第一篇:双语美文欣赏:蝴蝶效应
“Thank you for your application.We would like to congratulate you,” the letter read.Those words can make your heart skip a beat and bring tears to your eyes.The feeling of following your dreams is inexplicable and proof that all your hard work was worth it.It is a signpost in life, a trail marker.It is a day you will never forget, the day you opened that envelope and your future was revealed.But what about all those days in-betweento climb up the hill may be difficult, but you'll reach the top no matter which path you choose.“
感谢你的申请。我们要恭喜你,”信上写道。那些话能使你的心为之一颤,让你热泪盈眶。追随梦想的感受是难以言喻的,并且证明你所有的努力都是值得的。那是人生中的一个标记,人生路上的里程碑。那是你永远不会忘记的日子,那天你打开那个信封,你的未来就随之展现。但是在你获得录取信之前的所有日子呢?那些使你成功也使你崩溃的日子,那些平平淡淡的日子。要是你那时没有参加学校的学院展,你还会收到录取信吗?如果当时在寄申请书的时候,你忘记附上一篇个人陈述,你会被拒绝吗?人生中,步步相随。无论好与坏,每一天都一样的重要。人生中没有一个时刻是无关紧要的。不管如何不值一提,每个选择、每一天、每个想法,都会引出下一步。简单的事情可以完全重塑你的人生。那就像是“蝴蝶效应”,你永远不知道最后的结果是什么。若回顾从前并改变创造你人生的众多时刻中的一个,随后的一切也会被改变。要是说我悟出什么道理,那就是任何事情都是重要的。你可以奋斗一生,试图创造完美的人生之路,但事实是你总是怀疑是否原本有更好的路可以走。每件事情都是重要的,任何事情都无需改变——攀山的过程可能是艰辛的,但无论你选择哪条道路,你终会到达顶峰。
第二篇:中英双语励志美文欣赏
美文乃是诉之于人之感性,而非诉之于人之知性的,所以能给予人一种真切可感的意象。下面小编为你整理了中英双语励志美文欣赏,希望能帮到你!
中英双语励志美文欣赏(1)
Many people believe that they will be happy once they arrive at some specific goal they set for themselves.However, more often than not, once you arrive “ there” you will still feel dissatisfied, and move your “ there” vision to yet another point in the future.By always chasing after another “there,” you are never really appreciating what you already have right “here.” It is important for human beings to keep soberminded about the age-old drive to look beyond the place where you now stand.On one hand, your life is enhanced by your dreams and aspirations.On the other hand, these drives can pull you farther and farther from your enjoyment of your life right now.By learning the lessons of gratitude and abundance, you can bring yourself closer to fulfilling the challenge of living in the present.许多人都相信,一旦他们达到了自己所设定的某个特定目标,他们就会开心、快乐。然而事实往往是,当你到达彼岸時,你还是不知足、不满意,而且又有了新的彼岸--新的幻想和憧憬。由于你总是疲于追逐一个又一个的彼岸,你从未真正欣赏、珍惜你已经拥有的一切。不安于现状的欲望人皆有之,由来已久,但重要的是要对它保持清醒的头脑。一方面,你的生活因为梦想和渴望而更加精彩。另一方面,这些欲望又使你越来越不懂得珍惜和享受现在拥有的生活。假如你能懂得感恩,学会知足,你就接近实现生活在现实中提出的要求。
Gratitude To be grateful means you are thankful for and appreciative of what you have and where you are on your path right now.Gratitude fills your heart with the joyful feeling and allows you to fully appreciate everything that arises on your path.As you strive to keep your focus on the present moment, you can experience the full wonder of “here.”
