該當(dāng)真,何時不該當(dāng)真。這些暗示可以是語
言、手勢、面部表情、風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣或社會行為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。我們在成長的過程中獲得了這些暗示,就像我們的語言和我們所接受的信仰一樣,它們已經(jīng)成為我們文化的一部分。我們所有的人都依賴成百上千個這樣的暗示才能擁有寧靜的心境,過上高效率的生活。當(dāng)你走進(jìn)一種陌生的文化,你所熟悉的所有或大部分文化暗示也就隨之消失。此時的你宛如一條離開水的魚。無論你的心胸多么開闊,你賴以生存的支柱此時都已倒塌,挫折感和焦慮感油然而生。人們對此種挫折的反應(yīng)非常相似:他們首先排斥令他們不適的環(huán)境:“我們所到之國的生活方式很不好,讓我們感覺很糟糕。”當(dāng)美國人或其他的外國人來到一個陌生的國度,聚在一起抱怨所到之國及其人民時 ——
可以肯定,他們正深受文化沖擊之苦。文化沖擊的另外一個階段是回歸。故鄉(xiāng)的一草一木突然變得極為重要。一個美國人會不合理地美化美國的一切事物。在自己國家所經(jīng)歷的困難和問題都拋在了腦后,只記得故鄉(xiāng)美好的事物。通常要回國一趟方可回到現(xiàn)實中。要克服文化沖擊的心理,了解文化的性質(zhì)及其與個人的關(guān)系會有所裨益。除了賴以生存的自然環(huán)境,一個人還生活在由人造的有形物體、社會風(fēng)俗、觀念和信仰構(gòu)成的文化環(huán)境中。一個人并非天生就有文化,而是生來就具備學(xué)習(xí)和使用文化的能力。新生嬰兒的身上不存在一種只許他最終說葡萄牙語、英語或法語的東西,也不存在一種只許他用左手而不是右手執(zhí)叉或只許他用筷子吃飯的東西。這些東西都是要孩子去學(xué)習(xí)的。文化也不是由父母負(fù)責(zé)傳遞給孩子的。任何一個民族的文化都是歷史的產(chǎn)物,經(jīng)過漫長的、本民族意識不到的過程才得以積累形成。孩子通過文化學(xué)會適應(yīng)周圍的物質(zhì)環(huán)境,學(xué)會和周圍的人打交道。眾所周知,青少年在學(xué)習(xí)和適應(yīng)的過程中經(jīng)常遇到困難。但是,文化一旦學(xué)會了,就會成為一種生活方式。
人們往往認(rèn)為自己的文化是最好的,是生活的唯一方式。這非常正常,完全可以理解。我們把這種態(tài)度稱為“民族優(yōu)越感”,即一種認(rèn)為自己的文化、種族和國家構(gòu)成世界中心的想法。個人往往將自己與所處的群體等同起來,因此任何批評的言論在他們看來都是對個人及其群體不尊敬的:如果你批評我的祖國,你就是在批評我;如果你批評我,你就是在批評我的祖國。抱著這種態(tài)度,人們往往把個人的怪癖歸結(jié)為民族的特點。例如,倘若一個美國人在國外做出怪異的或有悖社會公德的事情,在美國國內(nèi)的人們會認(rèn)為這純屬個人行為,但在國外 8 卻被視為一種民族特性:他那樣做并非因為他是喬·多克斯,而是因為他是個美國人。遭受責(zé)難的不是他這個個體,而是他的祖國。因此,我們最好把民族優(yōu)越感看成是民族群體的一個永恒的特性。即使一個國家的公民批評了自己文化的某些方面,外國人也只應(yīng)當(dāng)聽著,而不應(yīng)該參與批評。
你一旦意識到面臨的問題并非因為異域的敵意而是因為自己對其他民族的文化背景缺乏理解或者缺乏與對方溝通的方式,你同時就會意識到你本身能夠了解他人的文化,并能夠掌握那些交流的方式。你越早做到這一點,文化沖擊就消失得越快。
接下來的問題是,你怎樣做才能盡快克服文化沖擊?答案是:了解所到之國的國民。但是,倘若不懂語言,你是無法成功地實現(xiàn)這一目標(biāo)的,因為語言是用于交流的主要的符號系統(tǒng)。我們現(xiàn)在都知道,學(xué)習(xí)一門新的語言不容易,對成年人來說,尤為如此。無論教語言的老師多么擅長于減輕你學(xué)習(xí)語言的難度,單單學(xué)語言這項任務(wù)都足以讓你焦慮不安、飽受挫折。不過,你一旦能夠和女傭、鄰居進(jìn)行友好的交談,能夠單獨(dú)出門購物,你就會重獲信心,充滿力量,一個蘊(yùn)含各種文化意義的新世界就向你敞開了大門。
你開始發(fā)現(xiàn)人們做些什么、做事情的方式以及令他們感興趣的事情。人們往往通過日常的談話內(nèi)容和時間、金錢的分配方式來表達(dá)自己的興趣愛好。你一旦了解了他們的興趣和價值模式,就很容易和他們交談,也容易讓他們對你產(chǎn)生興趣。
有時候,參加人們舉辦的各種活動,不管是嘉年華會、宗教儀式還是經(jīng)濟(jì)活動,在活動中仔細(xì)觀察,和人們一起喜怒哀樂,這都有好處。不過,你永遠(yuǎn)都不要忘記,你是一個外人,人們也會把你當(dāng)成一個外人對待。你應(yīng)當(dāng)把參與活動看成角色扮演。了解一個民族的生活方式很重要,但這并非意味著你要放棄自己的文化。實際上,你已經(jīng)具備兩種行為方式。
作文
第一單元
1.Bob and I became brother-like friends in our childhood.We played, dined and discussed our ambitions together.Once grown up, he started for the West to make his fortune while I became a policeman in New York.Before his departure, we had dinner together and we agreed that we would meet at the same place exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come.Then came the day we were supposed to meet.I was on my beat then.Walking up to the appointed place which had been turned into a hardware store, I saw a man standing there with an unlighted cigar in his mouth.Before I could speak, he told me that he was waiting for a friend by the name of Jimmy Wells.When he struck a match to light his cigar, I saw a pale face with keen eyes and a scar.I recognized him immediately.It was Bob, and it was also the face of the man wanted by the Chicago Police.For a moment I felt like telling him to escape right away.After all, we had been friends for so many years and he had traveled all the way to see me!But then my sense of duty told me the right thing to do.I said good-bye to him and continued my patrol, his last words still ringing in my ear: “I’ll wait for half an hour.Jimmy will keep his promise if he’s alive…” I then sent for a plain clothes man and had Bob arrested.2.An Important Friend in My Life Li Qiang, one of my classmates, is fun to be with.He is always wearing a broad smile as if life is forever“sunshine and butterflies”.One day, I revealed to him my worries and anxieties: I, an ordinary-looking girl, was 177 centimeters tall, even taller than any of the boys in my class.I thought no boy would like to date me.Besides, I was very poor at my academic courses.He suggested that I should learn to be myself and then he introduced me to a fashion show team of the university.Encouraged, I decided to change myself.After a 3-month training program on weekends, I could perform beautifully as a model, and surprisingly, I could concentrate on the required academic courses as well.The applauses I won at each fashion show and the scholarship I earned proved that being myself was terrific.Since then, my life has changed a lot.Thus, Li Qiang became an important friend of mine.Last semester, we began to help young people who suffer pressures from physical defects, academic failures or financial problems.We set up a Confidence Club.Those who come to us for help find our work definitely beneficial.Our friendship has led me into a sparkling, rewarding life.第二單元
1.Male-female relations are indispensable to adults all through their lives.But different generations handle them differently.Our parents’ generation lived in an era of constraints, restraints, respect, admiration, and plenty of romance.They kept a distance from people of the opposite gender in order to preserve the holiness of love and relationships.My generation, on the other hand, began with countless crushes for the opposite sex just because of their superficial charm.Harmless as it was, the love was as brief as soap bubbles.As we grew up, we came to the stage of developing real relationships, believing that love demanded a lot of give and not so much of take.By comparison, the younger generation is more open-minded and less restricted in handling the matter of love and relationships.They jump on the bandwagon of love with so much haste that it is difficult for them to distinguish between physical attraction and mental compatibilities.In short, the younger generation focuses more on physical beauty, closeness and passion, and they tend to seek what they want from the relationships.The other two generations give priority to inner charm, intimacy, emotion and sharing in dealing with relationships.2.What Do Girl Students Look for in Love and Life? In order to know about girl students’ opinion about love and life, a survey with girl students was conducted in 2005 in two universities — Chongqing University of Technology and Business and East China Normal University.The survey sought answers to two questions: What do you look for first in a boyfriend? What’s the most important thing for a happy life? About one third of the students chose personality as the top factor in choosing a boyfriend, followed by 27 percent focusing on abilities.Next came common interests and goals, favoured by 17 percent, with only 14 percent of students claiming appearance to be uppermost in their minds.Fewer still, 11 percent, rated economic status as the first consideration.As to their views about a happy life, nearly seventy percent of the girls attached the greatest importance to marriage and family.“Career” was given top priority by just under 20 percent, while even fewer, around 9 percent, believed that money was the key to a happy life.Based on the survey, we may conclude that nowadays, girl students generally hold a rational attitude towards love and life.Admittedly
第三單元
1.Man Does Not Live by Bread Alone No one would doubt the truth that man’s existence relies essentially on material things.We need them to get fed, clothed and sheltered.Once we are living near the breadline, we’ll feel frustrated and miserable.However, our contentment does not merely lie in material things.This is especially the case in modern times.The fast-developing economy has noticeably improved our lives and fulfilled most of our material needs.Then there comes the need of spiritual satisfaction, which is derived from good health, close friends, a loving spouse, well-raised children, a home built on love, a clear conscience, a worthy goal and an enjoyable job.While material things may lose their charm over time, spiritual satisfaction will bring us lasting happiness.Therefore, to live a happy life, we should focus more on those things that meet our spiritual demands.After all, when our need for bread is met, happiness will not come unless we feel spiritually satisfied.2.I Really Made It I will never forget the awful feeling in my first Oral English class at college.I tried hard to listen to every word the teacher spoke, but what she was saying made no sense to me.Bitterly, I admitted that I was so poor at listening and speaking in English.I wept several times, cursing my middle school for failing to provide adequate listening and speaking practice.But finally I calmed down because the familiar words rang in my ears: There must be a way out.I had a rather solid foundation of English vocabulary and grammar.What was left for me to do was to increase my listening input and speaking output.I made it a rule that every morning I would do reading aloud by the campus lake for 40 minutes, and every evening I would stay in the language lab, listening to English for at least an hour.Then at the end of the second year came my happiest moment: I got the Scholarship for Academic Excellence.I wore a broad smile when the president granted me the award.I then came to realize that happiness can only be gained through hard work.第四單元
1.AIDS Across the Earth AIDS has killed and is threatening to kill millions all across the earth.Several million infections are reported by WHO each year.The virus does not care whether you are black or white, male or female, young or old.It will attack you as long as you are a human.Today, AIDS has become the leading killer of young adults and is turning the children whose parents suffer the disease into orphans.It is no exaggeration to say that we live under the shadow of AIDS.There are several possible causes for such a situation: unsafe sexual intercourse;sharing or reusing contaminated needles;transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products;an infected person’s pregnancy, giving birth and breastfeeding, etc.Unfortunately, our ignorance, prejudice and silence have carried the situation to a desperate extreme.Patients are isolated or treated as outcasts by their families and their communities.AIDS victims feel ashamed to be identified as such and try hard to hide their disease.For this reason, they cannot get immediate medical treatment.Our harmful attitudes towards the disease and its victims have actually placed more people at risk.In our fight against this deadly disease, we should educate people on how to avoid being infected with the disease and how to lead life and, more importantly, how to treat AIDS patients properly.Only in this way can we really bring AIDS under control.2.Why Do the Young Adults Kill Themselves? Young adults are in the prime of their lives and are supposed to pursue their dreams and enjoy themselves.Yet it was reported in the Guardian that suicide is the main cause of death among young adults in China.Why have so many young people ended their lives? Three factors are thought to account for the high suicide rate: increasing stress, loneliness and a lack of medical support for depression.The most pressing one, I think, is stress.Take my college life for example.From the first day I entered the university, I have been living under pressure.I used to worry that I could not quite fit into the campus life;I also feared that I might not catch up with my classmates in my studies or could not live up to my parents’ expectations.Now I am deeply concerned about whether I can find a desirable job after graduation.Endless pressures give rise to stress.Loneliness is another problem.Many young people find they just feel helpless when they are suffering intolerable sadness or frustration.Suicide is a great tragedy, especially for the young.If we can find ways to relieve them of their stress and offer timely help, we may save many young lives.第五單元
1.The Significance of Lifelong Education Decades ago, due to the low standard of living in China, only a small percentage of the nation's population could receive college education.Once given the opportunity, one would surely secure a well-paid and much-respected job, which he or she would probably do for a lifetime.Therefore, to secure a college degree used to be the ultimate goal of a person's education.Today, however, we are living in what is called a“knowledge society”, where creative ideas and innovations are generated at a fantastic speed.One must constantly renew one's knowledge and upgrade one's skills so as to meet the needs of the changing world.Moreover, at the stage of general education, it is pointless for a person to attempt to know everything.When one is required to settle down to be a specialist in a specific field, one has to make an in-depth study of the subject one is supposed to know.In this sense, general education can provide students with only a passport to lifelong education.As Robert Maynard Hutchins once said, the object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.In my opinion, life in modern society is not only a process of“l(fā)earning to live”but also a process of“l(fā)iving to learn”.The slogan“Live and Learn”can best reflect the concept of lifelong education.2.Should Family Schooling Exist? Meng Mu Tang, a private school in Shanghai, is modeled after the educational system of ancient Chinese home schools, which favored rote memorization and recitation of classic works.But the local education authorities in Shanghai have declared it illegal according to a report in 21st Century.Should family schooling exist? What role should it play? In my opinion, family schooling should be permitted to play a positive role in the current educational system in China.Every family should be free to choose the form of education that best suits their children's interests and natural gifts.Although the existing education system in China has remarkably improved, it does not fit each child perfectly.Since family schooling provides a means to develop a person's talents and unique interest, Meng Mu Tang, as a private school geared to a specific group of children, should not be banned in haste.In view of the current dynamic, quality-minded educational reforms in China, we should permit family schooling to enrich and diversify our educational system.On the other hand, home schooling should adapt itself to the modern world.To prepare children for the future, it should equip them with knowledge and innovative power so that they can cope with the development of the modern world.While tapping children's innate talents on an individual basis, family schooling should never neglect their all-round development.Meng Mu Tang may not be a perfect private school, but we should let it live and have a try so that family schooling may eventually become an indispensable component of our formal education.第六單元
1.My Views on Cultural Differences In my opinion, cultural differences have more advantages than disadvantages.First of all, it is cultural differences that make our world so colorful.If you go to a foreign country, you will be impressed not only by its physical environment but also by its cultural environment — its foods, clothes, customs, social practices, etc.Differences between cultures have always been a source of joy and inspiration.Secondly, differences in culture enrich human civilization.Different cultures compete with as well as learn from each other.Roman culture was modeled on Greek culture, which had once borrowed a lot from Egyptian culture.American culture is also a blend of many different cultures.Thirdly, differences in culture give each culture its unique identity.A culture is usually seen in relation to other cultures.Chinese culture distinguishes itself from others by its peculiar concepts and things that can hardly be found elsewhere.Of course, cultural differences may cause conflicts and misunderstandings.But interdependence, common interests and mutual goals of different nations always outweigh differences in culture.Nations with different cultures should learn from each other and live peacefully together.To this end, we should be more tolerant to other cultures while preserving, protecting and developing our own.2.My Views on the Influence of Western Culture On weekends, I gather with my friends at MacDonald's or KFC.We eat fried chicken, drink Coco-cola and talk about the latest release of Hollywood movies.We read foreign novels, listen to Western music and watch NBA.We admire Bill Gates, George Michael and Princess Diana.We dress ourselves in the Western style and celebrate Christmas and Valentine's Day.Our way of life has thus changed.Indeed, the influence of Western culture is strongly felt in our everyday life.This influence in turn prepares us well to blend into the modern world and participate in the world market competition.But we should not ignore its side effects.Our national culture may gradually lose its ground if our attention is focused only upon Western culture.In following the trend of globalization we should maintain our own cultural identity, cherish our cultural tradition and develop our own culture.What Mahatma Gandhi once said can best sum up my views on the influence of Western culture:“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed.I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible.But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.” 14
第二篇:大學(xué)英語課文翻譯答案(新世紀(jì)綜合教程3)
大學(xué)英語課文翻譯答案(新世紀(jì)綜合教程3)BOOK 3 Unit 1 What is Friendship?
Michele E.Doyle&Mark K.Smith The text is excerpted and adapted from “Friendship: Theory and Experience” written by Michele E.Doyle & Mark K.Smith.It appears in The Encyclopaedia of Informal Education(2002).When we approach the notion of friendship, our first problem is that there is a lack of socially acknowledged criteria for what makes a person a friend.In one setting, we may describe someone as a friend;in another, the label may seem less appropriate.Therefore, people tend to have a very thin understanding of what friendship really means.To help us understand what friendship really means, we need to review some classical views of friendship.友誼的真諦
米歇爾·E·多伊爾 馬克·K·史密斯 我們探討友誼這個概念時,遇到的第一個問題是,沒有社會公認(rèn)的擇友標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。在某一情境下,我們會把某個人稱為朋友;然而,情境一旦變遷,朋友這個稱呼就顯得沒那么貼切了。因此,人們對友誼的真諦的理解往往是非常膚淺的。為了幫助我們理解友誼的真正含義,我們需要回顧有關(guān)友誼的幾種傳統(tǒng)的看法。
One classical view of friendship is provided by Aristotle, the famous ancient Greek philosopher.Aristotle distinguishes between what he believes to be genuine friendships and two other forms: one based on mutual usefulness, the other on pleasure.So, according to Aristotle, we may find three kinds of friendship:
一種傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀在古希臘著名的哲學(xué)家亞里士多德的著作里得以闡述。他將自己心目中真正的友誼同另外兩種友誼截然分開。這兩種友誼分別是:基于互利的友誼;基于愉悅的友誼。因此,根據(jù)亞里士多德的觀點,我們可以將友誼分為三類:close3RT Friendship based on utility.Utility is an impermanent thing: it changes according to circumstances.When the ground for friendship disappears, the friendship also breaks up.Friendships of this kind seem to occur most frequently between the elderly, because at their age what they want is not pleasure but utility.Friendships based on utility are also frequently found among those in middle or early life who are pursuing their own advantage.Such persons do not spend much time together, because sometimes they do not even like one another, and therefore feel no need of such an association unless they are mutually useful.They take pleasure in each other's company only in so far as they have hopes of advantage from it.建立在功利之上的友誼。功利并非永恒,它依照環(huán)境而變化。友誼的根基一旦消失,友誼也隨之破滅。這類友誼似乎在老人之間最為常見,因為上了年紀(jì)的人需要的不是愉悅而是實用。基于功利的友誼也同樣存在于追逐個人利益的中年人和青年人中。這些人不會在一起消磨時光,因為他們有時甚至不喜歡對方,因而覺得除非可以互相利用,否則沒有交往的必要。只有當(dāng)他們認(rèn)為彼此有希望相互利用的時候,才會樂于呆在一起。close4RT Friendship based on pleasure.Friendship between the young is thought to be grounded on pleasure, because the lives of the young are regulated by their feelings, and their chief interests are in their own pleasure and the opportunity of the moment.As they grow up, however, their tastes change too, so that they are quick to make and to break friendships.That is why they fall in and out of friendship quickly, changing their attitude often, even within the same day.建立在愉悅之上的友誼。年輕人之間的友誼常被看作是建立在愉悅基礎(chǔ)之上的,因為年輕人的生活受感情支配,他們感興趣的主要是自己的快樂和眼前的重要機(jī)會。然而,他們的情趣隨著自己日漸成長也會變化,他們交友容易,分手也干脆。年輕人的態(tài)度變化無常,甚至一日數(shù)變,難怪他們的友誼總是迅速地開始,又匆匆地結(jié)束。close5RT Friendship based on goodness.Perfect friendship is based on goodness.Only the friendship of those who are good, and similar in their goodness, is perfect.The conduct of good men is the same or similar.It is between good men that both love and friendship are chiefly found and in the highest form.Such friendships are rare and they need time and intimacy;for as the saying goes, true friends must go through trials and tribulations together.And no two persons can accept each other and become friends until each has proved to the other that he is worthy of love, and so won his trust.The wish for friendship may develop rapidly, but true friendship does not.建立在美德之上的友誼。完美無瑕的友誼立足于美德。只有那些品德高尚而且擁有相似美德的人之間建立的友誼才是最完美的。品行高尚的人,其行為是相同的,或者是類似的。愛和友誼多半在品行高尚的人之間發(fā)生,而且以最高雅的形式出現(xiàn)。這種友誼是罕見的,需要時間,需要交往。常言道,真正的朋友必須同甘共苦,歷經(jīng)風(fēng)雨。只有當(dāng)兩個人互相證明自己值得愛并獲得對方的信任之后,彼此方能接受對方為朋友。交友的意愿可能倏忽而至,但真正的友誼卻要慢慢培養(yǎng)。close6RT Another classical view of friendship can be found in the writings of Cicero, an ancient Roman statesman and orator.According to Cicero, true friendship is only possible between good men.He further defines “the good” as “those whose actions and lives leave no question as to their honor, purity, equity, and liberality;who are free from greed, lust, and violence;and who have the courage of their convictions.” The friendship between good men, based on virtue, does offer material benefits, but it does not seek them.All human beings are bonded together in a community of shared reason.Therefore, in friendships and relationships, those who possessany superiority must regard themselves as equals of those who are less fortunate.It is virtue that creates and preserves true friendship.另一種傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀可以在古羅馬政治家、演說家西塞羅的著作里找到。西塞羅認(rèn)為,真正的友誼只能在好人之間發(fā)生。他進(jìn)而將“好人”定義為“那些行為和生活無損于自己的榮譽(yù)、純潔、公平和開明的人;那些擺脫了貪婪、欲念和暴力的人;那些敢于依照自己的信念說話和做事的人。”好人之間建立的這種友誼立足于美德,它確實可以帶來物質(zhì)利益,但決不以追求物質(zhì)利益為目標(biāo)。人類生活在以共同的理想為基礎(chǔ)的社會。因此,在處理朋友關(guān)系和其他人際關(guān)系時,優(yōu)越于他人的人必須平等地對待那些沒那么幸運(yùn)的人。美德創(chuàng)造友誼,美德使友誼之樹常青。close7RT Thus, we may see that the traditional idea of friendship is made up of three components: Friends must enjoy each other's company;they must be useful to one another;and they must share a commitment to the good.According to the classical views, virtuous friends are bound together, as they recognize each other's moral excellence.To perceive a friend, therefore, is to perceive oneself;and to know a friend is to know oneself.Each can be said to provide a mirror in which the other may see himself.Through networks of such virtuous friends, we can develop a shared idea of the good and pursue it together.Friendship of this kind is permanent, because in it are united all the attributes that friends ought to possess.我們由此可以看出,傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀由三個要素構(gòu)成:朋友以相伴為樂;朋友必須彼此受益;彼此都有志于崇高的事業(yè)。這些傳統(tǒng)的友誼觀告訴我們,兩個品德高尚的朋友是永不分離的,因為彼此認(rèn)同對方的高尚品德。因此,認(rèn)識朋友就是認(rèn)識自我,了解朋友就是了解自我。可以說朋友就好比是一面鏡子,每個人都可以從朋友身上看清自己。置身于品德高尚的朋友之中,我們會對美德達(dá)成共識,共同為之不遺余力。這樣的友誼是永恒的,因為朋友應(yīng)該具備的一切品質(zhì)都凝結(jié)在這種友誼關(guān)系中。
After Twenty Years
O.Henry The text is adapted from “After Twenty Years”, a short story written by O.Henry.close1RT It was barely 10 o'clock at night.The policeman on the beat(巡邏路線)moved up the avenue impressively.He turned now and then to cast his watchful eye over the doors and shop windows on both sides of the street.He was of a powerful build and made a fine picture of a guardian(衛(wèi)士)of the peace.二十年之后 歐·亨利
將近夜里十點,巡邏警察來到這條街上,樣子威嚴(yán),不時地看看街道兩邊的店鋪,警惕的目光落在店鋪的大門和櫥窗上。身材魁梧的他,儼然一副和平衛(wèi)士的模樣。close2RT Around the midway of a certain block, the policeman suddenly slowed his walk.In the doorway of a darkened hardware store stood a man, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth.As the policeman walked up to him, the man spoke up quickly.在一個街區(qū)走到一半時,他突然放慢了步伐。只見一個光線黯淡的五金店門口,站著一個人,嘴里叼著沒有點燃的雪茄。他走了過去,那人趕緊開腔:close3RT “It's all right, officer,” he said.“I'm just waiting for a friend.It's an appointment made twenty years ago.Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain.Twenty years ago, there used to be a restaurant where this store stands now.”
“沒事兒,警官,”他說道。“我只是在等個朋友。這可是二十年前的約定。聽起來有點好笑吧?我跟你說,二十年前這里曾經(jīng)是個飯店。”close4RT “Until five years ago,” said the policeman.“It was torn down then.”
“五年前才拆的。”警察說道。close5RT The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar.The light showed a pale, square-jawed(方下巴)face with keen eyes, and a little white scar(傷疤)near his right eyebrow.門口那人劃了根火柴,點燃了雪茄。火光中可見一張蒼白的臉,方下巴,目光敏銳,右邊眉毛附近有一道白色的細(xì)小傷疤。close6RT “Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “I dined here with Jimmy Wells, my best chum(好友)and the finest chap in the world.He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together.I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty then.The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune.You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York;he thought it was the only place on earth.Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come.We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.”
“二十年前的今晚,”那人說,“我和我最好的朋友吉米·韋爾斯就在這里吃的飯。他可是個再好不過的家伙了。我倆在紐約這兒一起長大,好得像兄弟倆,那年我十八,他二十。第二天早上我就要動身去西部發(fā)財。唉,要想讓吉米離開紐約可是比登天還難哪!在他眼里人世間就只有紐約這么一個地方。不過我倆那天晚上約定,二十年后的今日此刻,無論各自的境況如何,無論各自遠(yuǎn)在何方,都要在這里相聚。我們當(dāng)時認(rèn)為,二十年后,不管各自做什么,有什么樣的命運(yùn),發(fā)多大的財,一切都該成了定局。”close7RT “It sounds pretty interesting,” said the policeman.“Haven't you heard from your friend Jimmy since you left?”
“聽起來還真有意思,”警察說道。“那你離開后就再沒有你朋友吉米的消息了?”close8RT “Well, yes, for a time we corresponded,” said the other.“But after a year or two we lost track of each other.You see, the West is pretty big and wild, and I kept hustling(急速行進(jìn))around over it pretty lively.But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest old chap in the world.He'll never forget.I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up.He will keep his promise.”
“不,我們通過一陣子信,”那人答道,“可一兩年后就斷了音信。要知道,西部幅員遼闊,荒蠻原始,我又一直四處奔波,東跑西顛。不過,我確信,吉米只要活著,他會來見我的。他是這世界上我最信得過的人。他絕對不會忘記。我千里迢迢來到這兒就是為了今晚站在這門口,只要我那老伙計露面,我也就不虛此行了。他是不會食言的。”close9RT The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.那守候的人掏出一只精致的懷表,表蓋上綴滿了小粒鉆石。close10RT “Three minutes to ten,” he announced.“It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door.”
“九點五十七分,”他說道,“我們是十點整在飯店門口的這個地方揮手告別的。”close11RT “You did pretty well out West, didn't you?” asked the policeman.“在西部混得不錯吧?”警察問道。close12RT “You bet!I hope Jimmy has done half as well.”
“那還用說!吉米干得有我一半好就不錯了。”close13RT The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two.警察轉(zhuǎn)了轉(zhuǎn)警棍,邁出了一兩步。close14RT “I'll be on my way.Hope your friend comes around on time.”
“我走了,但愿你的朋友會按時赴約。”close15RT “I'll wait for half an hour at least,” said the man.“If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by that time.So long, officer.”
“我至少會等他半個小時,”那人說,“吉米要是還活著,他會在我走之前來的。再見,警官。”close16RT “Good-night, sir,” said the policeman, passing on along his beat, checking up on the doors as he went.“晚安,先生,”警察說完,又繼續(xù)巡邏,邊走邊檢查店門。close17RT There was now a fine, cold drizzle(細(xì)雨)falling, and the wind had risen.The man who had come a thousand miles to keep the appointment with the friend of his youth still stood in the doorway of the hardware store, smoking his cigar.這時,天下起了蒙蒙細(xì)雨,冷冰冰的,起風(fēng)了。為了履行和少時好友的約定,那個不遠(yuǎn)千里來到這里的人還站在五金店的門口,抽著雪茄。close18RT About twenty minutes had passed.Then a tall man in a long overcoat, with the collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street.He went directly to the waiting man.約二十分鐘后,一個身著大衣、衣領(lǐng)立起的高個子男人從街對面匆匆走了過來,徑直走向那守候者。close19RT “Is that you, Bob?” he asked, doubtfully.“鮑勃,是你嗎?”他狐疑地問道。close20RT “Is that you, Jimmy Wells?” cried the man in the door.“你是吉米?韋爾斯?”門口那人高聲叫道。close21RT “Bless my heart!” exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own.“It's Bob, sure as fate.I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence.Well, well, well!Twenty years is a long time.How has the West treated you, old man?”
“天哪!”新來者高興地大叫了起來,一把握住了那人的雙手。“是鮑勃,真的是鮑勃!我就知道,只要你還活著,我就會在這里找到你。哎呀呀,二十年啊,時間可真不短!老兄,西部待你怎樣?”close22RT “It has given me everything I asked it for.You've changed a lot, Jimmy.I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches.”
“西部給了我想要的一切。你變了很多啊,吉米!沒想到你長高了二三英寸呢。”close23RT “Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.”
“哦,二十歲后我又長了點個子。”close24RT “Doing well in New York, Jimmy?”
“在紐約混得不錯吧,吉米?”close25RT “Just so-so.I have a position in one of the city departments.Come on, Bob;we'll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times.”
“馬馬虎虎。在市政部門做事。走吧,鮑勃,咱們到我熟悉的一個地方去,好好地敘敘舊吧。”close26RT The two men started up the street, arm in arm.The man from the West was beginning to talk about the history of his career.The other listened with interest.兩人手挽著手,沿街前行,西部來的這位開始講他的發(fā)跡史,另一位饒有興致地聽著。close27RT At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights.When they came into this glare(強(qiáng)光), each of them turned simultaneously(同時地)to gaze upon the other's face.拐角處有一家藥店,燈光明亮。來到通明的光線里,兩人同時轉(zhuǎn)身盯住對方的臉。close28RT The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.西部來的人突然停下來,抽出手臂。close29RT “You're not Jimmy Wells,” he shouted all of a sudden.“Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's nose from a Roman nose(鷹鉤鼻)to a pug nose(扁鼻).”
“你不是吉米?韋爾斯!”他突然喊道,“二十年時間是很長,但也不至于把鷹鉤鼻變成了塌鼻梁。”close30RT “It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man.“You've been under arrest for ten minutes.Chicago thinks you may have dropped over(順便拜訪)our way and they want to have a chat with you.Going quietly with us, are you? That's sensible.Now, before we go on to the station, here's a note I was asked to hand you.You may read it here at the window.”
“可是有時二十年會把一個好人變成惡棍,”高個子說道。“十分鐘前你就已經(jīng)被捕了。芝加哥方面認(rèn)為你可能到我們這里來了,他們要和你談?wù)劇_€是老老實實地跟我們走吧,放聰明點!不過,我們?nèi)ゾ埃阆瓤纯催@張字條,是一個人托我交給你的。你就在櫥窗邊上看吧。”close31RT The man from the West unfolded(展開)the little piece of paper.His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished.The note was rather short:
西部來的人展開小字條。開始讀的時候手握得很穩(wěn),可讀完時,手微微地抖動了起來。字條很短:close32RT “Bob: I was at the appointed place on time.When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago.Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.JIMMY.”
“鮑勃:我準(zhǔn)時赴約了。當(dāng)你劃亮火柴點燃雪茄時,我發(fā)現(xiàn)你正是受到芝加哥警方通緝的人。可我自己無論如何動不了手,所以就走開,找了個便衣行使職責(zé)。吉米。”
Unit 2 T How Deep Is Your Love? Mansi Bhatia The text is excerpted and adapted from Writers Monthly, a US online magazine.close1RT Love to some is like a cloud To some as strong as steel For some a way of living For some a way to feel And some say love is holding on And some say let it go And some say love is everything Some say they don't know
你的愛有多深 曼茜·巴蒂亞
有人認(rèn)為愛如浮云 有人認(rèn)為愛堅強(qiáng)如鐵
有人認(rèn)為愛是一種生活方式 有人認(rèn)為愛是一種感覺 有人說愛要執(zhí)著 有人說愛不要約束 有人說愛是生命的全部 有人說不知道愛為何物
close2RT At some stage or the other in our lives we experience an emotion which defies definition.It's a feeling that can only be felt and not described.An overwhelming joy that comes together with its share of sadness.Love.在我們生命中的某個階段,我們會經(jīng)歷難以名狀的情感。這種情感只能體會,無法用語言描述。莫大的喜悅伴隨著絲絲的傷感一同降臨,這就是愛。close3RT Given the busy nature of our lives, it's to be appreciated that we even find the time to indulge in matters of the heart.But at the same time I wonder if we even understand its true depth.I remember having countless crushes while in school.My math teacher, our neighbour's son, my best friend's brother and lots of others whom I fancied for the colour of their eyes, the shape of their moustaches or just the way they walked.Harmless puppy loves that are as brief as soap bubbles.I can laugh about all those silly and adventurous thoughts and acts now but at that time nothing could be more serious an affair for me.Then came the stage of real relationships.在緊張忙碌的生活中,我們竟能找到時間,沉湎于感情之中,這的確令人感佩。然而,此時我想知道:我們是否懂得愛到底有多么深刻。記得上學(xué)的時候,我迷戀的對象真是數(shù)不清:我的數(shù)學(xué)老師、鄰居的兒子、好朋友的弟弟,還有另外一些因為眼睛的顏色、胡子的形狀或走路的姿勢而讓我傾慕的人。年少時的愛慕,不會帶來傷害,如肥皂泡一樣轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。那些稚氣、大膽的想法和行為,現(xiàn)在想來大可一笑了之。但是,在那時,對我來說,沒有比戀愛更重要的事了。接著就進(jìn)入了真正“談”情“說”愛的階段。close4RT Being in an all girls' school I hardly had the opportunity to interact with members of the opposite gender.Socials between our school and the boys' college, therefore, would be awaited anxiously.Those three hours of unhesitant attention by a group of well-groomed young gentlemen provided us with enough content to talk and feel excited about for the next four weeks.我在女子學(xué)校學(xué)習(xí),和男孩子交往的機(jī)會寥寥無幾,因此,我熱切地期待著我們學(xué)校和男子學(xué)校舉辦的交誼會。交誼會上,一群精心打扮的年輕男子毫無顧忌地盯著我們。這三個小時中的點點滴滴,成了我們在以后四個星期中足夠的談資,我們在議論時,心情澎湃。close5RT And even then there was no real need of having a boyfriend.即使是在那個時候,我也沒有真正交男朋友的需要。close6RT I somehow grew up believing that love would happen when it had to.And sure enough it did.It came at an age when I had a career, a long-term plan and a more or less settled life(and now I am not yet 25!).I was mature enough to enter a relationship which demands a lot of give and not so much of take.在我的成長歲月中,不知何故,我相信愛情該來的時候自然會來。事實果真如此。當(dāng)我有了穩(wěn)定的工作,有了長期的計劃和比較安定的生活(我現(xiàn)在還不到25歲呢!)時,愛情降臨了。我也比較成熟了,能夠步入不貪圖許多回報而需要大量付出的感情關(guān)系。close7RT Love was a magnificent building I built on the foundation of friendship.It took time to blossom.It took a lot of understanding, loads of sharing and caring, and plenty of affection to become what it is today.And it meant a meeting of minds.You might say that I belong to the traditional school of romance.But in my opinion, love needs to be nurtured.And it has to be distinguished from the intense but short-lived love or the pleasures of the flesh.我的愛情是在友誼這塊地基上建起的高樓大廈。愛情經(jīng)過曠日持久的培養(yǎng)才開花。我和我的戀人相互理解、同甘共苦、相互關(guān)心,投入了豐富的感情,才使愛情發(fā)展到今天。愛情意味著情投意合。你也許會說,我屬于浪漫的傳統(tǒng)派。但是,依我看,愛情需要培養(yǎng)。我們必須把愛情同強(qiáng)烈而短暫的激情或身體的愉悅區(qū)別開來。close8RT Our parents' generation was fed lavishly with ideals.It was an era of constraints, restraints, respect, admiration, and plenty of romance.The long skirts, the quiet and unpretentious looks, the curled long hair, the calmness, the shy glance — these are all so frequently remindful of a bygone era.An age when the distance between the sexes somehow managed to help preserve the holiness of love and relationships.我們的父輩,接受了理想愛情的灌輸。那是一個約束、壓抑、崇敬、仰慕和十足浪漫的年代。長裙、嫻靜質(zhì)樸的外表、卷曲的長發(fā)、恬靜的氣質(zhì)、羞怯的目光 —— 這一切常使人想起一個消逝久遠(yuǎn)的年代。那個年代,男女之間的距離無論如何都有助于維持愛情以及戀愛關(guān)系的神圣性。close9RT The younger generation, with its openness and fading lines of proximity, has jumped on the bandwagon of love with so much haste that it is difficult for them to distinguish between physical attraction and mental compatibilities.What we have been exposed to via the media have fast paced our sensibilities so much that taking things slow requires effort on our parts.年輕的一代人,由于觀念開放,隨著男女之間交往界線的消退,他們便急于趕浪頭,匆忙戀愛,以至于難以區(qū)分身體的互相吸引與心靈的相投。我們從媒體中接觸到的人和事,使我們的感情歷程大大加速,要想慢慢地體會自己的感受,確實需要付出努力。close10RT I am sorry to learn about the kind of emotional baggage school kids are carrying in what are purely unemotional relationships.Some might blame the current state of affairs on peer pressure.But has anyone ever stopped to figure out where this peer pressure originates? Do any of us try and understand who is responsible for this shift? Does anyone bother to study the state of mind of the teenagers?
學(xué)校里的青少年在全然沒有感情的關(guān)系中所背負(fù)的感情包袱,令我深感難過。也許有些人會把他們目前的感情狀況歸結(jié)為同齡人之間所施加的壓力。但是,可曾有任何人停下來想一想同齡人之間的壓力來自何處?我們是否嘗試著弄清楚是誰造成了這樣的轉(zhuǎn)變?可曾有人費(fèi)神去研究青少年的心理呢?close11RT The mindset of this generation is all too evident in the way it handles its personal life.There are more relationships being distorted under the pressures of lust than ever before.There is more focus on physical beauty than on inner charm.There is more of closeness and less of intimacy.There is more of passion and less of emotion.There is more of acquiring and less of sharing.There is more of opportunism and less of selflessness.In short, there is more of ME and less of US.從這一代人處理個人生活的方式上,我們很容易看出他們的思想傾向。跟從前相比,現(xiàn)在有更多的情感在欲望的壓力下扭曲。他們更注重外表的美麗而忽視內(nèi)在的魅力。兩性交往隨便了,親密無間卻少了;激情多了,感情卻少了;個人獲得的多了,相互間分享的少了;尋機(jī)獲利的現(xiàn)象多了,無私的奉獻(xiàn)少了。簡而言之,“自我”多了,愛的分享少了。close12RT We have hardened ourselves so much in this competitive age that we have forgotten the essence of relationships.There's much more to being someone's lover than gifting them red roses and fifty-cent cards.What about gifting our object of affection, our time, our company, our support, our friendship? What about setting priorities in our lives and focusing on each with sincerity? What about trying to be self-sufficient emotionally before letting ourselves loose? What about giving ourselves, and others, time and space to forge relationships? What about working towards meaningful and lasting friendships? What about honouring our commitments? What about channeling our energies and emotions towards building lifelong bonds rather than wasting them on seasonal relationships?
在這個競爭激烈的年代,我們已經(jīng)變得麻木不仁,將戀愛的實質(zhì)拋于腦后。作為戀愛中的人,不只是意味著把紅色的玫瑰花和五毛錢一張的卡片送給戀人,我們要做的事情還很多。我們將自己的時間、陪伴、支持和友誼作為禮物送給自己的戀人了嗎?我們是否確定了生活中最重要的事情,而后真誠地做好每一件事?我們是否先在情感上成熟起來,再盡情地追求愛情?我們是否給自己、給他人足夠的時間和空間以鞏固戀情的發(fā)展?我們是否為了追求有意義的、永恒的友誼而不遺余力?我們是否履行了自己的承諾?我們是否將自己的精力和感情傾注于終生不渝的關(guān)系而不是浪費(fèi)在朝秦暮楚的關(guān)系中?close13RT We have but one life and we must experience everything that can make us stronger.True love happens once in a lifetime.And we should not have become so tired by our frivolous acts that when it comes we aren't able to receive it with open arms.人的生命只有一次,我們必須去體驗?zāi)苁刮覀兏鼮閳詮?qiáng)的每件事。真正的愛情一生只有一次。我們?nèi)斡奢p佻的行為令自己身心疲憊,當(dāng)真正的愛情到來時,我們卻沒有能力伸開雙臂迎接它的降臨。
Holding Hands
Helen Troisi Arnery This text is excerpted and adapted from A Second Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne and Marci Shimoff.close1RT My husband Paul's hands had a fine, firm feeling: warm, never cold, never moist, their slight pressure always reassuring(使安心的).And whenever those hands sought mine in the final days of his life, he pressed them both together around one of my hands.牽 手
海倫·托爾西·阿諾里
丈夫保羅的手舒服有力:暖暖的,從來不會發(fā)涼潮濕,輕輕的一握總是令我感到安心踏實。在他生命最后的那些日子里,每次他摸到我的手,都會把我的一只手放在他的兩手之間握著。close2RT It was during that time, as I sat by his bed, that I tried to memorize his hands.They were twice as long as mine and half a hand wider.His fingers did not get thinner;they were long and square, laced with fine veins(血管)all the way to the tips.His nails squared off(使成方形)the ends of his fingers, with clearly defined white edges.He had always taken great care to keep them neat.They were not tough hands;nor soft, either.They were the hands of a college professor whose tools were chalk and red pens.也就是在那段時間里,我坐在他的床邊,竭力記住他雙手的樣子。他的手比我的手要長一倍,寬一半;手指上下一般粗,方方長長的,毛細(xì)血管一直延伸到指尖。方正的指甲使得指尖也呈正方形,指甲一圈白色的邊清晰可見。他總是悉心地讓雙手潔凈無暇。它們既不粗糙,也不柔軟多肉。那是雙持粉筆和紅墨水鋼筆的大學(xué)教授的手。close3RT I wondered if his students had difficulty reading his handwriting.I had grown used to it the year we were apart — engaged to be married, but separated — so he could pursue a master's degree at Bradley University, 800 miles away from our Pennsylvania hometown.不知道他的學(xué)生是否覺得他的字難以辨認(rèn)。我們分開的那年我漸漸熟悉了他的字體。我倆訂婚后曾分隔兩地,因為他要到距離賓夕法尼亞州(我們的家)800英里的布拉德利大學(xué)攻讀碩士學(xué)位。close4RT Had I remembered to tell him that I found his large hands beautiful? Did I ever explain that, before our marriage, when he was invited regularly to dinner in my home, my mother was fascinated with the quiet way he managed the silverware and coffee cups in his hands in which they nearly disappeared? Did I mention that in his clasp — in a movie, in sad moments in church, in the hospital beds to which the illnesses of his last four years confined him — I felt pure and honest expressions of his love?
不知我是否記得告訴過他我覺得他那雙大手很美。不知我是否告訴過他,結(jié)婚前他定期到我家做客吃飯時,他使用銀制餐具和咖啡杯的斯文樣子,令我母親十分欣賞,銀具和杯盞在他手里幾乎都沒了蹤影。也不知我是否告訴過他,在看電影時,在教堂悲傷時,在那張最后四年病魔困得他脫不了身的病榻上,他緊緊的一握令我至真至切地感受到了他的愛。close5RT In those hands, also, originated his caring for his children.It was a point of pride that he gave our newborn daughter her first bath.At seven pounds and fourteen ounces, she fit comfortably into the length of those two hands, but his large fingers moved with grace and delicacy to bathe her and the five babies who followed.他對孩子們的關(guān)愛之情也源于他的那雙手。大女兒的第一個澡就是他給洗的,這讓他倍感驕傲。7磅14盎司的女兒舒舒服服地躺在他那雙大手里,長長的手指靈巧細(xì)致地給大女兒和后來的5個孩子洗浴。close6RT Those hands, in our early hard times, gave haircuts to three sons in the course of their growing up and toweled three daughters' hair dry after showers.在我們早期艱難的日子里,那雙手給三個正在長大的兒子理發(fā),給三個浴后的女兒擦干頭發(fā)。close7RT They manipulated suitcases, with a maximum of sweat and a minimum of complaints in top-of-the-car carriers(置物架)of station wagons for trips to Pennsylvania to visit grandparents.They traced patterns in the air as he taught his marketing students in the university in which he had studied so many years before.多少次要去賓夕法尼亞探望孩子的祖父母,在旅行大巴車頂上他那雙手把一個個旅行箱往貨架上放,他汗流浹背,但毫無怨言。在他早年曾就讀過的大學(xué)里,他教授市場營銷專業(yè)的學(xué)生,用這雙手在空中比劃出一個個營銷模式。close8RT Those hands clasped mine in the most frightening moments of his illnesses.They reached for mine through seven months of chemotherapy(化療)and its agonizing side effects, through the few weeks of the end of his life, when children came to visit, give service(宗教儀式)and mourn(為···哀痛)in advance what they could clearly see was the end of their father's seventy-five years.在他病得最令人膽顫心驚的時候,那雙手緊緊地攥著我的手。在他經(jīng)受7個月的化療及其副作用的痛苦折磨期間,他向我伸出雙手。在他生命的最后幾個星期里,他向我伸出雙手。孩子們來探視他,看出他們75歲的父親命不久矣而提前禱告哀悼時,他還是向我伸出雙手。close9RT Those hands clasped mine in the deepest, darkest moment when he whispered in my ear, “I wonder...how it is to die.I wonder if it hurts.” I could only give him what I believed was the sum of his life — that he would be surrounded, uplifted, overjoyed with the glory of God.在那最為黑暗的時刻,他攥著我的手,在我耳邊小聲說道:“不知道······會是怎樣死去。不知道會不會疼痛。”我當(dāng)時唯一能告訴他的就是我深信他此生將有個圓滿的結(jié)局:他會被簇?fù)碇穑谏系鄣臉s光中感到無比歡愉。close10RT Finally, he was no longer able to hold my hands.Early one morning, when I offered Paul a breakfast, he could no longer eat.In a state of nervous anxiety I clipped, filed(銼光)and whitened his fingernails.There was no movement, no recognition, no response as I laid his hands across his chest, where they had lain still for several days.Within an hour, when the nurse checked him with her stethoscope(聽診器), there was nothing left for me to do but close his bright green eyes and lay my hands on his for the last time, in the quiet peaceful corner of our bedroom.最后,他再也沒有力氣握住我的手了。清晨,我給保羅喂早餐,他再也不能下咽了。我在緊張焦慮中修剪、打磨他的指甲,把指甲白色的邊緣弄干凈。我把他的手放到他的胸前(他的手放在那兒一動不動已經(jīng)好幾天了),它們沒有動靜,沒有認(rèn)可,沒有反應(yīng)。一個小時的時間里,護(hù)士用聽診器做了檢查,剩下我唯一能做的事就是合上他那雙明亮的綠色眼睛,在我們臥室恬靜的一隅里最后一次把我的手放在他的手上。close11RT Months later, I opened the top drawer of Paul's dresser one Sunday and reached in for one of his clean, pressed handkerchiefs — I liked to use them now.What I touched was an opened pack of emery boards(指甲砂銼).幾個月后的一個周日,我打開保羅衣櫥最上面的一個抽屜,取他折疊整齊的干凈的手帕(我現(xiàn)在喜歡用那些手帕)時,我觸摸到了一個開了封的指甲砂銼袋。close12RT For seven-and-a-half months, my grief for my husband had been frozen within me like an icy presence that would not yield.Then, this last Sunday of February, I was undone by the simple presence of emery boards.Tears came as I closed my eyes and tried in vain to remember the clasp of Paul's hands.7個半月里,對丈夫逝去的悲傷如同冰凌雪塊封存在心中,不曾融化。可在二月的最后一個周日,目睹面前的指甲銼具,我無法克制自己了。我閉上眼睛,怎么也回憶不起保羅的雙手握著我的手時的感覺,淚水奪眶而出。close13RT Soon after, Stephen, the youngest — who most resembles his father — came to see me.When it was time to go, Stephen kissed me good-bye and then, impulsively, took my hand in both of his large, broad ones.For several moments, I couldn't speak.It was as though his father's long, graceful hands clasped mine once again.Still reassuring me.那之后沒過多少日子,斯蒂芬來看我,他是我們的最小的兒子,長得也最像他的父親。臨走的時候,斯蒂芬吻了吻我,和我道別;然后,把我的手一把攥在他那雙又大又寬的手中。好一陣子,我說不出話來,仿佛他父親那雙長長的、雅致的手再次握住了我的手,令我依然感到安心平靜。
Unit 3
T The Pursuit of Happiness for the Common Good
Richard Layard The text is an excerpt from the article “Happiness is Back” by Richard Layard in Prospect, March 2005.close1RT Over the last 50 years, we in the west have enjoyed unparalleled economic growth.We have better homes, cars, holidays, jobs, education and above all health.According to standard economic theory, this should have made us happier.But surveys show otherwise.When Britons or Americans are asked how happy they are, they report no improvement over the last 50 years.More people suffer from depression, and crime — another indicator of dissatisfaction — is also much higher.追求以公眾利益為宗旨的幸福 <
理查德·萊亞德
在過去的50年里,我們西方國家的經(jīng)濟(jì)獲得了史無前例的增長。我們的家園、車輛、假期、工作、教育,尤其是健康,均得以改善。依據(jù)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)經(jīng)濟(jì)理論,這些改善原本應(yīng)該使我們更加幸福,然而,調(diào)查顯示并非如此。英國人和美國人接受幸福程度的調(diào)查時說,在過去的50年里,他們的幸福程度并沒有得到改善。抑郁癥患者人數(shù)上升,同時犯罪率大幅增長也說明了人們對生活的不滿足。close2RT These facts challenge many of the priorities we have set ourselves both as societies and as individuals.The truth is that we are in a situation previously unknown to man.When most people exist near the breadline, material progress does indeed make them happier.People in the rich world(above, say, $20,000 a head per year)are happier than people in poorer countries, and people in poor countries do become happier as they become richer.But when material discomfort has been banished, extra income becomes much less important than our relationships with each other: with family, with friends and in the community.The danger is that we sacrifice relationships too much in pursuit of higher income.上述事實對我們個人以及社會優(yōu)先考慮的諸多事情都提出了挑戰(zhàn)。事實上,我們現(xiàn)在的處境是人類從未經(jīng)歷過的。當(dāng)大多數(shù)人還在為溫飽發(fā)愁時,物質(zhì)條件的改善的確能令他們幸福一些。富庶國家(比如,人均年收入在兩萬美元以上)的人民比貧窮國家的人民幸福一些;而貧窮國家的人民,如果稍微富裕,也會幸福得多。然而,物質(zhì)上的匱乏一旦消除,收入的增加便不如親情、友情、鄰里和睦等人際關(guān)系那么重要。但是,我們在追求更高的收入時犧牲了太多這樣的關(guān)系,這很危險。close3RT The desire to be happy is central to our nature.We all want a society in which people are as happy as possible and in which each person's happiness counts equally.That should be the philosophy for our age, the guide for public policy and for individual action.And it should come to replace the intense individualism which has failed to make us happier.渴望幸福是人類本性的核心。人人都渴望這樣一個社會:人們盡可能地幸福,每個人的幸福同等重要。這應(yīng)當(dāng)是我們這個時代的人生哲學(xué),應(yīng)當(dāng)用來指導(dǎo)公共利益的維護(hù)準(zhǔn)則和每個人的行為,應(yīng)當(dāng)逐漸取代無法使我們更加幸福的極端的個人主義。close4RT Indeed, money is perceived as one of the key factors affecting a person's happiness.But can money alone make us happy in the long run? In any society, richer people are often happier than poor people.Yet, as a western country becomes richer, its people overall do not become happier.The reason for this is that over time our standards and expectations rise to meet our income.A Gallup poll has asked Americans each year: “What is the smallest amount of money a family of four needs to get along in this community?” The sums mentioned rise in line with average incomes.Since people are always comparing their incomes with what others have, or with what they are used to, they only feel better off if they move up relative to the norm.金錢的確是影響個人幸福的關(guān)鍵因素之一。但是,金錢本身能使我們最終獲得幸福嗎?在任何一個社會,富人往往比窮人幸福。然而,當(dāng)一個西方國家越來越富有的時候,其人民的幸福程度在總體上并未得到改善。隨著時間的推移,我們的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)和期望隨著收入的增加而上升。蓋洛普民意測驗每年都向美國人提問:“一個四口之家至少需要多少錢才能在這個國家生活下去?”人們說出的數(shù)字上升的幅度與平均收入增加的幅度是一樣的。因為人們總是拿自己的收入和他人的收入以及他們慣于擁有的收入相比較,只有當(dāng)他們認(rèn)為和平均水準(zhǔn)相比有所上升時才感到幸福。close5RT This process can have counterproductive effects.I have an incentive to work and earn more: it will make me happier.So do other members of society, who also care about their relative standard of life.Since society as a whole cannot raise its position relative to itself, the effort which its members devote to that end could be said to be a waste — the balance between leisure and work has been shifted “inefficiently” towards work.這一過程反而達(dá)不到預(yù)期的目的。我努力工作、賺更多錢的動力是:這會使我更幸福一些。其他的社會成員也同樣如此,他們也關(guān)注自己相對的生活標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。既然社會整體無法以自己為參照物而提高自己的地位,那么社會成員為使自己更加幸福所付出的努力可以說是一種浪費(fèi) —— 當(dāng)休閑與工作的天平偏向工作時,工作是“沒有效率”的。close6RT To reinforce the case, let me explain it in terms of status, which may derive as much from the earning of income as from the spending of it.People work, in part at least, to improve their status.But status is a system of ranking: one, two, three and so on.So if one person improves his status, someone else loses an equal amount.It is a zero-sum game: private life sacrificed in order to increase status is a waste from the point of view of society as a whole.That is why the rat race is so destructive: we lose family life and peace of mind in pursuing something whose total cannot be altered.為了進(jìn)一步證實這一論點,我從社會地位方面加以說明。人的地位可能來源于所掙得的收入或所花費(fèi)的金錢。人們工作,至少部分原因是為了提高自己的地位。然而,地位是一種等級體系:第一,第二,第三,等等,所以當(dāng)一個人的地位提高了,其他人的地位就同等程度地下降。這是一種得失平衡的游戲:從整個社會看,為了提高地位而犧牲個人的生活,是一種浪費(fèi)。因此,永無止境的競爭極具破壞性:我們在追求一種總體不變的東西時失去了家庭生活和平和的心境。close7RT In one sense, what people most want is respect.They seek economic status because it brings respect.But we can increase or decrease the weight we give to status.In an increasingly competitive society, life will become tougher for people in the bottom half of the ability range unless we develop broader criteria for respect.We should respect people who co-operate with others at no gain to themselves, and who show skill and effort at whatever level.That is why it is so important to enable everyone to develop a skill.In Britain, this means ensuring that all young people can take up an apprenticeship if they wish, so that those who have not enjoyed academic success at school can experience professional pride and avoid starting adult life believing themselves to be failures.在某種意義上,人們最渴望的是尊重。他們追求經(jīng)濟(jì)地位因為它可以贏來尊重。但是,我們可以重視也可以輕視經(jīng)濟(jì)地位。在一個競爭日益激烈的社會,如果我們不放寬尊重的標(biāo)準(zhǔn),社會上能力偏低的人會感到生活更加艱辛。我們應(yīng)該尊重那些同他人一起合作而自己沒有獲益的人,那些在各個階層上施展才能、努力工作的人。因此,讓每個人都能學(xué)會一種本領(lǐng)尤為重要。在英國,這意味著只要年輕人愿意,一定要確保他們每個人都學(xué)會手藝,使那些學(xué)業(yè)不成功的人也能在職業(yè)生涯中感到自豪,不會在長大成人時覺得自己是失敗者。close8RT Some comparisons between people are inevitable, since hierarchy is necessary and unavoidable.Some people get promoted and others do not.Moreover, those who get promoted must be paid more, since they are talented and the employer wishes to attract talent.So pay is important at key moments as a way of affecting people's decisions about occupations or in choosing between employers.The problem is that in most jobs there is no objective measure of individual performance, so people must in effect be evaluated against their peers.But the ranking process, which is very subjective, fundamentally alters the relationship of co-operation between an employee and his boss, and between an employee and his peers.人與人之間難免產(chǎn)生比較,因為等級體系的存在是必要的,不可避免的。有些人得到晉升,而另一些人卻沒有。此外,職位得以晉升的人薪水也要提高,因為他們有才華,雇主也樂意招賢納士。所以,在人們挑選工作和選擇雇主的關(guān)鍵時刻,薪水作為一個重要因素影響著他們的決定。存在的問題是,大部分的職業(yè)沒有客觀的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來衡量個人的業(yè)績,所以事實上只能拿一個人同自己的同事作比較才能得到評估。然而,這種等級評定的方法非常主觀,從根本上改變了雇員與雇主、雇員與同事之間的合作關(guān)系。close9RT If we want a happier society, we should focus most on the experiences which people value for their intrinsic worth and not because other people have them — above all, on relationships in the family, at work and in the community.It seems likely that the extra comforts we now enjoy have increased our happiness somewhat, but that deteriorating relationships have made us less happy.如果我們渴望一個更加幸福的社會,我們就應(yīng)該著重強(qiáng)調(diào)人們所珍視的經(jīng)歷 —— 首要的是親情關(guān)系、工作關(guān)系和鄰里關(guān)系,人們珍視這些經(jīng)歷并非因為別人擁有它們,而是因為這些經(jīng)歷擁有內(nèi)在的價值。我們當(dāng)前享受的充分的舒適和安逸,看來有可能使我們的生活幸福一些,可是人與人之間關(guān)系的惡化又有可能降低了我們的幸福程度。close10RT We live in an age of unprecedented individualism.The highest obligation many people feel is to make the most of themselves, to realise their potential.This is a terrifying and lonely objective.Of course they feel obligations to other people too, but these are not based on any clear set of ideas in western societies.The old religious worldview is gone;so too is the postwar religion of social and national solidarity.We are left with no concept of the common good or collective meaning.我們生活在一個空前的個人主義的時代。許多人都感到最重要的責(zé)任是充分發(fā)揮自己的才干,挖掘自己的潛力。這是一個可怕的、孤單的目標(biāo)。當(dāng)然,他們也感受到自己應(yīng)該對他人承擔(dān)的責(zé)任,但是在西方國家,這些責(zé)任缺乏一套清晰的理念。無論是古老的、虔誠的世界觀,還是戰(zhàn)后社會的團(tuán)結(jié)精神和國家的凝聚意識,皆蕩然無存。我們?nèi)粏适Я斯怖婊蚣w意義的概念。close11RT To become happier, we have to change our inner attitudes as much as our outward circumstances.I am talking of the everlasting philosophy which enables us to find the positive force in ourselves, and to see the positive side in others.Such compassion, to ourselves and others, can be learned and it ought to be taught in schools.Every city should have a policy for promoting a healthier philosophy of life in its youngsters and for helping them to distinguish between superficial pleasures and real happiness.我們要想幸福一些,必須在改變外在環(huán)境的同時改變我們內(nèi)在的態(tài)度。我說的是一種永恒的人生哲學(xué),它能使我們在自身找到積極的力量同時也能發(fā)現(xiàn)他人身上蘊(yùn)涵的積極因素。這種對他人和自己懷有的同情心,是可以學(xué)會的,學(xué)校應(yīng)該將這種同情心教給學(xué)生。每個城市都應(yīng)該有這樣的政策:在年輕人中間推廣更健康的人生哲學(xué),幫助他們區(qū)別膚淺的快樂和真正的幸福。close12RT So my hope is that in this new century we can finally adopt the greatest happiness of humankind as our concept of the common good.This would have two results.It would serve as a clear guide to policy.But, even more important, it would inspire us in our daily lives to take more pleasure in the happiness of others, and to promote it.In this way we might all become less self-centered and more happy.因此,我希望在這個新的世紀(jì)我們最終能夠把人類的最大幸福當(dāng)作我們的公益觀。這可能有兩個結(jié)果。這種人生觀可以明確地指導(dǎo)政策的制定,但是更重要的是,在日常的生活中,它會激勵我們因為別人幸福而感到更大的快樂,同時幫助他人獲得更大的幸福。只有這樣,我們才不會以自我為中心,才會更加幸福。
T Material Things and Happiness
Marshall Brain This text is excerpted and adapted from the book The Teenager's Guide to the Real World by Marshall Brain, published in 1997.close1RT Material things do not necessarily bring you happiness.That is a fact of life.It is a hard fact to understand sometimes, especially in a society that strives to teach you otherwise.2 物質(zhì)財富與幸福生活 馬歇爾·布雷恩
物質(zhì)財富未必會帶給你幸福。這是一個無可爭辯的生活現(xiàn)實,但有時這一事實卻難以理解,尤其在這個竭力向你灌輸相反觀念的社會里。close2RT It is not uncommon to get into a mode where you think, “If only I had object X, my life would be perfect and I would be happy.” You REALLY want something: a new TV, a new car, a special pair of shoes, whatever.Then you buy it and you LOVE having it for a few days.But over time you get bored or it wears out.You can see this pattern repeated constantly in your own life.For example, your parents and grandparents likely spent thousands and thousands of dollars on toys for you as you were growing up: Dump trucks(自卸貨車)and Barbie dolls(芭比娃娃)and video games and electric cars and on and on and on.All of those toys got boring or broken or outgrown eventually.They brought happiness for a moment or a week, but over time they became worthless and your desire turned to a new object.通常,你會陷入這樣一種思維模式:“要是我擁有了X,我的生活就會完美無缺,幸福無比了。”你非常想要的東西可能是一臺新電視機(jī)、一輛新車或者是一雙特別的鞋子等等。爾后,你就購買了,幾天都在因為得到了它而喜滋滋的。可是,過了段時間,你感到厭煩了,或者東西給用舊了。你會發(fā)覺這樣一個模式在你自己的生活中不斷地重復(fù)。比如在你小時候,你父母或祖父母可能花費(fèi)了成千上萬美元給你買玩具:自卸貨車、芭比娃娃、電視游戲、電動汽車,等等等等。所有的那些玩具最終都會遭你厭倦、被你玩壞或因你長大而被擱置一邊。它們帶來了一陣子或者一星期的快樂,可時間一長,它們變得一文不值,你的興趣轉(zhuǎn)向了某個新玩意兒。close3RT This pattern begs the following question: “If material things bring just a temporary and short-term happiness, then what does that mean?” It might mean that you have to buy material objects at a rate of perhaps one per day to sustain the temporary and short-term high of getting something new.This train of thinking(思路)can get you into thinking of such questions as: ●What is happiness? ●What does it mean to be happy? ●What do I want to do in my life?