感恩之心感恩是指你感激、珍惜自己当前所拥有的一切以及所处的人生境遇。心存感恩,你的心灵就充满愉悦,你就能真正领会人生路上的种种体验。如果你努力把眼光锁定在此時此刻,你就能感受它的美妙之处。
There are many ways to cultivate gratitude.Here are just a few suggestions you may wish to try:
感恩之心需要经常加强。许多方法可以培育感恩之心,你不妨试试以下几种:
1.Imagine what your life would be like if you lost all that you had.This will most surely remind you of how much you do appreciate it.设想如果你失去了你现在所拥有的一切,你的生活将会怎么样。它肯定会使你回想起原来你是多么喜欢和珍视这一切。
2.Make a list each day of all that you are grateful for, so that you can stay conscious daily of your blessings.Do this especially when you are feeling as though you have nothing to feel grateful for.Or spend a few minutes before you go to sleep giving thanks for all that you have.每天都列出那些值得你感激的事物,那样你就能時時刻刻意识到自己的幸运。每天都要这么做,尤其是当你觉得好像没有什么可感激的時候。另外你也可以每天临睡前花几分钟感恩自己所拥有的一切。
3.Spend time offering assistance to those who are less fortunate than you, so that you may gain perspective.花時间帮助那些没有你那么幸运的人,这样你也许会对生活有正确的认识。
However you choose to learn gratitude is irrelevant.What really matters is that you create a space in your consciousness for appreciation for all that you have right now, so that you may live more joyously in your present moment.其实,你选择何种方法去学会感恩,这无关紧要,真正重要的是你应该有意识地努力去欣赏和珍视你现在所拥有的一切,这样你就可以更快乐地享受你目前的生活。
Abundance One of the most common human fears is scarcity.Many people are afraid of not having enough of what they need or want, and so they are always striving to get to a point when they would finally have enough.知足常乐贫穷是人类最普遍的恐惧之一。许多人担心自己的所需所求不够,所以他们总是孜孜以求有朝一日能心满意足,别无他求。
Alan and Linda always dreamed of living “the good life.” Both from poor working-class families, they married young and set out to fulfill their mutual goal of becoming wealthy.They both worked very hard for years, amassing a small fortune, so they could move from their two-bedroom home to a palatial seven-bedroom home in the most upscale neighborhood.They focused their energies on accumulating all the things they believed signified abundance: membership in the local exclusive country club, luxury cars, designer clothing, and high-class society friends.No matter how much they accumulated, however, it never seemed to be enough.They were unable to erase the deep fear of scarcity both had acquired in childhood.They needed to learn the lesson of abundance.Then the stock market crashed in 1987, and Alan and Linda lost a considerable amount of money.A bizarre but costly lawsuit depleted another huge portion of their savings.One thing led to another, and they found themselves in a financial disaster.Assets needed to be sold, and eventually they lost the country club membership, the cars, and the house.It took several years and much hard work for Alan and Linda to land on their feet, and though they now live a life far from extravagant, they have taken stock of their lives and feel quite blessed.Only now, as they assess what they have left--a solid, loving marriage, their health, a dependable income, and good friends--do they realize that true abundance comes not from amassing, but rather from appreciating.艾伦和琳达都来自贫苦的工人家庭,都一直梦想着过上“好日子”。他们早早地成了家,然后就开始为他们共同的致富目标奋斗。他们拼命工作了好几年,终于积攒了一笔钱,从两居室搬到了一套坐落在最高档街区的富丽堂皇的七居室大房子。此后,他们费尽心思去积聚那些他们认为是代表富足的东西:当地惟一的一家乡村俱乐部的会员资格、豪华汽车、名牌服装,以及上流社会的朋友。但是,不论他们积聚了多少,似乎永远难以满足。他们俩谁都无法消除小時侯对贫穷的刻骨铭心的恐惧。其实,他们就需要学会知足常乐这一课。1987年,股市遭受重创,艾伦和琳达损失惨重。祸不单行,一场莫名其妙的昂贵的官司又耗尽了他们的一大笔积蓄,这一切使他们陷入了经济困境。他们不得不变卖家产,最后他们丢掉了乡村俱乐部的会员资格,失去了汽车和房子。艾伦和琳达努力奋斗了好几年才从困境中走出来。现在他们的生活毫不奢华,但是他们是自己生活的主宰,幸福而又知足。只有在这時,他们才掂量着那些尚未失去的东西,如稳固相爱的婚姻、健康的身体、可靠的收入、真正的朋友等等,他们终于认识到,真正的富足不是来自财富的积聚,而是来自对所拥有的一切的珍视。
Scarcity consciousness arises as a result of the “hole-in-the-soul syndrome.” This is when we attempt to fill the gaps in our inner lives with things from the outside world.But like puzzle pieces, you can't fit something in where it does not naturally belong.No amount of external objects, affection, love, or attention can ever fill an inner void.We already have enough, so we should revel in our own interior abundance.贫穷感可以归因于“精神空虚综合症”,即我们试图用身外之物来填补内心的空缺。但是,就像拼图游戏一样,你不能把本来不属于那个地方的东西硬塞进去。任何身外之物、情感、关爱和关注都无法填补内心的空虚。我们拥有的已经足够,因此我们应该满足于内心世界的丰富与充实。