這樣一種模式自然讓人們提出以下的問題:“假如物質(zhì)的東西帶來的幸福只是曇花一現(xiàn),那么這一切又意味著什么呢?”或許這就意味著,你得以一天一件的速度購置物品,才能維持住你因得到新東西而感受到的那種短暫的快感。循著這個思路,你可以接著考慮下面的這些問題: ●什么是幸福?
●感到幸福意味著什么?
●我這一生想做些什么?close4RT There is a difference between material happiness, which implies having all the basic or extravagant(奢侈的)comforts necessary to live a life, and spiritual happiness, which implies something else altogether.I had a friend whose philosophy was this:
物質(zhì)上的幸福和精神上的幸福是不同的。物質(zhì)上的幸福基于生活所需的一切必需品和奢侈品;精神上的幸福則基于生活必需品和奢侈品之外的一切東西。我的一個朋友持有這樣一個哲學(xué)觀:close5RT No matter how much money you make, you always want more.So if you make $25,000 a year, you believe that if you just made $50,000 you would be happy.But then you begin to make $50,000.At that point you believe that if you just made $100,000 you would be happy, and so on throughout life.This pattern is true whether you make $25,000 or $10,000,000 a year, because as you earn more money you acquire more expensive tastes.It seems to me that you might as well learn to be happy on $25,000 a year, figure out an easy way to earn it and then have the rest of your time free to do what you want.你無論賺多少錢,你都想要更多的錢。假如你一年掙25,000美元,你會認(rèn)為要是掙到50,000美元,你就會感到幸福了。于是,你就開始掙50,000美元。等掙夠了那個數(shù)目,你又會想,假如掙到100,000美元你就會感到幸福了,就這樣周而復(fù)始,終其一生。無論你一年掙25,000美元還是10,000,000美元,情況都是一樣。因為你賺得越多,你的品味就越昂貴。依我看,不妨學(xué)會一年掙得25,000美元就感到滿足,想出一個輕輕松松把它們賺到手的辦法,然后用余下的時間去做你想做的事情。close6RT This sort of philosophy suggests that you can find something other than material happiness to make your life meaningful.根據(jù)這個哲學(xué)觀,要想令你的生活富有意義,你可以尋找除物質(zhì)幸福以外的東西。close7RT The thing about “wealth” is that there is more than one way to measure it.Traditionally it is measured in dollars, but there are many other scales.You can be “rich” in ways that have nothing to do with money.For example: ● Rich in friends.A person who cultivates friendships and who is a joy to be around can have hundreds of good friends and can be rich beyond the wildest dreams of others.Rich in health.A person who spends time eating right, exercising and relaxing from stress can be extremely healthy, and this health can be far more valuable than any amount of money.● Rich in strength.A person who works out with weights every day, runs, swims, etc.can be rich in strength and will have an attractive body.● Rich in family.A person who devotes time to his or her spouse and children will have a strong and happy family that is rewarding throughout life.● Rich in knowledge.A person who reads and studies will become rich in knowledge.● Rich in skill.A person who practices anything daily(a skill, a sport, whatever)will excel(擅長)in that skill area.Excellence has its own rewards.● Rich in character.A person who takes pains to be honest and truthful in all situations will become rich in character and will be trusted by everyone.衡量“財富”這東西,辦法不止一種。傳統(tǒng)上它是用金錢來衡量,但是還有很多其他的度量標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。在與金錢沒有絲毫關(guān)系的方面,你照樣可以“腰纏萬貫”。例如:
●富有眾多的朋友。一個與人為友、樂觀待人的人可以擁有數(shù)以百計的好友,可以超乎其他人想象得富裕。
●富有健康的體魄。一個愿意花時間合理進(jìn)食、鍛煉身體、消除壓力的人可以身強(qiáng)體健。健康的體魄比起任何數(shù)目的金錢都要有價值得多。●富有充沛的精力。一個每天舉啞鈴、跑步、游泳的人能夠精力充沛,身材迷人。●富有和睦的家庭。一個愿意把時間給配偶和孩子的人可以擁有一個穩(wěn)定幸福的家庭,令他獲益終身。
●富有知識。一個愛好閱讀和鉆研的人可以學(xué)富五車。
●富有技能。一個每天勤學(xué)苦練(某種技能、運(yùn)動項目等等)的人會在所操練的領(lǐng)域出類拔萃。出類拔萃,自有回報。●富有人格魅力。一個在一切場合殫精竭慮地做到真實、坦誠的人會富有人格的魅力,受到眾人的信任。
close8RT One funny thing about all of these different areas is that none of them are taxed.You are taxed on the money you earn, and that is it.There is no knowledge tax, for example.You can learn freely throughout life and acquire a huge “bank account(銀行賬戶)” of knowledge.No one can steal it or diminish(減少)it in any way.Presumably, knowledge is the one thing you might be able to take with you to Heaven.有趣的是,上述源自不同領(lǐng)域的這些財富都用不著上稅。可你掙了錢是要繳納所得稅的,就是這么回事。沒有什么(比如說)知識稅。你可以分文不花地終身學(xué)習(xí),獲得豐厚才識的儲備。沒有人可以將其盜走、令其減少。知識很有可能就是那件你能夠帶入天堂的東西。close9RT All of these alternative types of wealth are different from financial wealth, and yet all of them can be equally rewarding in their own ways.The point is that the act of purchasing things by itself, despite what television informs you, may not be what will bring you maximum happiness in life.Things like good friends, a loving spouse, well-raised children, a home built on love, a clear conscience, a worthy goal and a job you truly enjoy bring you contentment that lasts and has meaning.These things are often quite beyond the simple-minded teenagers, but as you mature these things become more important.雖然所有這些可選擇的財富都有別于金錢,但都能夠以各自獨(dú)特的方式令人受惠。撇開電視給你提供信息不說,單就購買東西這一行為本身是不會給你帶來人生最大的幸福。好朋友,愛你的配偶,健康成長的孩子,充滿愛的家,無愧的良心,值得奮斗的目標(biāo),你真心喜愛的工作,所有這些給你帶來的滿足感天長地久,意味深長。頭腦簡單的青少年通常是不能領(lǐng)悟到的,但這些東西隨著年輕人逐漸成熟會變得愈加重要。close10RT As you look at the world around you and come to understand what is important to you, keep these things in mind.Think about what it is that you enjoy and what makes you truly happy.See what you find.In thinking about it consciously, you might be surprised by what you discover.Money is incredibly important, for you need it to survive.But it is not the only thing you need, and money itself will not bring lasting happiness to most people.Man does not live by bread alone.當(dāng)你環(huán)顧周圍的世界,明白什么對你才是至關(guān)重要的時候,你要將其銘記在心。考慮清楚你究竟心儀什么,什么才會給你真正幸福。審視一下你的發(fā)現(xiàn)。一番清楚的思考之后,你會吃驚于自己的發(fā)現(xiàn):金錢固然極其重要,因你需要它活命;但金錢不是你唯一需要的東西。對于多數(shù)人來說,金錢本身不會帶來恒久的幸福。人不是只靠面包生活的。
Unit 4
How to Grow Old
Bertrand Russell This text is slightly adapted from Portraits from Memory and Other Essays(1956), London: George Allen and Unwin;New York: Simon and Schustery.close1RT In spite of the title, this article will really be on how not to grow old, which, at my time of life, is a much more important subject.My first advice would be to choose your ancestors carefully.Although both my parents died young, I have done well in this respect as regards my other ancestors.My maternal grandfather, it is true, was cut off in the flower of his youth at the age of sixty-seven, but my other three grandparents all lived to be over eighty.Of remoter ancestors I can only discover one who did not live to a great age, and he died of a disease which is now rare, namely, having his head cut off.A great grandmother of mine, who was a friend of Gibbon, lived to the age of ninety-two, and to her last day remained a terror to all her descendants.My maternal grandmother, after having nine children who survived, one who died in infancy, and many miscarriages, as soon as she became a widow, devoted herself to women's higher education.She was one of the founders of Girton College, and worked hard at opening the medical profession to women.She used to relate how she met in Italy an elderly gentleman who was looking very sad.She inquired the cause of his melancholy and he said that he had just parted from his two grandchildren.“Good gracious”, she exclaimed, “I have seventy-two grandchildren, and if I were sad each time I parted from one of them, I should have a dismal existence!” “Madre snaturale,” he replied.But speaking as one of the seventy-two, I prefer her recipe.After the age of eighty she found she had some difficulty in getting to sleep, so she habitually spent the hours from midnight to 3 a.m.in reading popular science.I do not believe that she ever had time to notice that she was growing old.This, I think, is the proper recipe for remaining young.If you have wide and keen interests and activities in which you can still be effective, you will have no reason to think about the merely statistical fact of the number of years you have already lived, still less of the probable brevity of your future.“
如何變老 <
伯特蘭·羅素
盡管文章的標(biāo)題是“如何變老”,真正要談的卻是如何不老。在我這個年紀(jì),討論“如何不老”,著實更為重要。首要的一條忠告是,要慎重地選擇祖先。雖然我的父母皆屬早 逝,但是考慮到我其他的祖先,我的選擇尚好。我的外祖父在六十七歲風(fēng)華正茂時早逝,這是事實,可我的外祖母,還有我的祖父、祖母,都活到了八十多歲。在那些與我血緣關(guān)系稍疏些的祖先中,我只發(fā)現(xiàn)有一位不長壽的,他死于一種當(dāng)前罕見的病:被砍了頭。我的一位曾祖母是吉本的朋友,活到九十二歲,其精神狀態(tài)之好自始至終都讓子孫們敬畏,一直到她撒手人寰的那天。我的外祖母,生養(yǎng)了十個孩子,其中一個夭折,另外九個健康成長。此外,她還有過多次小產(chǎn)。她守寡之后,即刻投身于婦女的高等教育事業(yè)。她是格頓學(xué)院的創(chuàng)始人之一,為促使醫(yī)療事業(yè)向婦女敞開大門而不遺余力。她過去常講這樣的一個故事:她在意大利遇見一個滿面哀傷的老紳士,便詢問他為何如此憂傷,老紳士說剛剛和自己兩個孫子道別。“天哪!”她叫道,“我有七十二個孫子孫女,如果和其中的一個分別一次就傷心一次,那我的生活豈不太凄慘了!”“非同尋常的母親啊!”老紳士回答道。但是,作為七十二子孫中的一員,我更喜歡她的這一處世秘訣。外祖母八十高齡后感到入睡有些困難,她便常常在半夜到凌晨三點這段時間閱讀科普書籍。我想,她無暇顧及自己是否老了。我認(rèn)為這就是保持年輕的秘訣。如果你擁有廣泛的、自己鐘愛的興趣和活動,又能從中體會自己老當(dāng)益壯,你就沒有理由從那些只有在統(tǒng)計學(xué)中才有意義的數(shù)字上考慮生命已經(jīng)度過多少春秋,更沒有理由擔(dān)憂自己的未來也許很短暫。close2RT As regards health I have nothing useful to say since I have little experience of illness.I eat and drink whatever I like, and sleep when I cannot keep awake.I never do anything whatever on the ground that it is good for health, though in actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.說到健康,我很少生病,因此無法提供有用的建議。我隨心所欲地吃喝,不能清醒時就睡覺。我做任何事情都不是因為這些事情對健康有利。不過,我喜歡做的事情實際上大多都有益于健康。close3RT Psychologically there are two dangers to be guarded against in old age.One of these is undue absorption in the past.It does not do to live in memories, in regrets for the good old days, or in sadness about friends who are dead.One's thoughts must be directed to the future and to things about which there is something to be done.This is not always easy: one's own past is a gradually increasing weight.It is easy to think to oneself that one's emotions used to be more vivid than they are, and one's mind more keen.If this is true it should be forgotten, and if it is forgotten it will probably not be true.就心理而言,老年人應(yīng)慎防兩種危險。其一就是過度地沉湎于過去。人不能活在記憶中,不能生活在因美好往昔的逝去而悵然若失中,也不能生活在緬懷已故朋友的哀痛中。人的心思必須放在未來上,想想可以有所作為的事情。這并非一件輕而易舉的事:一個人經(jīng)歷的往事,漸漸變成一個沉重的包袱。人們很容易以為過去的情感比現(xiàn)在強(qiáng)烈,過去的頭腦也比現(xiàn)在敏銳。倘若真的如此,我們就要忘卻這個事實;如果忘卻了這個事實,事實也許就不再是事實了。close4RT The other thing to be avoided is clinging to youth in the hope of sucking vigour from its vitality.When your children are grown up they want to live their own lives, and if you continue to be as interested in them as you were when they were young, you are likely to become a burden to them.Animals become indifferent to their young as soon as their young can look after themselves, but human beings, owing to the length of infancy, find this difficult.另一種要提防的危險是:依戀年輕人,希望從他們的勃勃生機(jī)中汲取活力。當(dāng)你的孩子已長大成人,他們就想過自己的生活;如果你仍像他們小時候那樣關(guān)注他們,你很可能就成了他們的包袱。動物在下一代能夠自食其力時就不再給予關(guān)注;人類因幼年時期較長而很難做到這一點。close5RT It is no use telling grown-up children not to make mistakes, both because they will not believe you, and because mistakes are an essential part of education.But if you are one of those who are incapable of impersonal interests, you may find that your life will be empty unless you concern yourself with your children and grandchildren.In that case you must realize that while you can still render them material services, such as making them an allowance or knitting them jumpers, you must not expect that they will enjoy your company.孩子已長大成人,叮囑他們不犯錯誤已經(jīng)沒有意義,因為他們不再相信你的話,再說錯誤是教育不可或缺的一部分。但是,如果你的興趣無法擺脫個人感情的支配,你也許會發(fā)現(xiàn),假如不關(guān)注子孫,生活就會空虛無望。在這種情況下,你必須意識到,雖然你仍可以給他們提供物質(zhì)上的幫助,比如給他們一筆零花錢或為他們編織毛線外套,但是你絕不能期望他們會樂意和你呆在一起。close6RT Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death.In the young there is a justification for this feeling.Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat ignoble.The best way to overcome it — so at least it seems to me — is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.An individual human existence should be like a river — small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls.Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue.And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome.I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.有些老人因害怕死亡而煩惱。年輕人有這種感受是可以理解的。年輕人害怕在戰(zhàn)場上犧牲,這情有可原。他們認(rèn)為,死亡會剝奪生活賦予的最美好的東西,這讓他們深感痛苦。但是,飽嘗人世酸甜苦辣的老者已挖掘自己的潛力、實現(xiàn)了自己的抱負(fù),倘若再對死亡產(chǎn)生恐懼之心,未免有些可恥。克服恐懼之心的最好的辦法是 —— 至少我這樣看 —— 開拓更廣泛的、不局限于個人感情的興趣,讓包圍自我的墻壁漸漸地消失,你的生活就漸漸融入人類的生活中。一個人的存在應(yīng)該像一條河 —— 初始為涓涓細(xì)流,裹在狹窄的岸間,在巖石的縫隙中、在呼嘯的瀑布上奔瀉。河床漸漸變寬,河岸逐漸隱退,水流平緩,河水沒有明顯的停滯,最終融入海洋的懷抱,毫無痛苦地結(jié)束了獨(dú)立個體的存在。上了年紀(jì)的人,倘若能以這種態(tài)度看待人生,就不會因為害怕死亡而不安,因為他所喜愛的一切將繼續(xù)存在。而且,當(dāng)生命力衰竭之時,疲憊感油然而生,長眠的念頭并非令人厭惡。我希望在尚能勞作之時告別人世,知道他人會將我未竟的事業(yè)繼續(xù)下去,同時回想這一生有可能做的事情,都盡力而為了,由此可以滿意地安息了。
A Whisper of AIDS
Mary Fisher The article is adapted from The Art of Public Speaking, edited by Stephen E.Lucas, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001.close1RT Less than three months ago, at platform hearings(政黨綱領(lǐng)聽證會)in Salt Lake City, I asked the Republican Party(共和黨)to break the silence which has been kept over the issue of HIV/AIDS.I have come tonight to bring our silence to an end.低語艾滋
瑪麗·費(fèi)希爾
差不多三個多月前,在鹽湖城召開的政黨綱領(lǐng)聽證會上,我曾向共和黨提出了請求,請求打破長期對艾滋病病毒和艾滋病問題保持的沉默。今晚,我來到這兒,要給這樣的沉默作個了斷。close2RT I bear a message of challenge, not self-congratulation.I want your attention, not your applause.I would never have asked to be HIV-positive.But I believe that in all things there is a good purpose, and so I stand before you, and before the nation, gladly.我?guī)淼氖翘魬?zhàn)的信息,而不是自鳴得意的信息。我需要的是大家的關(guān)注,而不需要大家的掌聲。我從來也沒有主動要求做一個艾滋病病毒的攜帶者。但是我相信,凡事都有好的一面。于是,我就站在眾人的面前,站在國人的面前,心甘情愿。close3RT The reality of AIDS is brutally clear.Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying;a million more are infected.Worldwide, 40 million, 60 million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years.艾滋病存在的現(xiàn)實殘酷地擺在世人的面前。有20萬美國人有的已經(jīng)命喪黃泉,有的命懸一線;還有100萬人已經(jīng)染上了艾滋病。在世界范圍內(nèi),在未來的幾年里,將會出現(xiàn)4千萬、6千萬、乃至1萬萬個艾滋病感染的病例。close4RT In the context of an election year, I ask you — here, in this great hall, or listening in the quiet of your home — to recognize that the AIDS virus is not a political creature.It does not care whether you are Democrat(民主黨黨員)or Republican.It does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay(同性戀的)or straight(非同性戀的), young or old.在這個選舉年里,無論您此刻是在這寬敞的會議廳,還是在安靜的家里,我都要請您明白:艾滋病病毒不是政治產(chǎn)物。它并不介意您是民主黨人還是共和黨人;它并不過問您是黑人還是白人,是男人還是女人,是同性戀還是異性戀,是青年人還是老年人。close5RT Tonight, I represent an AIDS community whose members came reluctantly from every segment of American society.Though I am white and a mother, I am one with a black infant struggling with tubes in a Philadelphia hospital.Though I am female and contracted this disease in marriage, and enjoy the warm support of my family, I am one with the lonely gay man sheltering a flickering(搖曳)candle from the cold wind of his family's rejection.今晚,我代表的是一個罹患艾滋病的社群。這個社群的成員來自美國社會的各個階層,但都不是志愿加入的。盡管我是個白人,是個母親,但我和一個正在費(fèi)城醫(yī)院和試管搏斗的黑皮膚的嬰兒命運(yùn)相連。盡管我是個女性,結(jié)婚時染上了艾滋病,同時也享受著家人溫馨的支持,但我和一個孤獨(dú)的同性戀男人命運(yùn)相連;他正在家人厭棄的寒風(fēng)下呵護(hù)著搖曳的生命燭火。close6RT This is not a distant threat;it is a present danger.The rate of infection is increasing fastest among women and children.Largely unknown a decade ago, AIDS is the third leading killer of young adult Americans today — but it won't be third for long.Because, unlike other diseases, this one travels.Adolescents don't give each other cancer or heart disease because they believe they are in love.But HIV is different.And we have helped it along — we have killed each other — with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence.艾滋病的威脅并非遙不可及,相反,它的危險近在咫尺。婦孺的染疾率正以最快的速度上升。艾滋病十年前還鮮為人知,可如今已是奪取美國年輕人生命的第三大元兇 —— 不過,它屈居第三的位置也將不會為時多久。因為有別于其他疾病的是,艾滋病四處游蕩。青少年不會因為自認(rèn)為相愛而相互傳染癌癥或者心臟病。可艾滋病病毒卻是另外一回事兒。無知、偏見和緘默使得我們助紂為虐,相互殘殺。close7RT We may take refuge(庇護(hù))in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long.Because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks: Are you human? And this is the right question: Are you human? Because people with HIV have not entered some alien(性質(zhì)全然不同的)state of being.They are human.They have not earned cruelty and they do not deserve meanness.They don't benefit from being isolated or treated as outcasts(被拋棄的人).Each of them is a person.Not evil, deserving of our judgment;not victims, longing for our pity.They are people, ready for support and worthy of compassion.我們或許會固守成見,但成見不能長久保護(hù)我們。因為艾滋病病毒發(fā)起進(jìn)攻時只會問:你們是人嗎?問得好!你們是人嗎?因為艾滋病病毒的攜帶者并非變成了某種怪異的生物體,他們是人。他們并沒有犯下遭此殘酷待遇的罪行,不應(yīng)該受到刻薄的對待。他們在被孤立、被遺棄當(dāng)中沒有獲益。他們每個人都是一名個體,他們不是禍害,不應(yīng)該受到審判;他們不是受害者,不渴望大家的憐憫。他們是需要支持、值得同情的人。close8RT My call to the nation is a plea(懇求)for awareness.If you believe you are safe, you are in danger.Because I was not hemophiliac(患血友病的), I was not at risk.Because I was not gay, I was not at risk.Because I did not inject(注射)drugs, I was not at risk.我向國人發(fā)出的是“覺悟起來”的訴求。如果你們相信自己是安全的,那你們已身處危境了。當(dāng)初不是因為我不是血友病患而沒有危險,不是因我不是同性戀而沒有危險,不是因我不吸毒而沒有危險。close9RT Tonight, HIV marches firmly towards AIDS in more than a million American homes, littering its pathway with the bodies of the young — young men, young women, young parents, and young children.One of the families is mine.If it is true that HIV inevitably turns to AIDS, then my children will inevitably turn to orphans(孤兒).今晚,艾滋病病毒在一百多萬美國家庭里正穩(wěn)步地向艾滋病邁進(jìn),沿途丟棄的盡是年輕的尸骨 —— 年輕的男人、年輕的女人,年輕的父母和年幼的孩童。在這些眾多的家庭中就有我的家庭。如果艾滋病病毒果真不可避免地令我患上艾滋病,那么我的孩子將不可避免地成為孤兒。close10RT My family has been a rock of support.My 84-year-old father, who has pursued the healing of the nations, will not accept the premise(假設(shè))that he cannot heal his daughter.My mother refuses to be broken;she still calls at midnight to tell wonderful jokes that make me laugh.Sisters and friends, and my brother Philip(whose birthday is today)— all have helped carry me over the hardest places.I am blessed, richly and deeply blessed, to have such a family.我的家人一直給予我磐石般的支持。我84歲的父親一直致力于上帝“醫(yī)治萬民”的事業(yè),他不愿意接受自己無力醫(yī)治女兒創(chuàng)傷的假定。我母親拒絕放棄希望,午夜時分,她仍打來電話講些令我捧腹的精彩笑話。姐妹、朋友、我的兄弟菲利普(今天是他的生日),他們都幫助我穿越了最艱難的地帶。擁有這樣一個家庭,我是“幸福”的,深深的、無比的“幸福”。close11RT But not all of you have been so blessed.You are HIV-positive but dare not say it.You have lost loved ones, but you dared not whisper the word AIDS.You weep silently;you grieve alone.但是,你們大家并非都如我這般幸福。你們是艾滋病病毒的攜帶者,但卻沒有勇氣說出來;你們失去了心愛的人,但卻沒有勇氣輕聲說出“艾滋病”這個詞。你們悄悄啜泣,獨(dú)自悲傷。close12RT I have a message for you: It is not you who should feel shame;it is we.We who tolerate ignorance and practice prejudice, we who have taught you to fear.We must break the silence, making it safe for you to reach out for compassion.It is our task to seek safety for our children, not in quiet denial but in effective action.我要告訴你們的是:應(yīng)該感到羞愧的不是你們,而是我們大家!是我們?nèi)萑虩o知、抱有偏見!是我們教會你們害怕!我們必須打破沉默,讓你們在爭取同情時感到心安理得。我們有義務(wù)給孩子們尋求安全,但不是通過默默的排斥而應(yīng)是積極的行動。close13RT To the millions of you who are grieving, who are frightened, who have contracted AIDS firsthand: Have courage and you will find support.對那些哀傷著恐懼著罹患了艾滋病的數(shù)以百萬計的人們,我想說:鼓起勇氣,才能獲得支援!close14RT To the millions who are strong, I issue this plea: Set aside prejudice and politics to make room for compassion and sound policy.對數(shù)以百萬計的健康人,我懇求你們放下偏見和政見,施以憐憫,制定明智的政策。close15RT To all within the sound of my voice, I appeal: Learn with me the lessons of history and of grace, so my children will not be afraid to say the word AIDS when I am gone.Then their children, and yours, may not need to whisper it at all.我要向所有的人高聲疾呼:和我一起汲取歷史教訓(xùn)吧,和我一起學(xué)習(xí)寬容吧。這樣,我的孩子在我離去時才會有膽量說出“艾滋病”這個字眼兒,孩子的孩子以及你們的孩子也許就再也不必竊竊私語說出“艾滋病”這個字眼兒了。
Unit 5 Education in Cyberspace
Vicky Phillips The text is taken and adapted from the website: http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1998/01/20feature.html
close1RT On a recent business trip a man asked me what I did for a living.I replied that I wrote and taught college courses.網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育
維基· 菲利普斯
在最近的一次出差途中,有人問及我的職業(yè),我說自己是從事編寫和教授大學(xué)課程的。close2RT ”O(jiān)h?“ he said.”Where do you teach?“
“哦?你在哪兒教書?”他問道。close3RT A peculiarly honest answer came out of my mouth before I could think.”Nowhere,“ I said.我不假思索,老老實實地答道:“虛無空間里”。close4RT It's true.Since 1990 I have taught and counseled for what a friend of mine calls ”keyboard colleges“ — distance-learning degree programs.Where I teach is inside that electrically charged space that lies between my phone jack and the home computers of a group of generally older-than-average college students.我說的是實情。1990年起,我就在被朋友稱作“鍵盤大學(xué)”里教遠(yuǎn)程學(xué)位教育課程并提供輔導(dǎo)。我的課堂是在充滿電荷的空間里,其間一端連著我的電話插座,另一端連著一群年齡偏大的大學(xué)生家里的電腦。close5RT In 1990, I designed America's first online counseling center for distance learners.Since then I've worked with more than 7,000 learners online.I've flunked a few of them.I've never personally met any of them.1990年,我籌建了美國第一個遠(yuǎn)程學(xué)習(xí)者在線輔導(dǎo)中心。迄今為止,我已在線輔導(dǎo)了7000多個學(xué)生,其中只有幾個人不及格,而我本人卻從未與他們謀面。close6RT For want of a clearer explanation of my career situation, I told the man who inquired that I teach in cyberspace.”I'm a virtual professor,“ I tried explaining.”Distance learning...online degree programs...virtual universities.“
由于無法更清楚地解釋我的工作環(huán)境,我只能告訴這位問話者:我在虛擬空間教書,“是個虛擬大學(xué)的教師。”我試著向他解釋“遠(yuǎn)程教育······在線學(xué)位課程······虛擬大學(xué)”等等。close7RT The man's face remained as blank as a clear summer sky.I couldn't tell whether he was silent out of respect or keen confusion.I imagined both to be the case, so I settled in to explain what I have to explain frequently these days: the decline of the American college campus and the rise of the American educational mind — as I see it.那人的臉上仍舊一片茫然。我不清楚他沉默不語到底是因肅然起敬所致,還是純粹對此稀里糊涂。我猜想兩個原因都有。于是,我就開始解釋這些天來經(jīng)常解釋的事情:我認(rèn)為,美國的大學(xué)教育在衰退,而美國的教育新思維正在興起。close8RT Distance learning, or educational programs where pupil and professor never meet face-to-face, is nothing new.Sir Isaac Pitman of Bath, England, hit upon the idea of having rural residents learn secretarial skills by translating the Bible into shorthand, then mailing these translations back to him for grading.He began doing this in 1840.And he made mounds of money doing it.遠(yuǎn)程教學(xué)(即師生不用謀面的教育課程)并不是件新生事物。英國巴斯大學(xué)的艾塞克·彼特曼爵士曾突發(fā)奇想,讓鄉(xiāng)村居民把圣經(jīng)轉(zhuǎn)換成速記文字,然后郵寄給他評閱,以這種辦法教會他們文秘技能。1840年他就開始實施,從中賺取了大筆的金錢。close9RT I don't teach shorthand;I teach psychology and career development.I write many of my own lessons, though, just as Sir Isaac had to do.My post is the World Wide Web.I post assignments to electronic bulletin boards and send graded papers across the international phone lines in tariff-free e-mail packets.I convene classes and give lectures in online chat rooms when need be.我并不教速記,我教心理學(xué)和職業(yè)拓展。但還是和艾塞克爵士一樣,很多課程是自己編寫的。我的崗位是在萬維網(wǎng),我把作業(yè)張貼在電子布告欄上,把批閱過的試卷用電子郵件通過國際電話線發(fā)送出去,而且免交關(guān)稅;必要時,把班級學(xué)生召集起來,在網(wǎng)上聊天室里在線講課。close10RT Is this any way to dispense with a real college education? Can people learn without sitting in neat rows in a lecture room listening to the professor — the Sage on the Stage?
難道這種方式能夠摒棄現(xiàn)實中的大學(xué)教育嗎?學(xué)生難道不用整齊地坐在教室里聆聽老師 —— 講壇上的圣人——講課就能學(xué)到知識嗎?close11RT Yes, absolutely.Why not? In fact, while many people find it hard to imagine a college with no campus, I nowadays find it hard to imagine teaching anywhere other than in the liberal freedom that is cyberspace.絕對可以,毫無疑問。事實上,很多人都認(rèn)為沒有校園的大學(xué)難以想象,可我現(xiàn)在卻以為不在網(wǎng)絡(luò)空間這塊充滿自由氛圍的地方教書才是匪夷所思呢。close12RT In cyberspace, I listen, read, comment and reflect on what my students have to say — each of them in turn.What they know, they must communicate to me in words.They cannot sit passively in the back row twiddling their mental thumbs as the clock ticks away.They must think;and horrors of horrors, they must write.Thinking and writing: Aren't these the hallmarks of a classically educated mind?
在網(wǎng)絡(luò)空間里,我傾聽、閱讀、評價、思考學(xué)生們表述的觀點 —— 一次一個,輪流發(fā)言。他們必須書面把見解傳輸給我,他們不能坐在后排座位上,無所事事地打發(fā)時光。他們必須思考,最令他們頭疼的是,他們必須寫作。思考與寫作,那不就是傳統(tǒng)教育培養(yǎng)出來的人才所具備的特質(zhì)嗎?close13RT I know my students not by their faces or their seat position in a vast lecture auditorium;I know them by the words and ideas they express in their weekly assignments, which everyone reads online.我不是憑借他們的臉龐或是他們在寬敞教室里所坐位置來認(rèn)識我的學(xué)生,而是通過他們每周作業(yè)里的文字和觀點了解他們。這些文字與觀點大家都能在線讀到。close14RT I am not a Sage on the Stage — I am more a Guide on the Side.Often what the students ”say“ or write to one another, or the way they incorporate their work and career ideas into their papers and debates with each other, is more practically inspiring than any help I could provide them with.我不是講壇上的圣人 —— 我更像是他們身邊的向?qū)АMǔ#瑢W(xué)生們之間“說”的或?qū)懙臇|西、把自己工作和職業(yè)體會融入論文和辯論的方式,比起我能夠提供的任何東西都更加實用,更有啟迪性。close15RT My average college ”kid“ is 40 years old.More than a few are in their 50s or 60s.They are telecommuting to campus because they could not, or would not, uproot their careers and kids or grandkids to move to a college campus — an entity modeled after the learning monasteries of medieval times.我學(xué)生的年齡一般是四十歲,還有不少五六十歲。他們通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)來上學(xué)。因為他們不能或者不愿意辭去工作、離開兒女或?qū)O輩們搬進(jìn)大學(xué)校園 —— 那樣的大學(xué)無非就是一個依照中世紀(jì)修道院模式建立起來的教育實體。close16RT Many of them know what they are talking about.Even more so, they know why they came back to college to learn.A cyber-education suits them because it respects their abilities to define for themselves what knowledge is and to go after it.It encourages them to argue their points and their perspectives without the interference of a professor, who might be tempted to step in to ”calm down“ or ”refocus“ an otherwise wonderfully enlightening classroom debate.他們大多數(shù)了解自己所談?wù)摰臇|西,不僅如此,他們清楚自己為何返回大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)。網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育適合他們,因為網(wǎng)絡(luò)教育尊重學(xué)員界定知識和追求知識的能力,鼓勵他們抒發(fā)自己的觀點和見解,沒有教師干擾,因為教師可能會情不自禁地介入他們的爭論,把原本很有啟發(fā)性的課堂討論“平息”或者“引到別的話題上去”。close17RT They are experiencing something very different from the traditional factory model of American education, in which everyone on the assembly line is delivered the same standardized units of information(lectures and textbooks)and then must pass the same quality inspection(objective exams).This factory model — where students sit in neat rows, holding up their hands for permission to speak, clock-watching their way through textbooks and lectures that are broken into discrete bits of knowledge — has never been shown to be an effective way to learn.It has, however, been proven to be a convenient way for colleges to record on transcripts that a standard body of knowledge has been duly delivered.學(xué)生們體驗到的東西完全不同于依照傳統(tǒng)工廠模式運(yùn)作的美國教育。在傳統(tǒng)教育中,生產(chǎn)線上的每個人接收到相同標(biāo)準(zhǔn)單位的信息(講座和教材),然后必須通過同一質(zhì)量檢查(客觀考試)。學(xué)生們坐在整齊排列的座位上,舉手請求允許后才發(fā)言,不斷地看著鐘表學(xué)課本、聽講座,課本和講座被分解成不相關(guān)聯(lián)的知識玩意兒。沒有證據(jù)顯示,這樣的工廠模式是有效的學(xué)習(xí)途徑,而只能證明這是一種很便利的方式:大學(xué)在成績報告單上記錄下標(biāo)準(zhǔn)份量的知識已如期地傳授。close18RT Maybe teaching a liberal arts curriculum via a virtual environment makes more sense to me because it brings me back to what I learned to be a true liberal arts education.Studying philosophy in Athens, Greece, I was taught that to learn anything, one had to throw away textbooks and notebooks — mere memory tools — and instead rely on one's native ability to think critically.或許,在虛擬環(huán)境下教大學(xué)文科課程對我來說特別有意義,因為它可以追溯到我當(dāng)年所了解到的真正的大學(xué)文科教育。在希臘雅典研讀哲學(xué)時,老師教導(dǎo)我,要學(xué)到東西就得扔掉課本和筆記本這些不過是記憶工具的東西,要依賴我們與生俱來的本領(lǐng)進(jìn)行批判性思考。close19RT While my cyber-students do have textbooks, the books are learning aids;they are not the only pool of knowledge the students will drink from.Instead, they will learn also from the collaborative efforts of online debates, conferences and papers.They will think about what they have to say, and they will come to class each week amazingly prepared to argue and type their way toward insight.我的網(wǎng)絡(luò)學(xué)生的確是有教材,但那都是學(xué)習(xí)的輔助材料,不是他們汲取知識的唯一源泉。他們還將從網(wǎng)上辯論、會議和論文寫作的合作中學(xué)到知識。學(xué)生們要為發(fā)言認(rèn)真思考;他們每周來上課時,充分準(zhǔn)備好辯論,通過鍵盤上的交流獲取真知。close20RT The virtual university: Oddly enough, it's just what a classical philosopher like Plato would have practiced — had there been an Internet way back then.Me? I'm in favor of less learning taking place on a campus and more that happens in the minds of the participants.說也奇怪,虛擬大學(xué)興許正是柏拉圖這樣的古典哲學(xué)家喜歡授課的地方 —— 假如他那個時期有因特網(wǎng)的話。你問我本人的意見?我也認(rèn)為教育應(yīng)該比較少地在校園里開展,而更多地應(yīng)該在參與者的腦子里進(jìn)行。
The Four Pillars of Education in the Twenty-first Century
Jacques Delors The text is excerpted from Learning: The Treasure Within, a report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, by Jacques Delors, 1996.close1RT In confronting the many challenges that the future holds in store, humankind sees in education an indispensable asset(資產(chǎn))in its attempt to attain the ideals of peace, freedom and social justice.二十一世紀(jì)教育的四個支柱 雅克· 德洛爾
面對未來的種種挑戰(zhàn),教育看來是使人類朝著和平、自由和社會正義邁進(jìn)的一筆不可或缺的財富。close2RT The role of education in the 21st century must be based upon the hope for a world that is a better place to live in.To this end, we have to confront and overcome some of the problems of the 21st century, namely:
●The tension between the global and the local.People need to become world citizens gradually but without losing their roots.●The tension between tradition and modernity, which is part of the same problem: how to adapt to change without turning one's back on the past.●The tension between long-term and short-term considerations.Public opinion always cries out for quick answers and ready solutions, whereas many problems call for a patient, concerted(協(xié)同完成的), negotiated strategy of reform.This is precisely the case where education policies are concerned.●The tension between, on the one hand, the need for competition, and on the other, the concern for equality of opportunity.This has led us to reconcile three forces: competition, which provides incentives;co-operation, which gives strength;and solidarity, which unites.●The tension between the spiritual and the material.It is education's noble task to encourage each and every one to lift their minds and spirits in accordance with their traditions and convictions.在二十一世紀(jì),教育的作用必須立足于人類對更美好世界的向往。為此,我們必須正視二十一世紀(jì)面臨的一些問題,并予以解決。這些問題是: ●全球與局域之間的緊張關(guān)系:各國人民在不失其根本的同時,需逐漸成為世界公民。
●傳統(tǒng)和現(xiàn)代之間的緊張關(guān)系,這和“如何適應(yīng)變革又不漠視過去”屬于同一個問題。
●長遠(yuǎn)考慮和短期考慮之間的緊張關(guān)系。輿論總是迫切需要迅速得到問題的答案和現(xiàn)成的解決辦法,而許多問題卻需要從長計議,耐心協(xié)調(diào),策略變通方能解決。教育政策正屬于這種情況。●人類一方面需要競爭,另一方面也關(guān)注機(jī)會的均等,這兩者之間也存在著緊張關(guān)系。這促使我們把三個因素協(xié)調(diào)起來:具有激勵作用的競爭力、產(chǎn)生活力的合作精神以及具有凝聚力的團(tuán)結(jié)精神。●精神和物質(zhì)之間的緊張關(guān)系。在不違背每個人的傳統(tǒng)和信仰的基礎(chǔ)上,激勵他們升華自己的思想和精神境界,這是教育的崇高使命。close3RT Having adopted this position, we propose to put greater emphasis on one of the four pillars which serve as the foundations of education: learning to live together.One of education's tasks is both to teach pupils and students about human diversity and make them aware of the similarities and interdependence of all people.From early childhood, schools should seize every opportunity to pursue this two-pronged(兩方面的)approach.Some subjects lend themselves to this — human geography in basic education, foreign languages and literature later on, to name just a few.Learning to live together can be achieved by developing an understanding of others and their history, traditions and spiritual values and, on this basis, creating a new spirit which would induce people to implement common projects or to manage the inevitable conflicts in an intelligent and peaceful way.站在這個立場上,我們建議,人類需要更加重視作為教育基礎(chǔ)的四個支柱之一:學(xué)會共同生活。教育的使命之一是讓學(xué)生認(rèn)識人類的多樣性,同時還要讓他們意識到所有人之間的相似性和相互依存性。從幼兒開始,學(xué)校就應(yīng)該抓住各種機(jī)會進(jìn)行這一雙重教育。有些學(xué)科適合進(jìn)行這種教育,例如,在基礎(chǔ)教育階段開設(shè)人文地理,晚些時候開設(shè)外語和外國文學(xué)。為了學(xué)會共同生活,我們可以多了解他人、了解他人的歷史、傳統(tǒng)和精神價值,在此基礎(chǔ)上創(chuàng)造一種新的精神,這種精神會激勵人們參與共同的項目或者用明智、和平的方式化解不可避免的沖突。close4RT In the meantime, we should not disregard the other three pillars of education which provide, as it were(可以說是), the bases for learning to live together.The first of these is learning to know.With the rapid changes brought about by scientific progress, the emphasis has to be on combining a sufficiently broad general education with the possibility of in-depth work on a selected number of subjects.同時,我們也不應(yīng)該忽視教育的另外三個支柱,它們可以說是學(xué)會共同生活的基本要素。第一是學(xué)會認(rèn)知。隨著科學(xué)進(jìn)步所帶來的迅速變革,人類必須重視以下兩個方面的結(jié)合:一是相當(dāng)廣泛的普通教育;二是就少量精選的學(xué)科進(jìn)行深入研究的可能性。close5RT Learning to know, therefore, implies learning how to learn.Since knowledge is of multiple nature, any attempt to know everything becomes more and more pointless.In fact, after the basic education stage, the idea of being a multi-subject specialist is simply an illusion.A truly educated person nowadays needs a broad general education and the opportunity to study a small number of subjects in depth.General education, which gives pupils and students a chance to learn other languages and become familiar with other subjects, first and foremost provides a way of communicating with other people.Such a general background provides, so to speak, the passport to lifelong education, in so far as it gives people a taste — but also lays the foundations — for learning throughout life.因此,學(xué)會認(rèn)知就意味著學(xué)會如何學(xué)習(xí)。由于知識涉及到方方面面,試圖想什么都知道,這愈來愈做不到。事實上,在基礎(chǔ)教育階段之后,想成為多門學(xué)科的專家就成了不切實際的幻想。今天,一個真正受到良好教育的人需要接受廣泛的通識教育,同時有機(jī)會深入地研究少量的學(xué)科。通識教育使學(xué)生有機(jī)會學(xué)習(xí)其他語言、熟悉其他學(xué)科,首先而且尤為重要的是,通識教育提供了與他人交流的手段。這種通識教育可以說是接受終身教育的通行證,因為它使人對終身學(xué)習(xí)產(chǎn)生了興趣并為其奠定了基礎(chǔ)。close6RT Learning to do is another pillar.This question is closely associated with the issue of occupational training: how do we adapt education so that it can equip people to do the types of work needed in the future? Here we should draw a distinction between industrial economies, where most people are wage-earners, and other economies where self-employment or casual(臨時的)work is still the norm.The future of industrial economies hinges on(取決于)their ability to turn advances in knowledge into innovations that will generate new businesses and new jobs.In addition to learning to do a job, it also refers to the acquisition of a competence(能力)that enables people to deal with a variety of situations and to work in teams.In many cases, such competence and skills are more readily acquired if pupils and students have the opportunity to try out and develop their abilities by becoming involved in work experience schemes or social work while they are still in education.另外一個支柱是學(xué)會做事。這和職業(yè)培訓(xùn)密不可分:我們?nèi)绾问菇逃臀磥硐噙m應(yīng)、使人們有能力做好未來所需要的工作?這里我們應(yīng)該將以雇傭勞動為主的工業(yè)化經(jīng)濟(jì)同以個體經(jīng)營或臨時工為主的其他類型的經(jīng)濟(jì)區(qū)別開來。工業(yè)化經(jīng)濟(jì)的未來取決于它們能否把知識的進(jìn)步轉(zhuǎn)化為革新,從而開創(chuàng)新企業(yè)、創(chuàng)造新的就業(yè)機(jī)會。除了學(xué)習(xí)從事一種職業(yè)外,學(xué)會做事也指獲得一種能力,這種能力使一個人能夠應(yīng)付各種各樣的情況,而且能夠參與集體勞動。如果在校的中小學(xué)生和大學(xué)生都有機(jī)會參加一些以獲取工作經(jīng)驗為目標(biāo)的培訓(xùn)活動或社會福利工作,以此來實踐和鍛煉自己的能力,以上所說的能力和技能在許多情況下是比較容易獲得的close7RT Last, but far from least, is the fourth pillar: learning to be.In the twenty-first century everyone will need to exercise greater independence and judgment.It is necessary to have a stronger sense of personal responsibility for the attainment of common goals.Education should contribute to every person's complete development — mind and body, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic(美感的)appreciation and spirituality.All people should receive in their childhood and youth an education that equips them to develop their own independent, critical way of thinking and judgment, so that they can make up their own minds on the best courses of action(行動步驟)in the different circumstances in their lives.None of the talents which are hidden like buried treasure in every person must be left untapped(未開發(fā)的).These are, to name but a few: memory, reasoning power, imagination, physical ability, aesthetic sense, the aptitude(才能)to communicate with others and the natural charisma(領(lǐng)袖氣質(zhì))of the group leader, which again goes to prove the need for greater self-knowledge.最后但同樣重要的是第四個支柱:學(xué)會生存。在二十一世紀(jì),人人都需要發(fā)揮更強(qiáng)的自主能力和判斷能力;每個人都要對共同目標(biāo)的實現(xiàn)懷有更強(qiáng)烈的責(zé)任感。教育應(yīng)當(dāng)促進(jìn)每個人的全面發(fā)展,即身心、智力、敏銳性、審美情趣以及精神的升華等方面的發(fā)展。每個人在青少年時代接受的教育應(yīng)該使他們形成一種獨(dú)立自主的、富有批判精神的思維方式和判斷力。只有這樣,他們才能夠在人生不同的情況下自己確定最應(yīng)該做的事情。蘊(yùn)藏在每個人身上的像寶藏一樣的才能都必須發(fā)揮出來,例如記憶力、推理能力、想象力、體能、審美意識、與他人交流的能力以及領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者天生的領(lǐng)袖魅力。這再次證明一個人需要對自己有更深入的了解。close8RT What we shall build in the twenty-first century is a learning society founded on the acquisition, renewal(更新)and use of knowledge.As the development of the ”information society“ is increasing the opportunities for access to data and facts, education should enable everyone to gather information and to select, arrange, manage and use it.我們要在二十一世紀(jì)建立以獲取、更新和利用知識為基礎(chǔ)的教育社會。由于“信息社會”不斷發(fā)展,人們接觸數(shù)據(jù)和事實的機(jī)會大增,教育應(yīng)該使每個人都能收集種種信息,并能篩選、整理、管理和使用這些信息。close9RT Faced with a growing and at the same time increasingly quality-minded demand for education, how can educational policies achieve the twin aims of high educational standards and equity? These are the questions that we should address concerning courses of study, educational methods and content, and prerequisites(先決條件)for the effectiveness of education.面對這種對教育越來越多、越來越高的要求,怎樣才能使教育政策實現(xiàn)既提高教育質(zhì)量又體現(xiàn)教育公正這兩個目標(biāo)呢?這是我們應(yīng)該解決的問題,其中涉及課程設(shè)置、教學(xué)方法和內(nèi)容、以及提高教學(xué)效果應(yīng)必備的條件。close10RT These four pillars of knowledge cannot be anchored(固定)solely in one phase in a person's life or in a single place.There is a need to re-think when in people's lives education should be provided, and the fields that such education should cover.The periods and fields should complement each other and be interrelated in such a way that all people can get the most out of their own specific educational environment all through their lives.教育的這四個支柱不能只涉及一個人一生中的某個階段或單純某個方面。我們有必要重新思考:人的一生什么時候應(yīng)該獲得教育?所受的教育應(yīng)該覆蓋哪些領(lǐng)域?教育的各個階段和領(lǐng)域應(yīng)該相互補(bǔ)充,相互關(guān)聯(lián),從而使每個人在一生中都能夠充分利用自己擁有的獨(dú)特的教育環(huán)境。Close
Unit 6 Culture Shock
Kalervo Oberg The text is excerpted and adapted from Kalervo Oberg's talk presented to the Women's Club of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 3, 1954.close1RT We might almost call culture shock an occupational disease of people who have been suddenly transplanted abroad.Like most ailments it has its own cause, symptoms, and cure.文化沖擊
卡勒沃·奧伯格
我們不妨把文化沖擊稱為突然置身國外的人們所得的職業(yè)病。和大部分疾病一樣,這種病有其獨(dú)特的起因、癥狀和療法。close2RT Culture shock is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse.These signs or cues include the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life: when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people, when and how to give tips, how to give orders to servants, how to make purchases, when to accept and when to refuse invitations, when to take statements seriously and when not.These cues which may be words, gestures, facial expressions, customs, or norms are acquired by all of us in the course of growing up and are as much a part of our culture as the language we speak or the beliefs we accept.All of us depend for our peace of mind and our efficiency on hundreds of these cues.文化沖擊是因為我們失去熟悉的社會交往標(biāo)記和符號而產(chǎn)生的焦慮所促成。這些標(biāo)志或暗示包括我們應(yīng)付日常生活各種情境時使用的諸多方式方法:與人會面時何時握手、該說些什么;在什么時間、以什么方式付小費(fèi);如何吩咐傭人;怎樣購物;何時該接受、何時該拒絕他人的邀請;別人說的話,何時該當(dāng)真,何時不該當(dāng)真。這些暗示可以是語言、手勢、面部表情、風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣或社會行為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。我們在成長的過程中獲得了這些暗示,就像我們的語言和我們所接受的信仰一樣,它們已經(jīng)成為我們文化的一部分。我們所有的人都依賴成百上千個這樣的暗示才能擁有寧靜的心境,過上高效率的生活。close3RT Now when an individual enters a strange culture, all or most of these familiar cues are removed.He or she is like a fish out of water.No matter how broad-minded you may be, a series of props have been knocked from under you, followed by a feeling of frustration and anxiety.People react to the frustration in much the same way.First they reject the environment which causes the discomfort: ”The ways of the host country are bad because they make us feel bad.“ When Americans or other foreigners in a strange land get together to complain about the host country and its people — you can be sure they are suffering from culture shock.Another phase of culture shock is regression.The home environment suddenly assumes a tremendous importance.To an American everything American becomes irrationally glorified.All the difficulties and problems are forgotten and only the good things back home are remembered.It usually takes a trip home to bring one back to reality.當(dāng)你走進(jìn)一種陌生的文化,你所熟悉的所有或大部分文化暗示也就隨之消失。此時的你宛如一條離開水的魚。無論你的心胸多么開闊,你賴以生存的支柱此時都已倒塌,挫折感和焦慮感油然而生。人們對此種挫折的反應(yīng)非常相似:他們首先排斥令他們不適的環(huán)境:”我們所到之國的生活方式很不好,讓我們感覺很糟糕。“當(dāng)美國人或其他的外國人來到一個陌生的國度,聚在一起抱怨所到之國及其人民時 —— 可以肯定,他們正深受文化沖擊之苦。文化沖擊的另外一個階段是回歸。故鄉(xiāng)的一草一木突然變得極為重要。一個美國人會不合理地美化美國的一切事物。在自己國家所經(jīng)歷的困難和問題都拋在了腦后,只記得故鄉(xiāng)美好的事物。通常要回國一趟方可回到現(xiàn)實中。close4RT In an effort to get over culture shock, there is some value in knowing something about the nature of culture and its relationship to the individual.In addition to living in a physical environment, an individual lives in a cultural environment consisting of man-made physical objects, social institutions, and ideas and beliefs.An individual is not born with culture but only with the capacity to learn it and use it.There is nothing in a new born child which dictates that it should eventually speak Portuguese, English, or French;nor that he should eat with a fork in his left hand rather than in the right or use chopsticks.All these things the child has to learn.Nor are the parents responsible for the culture which they transmit to their young.The culture of any people is the product of history and is built up over time largely through processes which are beyond his awareness.It is by means of culture that the young learn to adapt themselves to the physical environment and to the people with whom they associate.And as we know, children and adolescents often experience difficulties in this process of learning and adjustment.But once learned, culture becomes a way of life.要克服文化沖擊的心理,了解文化的性質(zhì)及其與個人的關(guān)系會有所裨益。除了賴以生存的自然環(huán)境,一個人還生活在由人造的有形物體、社會風(fēng)俗、觀念和信仰構(gòu)成的文化環(huán)境中。一個人并非天生就有文化,而是生來就具備學(xué)習(xí)和使用文化的能力。新生嬰兒的身上不存在一種只許他最終說葡萄牙語、英語或法語的東西,也不存在一種只許他用左手而不是右手執(zhí)叉或只許他用筷子吃飯的東西。這些東西都是要孩子去學(xué)習(xí)的。文化也不是由父母負(fù)責(zé)傳遞給孩子的。任何一個民族的文化都是歷史的產(chǎn)物,經(jīng)過漫長的、本民族意識不到的過程才得以積累形成。孩子通過文化學(xué)會適應(yīng)周圍的物質(zhì)環(huán)境,學(xué)會和周圍的人打交道。眾所周知,青少年在學(xué)習(xí)和適應(yīng)的過程中經(jīng)常遇到困難。但是,文化一旦學(xué)會了,就會成為一種生活方式。close5RT People have a way of accepting their culture as both the best and the only way of doing things.This is perfectly normal and understandable.To this attitude we give the name ethnocentrism, a belief that not only the culture but the race and the nation form the center of the world.Individuals identify themselves with their own group to the extent that any critical comment is taken as a remark which is rude to the individual as well as to the group.If you criticize my country, you are criticizing me;if you criticize me, you are criticizing my country.Along with this attitude goes the tendency to attribute all individual peculiarities as national characteristics.For instance, if an American does something odd or anti-social in a foreign country which back home would be considered a purely individual act, this is now considered a national trait.He acts that way not because he is Joe Doaks but because he is an American.Instead of being censured as an individual, his country is censured.It is thus best to recognize that ethnocentrism is a permanent characteristic of national groups.Even if a national criticizes some aspect of his own culture, the foreigner should listen but not enter into the criticism.人們往往認(rèn)為自己的文化是最好的,是生活的唯一方式。這非常正常,完全可以理解。我們把這種態(tài)度稱為“民族優(yōu)越感”,即一種認(rèn)為自己的文化、種族和國家構(gòu)成世界中心的想法。個人往往將自己與所處的群體等同起來,因此任何批評的言論在他們看來都是對個人及其群體不尊敬的:如果你批評我的祖國,你就是在批評我;如果你批評我,你就是在批評我的祖國。抱著這種態(tài)度,人們往往把個人的怪癖歸結(jié)為民族的特點。例如,倘若一個美國人在國外做出怪異的或有悖社會公德的事情,在美國國內(nèi)的人們會認(rèn)為這純屬個人行為,但在國外卻被視為一種民族特性:他那樣做并非因為他是喬·多克斯,而是因為他是個美國人。遭受責(zé)難的不是他這個個體,而是他的祖國。因此,我們最好把民族優(yōu)越感看成是民族群體的一個永恒的特性。即使一個國家的公民批評了自己文化的某些方面,外國人也只應(yīng)當(dāng)聽著,而不應(yīng)該參與批評。close6RT Once you realize that your trouble is due to your own lack of understanding of other people’s cultural background and your own lack of the means of communication rather than the hostility of an alien environment, you also realize that you yourself can gain this understanding and these means of communication.And the sooner you do this, the sooner culture shock will disappear.你一旦意識到面臨的問題并非因為異域的敵意而是因為自己對其他民族的文化背景缺乏理解或者缺乏與對方溝通的方式,你同時就會意識到你本身能夠了解他人的文化,并能夠掌握那些交流的方式。你越早做到這一點,文化沖擊就消失得越快。close7RT The question now arises, what can you do to get over culture shock as quickly as possible? The answer is getting to know the people of the host country.But this you cannot do with any success without knowing the language, for language is the principal symbol system of communication.Now we all know that learning a new language is difficult, particularly to adults.This task alone is quite enough to cause frustration and anxiety, no matter how skillful language teachers are in making it easy for you.But once you begin to be able to carry on a friendly conversation with your maid, your neighbour, or to go on shopping trips alone, you not only gain confidence and a feeling of power but a whole new world of cultural meanings opens up for you.接下來的問題是,你怎樣做才能盡快克服文化沖擊?答案是:了解所到之國的國民。但是,倘若不懂語言,你是無法成功地實現(xiàn)這一目標(biāo)的,因為語言是用于交流的主要的符號系統(tǒng)。我們現(xiàn)在都知道,學(xué)習(xí)一門新的語言不容易,對成年人來說,尤為如此。無論教語言的老師多么擅長于減輕你學(xué)習(xí)語言的難度,單單學(xué)語言這項任務(wù)都足以讓你焦慮不安、飽受挫折。不過,你一旦能夠和女傭、鄰居進(jìn)行友好的交談,能夠單獨(dú)出門購物,你就會重獲信心,充滿力量,一個蘊(yùn)含各種文化意義的新世界就向你敞開了大門。close8RT You begin to find out what people do, how they do it, and what their interests are.People usually express these interests by what they habitually talk about and how they allocate their time and money.Once you know this value or interest pattern it will be quite easy to get people to talk to and be interested in you.你開始發(fā)現(xiàn)人們做些什么、做事情的方式以及令他們感興趣的事情。人們往往通過日常的談話內(nèi)容和時間、金錢的分配方式來表達(dá)自己的興趣愛好。你一旦了解了他們的興趣和價值模式,就很容易和他們交談,也容易讓他們對你產(chǎn)生興趣。close9RT At times it is helpful to be a participant observer by joining the activities of the people, to try to share in their responses, whether this be a carnival, a religious ritual, or some economic activity.Yet the visitor should never forget that he or she is an outsider and will be treated as such.He or she should view this participation as a role playing.Understanding the ways of a people is essential but this does not mean that you have to give up your own.What happens is that you have developed two patterns of behavior.有時候,參加人們舉辦的各種活動,不管是嘉年華會、宗教儀式還是經(jīng)濟(jì)活動,在活動中仔細(xì)觀察,和人們一起喜怒哀樂,這都有好處。不過,你永遠(yuǎn)都不要忘記,你是一個外人,人們也會把你當(dāng)成一個外人對待。你應(yīng)當(dāng)把參與活動看成角色扮演。了解一個民族的生活方式很重要,但這并非意味著你要放棄自己的文化。實際上,你已經(jīng)具備兩種行為方式。