中英双语励志美文欣赏(2)
If you want to understand adversity, take two identical acorns from the same oak tree and plant them in two different locations.Plant the first in the middle of a dense forest, and the other on a hill by itself.如果你想理解什么是逆境,就去拿两颗从同一棵树上摘下来年龄相同的橡树果,并且把它们种到不同的地方。第一颗种在浓密的树林当中,而另外一颗则单独种在一座山上。
Here's what will happen.The oak standing on a hillside is exposed to every storm and gale.As a result its roots plunge deep into the earth and spread in every direction, even wrapping themselves around giant boulders.At times it may seem the tree isn't growing fast enough—but the growth is happening underground.It's as if the roots know they must ported the tree from the threatening elements.事情的结果便是这样。那颗长在山上的橡树经历了大风大雨,结果它的根深深地扎进了泥土中间,并不断向四周扩张,甚至把自己置身于巨大的石块当中。有時它可能看起来长的不是很快,但这時它却在地下悄悄生长着,好像它的根知道自己必须快速生长来保护树木免受自然危害的影响。
What about the acorn planted in the forest? It becomes a weak, frail sapling.And since it is protected by its neighbors, the little oak doesn't sense the need to spread its roots for support.而种在树丛中的橡树果是什么样子的呢?它变成了一棵虚弱的小树苗。因为有周围树丛的保护,所以这棵小树苗便不知道要把自己的根扎得更深。
Don't be afraid of adversity!Welcome it!That's your surefire route to ultimate success.不要害怕困难!要欢迎它!困难是你最终成功的必经之路。
中英双语励志美文欣赏(3)
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
Since the beginning of time never has there been another with my mind, my heart, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth.None that came before, none that live today, and none that come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me.All men are my brothers yet I am different from each.I am a unique creature.自从上帝创造了天地万物以来,没有一个人和我一样,我的头脑、心灵、眼睛、耳朵、双手、头发、嘴唇都是与众不同的。言谈举止和我完全一样的人以前没有,现在没有,以后也不会有。虽然四海之内皆兄弟,然而人人各异。我是独一无二的造化。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
Although I am of the animal kingdom, animal rewards alone will not satisfy me.Within me burns a flame, which has been passed from generations uncounted and its heat is a constant irritation to my spirit to become better than I am, and I will.I will fan this flame of dissatisfaction and proclaim my uniqueness to the world.我不可能像动物一样容易满足,我心中燃烧着代代相传的火焰,它激励我超越自己,我要使这团火燃得更旺,向世界宣布我的出类拔萃。
None can duplicate my brush strokes, none can make my chisel marks, none can duplicate my handwriting, none can produce my child, and, in truth, none has the ability to sell exactly as I.Henceforth, I will capitalize on this difference for it is an asset to be promoted to the fullest.没有人能模仿我的笔迹,我的商标,我的成果,我的推销能力。从今往后,我要使自己的个性充分发展,因为这是我得以成功的一大资本。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make.Instead will I place my uniqueness on display in the market place.I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell it.I will begin now to accent my differences;hide my similarities.So too will I apply this principle to the goods I sell.Salesman and goods, different from all others, and proud of the difference.我不再徒劳地模仿别人,而要展示自己的个性。我不但要宣扬它,还要推销它。我要学会去同存异,强调自己与众不同之处,回避人所共有的通性,并且要把这种原则运用到商品上。推销员和货物,两者皆独树一帜,我为此而自豪。
I am a unique creature of nature.我是独一无二的奇迹。
I am rare, and there is value in all rarity;therefore, I am valuable.I am the end product of thousands of years of evolution;therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the emperors and wise men who preceded me.物以稀为贵。我独行特立,因而身价百倍。我是千万年进化的终端产物,头脑和身体都超过以往的帝王与智者。
But my skills, my mind, my heart, and my body will stagnate, rot, and die lest I put them to good use.I have unlimited potential.Only a small portion of my brain do I employ;only a paltry amount of my muscles do I flex.A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments of yesterday and this I will do, beginning today.但是,我的技艺,我的头脑,我的心灵,我的身体,若不善加利用,都将随着時间的流逝而迟钝,腐朽,甚至死亡。我的潜力无穷无尽,脑力、体能稍加开发,就能超过以往的任何成就。从今天开始,我就要开发潜力。
Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments nor will I indulge, anymore, in self-praise for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge.I can accomplish far more than I have, and I will, for why should the miracle which produced me end with my birth? Why can I not extend that miracle to my deeds of today?