T Rich Met My Mother
Amy Tan This text is adapted from ”Four Directions“ by Amy Tan in Frame Work edited by Gary Colombo, Bonnie Lisle & Sandra Mano.Boston: Bedford Books.1997.close1RT After much thought, I came up with a brilliant plan.I worked out a way for Rich to meet my mother and win her over.In fact, I arranged it so my mother would want to cook a meal especially for him.I had some help from Auntie Suyuan.Auntie Su was my mother's friend from way back.里奇拜見我媽 譚恩美
一番深思熟慮之后,我想出了一個妙計,設(shè)法讓里奇與我母親見面,贏得她的好感。實際上,我巧加安排,讓我媽特意為里奇做一餐飯。這回我得到了素云阿姨的一臂之力,她是我母親的老朋友了。close2RT So one day, my mother called me, to invite me to a delayed birthday dinner for my father.My brother Vincent was bringing his girlfriend, Lisa Lum.I could bring a friend, too.終于,一天母親打來電話,邀請我參加為父親推遲舉行的生日晚宴。我的弟弟文森特要帶上女朋友林莉薩,那么我也可以帶一個朋友。close3RT I knew she would do this, because cooking was how my mother expressed her love, her pride, her power, her proof that she knew more than Auntie Su.”Just be sure to tell her later that her cooking was the best you ever tasted, that it was far better than Auntie Su's,“ I told Rich.”Believe me.“
母親這樣做,不出我的意料。因為烹飪是母親表達(dá)她的愛、她的驕傲、她的權(quán)威和證明她的學(xué)識勝過素云阿姨的一種方式。“飯后一定要告訴媽,她做的菜是你吃過的最好的,比素云阿姨做的好吃多了。”我跟里奇說,“聽我的沒錯兒。”close4RT The night of the dinner, I sat in the kitchen watching her cook, waiting for the right moment to tell her about our marriage plans, that we had decided to get married next July, about seven months away.She was chopping eggplant into small pieces, chattering(喋喋不休)at the same time about Auntie Suyuan: ”She can only cook looking at a recipe.My instructions are in my fingers.I know what secret ingredients to put in just by using my nose!“ And she was slicing so fast that I was afraid her fingertips would become one of the ingredients of the red-cooked(紅燒的)eggplant and shredded pork dish.生日宴會的那天晚上,我坐在廚房里看媽媽做菜,等著找機(jī)會告訴她我們的結(jié)婚計劃,告訴她我們決定明年7月份(也就是7個月后)結(jié)婚。她一邊把茄子切成小塊,一邊叨叨著素云阿姨:“她看著食譜才會做菜,而我對做菜的竅門可是了如指掌。聞聞就知道該用什么獨(dú)家配料!”她飛快地切著薄片,我生怕她的指尖也成了紅燒肉末茄子的配料。close5RT I was hoping she would say something first about Rich.I had seen her expression when she opened the door, her forced smile as she studied him from head to toe, checking her appraisal(評價)of him against that already given to her by Auntie Suyuan.I tried to anticipate what criticisms she would have.我希望她能主動提到里奇。我注意到了她開門時的表情。她擠出一絲笑容,把里奇從頭到腳打量了個遍,心里一邊在作比照,看從素云阿姨那聽來的看法是否與自己所見相符。我努力設(shè)想她會做出什么樣的批評。close6RT Rich was not only not Chinese, he was a few years younger than I was.And unfortunately, he looked much younger with his curly red hair, smooth pale skin, and the splash of orange freckles(雀斑)across his nose.He was a bit on the short side, compactly built.In his dark business suits, he looked nice but easily forgettable, like somebody's nephew at a funeral, which was why I didn't notice him the first year we worked together at the firm.But my mother noticed everything.里奇不僅不是華人,還比我小幾歲。而且不幸的是,他一頭紅色的卷發(fā),光滑蒼白的皮膚,鼻子上布滿了橙色的雀斑,讓他比實際年紀(jì)更顯年輕。他個頭不高,長得結(jié)結(jié)實實。身著深色西裝,他看起來不錯,但是不會令人難忘,就像是誰家葬禮上某人的侄子那么不起眼。所以頭一年在公司里與他共事時我就沒注意到他。可母親卻把什么都看在了眼里。close7RT ”So what do you think of Rich?“ I finally asked, holding my breath.“那么你覺得里奇怎樣?”我終于問道,屏息而待。close8RT She tossed the eggplant in the hot oil and it made a loud, angry hissing(發(fā)出嘶嘶聲的)sound.”So many spots on his face,“ she said.她把茄子倒進(jìn)熱油里翻炒,鍋里傳出一陣憤怒的嘶嘶作響的聲音。“臉上那么多斑點,”她說道。close9RT ”They're freckles.Freckles are good luck, you know,“ I said a bit too heatedly in trying to raise my voice above the noise of the kitchen.“是雀斑,要知道,有雀斑命好。”我說得有些過于激動,試圖把聲音提高,蓋過廚房里的噪音。close10RT ”O(jiān)h?“ She said innocently.“哦?”她好像真的不知情似說道。close11RT ”Yes, the more spots the better.Everybody knows that.“
“真的,斑點越多越好,誰都知道這回事兒。”close12RT She considered this a moment and then smiled and spoke in Chinese: ”Maybe this is true.When you were young, you got the chicken pox(水痘).So many spots, you had to stay home for ten days.So lucky, you thought.“
她思忖了一會兒,笑了。用中文說道:“好像是這么回事兒。你小時候長水痘,長了好多的痘痘,在家呆了10天,你當(dāng)時那個慶幸!”close13RT I couldn't save Rich in the kitchen.And I couldn't save him later at the dinner table.在廚房里我拯救不了里奇,在飯桌上我也救不了他。close14RT He had brought a bottle of French wine, something he did not know my parents could not appreciate.My parents did not even own wineglasses.And then he also made the mistake of drinking not one but two glasses full, while everybody else had a half-inch ”just for taste“.他帶了瓶法國葡萄酒,他不知道我父母不會欣賞那玩意兒,我父母連酒杯都沒有。后來他還犯了個錯,大家都“只是為了嘗嘗”喝下半英寸酒杯高的酒量,可他不止喝一杯,而是喝了滿滿兩杯。close15RT When I offered Rich a fork, he insisted on using the slippery ivory(象牙)chopsticks.He held them spread out clumsily while picking up a large chunk(厚塊)of red-cooked eggplant.Halfway between his plate and his open mouth, the chunk fell on his crisp(嶄新的)white shirt.當(dāng)我給里奇叉子時,他堅持使用滑不唧溜的象牙筷。夾起一大塊紅燒茄子時,筷子在他笨拙的手上并不攏。當(dāng)把茄子夾到他的碟子和大張著的嘴之間時,茄子竟然掉落在他嶄新的白色襯衣上。close16RT And then he had helped himself to big portions of the shrimp and snow peas(糖莢豌豆炒河蝦), not realizing he should have taken only a polite spoonful, until everybody had had a morsel(一小份).后來,他又自顧自地大吃糖莢豌豆炒河蝦,殊不知他得等大家吃過一點才能夠禮貌地吃上一小勺。close17RT He had declined the new greens, the tender and expensive leaves of bean plants plucked(采摘)before the sprouts(新芽)turn into beans.他謝絕吃新鮮青菜,那豆苗葉又嫩又昂貴,還沒結(jié)豆子那葉子就給摘了下來。close18RT He thought he was being polite by refusing seconds, when he should have followed my father's example, who made a big show of taking small portions of seconds, thirds, and even fourths, always saying he could not resist another bite of something or other, and then groaning that he was so full he thought he would burst.他以為拒絕吃第二口就算是有禮貌了,實際上,他應(yīng)該跟我爸爸學(xué):架勢大,但吃量少,就這樣吃第二口、第三口、甚至第四口,邊吃邊要一個勁兒地說還是忍不住再吃上一口之類的話,然后就哼哼著說自己肚子飽得要撐破了。close19RT But the worst was when Rich criticized my mother's cooking, and he didn't even know what he had done.As is the Chinese cook's custom, my mother always made disparaging(貶低的)remarks about her own cooking.That night she chose to direct it toward her famous steamed pork and preserved vegetable dish, which she always served with special pride.可最為糟糕的是里奇數(shù)落了我母親的做菜手藝,自己卻渾然不覺。按照中國做菜人的習(xí)慣,我母親老是說自己做的菜不好吃。那天晚上,她將矛頭直指她那道著名的“梅菜扣肉”,她總是特別驕傲地端上這道菜。close20RT ”Ai!This dish not salty enough, no flavor,“ she complained, after tasting a small bite.”It is too bad to eat.“
“哎!不夠咸,沒味道。”嘗了一小口后,她抱怨道。“太難吃了。”close21RT This was our family's cue to eat some and proclaim it the best she had ever made.But before we could do so, Rich said, ”You know, all it needs is a little soy sauce(醬油).“ And he proceeded to pour a riverful of the salty black stuff on the big plate, right before my mother's horrified(震驚的)eyes.在我們家,這是暗示我們大家先吃一點,然后就宣稱這是她燒的最美味的一道菜。可是我們還沒來得及這樣做,里奇就開腔了:“沒錯,就差點醬油。”而后,他就把那黑乎乎的咸東西在母親震驚的目光注視下往那大盤子菜上澆。close22RT And even though I was hoping throughout the dinner that my mother would somehow see Rich's kindness, his sense of humor and boyish charm, I knew he had failed miserably in her eyes.即使我一直希望在吃飯的整個過程中,母親會設(shè)法看出里奇的善良、幽默和青年男子特有的魅力,但此刻我知道在母親眼中他已一敗涂地。close23RT Rich obviously had had a different opinion on how the evening had gone.When we got home that night, I was still shuddering(戰(zhàn)栗), remembering how Rich had firmly shaken both my parents' hands with that same easy(不拘束的)familiarity he used with nervous new clients.”Linda, Tim,“ he said, ”we'll see you again soon, I'm sure.“ My parents' names are Lindo and Tin Jong, and nobody, except a few older family friends, ever calls them by their first names.里奇對晚上發(fā)生的事情明顯有不同的看法。當(dāng)晚我們回家時,想起他用力握我父母的手,就像他和緊張的新客戶握手時表現(xiàn)出的瀟灑隨意,我渾身還在發(fā)抖。“琳達(dá),蒂姆,”他當(dāng)時說道,“我們不久會再來看望你們的,我保證。”我父母的名字分別叫琳朵(音譯)和鐘田(仿粵語音譯)。除了家里來往的幾個年長的朋友外,誰也不會直呼他們的名字。close24RT ”So what did she say when you told her?“ And I knew he was referring to our getting married.“你告訴她了,她怎么說?”我知道他指的是我們結(jié)婚的事兒。close25RT ”I never had a chance,“ I said, which was true.How could I have told my mother I was getting married, when at every possible moment we were alone, she seemed to remark on how much expensive wine Rich liked to drink, or how pale and ill he looked.“沒有機(jī)會,”我說的是實話。在和母親獨(dú)處的所有時間里,她好像都在議論里奇喜歡喝的葡萄酒是多么的昂貴,他的面色多么地蒼白、氣色多么地差,我哪里可以跟她說我要結(jié)婚。close26RT Rich was smiling.”How long does it take to say, Mom, Dad, I'm getting married?“
里奇嬉皮笑臉。“就說聲 ‘爸、媽,我要結(jié)婚了’ 能花上多長的時間?”close27RT ”You don't understand.You don't understand my mother.“
“你不明白,你不了解我母親。”
Unit 7
T What Makes Olympic Champions?
John E.Anderson This article is adapted from Reader's Digest, Feb.1994.close1RT When Kristi Yamaguchi fell to the ice in the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France, spectators groaned.Surely the 20-year-old's chances for a gold medal in figure skating had evaporated with that tumble.But Kristi rose to her feet, flashed a dazzling smile and spun back into her program.When the judges' scores were announced, she had received near-perfect marks despite the fall.Her spirited recovery gave her the gold medal — a tribute to her
determination and courage.是什么造就了奧運(yùn)冠軍? 約翰· E· 安德森
1992年,在法國阿爾貝維爾冬季奧運(yùn)會上,當(dāng)克里斯蒂· 山口在冰場上跌倒時,觀眾席上一片遺憾的聲音。這位20歲的運(yùn)動員獲得花樣滑冰金牌的希望肯定會因這一失足而化為泡影。但是克里斯蒂站了起來,她燦然一笑,旋轉(zhuǎn)身體,繼續(xù)表演。她雖然不幸跌倒,但裁判卻給她打了近乎完美的分?jǐn)?shù)。她能鼓起勇氣,重振旗鼓,獲得了金牌,這足以證明她的決心和勇氣。close2RT As a consultant to U.S.Olympic teams and many individual athletes, I've seen dozens of young men and women like Kristi who reached deep into themselves at a critical moment and found something that brought out their best.They mounted the winners' stand not simply because of athletic talent but because of firm inner fiber.作為美國奧運(yùn)隊及許多運(yùn)動員的顧問,我目睹了許多像克里斯蒂這樣年輕的男女運(yùn)動員:他們在關(guān)鍵時刻能夠挖掘自身,找到發(fā)揮潛能的一種力量。他們登上領(lǐng)獎臺,不單純是因為運(yùn)動才能,還因為他們內(nèi)在的不屈不撓的意志。close3RT They had a dream.Kristi Yamaguchi visualized herself as an Olympic champion the first time she put on skates, at age six.Bonny Warner, who represented the United States in three Olympic luge competitions, didn't have her dream until she was a college student.Before that, she had never heard of the racing sled called a luge.But once the dream took shape, both young women clung to it courageously and worked to make it come true.他們擁有夢想。
克里斯蒂·山口6歲時首次穿上溜冰鞋,那時她就想象自己是一名奧運(yùn)冠軍。邦妮·華納三度代表美國參加奧運(yùn)會的仰臥滑行小雪橇比賽。她直到上了大學(xué)才有自己的夢想。之前,她從未聽說過有“仰臥滑行的小雪橇”這種比賽用的雪橇。這兩個年輕女子,一旦擁有夢想,就鍥而不舍地、勇敢地追求,為了夢想的實現(xiàn)不遺余力。close4RT Most important, their parents and those around them supported the dream.Loretta Dawes, whose 16-year-old daughter, Dominique, was one of the first female black gymnasts to represent the United States in the Olympics, recently told the press that bringing up a world-class athlete isn't easy.For an entire year before the 1992 Olympics, she rarely saw her daughter, who lived with her coach to be closer to the gym, a 45-minute drive from home.Dawes was asked what advice she would give other parents of athletes.She answered simply and eloquently.”Believe in your child,“ she said.最重要的是,這些運(yùn)動員的父母以及周圍的人都支持他們的夢想。洛雷塔·道斯16歲的女兒多米尼克是代表美國參加奧運(yùn)會的第一批黑人女性體操運(yùn)動員之一。洛雷塔最近告訴記者說,培養(yǎng)一個世界一流的運(yùn)動員著實不易。在1992年奧運(yùn)會之前整整一年中,她很少看見自己的女兒。為了離體育館近一點,女兒和教練住在一塊,那兒離家有45分鐘的車程。當(dāng)有人請她給其他運(yùn)動員的父母提一些建議的時候,她的回答簡單卻極具說服力。“相信你的孩子吧,” 她這樣說。close5RT That doesn't mean every child who dreams of Olympic fame will one day climb onto the winners' stand.But being able to dream is the first step on every road to success — even if the initial dream eventually leads to a different road.這并非意味著每個擁有奧運(yùn)夢想的孩子都能有朝一日登上領(lǐng)獎臺。但是,夢想是通向成功的第一步 —— 哪怕當(dāng)初的夢想最終讓孩子走向另一條不同的道路。close6RT They're fired up.The Olympic Flame that top performers pursue burns inside them.They're driven not only to be the best but to do their best —
always.他們滿懷激情。
優(yōu)秀運(yùn)動員們夢寐以求的奧運(yùn)圣火在他們的內(nèi)心深處燃燒。他們有強(qiáng)大的動力,不僅要成為最優(yōu)秀的運(yùn)動員,還要竭盡全力去實現(xiàn)目標(biāo) —— 始終不渝。close7RT That's why Carl Lewis, who already holds eight Olympic gold medals, plans to compete again at 36 in the 1996 Games, against youngsters half his age;and why discus thrower Al Oerter, after winning gold medals in four consecutive Olympics, tried again for the Olympic team at age 47.正因為如此,已經(jīng)獲得八枚奧運(yùn)金牌的卡爾· 劉易斯依然籌劃在36歲時再度參加1996年的奧運(yùn)會,同那些年齡只有他一半的年輕人決一雌雄;鐵餅運(yùn)動員艾爾· 奧特,在連續(xù)獲得四屆奧運(yùn)會的金牌之后,47歲時依然為進(jìn)入奧運(yùn)隊伍而努力。close8RT Swimmer Janet Evans, who won three gold medals in Seoul in 1988, embodied that same desire to win four years later.After she narrowly missed a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle, she swam one of the most psychologically challenging races of her life in the 800-meter freestyle to win the gold.”I just wanted to be up there on that winners' stand one more time,“
she confessed.游泳健將珍尼特·埃文斯在1988年的漢城奧運(yùn)會上雖獲得三枚金牌,但她表達(dá)了同樣的心愿:四年后再次奪冠。在400米自由泳項目中,她因毫厘之差與金牌擦肩而過。隨后,她完成了800米自由泳項目,這是她一生中最具有心理挑戰(zhàn)的一次比賽,結(jié)果她奪冠勝出。“我只是想再一次登上冠軍的領(lǐng)獎臺,”她坦白地說。close9RT They aim high.I once asked a world-class athlete to guess at the outcome of a major competition.”I'll come in fifth,“ he said.And that's exactly where he finished, even though he could easily have placed third, or even second, since two other major contenders performed poorly.他們胸懷大志。
我曾經(jīng)讓一個世界級的運(yùn)動員猜測一次重大比賽的結(jié)果。“我會得第五名,”他說。他果真得了第五名。他本來可以輕而易舉地名列第三,甚至是第二,因為另外兩名主要對手發(fā)揮得不好。close10RT Contrast him with ”Flo Jo“ — Florence Griffith Joyner.Training a week before the 1988 Games, she wrote in her diary the time she expected to run and win the 100-meter dash: 10.54 seconds.When Flo Jo crossed the finish line, the clock showed 10.54.She had not only seen herself winning, but called her winning time to the split second.拿他和“弗洛·喬” —— 弗洛倫斯·格里菲斯·喬伊納比比吧。在1998年奧運(yùn)會前一周的訓(xùn)練中,喬伊納在日記中寫下預(yù)計自己百米短跑奪冠的成績:10.54秒。當(dāng)弗洛·喬跨過終點線時,剛好是10.54秒。她不僅能夠在賽前看到自己奪冠,而且對奪冠的成績也能作出毫秒不差的預(yù)測。close11RT They never quit.The 1992 Summer Olympics featured two tremendously poignant moments.American sprinter Gail Devers, the clear leader in the 100-meter hurdles, tripped over the last barrier.She agonizingly pulled herself to her knees and crawled the last five meters, finishing the fifth — but finishing.他們從不放棄。
1992年夏季奧運(yùn)會有兩個讓人極度惋惜的特寫鏡頭。在百米跨欄比賽中,本來絕對領(lǐng)先他人的美國短跑運(yùn)動員蓋爾· 德弗斯在跨越最后一道障礙時絆倒在地。但她雙膝跪地,極其痛苦地爬完了最后五米,雖然僅獲得第五名,但是完成了比賽。close12RT Even more heart-breaking was the 400-meter semifinal in which British runner Derek Redmond had one leg injured and fell to the track.He struggled to his feet and began to hobble, determined to complete the race.His father ran from the stands to help him off the track, but the athlete refused to quit.He leaned on his father, and the two limped to the finish line together, to
deafening applause.更加令人心碎的是400米半決賽。英國選手德里克· 雷德蒙的一條腿受了傷,跌倒在跑道上。他掙扎著站起來,只見他一瘸一拐地跑起來,顯然是決心完成比賽。他的父親從看臺上跑下來,想攙扶他離開跑道,但是這個運(yùn)動員拒絕放棄比賽。他倚靠著自己的父親,父子倆蹣跚而行,直到終點,觀眾的掌聲震耳欲聾。close13RT They make their own luck.When Paul Wylie won a silver medal in men's figure skating at Albertville, he surprised everyone but himself.Several skaters who had been expected to win medals had been injured or had performed poorly.”I was the last person expected to make the winners' podium, “ Wylie said.”But I had trained like crazy, and when the favorites faltered, I was
ready.“
他們創(chuàng)造運(yùn)氣。
當(dāng)保羅·懷利在阿爾貝維爾贏得男子花樣溜冰比賽的銀牌時,除他以外,所有的人都很驚訝。本來有望得獎的幾位選手有的受傷了,有的發(fā)揮不好。“沒有人會想到我能登上領(lǐng)獎臺,”懷利說,“但是,之前我拼了命地訓(xùn)練,當(dāng)最有希望獲勝的運(yùn)動員比賽失利時,我已作好了奪冠的準(zhǔn)備。”close14RT Month after month, year after year, Olympians I know go through a grind of pointing toward their big moment.Skaters arise at 4 a.m.to squeeze in a few hours of practice before a rink is open to the public.Cyclists put in hours of running exercises before reporting to their daily jobs.Boxers head for the gym and work out relentlessly
every day.我所了解的這些奧運(yùn)選手,為了那個輝煌的時刻,日復(fù)一日、年復(fù)一年地埋頭苦干。溜冰運(yùn)動員凌晨四時起身,為的是在溜冰場向公眾開放之前擠出幾個小時的訓(xùn)練時間。自行車競技運(yùn)動員在每天上班前,進(jìn)行長達(dá)幾小時的長跑訓(xùn)練。拳擊運(yùn)動員每天都前往體育館進(jìn)行不懈的訓(xùn)練。close15RT In the Olympics, as in other aspects of life, luck certainly counts.The second clarinetist who has practiced diligently is lucky to get a chance to solo when the first clarinetist becomes ill.So is the assistant sales manager who fills in for the boss in an emergency.But both must be well prepared for their big break.In the Olympics — in everything — luck strikes those prepared to capitalize on it.奧運(yùn)會上運(yùn)氣當(dāng)然重要,這和生活的其他領(lǐng)域一樣。當(dāng)最優(yōu)秀的單簧管手生病時,屈居第二但是勤奮練習(xí)的樂手就有幸獲得獨(dú)奏的機(jī)會。這就像在緊急情況下助理銷售經(jīng)理填補(bǔ)老板的位置一樣。當(dāng)然,在這兩種情況下,要填補(bǔ)上來的人必須為自己的巨大轉(zhuǎn)機(jī)作好準(zhǔn)備。在奧運(yùn)會上 —— 在任何情況下 —— 好運(yùn)只光顧那
些做好準(zhǔn)備迎接好運(yùn)的人。
T Tokens of the Olympic Ideal This text is taken and adapted from the following http://www.tmdps.cn/olympic/trivia/index.php
website: close1RT The Olympic motto, creed(信條), oath(誓言), flame, flag, and anthem(頌歌)— these are all tokens pointing to the Olympic ideal.Collectively, they represent the essence of the Olympic Movement;individually, they contribute to the legacy of the Olympic Games.奧林匹克理想的象征
奧林匹克的格言、信條、誓言、圣火、會旗及其會歌 —— 這些都是奧林匹克理想的象征。它們共同體現(xiàn)著奧林匹克運(yùn)動的精髓,各自都為奧林匹克運(yùn)動會的精神財富作出了貢獻(xiàn)。close2RT The Olympic motto: The well-known motto of the Olympic Games, ”Citius, Altius, Fortius,“ is Latin for ”Faster, Higher, Braver“.However, this phrase is most universally recognized in English as ”Swifter, Higher, Stronger.“ Michel Breal, a French educator, introduced the phrase at the closing dinner of the congress for the reestablishment of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894, where it was adopted as the official motto of the International Olympic Committee.奧林匹克格言:
著名的奧林匹克格言“Citius, Altius, Fortius”是拉丁語,意思是“更快、更高、更勇”。但在英語中,這一格言廣為認(rèn)同的說法是“更快、更高、更強(qiáng)”。1894年6月23日,法國教育家米歇爾·布里厄在現(xiàn)代奧林匹克運(yùn)動會復(fù)興大會的閉幕宴會上首度使用該用語。就在那次大會上,它被認(rèn)可為國際奧林匹克運(yùn)動委員會的正式格言。close3RT The Olympic oath: At the start of each Olympics, every athlete promises to play fairly and obey all of the Olympic rules.One athlete from the host country takes this oath at the opening ceremony on behalf of all athletes.Holding a corner of the Olympic flag, the chosen athlete repeats the oath: ”In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.“ 奧林匹克誓言:
每一屆奧林匹克運(yùn)動會開幕時,所有的運(yùn)動員都要承諾將公平比賽,遵守各項奧運(yùn)規(guī)則。在開幕式上一名來自主辦國的運(yùn)動員代表全體運(yùn)動員宣誓。他手執(zhí)奧運(yùn)旗幟的一角,背誦如下的誓言: “我代表全體參賽運(yùn)動員宣誓,在本次奧林匹克運(yùn)動會上,我們將尊重并遵守大會各項規(guī)則,恪守體育道德,為體育爭光,為團(tuán)體爭光。”
close4RT Written by Baron de Coubertin, the athletes' oath was first taken at the 1920 Antwerp Games in Belgium.該運(yùn)動員誓言的作者是德·顧拜旦男爵,1920年在比利時安特衛(wèi)普奧運(yùn)會上首次被宣讀。close5RT The Olympic creed: A judge from the host country recites(背誦)the Olympic creed, which appears on the scoreboard during the Opening Ceremony: ”The most important thing in the Olympic games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."
奧林匹克信條:
開幕式上,主辦國的一個裁判誦讀出現(xiàn)在記分牌上的奧運(yùn)信條: “奧運(yùn)重在參與,不在于奪冠,就像生活重在奮斗,而不在于成功;奧運(yùn)的要旨不是已經(jīng)征服,而是曾經(jīng)奮斗拼搏。”
close6RT Although there have been many variations in the wording of this basic message throughout the history of the Games, the creed above, which was introduced at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, is still used today.盡管奧運(yùn)歷史上表達(dá)這一基本精神的措辭屢經(jīng)變換,上述信條自1972年在慕尼黑奧運(yùn)會上采用后就一直沿用到今。close7RT The Olympic Flame: Fire was sacred in Greek mythology(神話).The tradition of lighting an Olympic Flame comes from the ancient Greeks.During the ancient Olympic Games, a sacred flame was lit from the sun's rays at Olympia(奧林匹亞), and stayed lit until the Games were completed.奧林匹克圣火: 在希臘神話里,火是神圣的。點燃奧林匹克圣火的傳統(tǒng)來自古希臘。古代奧林匹克運(yùn)動會上,圣火采自奧林匹亞山上的陽光,它一直燃燒到運(yùn)動會結(jié)束。close8RT In modern times, the Olympic Flame was first lit during the opening ceremony of the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.This legacy comes alive every four years when the ancient flame is lit again for a new Olympiad(奧林匹克運(yùn)動會).現(xiàn)代奧林匹克之火是在1928年阿姆斯特丹奧林匹克運(yùn)動會的開幕式上首次點燃。每隔四年當(dāng)古老的火焰為新一屆奧運(yùn)會再次點燃時,這個古希臘的遺風(fēng)得以復(fù)活。close9RT The Olympic anthem: The Olympic anthem began as a poem written in 1893 by one of the best known and loved Greek poets of the 20th century, Costas Palamas.Palamas's poem was set to music in 1896 by the Greek composer Spiros Samaras and introduced at the first revived(復(fù)興的)Olympics in Athens that same year.奧林匹克會歌:
奧林匹克會歌原本是首詩,由20世紀(jì)最著名和最受人喜愛的一位希臘詩人科斯塔·帕拉馬斯1893年所作。1896年希臘作曲家斯皮羅斯·薩馬拉斯為帕拉馬斯的這首詩歌譜曲,同年,這首歌曲首度唱響在雅典舉行的第一個復(fù)興后的奧林匹克運(yùn)動會上。close10RT Throughout the years, many different versions were played and sung at the Olympics.Finally, in 1958, the International Olympic Committee adopted one version as the official anthem of the Olympic Games.The loose(不嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)?translation of Palamas's poem that appears below is the English version that has been sung at every Olympic games since 1958: Immortal(不朽的)Spirit of antiquity(古老), Father of the true, beautiful, and good, Descend, appear, shed over us Thy(你的)light Upon this ground and under this sky.Which has first witnessed Thy imperishable(永存的)fame.Give life and animation(生氣)to those noble games!
Throw wreaths(花環(huán))of fadeless flowers to the victors(勝利者).In the race and in strife(爭斗)!Create in our breasts, hearts of steel!Shine in a roseate(粉紅的)hue(顏色)and form a vast temple To which all nations throng(蜂擁)to adore(崇拜)Thee(汝), O immortal Spirit of antiquity.多年來,許多不同版本的會歌在奧林匹克運(yùn)動會上演奏和歌唱。1958年國際奧委會最終確定其中的一個版本作為奧林匹克運(yùn)動會的正式會歌。下面引用的帕拉馬斯詩歌不太確切的英文版譯文便是自1958年起在每次的奧林匹克運(yùn)動會上吟唱的英文版會歌。古代不朽之神 真善美之父
祈求你降臨塵世彰顯你的光輝 在這大地上蒼穹間
它第一個見證你流芳百世的榮耀 請把活力與生氣賜予這些崇高的競技!把永不凋謝的花環(huán)頒贈給優(yōu)勝者!塑造出鋼鐵般的意志!放射出玫瑰般的艷麗霞光 筑起一座巨大的神殿 世界各地的人們都來膜拜你,啊!永遠(yuǎn)不朽的古代之神。close11RT The Olympic Flag: The Olympic anthem is played as the Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony.Pierre de Coubertin is said to have found the original five-ring symbol engraved(雕刻)on an altar-stone unearthed(挖掘)at Delphi.The colorful Olympic rings are one of the most widely recognized symbols in the world today.奧林匹克會旗:
開幕式演奏奧林匹克會歌時,會旗冉冉升起。據(jù)說皮埃爾·德·顧拜旦在特爾斐掘出的一個祭壇石頭上發(fā)現(xiàn)了雕刻其上的五環(huán)標(biāo)志的真跡。如今,彩色奧運(yùn)環(huán)是世界上最廣泛認(rèn)可的標(biāo)志。close12RT The Olympic flag measures 2.06 m long, 60 cm high and is completely white with five circles in the center.The white background symbolizes peace and truth.The five rings represent the five continents of the world: ·Blue representing Europe ·Black representing Africa ·Red representing America ·Yellow representing Asia ·Green representing Oceania
奧運(yùn)會會旗長2.06米,高60厘米,白底無邊,中央有五個圓環(huán)。白色的背景象征和平和真理。五個環(huán)代表世界的五大洲: ●藍(lán)色代表歐洲 ●黑色代表非洲 ●紅色代表美洲 ●黃色代表亞洲
●綠色代表大洋洲close13RT The Olympic flag is a symbol of peace, goodwill, and global solidarity and tolerance.True to this meaning, she has lent her colors to many athletes who were unable to compete under their own flag.奧運(yùn)會會旗象征和平、友好、全球團(tuán)結(jié)和寬容。真正意義在于,它使那些無法在自己國度的旗幟下參賽的運(yùn)動員有機(jī)會一展風(fēng)采。close14RT The Olympic ideal is a living, dynamic institution(慣例)in our daily lives, not simply a homage(致敬)to the past.奧林匹克的理想使我們?nèi)粘I畛錆M生氣和活力,而不只是對過去的頂禮膜拜。
Unit 8 Competition and Cooperation
Donald J.Boudreaux and Hugh Macaulay This text is taken and adapted from The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty, Vol.46, No.3, 1996.
第三篇:新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語綜合教程2UNIT16課文翻譯范文
新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語綜合教程2 UNIT1
我原諒你
并非只有婚姻關(guān)系才需要寬恕。我們與子女、朋友、同事、鄰居。甚至陌生人相處時同樣需要寬恕。事實上,沒有寬恕的氧氣。任何人際關(guān)系都無從維系。寬恕并不是脾氣好的人們才擁有的特質(zhì),它是所有關(guān)系的必要條件,也是自己身心健康不可缺少的。、有些人可能認(rèn)為自己受傷太深、次數(shù)太多,無法寬恕、可耐人尋味的是,恰恰是被傷得最深的人,才真正需要寬恕別人。原因很簡單:仇恨就像癌癥。會毀掉宿主。如果不盡快鏟除。它就會生根發(fā)芽,是那些執(zhí)意仇恨無法釋懷的人受傷甚至死亡。
因為事實是。除非我們能寬恕他人,否則就永遠(yuǎn)無法恢復(fù)。傷口會繼續(xù)潰爛,永不愈合。中國有句古諺,“復(fù)仇者必自絕”
對有些人來說。寬恕他人似乎是不可能的,因為他們根本不知從何做起,首先你要接受一個非常重要的事實:他人并不是件容易的事。事實上,對于我們大多數(shù)人來說。這也許是最難做到的。
被傷害的是我們,卻還要寬恕他人,這似乎毫無公平可言。然而這正是寬恕的關(guān)鍵所在。UNIT2
看見東西的三天
大家都讀過一些令人激動的故事,這些故事里的主人公僅僅活在有限并且特定的時間內(nèi),有時長達(dá)一年,有時短到24小時。但我們總是有興趣發(fā)現(xiàn)。那命中注定要死的是那些有選擇自由的人,而不是那些活動范圍被嚴(yán)格限定了的判了刑的犯人。
這樣的故事讓我們思考,在相似的情況下,我們該怎么辦,作為終有一死的人。在那最終的幾個小時內(nèi)安排什么事件,什么經(jīng)歷,什么交往?在回顧往事時,我們該找到什么快樂?什么悔恨?
有時我想到。過好每一天是個非常好的習(xí)慣。似乎我們明天就會死去。這種態(tài)度鮮明地強(qiáng)調(diào)了生命的價值。我們應(yīng)該以優(yōu)雅、精力充沛、善知樂趣的方式過好每一天。而當(dāng)歲月推移,在經(jīng)常瞻觀未來之時日,未來之年月中,這些又常常失去。當(dāng)然也有人愿按伊壁鳩魯?shù)男艞l“吃、喝和歡樂”去生活,但絕大多數(shù)人還是被即將面臨死亡的必然性所折磨。
但是我們大多數(shù)人把生活認(rèn)為是理所當(dāng)然的。我們知道,某一天我們一定會死,但通常我們把那天想象在遙遠(yuǎn)的將來。當(dāng)我們心寬體健時,死亡幾乎是不可想象的,我們很少想到它、時日在無窮的展望中延展著。于是我們干著瑣碎的事情,幾乎意識不到我們對生活的倦怠態(tài)度。
恐怕,同倦的懶散也成為利用我們所有的感覺和本能的特點,只有聾子才珍惜聽力,唯有瞎子才體會到能看見事物的種種幸福、這種結(jié)論特別適合于那些在成年階段失去視力和聽力的人們。而那些從沒有遭受視覺或聽覺損傷之苦的人卻很少充分利用這些天賜的官能。他們模模糊糊的眼觀八方,耳聽各音,毫無重點,不會鑒賞,還是那相同的老話,對我們的健康意識不到,直至生病時。
我常常想。如果每個人在他成年的早期有一段致瞎致聾,那會是一種幸事,黑暗會使他更珍惜視力,寂靜會教導(dǎo)他享受聲音。
我不時的詢問過我的能看見東西的朋友們,以了解他們看到什么。最近,我的一個很好的朋友來看我。她剛從一片森林里散步許久回來,我問她看到了什么,她答道:“沒什么特別的”。如果我不是習(xí)慣了聽到這種回答。我都可能不相信,因為很久以來我已確信這種情況:能看到的人卻看不到什么。我獨(dú)自一人,在林子里散步一小時之久而沒有看到任何值得注意的東西。那怎么可能呢?我自己、一個不能看見東西的人,僅僅通過觸覺,都發(fā)現(xiàn)許許多多令我有興趣的東西。我感觸到一片樹葉完美的對稱性。我用手喜愛的撫摸過一株白樺那光潮的樹皮,或一棵松樹的粗糙樹皮。春天,我摸著樹干的枝條滿懷希望地搜索著嫩芽,那是嚴(yán)冬的沉睡后,大自然蘇醒的第一個跡象。我撫摸過花朵那令人愉快的天鵝絨般的質(zhì)地,感覺到他那奇妙的卷繞,一些大自然奇跡向我展現(xiàn)了。有時,如果我很幸運(yùn),我把手輕輕地放在一棵小樹上,還能感受到一只高聲歌唱的小鳥的愉快呢顫抖、我十分快樂的讓小溪澗的涼水穿過我張開的手指流淌過去、對我來說,一片茂密的地毯式的松針葉或松軟而富彈性的草地比最豪華的波斯地毯更受歡迎、對我來說四季的壯觀而華麗的展示是一部令人激動的、無窮盡的戲劇。這部戲劇的表演,通過我的手指尖端涌淌出來。
有時,由于渴望能看見這一切東西。我的內(nèi)心在哭泣。如果說僅憑我的觸覺我就能感受到這么多的愉快。那么憑視覺該有多少美麗的東西顯露出來。然而,那些能看見的人明顯的看得很少,充滿世間的色彩和動作的景象被當(dāng)成理所當(dāng)然、或許。這是人性共有的特點。對我們具有的不怎么欣賞。而對我們不具有的卻渴望得到,然而,這是一個極大地遺憾,在光明的世界里,視力的天賦僅僅作為一種方便之用,而沒有作為增添生活美滿的手段。啊,如果我要有哪怕3天的視力。多少事我該看啊!UNIT3
追夢
——亞歷克斯·哈利
1)很多年輕人告訴我,他們想當(dāng)作家。我總是鼓勵這些人,但我也會解釋,“當(dāng)作家”和寫作是有區(qū)別的。在多數(shù)情況下,這些人是在夢想名利,而不是在打字機(jī)前獨(dú)自度過漫長的時間。我對他們說,“你得渴望寫作,而不是渴望當(dāng)作家。”
2)孤獨(dú)、冷清、低薪,這就是寫作的現(xiàn)實寫照。幸運(yùn)之神會眷顧一些作家,但數(shù)以千計的人心中的渴望永遠(yuǎn)無法滿足。就算是成功者,大多也曾長期無人問津、窮困潦倒,包括我。
3)我離開工作了20年的美國海岸警備隊成為一名自由作家時,前途一片渺茫。唯一擁有的是一個兒時的朋友喬治,他跟我在田納西州的亨寧一起長大。喬治在格林尼治村公寓看門,他在那里幫我找了間騰出來的儲藏室。那兒很冷,又沒有衛(wèi)生間,可是我不在乎。我馬上買了一部二手的打字機(jī),感覺就像一個真正的作家了。
4)然而,過了一年左右還沒有時來運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),我開始懷疑自己。作品很難賣出去,我只能勉強(qiáng)維持生計,但我知道,我渴望寫作,多少年來我一直夢想著寫作。我不要像有些人一樣,臨死時還想,“假如······”我要堅持不懈地試驗著我的夢,哪怕衣食無著,害怕失敗,也決不放棄。這是希望的陰影地帶,每個有夢的人都必須學(xué)會在那里安居。5)
a)我接到一個電話,我的一生從此改變。不是經(jīng)紀(jì)人或編輯打來要和我簽一份大額合同。剛好相反,這個電話像海妖的歌聲,誘使我放棄夢想。打電話的是海岸警備隊的一個老熟人,警備隊現(xiàn)在設(shè)在舊金山。他借過一些錢給我,不時提起這件事。“我什么時候才能拿回那15塊錢啊,亞歷克斯?”他揶揄道。
6)“等我下次賣了稿子吧。”
7)他說,“我有個更好的主意。我們這里要新招一個公共信息助理,年薪六千。想要的話,這位子就是你的了。” 8)一年六千!在1960年,那可是一大筆錢了。我可以買套不錯的房子,一輛二手車,還清所有的債,甚至還可以有點積蓄,而且我還可以在業(yè)余時間寫作。9)鈔票在我腦海中舞動,但我的頭腦驀地清醒了。從內(nèi)心深處,一個固執(zhí)的決定涌上心頭。我的夢想是要當(dāng)作家,全職作家。我一定要實現(xiàn)夢想。“謝謝,我不去,”我聽到自己在這樣說,“我要堅持寫作。” 10)放下電話,我在小小的房間里踱著步,開始覺得自己像個傻瓜。我把手伸進(jìn)壁櫥(一個釘在墻上的裝桔子的板條箱),拿出里面所有的東西:兩個沙丁魚罐頭。我把手伸進(jìn)口袋,找到了18分錢。我把罐頭和硬幣塞進(jìn)一個皺巴巴的紙袋。我對自己說,看吧,亞歷克斯,這就是你的全部家當(dāng)了。我覺得前所未有的沮喪。
11)我希望我可以說,情況馬上有了好轉(zhuǎn),可是沒有。幸虧還有喬治幫我渡過難關(guān)。12)通過他,我認(rèn)識了一些正在苦苦奮斗的藝術(shù)家,比如喬·德萊尼,繪畫多年,來自田納西的諾克斯維爾。喬經(jīng)常窮得連食物都買不起,所以他會去附近的一家肉店,那屠夫會給些沾著肉末的大骨頭;他還去雜貨店,店主會給他一些蔫了的蔬菜。用這些,喬就可以做他喜愛的湯了。
13)村里還有一位鄰居,是個英俊的年輕歌手,開一家生意清淡的餐館。據(jù)說,要是顧客點了牛扒,這歌手就會沖到街對面的超市里買一份回來。他的名字叫哈里·貝拉方特。14)德萊尼和貝拉方特等人成了我的楷模。我懂得了,要追求夢想,就得做出犧牲,有創(chuàng)意地生活。在夢想的陰影里生活就是這樣的。15)我品味著這個教訓(xùn),這時我文章的銷路也慢慢好起來。我寫的是當(dāng)時街頭巷尾大眾談?wù)摰脑掝}:公民權(quán)利、美國黑人、非洲。很快,就像南歸的鳥兒一樣,我的思緒回到了童年。在寂靜的房間里,我仿佛可以聽見親人的聲音,祖母、喬治亞表姐、普盧思阿姨、利茲阿姨、蒂爾阿姨,在向我講述我們的家族歷史和奴隸制度。
16)以前,美國黑人對這些故事避而不談,所以我也很少向別人說起。但有一天,我與《讀者文摘》的編輯們共進(jìn)午餐時,我講了祖母、阿姨和表姐她們的故事。我說,我有一個夢想,就是要追溯我的家族史,找到那戴著枷鎖來到美國海岸的第一個非洲人。午餐結(jié)束時,我已經(jīng)得到一份合同,資助我的調(diào)查與寫作,為期九年。
17)爬出陰影所在,是一個漫長而艱難的過程。不過,到了1970年,我離開海岸警備隊十七年之后,《根》發(fā)表了。一夜之間,我擁有了大多數(shù)作家都不曾擁有的名望和成功。陰影已經(jīng)變成了令人目眩的聚光燈。
18)平生第一次,我有錢了,機(jī)會之門處處為我敞開。電話響個不停,總是有新的朋友,還有新的合約。我收拾好,搬到洛杉磯,協(xié)助拍攝《根》的電視系列短篇。這段時間,我應(yīng)接不暇,令我精神振奮。在某種意義上,我被成功的光環(huán)蒙蔽了雙眼。
19)有一天,整理行裝時,我看到一個箱子,裝的是多年前我在格林尼治村時的家當(dāng)。里面有一只棕色的紙袋。
20)我打開來,看到兩個銹跡斑斑的沙丁魚罐頭,一枚五分硬幣,一枚十分硬幣,三枚一分硬幣。突然,往事潮涌而來。我仿佛看到自己又蜷縮在打字機(jī)前,在那個凄冷的單間里。我對自己說,這袋子里的東西也是我的一部分根。我可不能忘了。
21)我請人把這些東西鑲起來。我把這個透明塑料盒放在每天都能看到的地方。我現(xiàn)在就可以看到它,就放在諾克斯維爾的辦公桌上方,放在一起的還有普利策獎杯,一張有電視版《根》所獲九個艾美獎的照片,還有斯賓甘獎牌——“全國有色人種協(xié)進(jìn)會”(NAACP)的最高榮譽(yù)。要是問我,哪一個對我意義最大,我會感到很難回答。但這中間,只有一樣?xùn)|西會提醒我,在夢想的陰影里堅持自己的方向需要怎樣的勇氣和毅力。22)這個教訓(xùn),每一個有夢的人都應(yīng)該汲取。
UNIT4
選擇樂觀
作者:里奇·德沃斯
①假如你預(yù)料某事結(jié)局不妙,結(jié)果可能真會如此。悲觀的想法很少落空。不過這個法則反過來也成立。假如你覺得會有好事發(fā)生,通常就會交上好運(yùn)!樂觀與成功之間似乎有一種天然的因果關(guān)系。
②樂觀和悲觀都具有強(qiáng)大的力量,我們每個人必須選擇其一,來塑造自己的前途和理想。每個人的生命中都有足夠的幸運(yùn)與不幸——豐富的哀傷和喜悅、充足的歡欣與痛苦——令我們找到或樂觀或悲觀的理由。我們可以選擇哭或是笑、祝福或是詛咒。這完全取決于我們自己:用什么樣的眼光去看待生活?是積極向上,還是垂頭喪氣?
③我信守積極向上的態(tài)度。對積極的東西我濃墨重彩,對消極的東西則一筆帶過。我是樂天派,既是天生如此,也因后天選擇所致。誠然,我知道生命中會有傷痛。我已經(jīng)七十多歲了,經(jīng)歷過不止一次的危機(jī)。但是,當(dāng)一切塵埃落定,我發(fā)現(xiàn)生命中的美好遠(yuǎn)比丑惡多。
④樂觀的態(tài)度不是奢侈品,它是我們生活的必需品。你看待生活的方式將決定你的感受、你的表現(xiàn),以及你與他人相處得怎樣。反過來,悲觀的想法、態(tài)度和期待也會自成因 果:它們是能自我實現(xiàn)的預(yù)言。悲觀會制造出無人愿往的黑暗之地。
⑤多年前,我驅(qū)車去一個加油站加油。那天天氣很好,我的心情也不錯。當(dāng)我走進(jìn)加油站付油錢時,服務(wù)員問我: “你感覺怎樣?”這問題有點古怪,不過,我感覺很好,于是便照實回答了他。“你臉色不好,”他回答。這話讓我大吃一驚。我告訴他我的感覺從未像現(xiàn)在這么好,但已不像開始那么底氣十足了,而他則毫無顧忌地繼續(xù)大講我的氣色如何 差,還說我膚色發(fā)黃。
⑥在離開加油站的時候,我覺得有點心神不寧。駛出一個街區(qū)之后,我把車停在路旁,對著鏡子看著自己的臉。我感覺如何?我的臉色那么差嗎?一切都正常嗎?等我回到家里,我已經(jīng)開始覺得有點想吐。我的肝臟出了毛病嗎?是不是染上了什么怪病?
⑦再次光顧那個加油站時,我還是感覺很好,我弄明白了個中蹊蹺。這個地方不久前把墻漆上了一種搶眼但又難看的黃色,墻面反射的光線使里面的每一個人看起來都像得了肝炎。不知道有多少人有過與我類似的反應(yīng)。和一個根本不認(rèn)識的人的一次短短對話竟然改變了我整整一天的心情。他說我面帶病容,沒過多久,我就真的覺得不舒服。那一句消極的話就大大影響了我的感覺和行為。
⑧唯一比否定態(tài)度更有力量的是積極的肯定,充滿樂觀與希望的話語。最讓我心存感激的一件事情,就是我生長的這個國度有著偉大的樂觀主義傳統(tǒng)。如果一種文化從整體上采取積極向上的態(tài)度,不可思議的事情也能變成現(xiàn)實。人們?nèi)舭咽澜缈醋鞴饷髋c希望之地,他們將被賦予努力進(jìn)取和成就功業(yè)的力量。
⑨樂觀不意味著幼稚。在保持樂觀的同時,你仍然能意識到問題的存在,意識到有些問題非常棘手。樂觀帶來的改變在于面對問題的態(tài)度。比方說,這些年我總是聽到有人抱怨用于太空計劃的錢是被白白浪費(fèi)了。他們會說:“與其花4億5千5百萬美元把一個人送上月球,為什么不把這些錢用來解決地球上的貧窮問題呢?”但當(dāng)你追問他們打算如何用這些錢來消除貧困時,大多數(shù)人又會無言以對。我對他們說: “告訴我一個解決辦法,我會為你們籌到錢。”以積極的方式思考如何解決問題,而不是對花在別的項目上的金錢妄加挑剔。實際上,美國的太空計劃帶來了許多有價值的發(fā)現(xiàn),全人類都從中受益。
⑩樂觀精神使我們的注意力從消極的否定態(tài)度轉(zhuǎn)向積極 的、建設(shè)性的思考。樂觀主義者更關(guān)心如何解決問題,而不是毫無意義地怨天尤人。事實上,如果沒有樂觀精神,像貧窮這樣嚴(yán)重而且現(xiàn)正存在的問題是無望解決的。解決這樣的問題需要一個夢想家——一個擁有九死不悔的樂觀、矢志不移的堅韌和無限信心的人。何去何從,由你決定。UNIT5
品德為什么重要
——斯蒂芬·R·科維
1)前一段時間,我應(yīng)邀去一家銀行做咨詢,因為那里員工士氣不振。“我不知道問題出在哪里,”年輕的總裁傷心地抱怨道。他聰明而且特別能干,一步一步爬到現(xiàn)在的位置,卻發(fā)現(xiàn)銀行步履維艱,效率和收益都很低。他覺得問題出在員工身上。他說:“不論我采用什么樣的激勵措施,他們總是死氣沉沉,提不起精神。” 2)他說得不假,空氣中似乎充滿了懷疑和不信任的毒氣。我花了兩個月的時間舉辦各種研討會,但全都無濟(jì)于事。我無計可施了。
3)最后,在閑談中真相浮現(xiàn)了。老板已經(jīng)結(jié)婚,卻與一名員工有染,這件事公司上下盡人皆知。
4)如此看來,公司業(yè)績欠佳,顯然是他的行為所造成的。但這個人所造成的最大損害,是對他自己。他只顧自己一時的享樂和滿足,不管長遠(yuǎn)的后果,而且,他也褻瀆了與妻子之間神圣的信任。
5)簡而言之,他錯在品行不端。
真正重要的是什么?
6)品德是由原則和價值觀組成,能夠為你的生活指引方
7)向,賦予你的生活以意義和深度。這些構(gòu)成了你內(nèi)心判斷正誤的標(biāo)準(zhǔn),不是基于法律或行為準(zhǔn)則,而是基于你個人。8)它們包括了正直、誠實、勇氣、公平、慷慨等特點,來自于我們在生活中必須做出的艱難抉擇。所以做錯了就是做錯了,而不在于有沒有被人發(fā)現(xiàn)。9)然而,有些人會懷疑,我們的內(nèi)在價值還重要嗎?畢竟,我們這位有名的銀行主管盡管品行不端,還不是照樣在各方面很成功?