我不再因昨日的成绩沾沾自喜,不再为微不足道的成绩目吹自擂。我能做的比已经完成的更好。我的出生并非最后一样奇迹,为什么自己不能再创奇迹呢?
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
I am not on this earth by chance.I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand.Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.我不是随意来到这个世上的。我生来应为高山。而非草芥。从今往后,我要竭尽全力成为群峰之巅,将我的潜能发挥到最大限度。
I will increase my knowledge of mankind, myself, and the goods I sell, thus my sales will multiply.I will practice, and improve, and polish the words I utter to sell my goods, for this is the foundation on which I will build my career and never will I forget that many have attained great wealth and success with only one sales talk, delivered with excellence.Also will I seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.我要吸取前人的经验,了解自己以及手中的货物,这样才能成倍地增加销量。我要字斟句酌,反复推敲推销時用的语言。因为这是成就事业的关键。我绝不忘记,许多成功的商人,其实只有一套说词。却能使他们无往不利。我也要不断改进自己的仪态和风度,因为这是吸引别人的美德。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
I will concentrate my energy on the challenge of the moment and my actions will help me forget all else.The problems of my home will be left in my home.I will think naught of my family when I am in the market place for this will cloud my thoughts.So too will the problems of the market place be left in the market place and I will think naught of my profession when I am in my home for this will dampen my love.我要专心致志对抗眼前的挑战,我的行动会使我忘却其它一切,不让家事缠身。身在商场,不可恋家,否则那会使我思想混饨。另一方面,当我与家人同处時,一定得把工作留在门外,否则会使家人感到冷落。
There is no room in the market place for my family, nor is there room in my home for the market.Each I will divorce from the other and thus will I remain wedded to both.Separate must they remain or my career will die.This is a paradox of the ages.商场上没有一块属于家人的地方,同样,家中也没有谈论商务的地方,这两者必须截然分开,否则就会顾此失彼,这是很多人难以走出的误区。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
I have been given eyes to see and a mind to think and now I know a great secret of life for I perceive, at last, that all my problems, discouragements, and heartaches are, in truth, great opportunities in disguise.I will no longer be fooled by the garments they wear for mine eyes are open.I will look beyond the cloth and I will not be deceived.我有双眼,可以观察;我有头脑,可以思考。现在我已洞悉了一个人生中伟大的奥秘。我发现,一切问题、沮丧、悲伤,都是乔装打扮的机遇之神。我不再被他们的外表所蒙骗,我已睁开双眼,看破了他们的伪装。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
No beast, no plant, no wind, no rain, no rock, no lake had the same beginning as I, for I was conceived in love and brought forth with a purpose.In the past I have not considered this fact but it will henceforth shape and guide my life.飞禽走兽、花草树木、风雨山石、河流湖泊,都没有像我一样的起源,我孕育在爱中,肩负使命而生。过去我忽略了这个事实,从今往后,它将塑造我的性格,引导我的人生。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
And nature knows not defeat.Eventually, she emerges victorious and so will I, and with each victory the next struggle becomes less difficult.自然界不知何谓失败,终以胜利者的姿态出现,我也要如此,因为成功一旦降临,就会再度光顾。
I will win, and I will become a great salesman, for I am unique.我会成功,我会成为伟大的推销员,因为我举世无双。
I am nature's greatest miracle.我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。
第三篇:2015双语美文欣赏:永恒的承诺
双语美文欣赏:永恒的承诺
In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.In the midst of utter devastation and chaos, a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake.1989年,一次8.2级的地震几乎铲平美国,在短短不到4分钟的时间里,夺去了3万多人的生命!在彻底的破坏与混乱之中,有位父亲将他的妻子在家里安顿好后,跑到他儿子就读的学校,而触目所见,却是被夷为平地的校园。
After the unforgettably initial weibo.com/bjxytxmh shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes.As he looked at the pile of ruins that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment to his son.看到这令人伤心的一幕,他想起了曾经对儿子所作的承诺:“不论发生什么事,我都会在你身边。”至此,父亲热泪满眶。目睹曾经的学校成为了一堆瓦砾,真叫人绝望。但父亲的脑中仍然牢记着他对儿子的诺言。
He began to direct his attention weibo.com/shxytxsnl towards where he walked his son to class at school each morning.Remembering his son s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building;he rushed there and started digging through the ruins.他开始努力回忆每天早上送儿子上学的必经之路,终于记起儿子的教室应该就在那幢建筑物后面,位于右边的角落里,他跑到那儿,开始在碎石砾中挖掘,搜寻儿子的下落。
As he was digging, other helpless weibo.com/shxytxml parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying: “My son!” “My daughter!” Other well meaning parents tried to pull him off what was left of the school, saying: “It s too late!They’re all dead!You can’t help!Go home!Come on, face reality, there s nothing you can do!”