10)這個問題反映了現(xiàn)代生活的一個困境。很多人已經(jīng)開始相信:要成功,只要有天分、精力和個性就夠了。然而,回顧歷史,我們會發(fā)現(xiàn),內(nèi)在品質(zhì)比外在特征更加重要。11)在我國歷史最初的150多年中,幾乎所有關(guān)于成功與自勵的文獻(xiàn)都聚焦在可稱為品德標(biāo)準(zhǔn)方面。本杰明·富蘭克林和托馬斯·杰斐遜等杰出人物很清楚地表明了他們的看法:只有讓品德成為我們的指南,才能體驗真正的成功與幸福。
12)進(jìn)入工業(yè)時代以及第一次世界大戰(zhàn)后,成功的基本觀念轉(zhuǎn)移到可稱為個性標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的方面。成功更有賴于魅力、技能和技巧的運(yùn)用,使人際交往的過程更加順暢。我們不會在大是大非的痛苦問題上糾纏,而專注于如何使事情順利運(yùn)作。13)這種哲學(xué)可以從一些無害然而淺薄的說法中看出端倪,比如,“微笑能比皺眉贏得更多朋友。”其他的想法甚至帶有欺騙性質(zhì),例如假裝對別人的愛好感興趣好讓他們喜歡你。14)在這種完全基于技能與個性的價值體系指導(dǎo)下,我們視運(yùn)動員、音樂家或有權(quán)有勢的商界主管為偶像。不過,盡管我們欽羨這些成功人士,我們倒也未必要奉他們?yōu)榭!<记晒倘皇浅晒λ匦璧模寄軓膩頍o法保證一個人的幸福和滿足感。這二者有賴于品德的塑造。
從家里做起
15)品德的塑造是可以從任何年齡段開始的,關(guān)鍵是要學(xué)會如何內(nèi)省,然后由內(nèi)而外,推己及人。16)由內(nèi)而外,個人生活中的成就便能引發(fā)公共生活的成就,而個人生活的成就無非是堅守你對自己和他人的承諾而已。日復(fù)一日,你許下并恪守越來越有挑戰(zhàn)性的諾言,你也同時在往你的“道德賬戶”上存“錢”。一開始需要很努力去做的事情,最終將成為習(xí)慣。逐步養(yǎng)成了在生活中一些較次要的方面塑造品德的習(xí)慣之后,你在更重要的領(lǐng)域培養(yǎng)品德力量的能力也會隨之增強(qiáng)。
17)個人生活的成功因此能造就更大的公眾生活的成功。比如說,要在工作中獲得更高的職位,你首先得是一個責(zé)任心更強(qiáng)的員工。要締造幸福的婚姻,自己首先就要做一個有愛心、慷慨、可靠而又誠實的人。18)在品德成熟的過程中,沒有哪一種因素會比信任更加關(guān)鍵的了。不管是同事的信任還是配偶的信任,都是在無窮變化的環(huán)境中日積月累而沉淀下來的。
19)另一個塑造品德的方法就是承認(rèn)自己的錯誤。處理錯誤的方式也能體現(xiàn)我們的品德。20)然而,塑造品德的最佳機(jī)會是在家庭內(nèi)部,在家里我們時時經(jīng)受考驗,也最容易犯錯。真正的品德始于家庭。
21)我們常常會覺得,跟最了解我們、不管我們做了什么都會依然愛我們的人在一起,總是能免受懲罰。結(jié)果呢,我們的品德受損,關(guān)系也遭到了破壞。我們會不會經(jīng)常聽說這樣的人,比如一個很出色的員工,卻把自己的配偶當(dāng)作一件家具那樣對待?
22)我們所有的關(guān)系都遵循著生活的規(guī)律;都是有起有落的。這就是為什么我們的家庭能為我們的品德提供一個重要的量度,而且不斷提供機(jī)會滋養(yǎng)它。23)那個與員工有染的銀行總裁后來怎么樣了呢?我向他透露,我已經(jīng)知道他的外遇,以及這件事對員工的影響,他用手指撓著頭發(fā)。“我不知道從何說起,”他說。24)“結(jié)束了嗎?”
25)他直視著我的眼睛。“結(jié)束了。絕對結(jié)束了。” 26)“那就先跟你妻子談?wù)劊蔽艺f。
27)他跟妻子說了,妻子原諒了他。接著,他召開了員工會議,討論士氣問題。他說:“我已經(jīng)找到問題的根源了,問題就出在我自己身上。我現(xiàn)在請求大家再給我一個機(jī)會。” 28)慢慢地,員工的士氣、開誠布公的氣氛、樂觀的情緒還有相互的信任最終都有了改觀。不過,說到底,這位主管自己是最大的受益者。他找到了修煉自己品德的道路。UINT6
創(chuàng)意性格
——米哈伊·奇克森特米海伊
1)我花了30年的時間研究富有創(chuàng)意的人是如何生活和工作的。如果要用一個詞來概括他們的性格與常人的差別所在,那就是“復(fù)雜”。他們身上有著極其矛盾的特征,他們不是“個體”,每個有創(chuàng)意的人都是“復(fù)合體”。
2)下面就是富有創(chuàng)意的人身上常會具備的一些特征。這些特征有機(jī)組合、辯證統(tǒng)一。3)1.?富有創(chuàng)意的人精力充沛,但也經(jīng)常安靜地休息。他們可以注意力高度集中地工作很長時間,而始終神采奕奕、興致勃勃。這并不是說富有創(chuàng)意的人超級亢奮。事實上,他們經(jīng)常休息,睡得也很多。重要的是,他們知道如何掌控自己的精力,而人的精力并不是由日歷、時鐘或外在的日程安排來控制的。有必要時,他們就能像激光一樣專注;沒必要時,富有創(chuàng)意的人就會立刻開始充電。這不是得自遺傳基因的生物節(jié)奏;而是為達(dá)到目標(biāo)而通過反復(fù)嘗試掌握的一種策略。
4)2.?富有創(chuàng)意的人往往精明而又天真。換句話說,這個矛盾體就是智慧和幼稚這兩個極端。霍華德·加德納對二十世紀(jì)的重要創(chuàng)意天才進(jìn)行了研究,結(jié)果表明,最深邃的洞察力可能與某種程度的不成熟(包括情感和思維方面的)共生共存。
5)以前對于卓越的思維能力的研究也表明,高智商兒童生活很成功,但過了一定的數(shù)值,智商似乎不再與卓越的現(xiàn)實生活表現(xiàn)成正比。后來的研究也說明,智商太低的人要做富有創(chuàng)意的工作可能比較困難,但擁有120以上的智商未必就更有創(chuàng)造力。
6)此外,富有創(chuàng)意的人似乎能很好地使用兩種互為對立的思維方式:趨同和求異。趨同思維由智商測試來衡量,涉及的是解決定義清楚、有唯一正確答案的理性問題。求異思維能產(chǎn)生另類的解決之道,它涉及的是產(chǎn)生大量想法的能力;靈活性,或者說是從一個角度轉(zhuǎn)換到另一個角度的能力;以及能獨(dú)辟蹊徑地產(chǎn)生非凡聯(lián)想的能力。但求異思維本身是沒有多大用處的,除非有能力判斷一個想法是好是壞,要做到這一點,我們必須依賴于趨同思維。
7)3.?富有創(chuàng)意的人既有豐富的想象力,也有根深蒂固的現(xiàn)實感。偉大的藝術(shù)和偉大的科學(xué)都是借助想象,躍進(jìn)與現(xiàn)實迥異的世界中去。事實上,藝術(shù)與科學(xué)的核心所在,便是超越我們目前所認(rèn)識的現(xiàn)實而創(chuàng)造出一個新的現(xiàn)實。8)4.?富有創(chuàng)意的人往往既外向又內(nèi)向。我們一般都二者居其一,要么偏愛呆在人群之中,要么獨(dú)坐一旁,冷眼看戲。事實上,在目前的心理研究中,外向和內(nèi)向被視為能區(qū)分彼此的最穩(wěn)定的性格特點,但富有創(chuàng)意的個體似乎同時顯示這兩種特點。9)5.?他們既謙虛又傲氣。這些個體站在“巨人的肩膀上”。他們尊重自己工作的領(lǐng)域,因而能意識到前人的大量貢獻(xiàn)。他們通常如此專注于未來的工程和當(dāng)前的挑戰(zhàn),過往的成就,不論多么出色,都無法再引起他們太多的興趣。
10)6.?富有創(chuàng)意的人既叛逆又保守。一味傳統(tǒng),會令一個領(lǐng)域殊無變化,而時時冒險、罔顧傳統(tǒng)亦鮮有創(chuàng)新,但冒險精神是絕對必要的。經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家喬治·施蒂格勒特別強(qiáng)調(diào)這個方面:“我會說,有能力的人之所以失敗,大多都是由于缺少冒險精神,凡事四平八穩(wěn)。要創(chuàng)新,你就不能太求穩(wěn),結(jié)果才可能有意思。結(jié)果是否會順利是無法預(yù)測的。” 11)7.?絕大多數(shù)富有創(chuàng)意的人對工作激情如火,同時也極為冷靜客觀。沒有激情,我們很快就會對困難任務(wù)失去興趣。但如果不夠客觀,我們的工作就難以出色,缺乏可信度。12)8.?富有創(chuàng)意的人胸?zé)o城府而敏感,這往往令他們痛苦,但同時也令他們體會到很多樂趣。發(fā)明家們對痛苦的容忍度很低,身邊的事物會讓他們看不順眼。設(shè)計拙劣的機(jī)器會令富有創(chuàng)意的工程師痛苦,而富有創(chuàng)意的作者看到蹩腳的文字同樣也會感覺受傷。13)居于學(xué)科前沿,也會令你暴露于眾人視線中,易受攻擊。卓越會招致批評,甚至往往是惡毒攻擊。藝術(shù)家傾注多年心血終于完成一件雕塑作品,科學(xué)家皓首窮年提出一種理論,到頭來若是無人問津,這種打擊無疑是災(zāi)難性的。14)對于富有創(chuàng)意的個體而言,最難以忍受的事情莫過于由于某種原因而無法工作的那種失落感和空虛感。如果一個人自覺創(chuàng)意枯竭,或許就更加痛苦不堪了。15)而當(dāng)一個人在自己擅長的領(lǐng)域里工作時,他的一切擔(dān)心和憂慮都會消失,取而代之的是一種愉悅感。也許最重要的品質(zhì),在一切富有創(chuàng)意的人身上最常見的一種品質(zhì),就是能夠享受創(chuàng)造過程本身。沒有這種品質(zhì),詩人將不再追求完美而寫些商業(yè)性的喧囂之作;經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家將會去銀行任職,收入至少會是大學(xué)里的兩倍;物理學(xué)家也會停止基礎(chǔ)研究而加入工業(yè)實驗室,那里條件優(yōu)越而且結(jié)果也容易預(yù)測。
第四篇:新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語綜合教程2課文翻譯
新世紀(jì)
大學(xué)英語綜合教程2
課文譯文
UNIT1
“我原諒你”
并非只有婚姻關(guān)系才需要寬恕。我們與子女、朋友、同事、鄰居,甚至陌生人相處時同樣需要寬恕。事實上,沒有寬恕的氧氣,任何人際關(guān)系都無從維系。寬恕并不是脾氣好的人們才擁有的特質(zhì);它是所有關(guān)系的必要條件,也是自己的身心健康不可缺少的。
有些人可能認(rèn)為,自己受傷太深、次數(shù)太多,無法寬恕。可耐人尋味的是,恰恰是被傷得最深的人,才真正需要寬恕別人,原因很簡單:仇恨就像癌癥,會毀掉宿主。如果不盡快鏟除,它就會生根發(fā)芽,使那些執(zhí)意仇恨無法釋懷的人受傷甚至死亡。
因為事實是,除非我們能寬恕他人,否則就永遠(yuǎn)無法恢復(fù)。傷口會繼續(xù)潰爛,永不愈合。中國有句古諺:“復(fù)仇者必自絕”。
對有些人來說,寬恕他人似乎是不可能的,因為他們根本不知從何做起。首先你要接受一個非常重要的事實:寬恕他人并不是件容易的事。事實上,對于我們大多數(shù)人來說,這也許是最難做到的。被傷害的是我們,卻還要寬恕他人,這似乎毫無公平可言,然而這正是寬恕的關(guān)鍵所在。“寬恕并忘記”,這句俗話誰都會脫口而出,但實際上既簡單又膚淺。一則這是絕對不可能的,二則它完全偏離了寬恕的真正含義。生活中最需要寬恕的事正是那些無法忘記的事。我們不應(yīng)把這些事掩飾起來,而需記住它們,并有意不因此對做過這些事的人懷有成見,然后繼續(xù)生活。
這就是為什么有的時候會感到:寬恕別人,一開始會相對容易些,難的是每次你看到那個人,與他談話,甚至只是想起他之后如何控制自己的感情。真正的寬恕不是一勞永逸之舉,而是持久的情感面對。等待越久,寬恕就越難。實際上,時間不會愈合傷口,只會讓憤懣和仇恨更長時間地吞噬你的內(nèi)心。如果要等待 “適當(dāng)?shù)臅r候”,你也許永遠(yuǎn)都找不到機(jī)會。close
開始運(yùn)用寬恕的藝術(shù)之前,你先要問自己這樣一個問題:我們中有多少人在特定的場合下是完全無辜的呢?
幾年前,我和妻子買了一件便宜家具。最初幾個月,它蒙蔽了所有人 ―― 美觀、實用、人見人愛。我們認(rèn)為它太適合我們家了。可時間一長,表面薄層的邊角部分開始慢慢脫落。再也沒有當(dāng)初的效果了,不過至少它現(xiàn)在是以真實面目示人!事實是,不管喜歡不喜歡,在漂亮的表層下,我們都只是刨花板。因此,在我們評判別人之前,明智的做法是先在鏡子里認(rèn)真審視自己。我們越是審視自己,正視自己的缺點,便越愿意也越能夠?qū)捤∷说娜秉c,寬恕得越多,也就越能體會到真正的滿足。
寬恕他人能得到令人滿意的反應(yīng)。我發(fā)現(xiàn)向自己的孩子道歉不僅修復(fù)了我們破裂的關(guān)系,也有助于緩和緊張的局面,使孩子們更容易自己開口請求我的寬恕。如果你認(rèn)為自己是對的,沒有辦法寬恕,那么問自己這個問題:要正確,還是要快樂?
要寬恕別人,最難的一點是邁出第一步 ―― 如果你已經(jīng)好長時間不和傷害你的人講話,就更是如此。但請記住,他們很可能會很高興得到你的消息。他們也許甚至?xí)驗槟阕隽怂麄兌嗄陙硐胫龅氖露钍芨袆印5?jǐn)記你這樣做是為他們,同樣也是為自己,所以即便他們的反應(yīng)有違你的期望也不要難過。close 當(dāng)然,有些人并不認(rèn)為自己做錯了什么,或者根本不在乎,因此如果你說要寬恕他們,那只會讓兩個人都懊惱。但這并不意味著你自己的心里沒有寬恕。實際上,這才是真正的寬恕:不再生氣,不再感覺受傷,心平氣和對待發(fā)生的事,繼續(xù)自己的生活。
怨恨越深,越不開心。如果不能學(xué)會寬恕這門“失傳的藝術(shù)”,你就將永遠(yuǎn)是受害者,不僅是傷害你的人的受害者,也是自己情感的受害者。寬恕別人能讓你處于主動地位。盡管寬恕很難,但不寬恕的話情況還會更糟。“寬恕我們的罪過吧,雖然我們拒絕寬恕對不起我們的人”,《圣經(jīng)》里沒有這樣的話,這可是有道理的。
那個微笑
哈諾?麥卡蒂
很多美國人都熟悉《小王子》這本精彩的書,作者是法國作家安托萬?德?圣埃克蘇佩里。這書情節(jié)離奇,既可作兒童讀物,也可看作引人深思的成人寓言。不過,圣埃克蘇佩里的其他作品、小說和短篇故事卻鮮為人知。
圣埃克蘇佩里是戰(zhàn)斗機(jī)飛行員,在二次大戰(zhàn)對抗納粹的戰(zhàn)斗中陣亡。二次大戰(zhàn)前,他曾參加西班牙內(nèi)戰(zhàn)打擊法西斯分子。他根據(jù)這段經(jīng)歷寫了一個引人入勝的故事 ――《那個微笑》。我在這里想跟你分享的就是這個故事。我不清楚他希望讀者把這故事當(dāng)成真實經(jīng)歷還是虛構(gòu)的故事,不過我倒愿意相信是前者。作者說他被敵軍俘虜,關(guān)進(jìn)監(jiān)牢。看守不屑的眼神,惡劣的態(tài)度,使他相信自己第二天肯定會被處決。以下,我將根據(jù)印象用自己的話來講述這個故事。
“我肯定我會沒命了。我極其惶恐不安。我翻遍口袋,希望能找到一些沒被他們搜走的香煙。我找到了一支,但是手抖得厲害,差點沒法把煙塞到嘴里去。但我沒有火柴,他們搜走了。
“我透過鐵欄望著看守。他不與我進(jìn)行眼神交流。是啊,人是不會跟物體、尸體交流眼神的。我對他喊道:?有火嗎??他看了看我,聳聳肩,走過來幫我點火。
“他湊過來點燃火柴,眼光不經(jīng)意中與我的交織在一起。這時,我微笑了。我不知道自己為什么要這么做。也許是因為緊張,也許是因為兩個人靠得很近時,你很難不對他微笑。不管怎么說,我微笑了。一瞬間,仿佛有一朵火花躍過我們兩顆心,兩個人類靈魂之間的鴻溝。我知道他并不想笑,但我的微笑躍過鐵欄,在他嘴角也引發(fā)了一個笑容。他幫我點上了煙,但沒有走開,正視著我的眼睛,一直微笑著。” “我一直朝他笑著,此時,在我心中,他是一個人,而不是一名看守,而他盯著我看的動作也似乎有了新的含義。?你有孩子了嗎??他問。”
.“?有,在這呢。?我拿出錢包,手忙腳亂地翻出了家人的照片。他也拿出了照片,開始講述他對家人的期望與計劃。我的眼中滿是淚水。我說我害怕再也見不到家人,再也沒有機(jī)會看他們長大。淚水也涌入他的眼眶。”
“突然間,他二話不說打開了牢門,靜靜地帶我出去。出了監(jiān)獄,悄悄從后面的小路出了小鎮(zhèn)。就在小鎮(zhèn)的邊上,他放了我。之后一言不發(fā)地就轉(zhuǎn)身朝小鎮(zhèn)的方向往回走。”
“一個微笑救了我的命。”close
是啊,微笑是人與人之間最自然真摯的聯(lián)系方式。我在文中講這個故事,是因為我希望人們能想想,在我們?yōu)楸Wo(hù)自己而建立的層層保護(hù)膜下 ―― 尊嚴(yán)、頭銜、學(xué)位、身分、希望給別人留下某種印象的需要 ―― 在這一切之下,存在著一個真實、本質(zhì)的自我。我不害怕把它叫做靈魂。我真的相信,如果你的那一部分和我的那一部分能彼此相認(rèn),我們就不會是敵人。我們就不可能有仇恨或妒嫉或恐懼。遺憾的是,所有那些我們小心翼翼建起的保護(hù)層,阻隔了彼此,讓我們無法真誠相對。圣埃克蘇佩里的這則故事,講述的就是兩個靈魂相認(rèn)的那個神奇時刻。
我也曾經(jīng)歷過幾個這樣的奇妙時刻。墜入情網(wǎng)是其中一刻,還有就是看著嬰兒的時候。為什么我們見到嬰兒會微笑?也許是因為在他們身上沒有種種防護(hù)層,我們知道,他們的微笑完全是純真自然的,而我們內(nèi)心的那顆童心也在熱切而會心地微笑著。
UNIT2
看見東西的三天
大家都讀過一些令人激動的故事,這些故事里的主人公僅僅活在有限并且特定的時間內(nèi),有時長達(dá)一年,有時短到24小時。但我們總是有興趣發(fā)現(xiàn)。那命中注定要死的是那些有選擇自由的人,而不是那些活動范圍被嚴(yán)格限定了的判了刑的犯人。這樣的故事讓我們思考,在相似的情況下,我們該怎么辦,作為終有一死的人。在那最終的幾個小時內(nèi)安排什么事件,什么經(jīng)歷,什么交往?在回顧往事時,我們該找到什么快樂?什么悔恨?
有時我想到。過好每一天是個非常好的習(xí)慣。似乎我們明天就會死去。這種態(tài)度鮮明地強(qiáng)調(diào)了生命的價值。我們應(yīng)該以優(yōu)雅、精力充沛、善知樂趣的方式過好每一天。而當(dāng)歲月推移,在經(jīng)常瞻觀未來之時日,未來之年月中,這些又常常失去。當(dāng)然也有人愿按伊壁鳩魯?shù)男艞l“吃、喝和歡樂”去生活,但絕大多數(shù)人還是被即將面臨死亡的必然性所折磨。
但是我們大多數(shù)人把生活認(rèn)為是理所當(dāng)然的。我們知道,某一天我們一定會死,但通常我們把那天想象在遙遠(yuǎn)的將來。當(dāng)我們心寬體健時,死亡幾乎是不可想象的,我們很少想到它、時日在無窮的展望中延展著。于是我們干著瑣碎的事情,幾乎意識不到我們對生活的倦怠態(tài)度。
恐怕,同倦的懶散也成為利用我們所有的感覺和本能的特點,只有聾子才珍惜聽力,唯有瞎子才體會到能看見事物的種種幸福、這種結(jié)論特別適合于那些在成年階段失去視力和聽力的人們。而那些從沒有遭受視覺或聽覺損傷之苦的人卻很少充分利用這些天賜的官能。他們模模糊糊的眼觀八方,耳聽各音,毫無重點,不會鑒賞,還是那相同的老話,對我們的健康意識不到,直至生病時。
我常常想。如果每個人在他成年的早期有一段致瞎致聾,那會是一種幸事,黑暗會使他更珍惜視力,寂靜會教導(dǎo)他享受聲音。
我不時的詢問過我的能看見東西的朋友們,以了解他們看到什么。最近,我的一個很好的朋友來看我。她剛從一片森林里散步許久回來,我問她看到了什么,她答道:“沒什么特別的”。如果我不是習(xí)慣了聽到這種回答。我都可能不相信,因為很久以來我已確信這種情況:能看到的人卻看不到什么。我獨(dú)自一人,在林子里散步一小時之久而沒有看到任何值得注意的東西。那怎么可能呢?我自己、一個不能看見東西的人,僅僅通過觸覺,都發(fā)現(xiàn)許許多多令我有興趣的東西。我感觸到一片樹葉完美的對稱性。我用手喜愛的撫摸過一株白樺那光潮的樹皮,或一棵松樹的粗糙樹皮。春天,我摸著樹干的枝條滿懷希望地搜索著嫩芽,那是嚴(yán)冬的沉睡后,大自然蘇醒的第一個跡象。我撫摸過花朵那令人愉快的天鵝絨般的質(zhì)地,感覺到他那奇妙的卷繞,一些大自然奇跡向我展現(xiàn)了。有時,如果我很幸運(yùn),我把手輕輕地放在一棵小樹上,還能感受到一只高聲歌唱的小鳥的愉快呢顫抖、我十分快樂的讓小溪澗的涼水穿過我張開的手指流淌過去、對我來說,一片茂密的地毯式的松針葉或松軟而富彈性的草地比最豪華的波斯地毯更受歡迎、對我來說四季的壯觀而華麗的展示是一部令人激動的、無窮盡的戲劇。這部戲劇的表演,通過我的手指尖端涌淌出來。
有時,由于渴望能看見這一切東西。我的內(nèi)心在哭泣。如果說僅憑我的觸覺我就能感受到這么多的愉快。那么憑視覺該有多少美麗的東西顯露出來。然而,那些能看見的人明顯的看得很少,充滿世間的色彩和動作的景象被當(dāng)成理所當(dāng)然、或許。這是人性共有的特點。對我們具有的不怎么欣賞。而對我們不具有的卻渴望得到,然而,這是一個極大地遺憾,在光明的世界里,視力的天賦僅僅作為一種方便之用,而沒有作為增添生活美滿的手段。啊,如果我要有哪怕3天的視力。多少事我該看啊!UNIT3
追夢
——亞歷克斯·哈利
1)很多年輕人告訴我,他們想當(dāng)作家。我總是鼓勵這些人,但我也會解釋,“當(dāng)作家”和寫作是有區(qū)別的。在多數(shù)情況下,這些人是在夢想名利,而不是在打字機(jī)前獨(dú)自度過漫長的時間。我對他們說,“你得渴望寫作,而不是渴望當(dāng)作家。” 2)孤獨(dú)、冷清、低薪,這就是寫作的現(xiàn)實寫照。幸運(yùn)之神會眷顧一些作家,但數(shù)以千計的人心中的渴望永遠(yuǎn)無法滿足。就算是成功者,大多也曾長期無人問津、窮困潦倒,包括我。
3)我離開工作了20年的美國海岸警備隊成為一名自由作家時,前途一片渺茫。唯一擁有的是一個兒時的朋友喬治,他跟我在田納西州的亨寧一起長大。喬治在格林尼治村公寓看門,他在那里幫我找了間騰出來的儲藏室。那兒很冷,又沒有衛(wèi)生間,可是我不在乎。我馬上買了一部二手的打字機(jī),感覺就像一個真正的作家了。
4)然而,過了一年左右還沒有時來運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),我開始懷疑自己。作品很難賣出去,我只能勉強(qiáng)維持生計,但我知道,我渴望寫作,多少年來我一直夢想著寫作。我不要像有些人一樣,臨死時還想,“假如······”我要堅持不懈地試驗著我的夢,哪怕衣食無著,害怕失敗,也決不放棄。這是希望的陰影地帶,每個有夢的人都必須學(xué)會在那里安居。5)
a)我接到一個電話,我的一生從此改變。不是經(jīng)紀(jì)人或編輯打來要和我簽一份大額合同。剛好相反,這個電話像海妖的歌聲,誘使我放棄夢想。打電話的是海岸警備隊的一個老熟人,警備隊現(xiàn)在設(shè)在舊金山。他借過一些錢給我,不時提起這件事。“我什么時候才能拿回那15塊錢啊,亞歷克斯?”他揶揄道。
6)“等我下次賣了稿子吧。” 7)他說,“我有個更好的主意。我們這里要新招一個公共信息助理,年薪六千。想要的話,這位子就是你的了。”
8)一年六千!在1960年,那可是一大筆錢了。我可以買套不錯的房子,一輛二手車,還清所有的債,甚至還可以有點積蓄,而且我還可以在業(yè)余時間寫作。9)鈔票在我腦海中舞動,但我的頭腦驀地清醒了。從內(nèi)心深處,一個固執(zhí)的決定涌上心頭。我的夢想是要當(dāng)作家,全職作家。我一定要實現(xiàn)夢想。“謝謝,我不去,”我聽到自己在這樣說,“我要堅持寫作。”
10)放下電話,我在小小的房間里踱著步,開始覺得自己像個傻瓜。我把手伸進(jìn)壁櫥(一個釘在墻上的裝桔子的板條箱),拿出里面所有的東西:兩個沙丁魚罐頭。我把手伸進(jìn)口袋,找到了18分錢。我把罐頭和硬幣塞進(jìn)一個皺巴巴的紙袋。我對自己說,看吧,亞歷克斯,這就是你的全部家當(dāng)了。我覺得前所未有的沮喪。
11)我希望我可以說,情況馬上有了好轉(zhuǎn),可是沒有。幸虧還有喬治幫我渡過難關(guān)。
12)通過他,我認(rèn)識了一些正在苦苦奮斗的藝術(shù)家,比如喬·德萊尼,繪畫多年,來自田納西的諾克斯維爾。喬經(jīng)常窮得連食物都買不起,所以他會去附近的一家肉店,那屠夫會給些沾著肉末的大骨頭;他還去雜貨店,店主會給他一些蔫了的蔬菜。用這些,喬就可以做他喜愛的湯了。
13)村里還有一位鄰居,是個英俊的年輕歌手,開一家生意清淡的餐館。據(jù)說,要是顧客點了牛扒,這歌手就會沖到街對面的超市里買一份回來。他的名字叫哈里·貝拉方特。14)德萊尼和貝拉方特等人成了我的楷模。我懂得了,要追求夢想,就得做出犧牲,有創(chuàng)意地生活。在夢想的陰影里生活就是這樣的。15)我品味著這個教訓(xùn),這時我文章的銷路也慢慢好起來。我寫的是當(dāng)時街頭巷尾大眾談?wù)摰脑掝}:公民權(quán)利、美國黑人、非洲。很快,就像南歸的鳥兒一樣,我的思緒回到了童年。在寂靜的房間里,我仿佛可以聽見親人的聲音,祖母、喬治亞表姐、普盧思阿姨、利茲阿姨、蒂爾阿姨,在向我講述我們的家族歷史和奴隸制度。
16)以前,美國黑人對這些故事避而不談,所以我也很少向別人說起。但有一天,我與《讀者文摘》的編輯們共進(jìn)午餐時,我講了祖母、阿姨和表姐她們的故事。我說,我有一個夢想,就是要追溯我的家族史,找到那戴著枷鎖來到美國海岸的第一個非洲人。午餐結(jié)束時,我已經(jīng)得到一份合同,資助我的調(diào)查與寫作,為期九年。
17)爬出陰影所在,是一個漫長而艱難的過程。不過,到了1970年,我離開海岸警備隊十七年之后,《根》發(fā)表了。一夜之間,我擁有了大多數(shù)作家都不曾擁有的名望和成功。陰影已經(jīng)變成了令人目眩的聚光燈。
18)平生第一次,我有錢了,機(jī)會之門處處為我敞開。電話響個不停,總是有新的朋友,還有新的合約。我收拾好,搬到洛杉磯,協(xié)助拍攝《根》的電視系列短篇。這段時間,我應(yīng)接不暇,令我精神振奮。在某種意義上,我被成功的光環(huán)蒙蔽了雙眼。
19)有一天,整理行裝時,我看到一個箱子,裝的是多年前我在格林尼治村時的家當(dāng)。里面有一只棕色的紙袋。
20)我打開來,看到兩個銹跡斑斑的沙丁魚罐頭,一枚五分硬幣,一枚十分硬幣,三枚一分硬幣。突然,往事潮涌而來。我仿佛看到自己又蜷縮在打字機(jī)前,在那個凄冷的單間里。我對自己說,這袋子里的東西也是我的一部分根。我可不能忘了。21)我請人把這些東西鑲起來。我把這個透明塑料盒放在每天都能看到的地方。我現(xiàn)在就可以看到它,就放在諾克斯維爾的辦公桌上方,放在一起的還有普利策獎杯,一張有電視版《根》所獲九個艾美獎的照片,還有斯賓甘獎牌——“全國有色人種協(xié)進(jìn)會”(NAACP)的最高榮譽(yù)。要是問我,哪一個對我意義最大,我會感到很難回答。但這中間,只有一樣?xùn)|西會提醒我,在夢想的陰影里堅持自己的方向需要怎樣的勇氣和毅力。22)這個教訓(xùn),每一個有夢的人都應(yīng)該汲取。
UNIT4
選擇樂觀
作者:里奇·德沃斯
①假如你預(yù)料某事結(jié)局不妙,結(jié)果可能真會如此。悲觀的想法很少落空。不過這個法則反過來也成立。假如你覺得會有好事發(fā)生,通常就會交上好運(yùn)!樂觀與成功之間似乎有一種天然的因果關(guān)系。
②樂觀和悲觀都具有強(qiáng)大的力量,我們每個人必須選擇其一,來塑造自己的前途和理想。每個人的生命中都有足夠的幸運(yùn)與不幸——豐富的哀傷和喜悅、充足的歡欣與痛苦——令我們找到或樂觀或悲觀的理由。我們可以選擇哭或是笑、祝福或是詛咒。這完全取決于我們自己:用什么樣的眼光去看待生活?是積極向上,還是垂頭喪氣?