当这位父亲正在挖掘时,其他束手无策的学生家长赶到现场,揪心地叫着:“我的儿子呀!” “我的女儿呀!”一些好意的家长试图把这位父亲劝离现场,告诉他“一切都太迟了!”他们全死了!“这样做没用的”,“回去吧,这样做只会使事情更糟”。
To each parent he responded weibo.com/hzxytxmh with one line: “Are you going to help me now?” And then he continued to dig for his son, stone by stone.The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school s ruins saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere.You’re in danger.We’ll take care of it.Go home.” To which this loving, caring American father asked, “Are you going to help me now?”
面对种种劝告,这位父亲的回答只有一句话:“你们愿意帮我吗?”然后继续进行挖掘工作,在废墟中寻找他的儿子。消防队长出现了,他也试图把这位父亲劝走,对他说:“火灾频现,四处都在发生爆炸,你在这里太危险了,这边的事我们会处理,你回家吧!”对此,这位慈爱、关切的父亲仍然回答:“你们要帮我吗?”
The police came and said, “You’re angry, anxious and it s over.You’re endangering others.Go home.We’ll handle it!” To which he replied, “Are you going to help me now?” No one helped.Courageously he went on weibo.com/hzxytxqt alone because he needed to know for himself: “Is my boy alive or is he dead?” He dug for eight hours……12 hours……24 hours……36 hours……then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a large stone and heard his son s voice.He screamed his son s name, “ARMAND!” He heard back, “Dad!It s me, Dad!I told the other kids not to worry.I told them that if you weibo.com/hzxytxqt were alive, you d save me and when you saved me, they d be saved.You promised, No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for you!You did it, Dad!” “What s going on in there? How is it?” the father asked.警察赶到现场,对他说:“你现在又气又急,该结束了,你在危及他人,回家吧!我们会处理一切的。”这位父亲依旧回答:“你们愿意帮我吗?” 然而,人们无动于衷。为了弄清楚儿子是死是活,这位父亲独自一人鼓起勇气,继续进行他的工作。他挖掘了8小时,--12小时,24小时,36小时--38小时后,父亲推开了一块巨大的石头,听到了儿子的声音。父亲尖叫着:“阿曼德!”儿子的回音听到了:“爸爸吗?是我,爸,我告诉其他的小朋友不要着急。我告诉他们如果你活着,你会来救我的。如果我获救了,他们也就获救了。你答应过我,不论发生什么,我永远都会在你的身边,你做到了,爸!”“你那里的情况怎样?”父亲问。
“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad.We’re scared, hungry, thirsty and thankful you re here.When the building collapsed, it made a triangle, and it saved us.”
“我们有33个,只有14个活着。爸,我们好害怕,又渴又饿,谢天谢地,你在这儿。教室倒塌时,刚好形成一个三角形的洞,救了我们。”
“Come out, boy!”
“快出来吧!儿子!”
“No, Dad!Let the other weibo.com/bjxyktxhm kids out first, cause I know you ll get me!No matter what happens, I know you’ll always be there for me!”
“不,爸,让其他小朋友先出来吧!因为我知道你会接我的!不管发生什么事,我知道你永远都会来到我的身边!”
第四篇:双语美文欣赏:坚持的意义
美文欣赏:坚持的意义
Dig a Little Deeper There's a story about the California gold rush that tells of two brothers who sold all they had and went prospecting for gold.They discovered a vein of the shining ore, staked a claim, and proceeded to get down to the serious business of getting the gold ore out of the mine.All went well at first, but then a strange thing happened.The vein of gold ore disappeared!They had come to the end of the vein, and the spot of gold was no longer there.The brothers continued to pick away, but without success.Finally, they gave up in disgust.They sold their equipment and claim rights for a few hundred dollars, and took the train back home.Now the man who bought the claim hired an engineer to examine the rock strata of the mine.The engineer advised him to continue digging in the same spot where the former owners had left off.And three feet deeper, the new owner struck gold.A little more persistence and the two brothers would have been millionaires themselves.That's gold in you too.Do you need to dig three feet farther?