③我信守積極向上的態(tài)度。對積極的東西我濃墨重彩,對消極的東西則一筆帶過。我是樂天派,既是天生如此,也因后天選擇所致。誠然,我知道生命中會有傷痛。我已經(jīng)七十多歲了,經(jīng)歷過不止一次的危機(jī)。但是,當(dāng)一切塵埃落定,我發(fā)現(xiàn)生命中的美好遠(yuǎn)比丑惡多。
④樂觀的態(tài)度不是奢侈品,它是我們生活的必需品。你看待生活的方式將決定你的感受、你的表現(xiàn),以及你與他人相處得怎樣。反過來,悲觀的想法、態(tài)度和期待也會自成因 果:它們是能自我實現(xiàn)的預(yù)言。悲觀會制造出無人愿往的黑暗之地。
⑤多年前,我驅(qū)車去一個加油站加油。那天天氣很好,我的心情也不錯。當(dāng)我走進(jìn)加油站付油錢時,服務(wù)員問我: “你感覺怎樣?”這問題有點古怪,不過,我感覺很好,于是便照實回答了他。“你臉色不好,”他回答。這話讓我大吃一驚。我告訴他我的感覺從未像現(xiàn)在這么好,但已不像開始那么底氣十足了,而他則毫無顧忌地繼續(xù)大講我的氣色如何 差,還說我膚色發(fā)黃。
⑥在離開加油站的時候,我覺得有點心神不寧。駛出一個街區(qū)之后,我把車停在路旁,對著鏡子看著自己的臉。我感覺如何?我的臉色那么差嗎?一切都正常嗎?等我回到家里,我已經(jīng)開始覺得有點想吐。我的肝臟出了毛病嗎?是不是染上了什么怪病?
⑦再次光顧那個加油站時,我還是感覺很好,我弄明白了個中蹊蹺。這個地方不久前把墻漆上了一種搶眼但又難看的黃色,墻面反射的光線使里面的每一個人看起來都像得了肝炎。不知道有多少人有過與我類似的反應(yīng)。和一個根本不認(rèn)識的人的一次短短對話竟然改變了我整整一天的心情。他說我面帶病容,沒過多久,我就真的覺得不舒服。那一句消極的話就大大影響了我的感覺和行為。
⑧唯一比否定態(tài)度更有力量的是積極的肯定,充滿樂觀與希望的話語。最讓我心存感激的一件事情,就是我生長的這個國度有著偉大的樂觀主義傳統(tǒng)。如果一種文化從整體上采取積極向上的態(tài)度,不可思議的事情也能變成現(xiàn)實。人們?nèi)舭咽澜缈醋鞴饷髋c希望之地,他們將被賦予努力進(jìn)取和成就功業(yè)的力量。
⑨樂觀不意味著幼稚。在保持樂觀的同時,你仍然能意識到問題的存在,意識到有些問題非常棘手。樂觀帶來的改變在于面對問題的態(tài)度。比方說,這些年我總是聽到有人抱怨用于太空計劃的錢是被白白浪費(fèi)了。他們會說:“與其花4億5千5百萬美元把一個人送上月球,為什么不把這些錢用來解決地球上的貧窮問題呢?”但當(dāng)你追問他們打算如何用這些錢來消除貧困時,大多數(shù)人又會無言以對。我對他們說: “告訴我一個解決辦法,我會為你們籌到錢。”以積極的方式思考如何解決問題,而不是對花在別的項目上的金錢妄加挑剔。實際上,美國的太空計劃帶來了許多有價值的發(fā)現(xiàn),全人類都從中受益。
⑩樂觀精神使我們的注意力從消極的否定態(tài)度轉(zhuǎn)向積極 的、建設(shè)性的思考。樂觀主義者更關(guān)心如何解決問題,而不是毫無意義地怨天尤人。事實上,如果沒有樂觀精神,像貧窮這樣嚴(yán)重而且現(xiàn)正存在的問題是無望解決的。解決這樣的問題需要一個夢想家——一個擁有九死不悔的樂觀、矢志不移的堅韌和無限信心的人。何去何從,由你決定。UNIT5
品德為什么重要
——斯蒂芬·R·科維
1)前一段時間,我應(yīng)邀去一家銀行做咨詢,因為那里員工士氣不振。“我不知道問題出在哪里,”年輕的總裁傷心地抱怨道。他聰明而且特別能干,一步一步爬到現(xiàn)在的位置,卻發(fā)現(xiàn)銀行步履維艱,效率和收益都很低。他覺得問題出在員工身上。他說:“不論我采用什么樣的激勵措施,他們總是死氣沉沉,提不起精神。” 2)他說得不假,空氣中似乎充滿了懷疑和不信任的毒氣。我花了兩個月的時間舉辦各種研討會,但全都無濟(jì)于事。我無計可施了。
3)最后,在閑談中真相浮現(xiàn)了。老板已經(jīng)結(jié)婚,卻與一名員工有染,這件事公司上下盡人皆知。
4)如此看來,公司業(yè)績欠佳,顯然是他的行為所造成的。但這個人所造成的最大損害,是對他自己。他只顧自己一時的享樂和滿足,不管長遠(yuǎn)的后果,而且,他也褻瀆了與妻子之間神圣的信任。
5)簡而言之,他錯在品行不端。
真正重要的是什么?
6)品德是由原則和價值觀組成,能夠為你的生活指引方
7)向,賦予你的生活以意義和深度。這些構(gòu)成了你內(nèi)心判斷正誤的標(biāo)準(zhǔn),不是基于法律或行為準(zhǔn)則,而是基于你個人。
8)它們包括了正直、誠實、勇氣、公平、慷慨等特點,來自于我們在生活中必須做出的艱難抉擇。所以做錯了就是做錯了,而不在于有沒有被人發(fā)現(xiàn)。
9)然而,有些人會懷疑,我們的內(nèi)在價值還重要嗎?畢竟,我們這位有名的銀行主管盡管品行不端,還不是照樣在各方面很成功?
10)這個問題反映了現(xiàn)代生活的一個困境。很多人已經(jīng)開始相信:要成功,只要有天分、精力和個性就夠了。然而,回顧歷史,我們會發(fā)現(xiàn),內(nèi)在品質(zhì)比外在特征更加重要。11)在我國歷史最初的150多年中,幾乎所有關(guān)于成功與自勵的文獻(xiàn)都聚焦在可稱為品德標(biāo)準(zhǔn)方面。本杰明·富蘭克林和托馬斯·杰斐遜等杰出人物很清楚地表明了他們的看法:只有讓品德成為我們的指南,才能體驗真正的成功與幸福。
12)進(jìn)入工業(yè)時代以及第一次世界大戰(zhàn)后,成功的基本觀念轉(zhuǎn)移到可稱為個性標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的方面。成功更有賴于魅力、技能和技巧的運(yùn)用,使人際交往的過程更加順暢。我們不會在大是大非的痛苦問題上糾纏,而專注于如何使事情順利運(yùn)作。13)這種哲學(xué)可以從一些無害然而淺薄的說法中看出端倪,比如,“微笑能比皺眉贏得更多朋友。”其他的想法甚至帶有欺騙性質(zhì),例如假裝對別人的愛好感興趣好讓他們喜歡你。14)在這種完全基于技能與個性的價值體系指導(dǎo)下,我們視運(yùn)動員、音樂家或有權(quán)有勢的商界主管為偶像。不過,盡管我們欽羨這些成功人士,我們倒也未必要奉他們?yōu)榭!<记晒倘皇浅晒λ匦璧模寄軓膩頍o法保證一個人的幸福和滿足感。這二者有賴于品德的塑造。從家里做起
15)品德的塑造是可以從任何年齡段開始的,關(guān)鍵是要學(xué)會如何內(nèi)省,然后由內(nèi)而外,推己及人。16)由內(nèi)而外,個人生活中的成就便能引發(fā)公共生活的成就,而個人生活的成就無非是堅守你對自己和他人的承諾而已。日復(fù)一日,你許下并恪守越來越有挑戰(zhàn)性的諾言,你也同時在往你的“道德賬戶”上存“錢”。一開始需要很努力去做的事情,最終將成為習(xí)慣。逐步養(yǎng)成了在生活中一些較次要的方面塑造品德的習(xí)慣之后,你在更重要的領(lǐng)域培養(yǎng)品德力量的能力也會隨之增強(qiáng)。
17)個人生活的成功因此能造就更大的公眾生活的成功。比如說,要在工作中獲得更高的職位,你首先得是一個責(zé)任心更強(qiáng)的員工。要締造幸福的婚姻,自己首先就要做一個有愛心、慷慨、可靠而又誠實的人。18)在品德成熟的過程中,沒有哪一種因素會比信任更加關(guān)鍵的了。不管是同事的信任還是配偶的信任,都是在無窮變化的環(huán)境中日積月累而沉淀下來的。
19)另一個塑造品德的方法就是承認(rèn)自己的錯誤。處理錯誤的方式也能體現(xiàn)我們的品德。20)然而,塑造品德的最佳機(jī)會是在家庭內(nèi)部,在家里我們時時經(jīng)受考驗,也最容易犯錯。真正的品德始于家庭。
21)我們常常會覺得,跟最了解我們、不管我們做了什么都會依然愛我們的人在一起,總是能免受懲罰。結(jié)果呢,我們的品德受損,關(guān)系也遭到了破壞。我們會不會經(jīng)常聽說這樣的人,比如一個很出色的員工,卻把自己的配偶當(dāng)作一件家具那樣對待? 22)我們所有的關(guān)系都遵循著生活的規(guī)律;都是有起有落的。這就是為什么我們的家庭能為我們的品德提供一個重要的量度,而且不斷提供機(jī)會滋養(yǎng)它。23)那個與員工有染的銀行總裁后來怎么樣了呢?我向他透露,我已經(jīng)知道他的外遇,以及這件事對員工的影響,他用手指撓著頭發(fā)。“我不知道從何說起,”他說。24)“結(jié)束了嗎?”
25)他直視著我的眼睛。“結(jié)束了。絕對結(jié)束了。” 26)“那就先跟你妻子談?wù)劊蔽艺f。
27)他跟妻子說了,妻子原諒了他。接著,他召開了員工會議,討論士氣問題。他說:“我已經(jīng)找到問題的根源了,問題就出在我自己身上。我現(xiàn)在請求大家再給我一個機(jī)會。” 28)慢慢地,員工的士氣、開誠布公的氣氛、樂觀的情緒還有相互的信任最終都有了改觀。不過,說到底,這位主管自己是最大的受益者。他找到了修煉自己品德的道路。UINT6
創(chuàng)意性格
——米哈伊·奇克森特米海伊
1)我花了30年的時間研究富有創(chuàng)意的人是如何生活和工作的。如果要用一個詞來概括他們的性格與常人的差別所在,那就是“復(fù)雜”。他們身上有著極其矛盾的特征,他們不是“個體”,每個有創(chuàng)意的人都是“復(fù)合體”。
2)下面就是富有創(chuàng)意的人身上常會具備的一些特征。這些特征有機(jī)組合、辯證統(tǒng)一。3)1.?富有創(chuàng)意的人精力充沛,但也經(jīng)常安靜地休息。他們可以注意力高度集中地工作很長時間,而始終神采奕奕、興致勃勃。這并不是說富有創(chuàng)意的人超級亢奮。事實上,他們經(jīng)常休息,睡得也很多。重要的是,他們知道如何掌控自己的精力,而人的精力并不是由日歷、時鐘或外在的日程安排來控制的。有必要時,他們就能像激光一樣專注;沒必要時,富有創(chuàng)意的人就會立刻開始充電。這不是得自遺傳基因的生物節(jié)奏;而是為達(dá)到目標(biāo)而通過反復(fù)嘗試掌握的一種策略。
4)2.?富有創(chuàng)意的人往往精明而又天真。換句話說,這個矛盾體就是智慧和幼稚這兩個極端。霍華德·加德納對二十世紀(jì)的重要創(chuàng)意天才進(jìn)行了研究,結(jié)果表明,最深邃的洞察力可能與某種程度的不成熟(包括情感和思維方面的)共生共存。
5)以前對于卓越的思維能力的研究也表明,高智商兒童生活很成功,但過了一定的數(shù)值,智商似乎不再與卓越的現(xiàn)實生活表現(xiàn)成正比。后來的研究也說明,智商太低的人要做富有創(chuàng)意的工作可能比較困難,但擁有120以上的智商未必就更有創(chuàng)造力。
6)此外,富有創(chuàng)意的人似乎能很好地使用兩種互為對立的思維方式:趨同和求異。趨同思維由智商測試來衡量,涉及的是解決定義清楚、有唯一正確答案的理性問題。求異思維能產(chǎn)生另類的解決之道,它涉及的是產(chǎn)生大量想法的能力;靈活性,或者說是從一個角度轉(zhuǎn)換到另一個角度的能力;以及能獨(dú)辟蹊徑地產(chǎn)生非凡聯(lián)想的能力。但求異思維本身是沒有多大用處的,除非有能力判斷一個想法是好是壞,要做到這一點,我們必須依賴于趨同思維。
7)3.?富有創(chuàng)意的人既有豐富的想象力,也有根深蒂固的現(xiàn)實感。偉大的藝術(shù)和偉大的科學(xué)都是借助想象,躍進(jìn)與現(xiàn)實迥異的世界中去。事實上,藝術(shù)與科學(xué)的核心所在,便是超越我們目前所認(rèn)識的現(xiàn)實而創(chuàng)造出一個新的現(xiàn)實。8)4.?富有創(chuàng)意的人往往既外向又內(nèi)向。我們一般都二者居其一,要么偏愛呆在人群之中,要么獨(dú)坐一旁,冷眼看戲。事實上,在目前的心理研究中,外向和內(nèi)向被視為能區(qū)分彼此的最穩(wěn)定的性格特點,但富有創(chuàng)意的個體似乎同時顯示這兩種特點。
9)5.?他們既謙虛又傲氣。這些個體站在“巨人的肩膀上”。他們尊重自己工作的領(lǐng)域,因而能意識到前人的大量貢獻(xiàn)。他們通常如此專注于未來的工程和當(dāng)前的挑戰(zhàn),過往的成就,不論多么出色,都無法再引起他們太多的興趣。
10)6.?富有創(chuàng)意的人既叛逆又保守。一味傳統(tǒng),會令一個領(lǐng)域殊無變化,而時時冒險、罔顧傳統(tǒng)亦鮮有創(chuàng)新,但冒險精神是絕對必要的。經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家喬治·施蒂格勒特別強(qiáng)調(diào)這個方面:“我會說,有能力的人之所以失敗,大多都是由于缺少冒險精神,凡事四平八穩(wěn)。要創(chuàng)新,你就不能太求穩(wěn),結(jié)果才可能有意思。結(jié)果是否會順利是無法預(yù)測的。” 11)7.?絕大多數(shù)富有創(chuàng)意的人對工作激情如火,同時也極為冷靜客觀。沒有激情,我們很快就會對困難任務(wù)失去興趣。但如果不夠客觀,我們的工作就難以出色,缺乏可信度。12)8.?富有創(chuàng)意的人胸?zé)o城府而敏感,這往往令他們痛苦,但同時也令他們體會到很多樂趣。發(fā)明家們對痛苦的容忍度很低,身邊的事物會讓他們看不順眼。設(shè)計拙劣的機(jī)器會令富有創(chuàng)意的工程師痛苦,而富有創(chuàng)意的作者看到蹩腳的文字同樣也會感覺受傷。13)居于學(xué)科前沿,也會令你暴露于眾人視線中,易受攻擊。卓越會招致批評,甚至往往是惡毒攻擊。藝術(shù)家傾注多年心血終于完成一件雕塑作品,科學(xué)家皓首窮年提出一種理論,到頭來若是無人問津,這種打擊無疑是災(zāi)難性的。14)對于富有創(chuàng)意的個體而言,最難以忍受的事情莫過于由于某種原因而無法工作的那種失落感和空虛感。如果一個人自覺創(chuàng)意枯竭,或許就更加痛苦不堪了。15)而當(dāng)一個人在自己擅長的領(lǐng)域里工作時,他的一切擔(dān)心和憂慮都會消失,取而代之的是一種愉悅感。也許最重要的品質(zhì),在一切富有創(chuàng)意的人身上最常見的一種品質(zhì),就是能夠享受創(chuàng)造過程本身。沒有這種品質(zhì),詩人將不再追求完美而寫些商業(yè)性的喧囂之作;經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家將會去銀行任職,收入至少會是大學(xué)里的兩倍;物理學(xué)家也會停止基礎(chǔ)研究而加入工業(yè)實驗室,那里條件優(yōu)越而且結(jié)果也容易預(yù)測。
第五篇:新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語綜合教程4課文翻譯Unit7
7A
1|返樸歸真| 琳達(dá)·韋爾特納 “我們討論的是簡化生活,而不是物質(zhì)匱乏,”我的朋友薩拉
解釋說,“絕對不是你不可以做你喜歡的那些事情,而是你在改變,不再喜歡同樣的事情罷了。一些舊的習(xí)慣看上去是那樣的浪費(fèi)又不能令人滿意,你真的對它們失去了興 趣。所以你仍然擁有你需要的每一件東西——只不過不需要花那么多的錢罷了。”2當(dāng)我第一次遇見他們時,薩拉和邁克爾夫婦雙雙從業(yè),擁有自己的住宅和用一大筆貸款
購置的一條大船。隨著女兒的出世而他們又想親自撫養(yǎng)她,他們開始對“自愿簡樸”的理念產(chǎn)生了興趣。他們倆誰都不愿意把他們視為生活中最重要的部分僅僅局限于上班前的一小段時間和下班后已疲憊不堪的那幾個小時。
3“許多人認(rèn)為,因為有了孩子而且東西越來越貴,唯一的辦法就是更加努力地工作以便掙
更多的錢。其實這并不是唯一的辦法,”邁克爾堅持說。
4這對夫妻的決定是把兩份全職工作業(yè)換成兩份半日工 作,并且削減消費(fèi)。他們決定只
把錢花在有助于實現(xiàn)他們的主要目標(biāo)的東西上:構(gòu)建一個把家庭和友誼、工作和娛樂融為一體的生活天地,而且還是一個不浪費(fèi)地球資源的生活天地。
5現(xiàn)在他們還在原來的那個近郊社區(qū),住在一幢自己設(shè)計的、漂亮而節(jié)能的房子里。按許
多標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來看,房子雖然小了點,卻容易清掃、布置、維修和供暖。一層是個大房間,廚房靠墻,擺著一張樺木餐桌和吃飯用的幾把椅子;一張舒適的長沙發(fā)和一個柴爐就把日常起居的范圍圈定了;角落是工作區(qū)。樓上是他們的臥室、一個薩拉和邁克爾共用的辦公室和一間浴室。整幢房子明亮簡潔,同周圍環(huán)境十分和諧。很快,前門外還要建一個太陽能溫室。
6一對只有兼職工作的夫妻怎么會有錢建造自己的房子、擁有一輛汽車并同另一對夫妻共
享一艘小船,而且所有這一切都不曾貸款呢?他們?nèi)绾文軌蚓S持足以提供他們想要的“一切”的那樣一種高生活水平呢?他們放棄的而且不再懷念是哪些東西呢?
7首先,他們放棄了亂七八糟的昂貴東西:(浴室)藥柜里滿滿的從來不用的化妝品和在柜臺上隨時可以買到的藥 品;堆放在廚房壁柜里的最終只會丟棄的各種東西。薩拉和邁克爾共用的那個衣柜足可以裝下他們必需的一些衣物,其中許多還是出自L·L·比恩公司的做工精細(xì)的經(jīng)典款式呢。“我不斷地把東西送給別人,”薩拉解釋道。通過篩選和丟棄并憑借他們對所擁有的東西的了解,薩拉和邁克爾清楚地知道他們到底真正需要什么。
8他們沒有洗碟機(jī),他們家那幾只手工陶制的碟子根本裝不滿一臺洗碟機(jī)。他們沒有衣服
烘干機(jī);冬天把濕衣服晾在室內(nèi)也就不需要增濕器了。薩拉的黑發(fā)很短,所以用不著吹風(fēng)機(jī)、電動卷發(fā)夾或電動燙發(fā)鉗。他們的前院長滿了樹,所以也不需要動力割草機(jī)或電動修枝剪。他們沒有電視機(jī),所以他們和孩子的腦子里都不會一直充滿各種新玩具、新物品和新誘惑的圖像。
9他們節(jié)省了通勤時代上下班必須支付的開支:另外的一輛車、汽油費(fèi)、職業(yè)裝、午餐和
經(jīng)常外出吃晚餐的開銷以及保姆費(fèi),換來的則是時間——用于關(guān)注生活質(zhì)量的時間。他們已不再使用紙產(chǎn)品,不再吃加工過的食品,不再享受昂貴的嗜好、觀看首映電影、上餐館以及付錢接受別人的服務(wù)。取而代之的是他們所喜歡的自家烹飪、周中的家庭野餐、上圖書館借書、參加社區(qū)的藝術(shù)活動、逛廉價舊貨商店以及自己動手做事。
10“那種渴望獲得更多東西的感覺是我們這個文化的一個重要組成部分,而且還會永遠(yuǎn)繼
續(xù)下去,”薩拉說。“但是,你賺1萬5千美元還是5萬美元并不重要。這世上總有許多你希望自己能買得起的東西。錢真的不是導(dǎo)致我們改變生活方式的原因。我們這樣做是為了個人的滿足。對于任何一個想簡化自己生活的人來說,基本規(guī)則只有一個:如果一件事不能令人滿意,那就索性不要去做。”
11薩拉和邁克爾借給我一本手冊,名為《營造簡樸生活方式的99種方法》,里面全是適
用于任何生活狀況的實用可行的建議。我仔細(xì)地閱讀了,在一些方面我給自己打了高分,而在另一些方面我為身上存在的社會所認(rèn)可的不理智行為感到驚訝。
12那天晚上,我陪女兒去購物,碰巧看見一條和我們的廚房墻紙顏色匹配而價錢又不貴的擦手毛巾和一雙漂亮得難以抵擋其誘惑的“特價”涼鞋。當(dāng)我站在停車場時,感覺自己花了11美元離開商店之后并沒有比進(jìn)商店時更加開心,此時此刻我覺得自己就像個孩子,面對自己的一時沖動竟會不由自主。
13我們乘坐的這只購物旋轉(zhuǎn)木馬,其實是一個幻覺世界,但由于它不停地旋轉(zhuǎn)并富有刺
激性,有時我們很難找到?jīng)Q心和勇氣從木馬上下來。
7B
1|我的儉樸生活| 在我五十出頭的時候,我開始懷疑丈夫和我所過的生 活。我渴望一種
更簡單的生活方式,不想要太多壓力,而且厭倦了為過奢華生活而終日奔波忙碌的日子。2為了達(dá)成目標(biāo),最理智而且最有把握的方式就是永久地離開公司圈子,然后能夠坦然地
處理其后果。確實,這是很多人都無法解決的一件棘手事兒。但是在丈夫的支持下,而我認(rèn)為自己是個有能力處理好這件事情后果的人,于是我揮手告別了公司圈子,而且從來也沒有為此而后悔。
3經(jīng)過前兩周的休息,恢復(fù)以及深思后,我開始把需要改變的東西一一列在紙上,包括仔
細(xì)管理丈夫繼續(xù)帶給我們生活的錢財以及在我們原來的基礎(chǔ)上再尋找一些其他賺錢或增加收入的新門路。
4有些決定顯然很容易做出,譬如取消長期固定的每周去一次美容院護(hù)發(fā)和修指甲的預(yù)約,或者過去由于沒時間做飯而每周出去吃好幾頓飯的慣例。但即使那樣,我覺得這只不過是冰山的一角。
5第一個重大決定就是賣掉我們的房子,因為那房子對于我們兩個來說確實太大而且太奢
華。有四個臥室和四個浴室的豪宅對于兩個想過簡單生活的人來說完全沒有必要。三千多平方英尺的房子賣得相當(dāng)快。我們搬進(jìn)了一個較小而且去丈夫的工作單位也非常便利的家。然后我就開始精簡我們的家當(dāng)了。那或許是工作量最大的一項任務(wù),而且需要幾次舊物甩賣和寄售。
6我們搬家后,接下來就進(jìn)入了讓自己在一個小房子里過上稱心快樂生活的調(diào)整期,這個
調(diào)整的確讓我們花了一些時間來適應(yīng)。我丈夫不在乎我們住什么樣的房子。但我在開始時卻遇到了一些困難,因為根據(jù)我們先前的生活方式,沒有一件東西擺放到位。當(dāng)我把房子的每寸空間都派上用場時,我發(fā)現(xiàn)還有很多東西沒地方放。房子小了就意味著東西也得少,也就是意味著需要打掃和操心的東西也要少!為了避免雜亂,減少沒用的東西,我制定了一條規(guī)則,那就是:我必須得在所有食櫥和衣柜周圍看到三面內(nèi)壁。
7同時,我也開始著手處理由于以前沒有制定過有效的節(jié)省計劃而導(dǎo)致的經(jīng)濟(jì)方面的問題。
我開始意識到如果不好好盤算如何花錢的話,我可能會把很多的錢浪費(fèi)掉。我發(fā)現(xiàn),只有注意存小錢,才會積累出大錢。我盡量削減所有不必要的支出,因為我要確保自己我無需再重返勞務(wù)市場找工作。
8我覺得自己只需要兩條牛仔褲,一條平常穿,一條好點的。只需要兩三雙鞋子,一件休
閑茄克和一件時髦的上衣 等。
9我還意識到,沒有必要訂閱雜志或者報紙,因為有電腦和電視,無需增加開銷就足以滿
足我的需求了。
10我發(fā)現(xiàn),如果我把每天的零錢節(jié)省下來,而不是放在錢包里花掉,我就能防止一部分
錢從我的手里溜掉。每個月,我就能積攢一些零錢并且把它存在銀行我們的儲蓄賬戶里。
11我覺得我們不需要兩部車,如果我把出去辦事的時間計劃好的話。裁掉一部車也減少
了分期付款、購買燃料、辦理駕照、各種稅費(fèi)等方面的開支。
12我意識到我們只需要一張信用卡。我意識到日常開支比如買汽油時支付現(xiàn)金要比寫支
票或者用信用卡支付節(jié)省的 多。
13我意識到如果我能控制住日常生活開支和信用卡上錢的流量的話,我就能更好地確保
我兜里有多少錢,從而減少每個月的開銷。對我來說,說到理財,用信用卡會滋生疏忽大意,而我手里冷冰冰、硬邦邦的現(xiàn)金很可能還會留在我的手里。
14我意識到,我們沒有必要每年花一千美金為朋友和家庭成員購置禮物和舉辦假日聚會。
如果全年都認(rèn)真計劃,并且留意購買廉價商品的話,只要用一小部分開支我們就能很好地滿足那些需要了。
15現(xiàn)在,我們的生活方式很簡單,很節(jié)儉,但是對于我們自己或者我們想做的事情來說
也不算是吝嗇。我們在生活“所需”的期望從我們“想要”的東西中分離出來了,而且我們也知道這兩者之間的差別。現(xiàn)在我們的生活中沒有了過度的壓力和焦慮,我們比以前生活得更幸福。我制定了一項財務(wù)計劃,有了它我們可以生活得很舒適,我們知道,我們的將來有保障,因為我們有把握。我們期待著每個新的一天,那是上帝賜給我們的福氣。