再挖深一点 这是一个发生在加利福尼亚淘金热时期的故事。兄弟两个卖掉他们所有的财产,西去淘金。他们发现了一个闪闪发光的矿石脉,于是买下这一矿石脉的所有权,便开始了从矿石中挖取黄金这一严肃重大的劳作。开始时,一切进展顺利,但后来一件奇怪的事情发生了——金矿脉消失了!他们快要挖到金矿脉的尽头了,然而那儿却没有金块。兄弟两人继续挖着,但是毫无结果。最后,他们非常沮丧地放弃了。他们卖掉了他们的淘金设备和淘金所有权,换了几百美元,然后乘着火车回家了。现在有人重新买下这一矿脉所有权,他雇佣了一名工程师来探测矿石的岩层结构。这位工程师建议他在原来物主挖的地方继续挖下去。结果,仅仅挖了三英尺深,这个新的物主挖到了黄金。只需要多坚持一会儿,那两个兄弟就会成为百万富翁。每个人都蕴藏着一块金子,你是否需要再挖三尺深呢?
第五篇:双语美文
双语美文:赞美他人 永远不迟
He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minn.All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million.Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.我在明尼苏达州莫里斯的圣玛丽学校教书,他在我教的第一个三年级的班上。全班34个学生每一个都讨我喜欢,但马克·埃克隆却是独一无二的。他外表干干净净,是个乐天派,所以即便是他偶尔的调皮捣蛋,也依然讨人喜欢。Mark often talked incessantly.I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable.What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for
misbehaving.“Thank you for correcting me, Sister!” I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.马克常常说个不停。我不得不一而再、再而三地提醒他,未经允许不能讲话。不过,令我印象深刻的是,每当我不得已指出他的过错的时候,他都非常诚恳地对我说:“谢谢你指出我的问题,修女!”起初,我不知该作何反应,但很快,我便习惯了一天听到这句话好多遍。
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake.I looked at him and said, “If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!”
一天早上,马克又一次讲个不停,我终于不耐烦了,于是犯了个新老师才会犯的错误。我盯着他说:“再说一个字,我就拿胶带把你的嘴封上!” It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck, another student, blurted out, “Mark is talking again.” I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it.结果不到十秒钟,另一个学生查克就脱口而出:“马克又在讲话了。”我并没有让任何同学帮我盯着马克,不过既然我已经当着全班的面说过他再说话就要罚他,我得说话算话。
I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning.I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape.Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth.I then returned to the front of the room.As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me.When I
walked back to Mark's desk and removed the tape, his first words were, “Thank you for correcting me, Sister.”
接下来的一幕我至今仍记忆犹新,仿佛就发生在今天早上。我走到讲桌前,不慌不忙拉打开抽屉,拿出一卷胶带,然后一言不发地走到马克桌前,撕下两截胶带,在他嘴上贴了个大大的“X”,然后转身走回教室前面。我瞟了瞟马克看他有什么反应,结果看到他朝我眨了眨眼睛。而当我回到马克桌前给他撕下胶带时,他说的第一句话便是:“谢谢你指出我的问题,修女。”
One Friday, I asked the students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their
classmates and write it down.It took the remainder of the class period to finish the assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the paper.在一个星期五,我让同学们把班上除自己之外其他同学的名字写在两张纸上,名字与名字间留点空隙。然后我让他们想想每位同学最好的地方是什么,并把这也写下来。大家用那堂课剩余的时间完成了这项任务,到下课离开教室的时候他们把各自的两张纸交给了我。
That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.On Monday I gave each student his or her list.Before long, the entire class was smiling.“Really?” I heard the whispers.“I never knew that meant anything to anyone!” “I didn't know others liked me so much!” Then Mark said, “Thank you for teaching me, Sister.”
星期六的时候,我分别把每位同学的名字各写在一张纸上,然后把其他同学对他的评价列在上面。到了星期一,我把各人的单子分发给他们。很快全班同学脸上都扬起了笑容。“真有这么好?”我听见有人轻声说。“我从不知道那会对别人有意义!”还有人说:“原来大家这么喜欢我啊!”而马克说:“修女,感谢你的教导。”
No one ever mentioned those pieces of paper in class again.I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents.后来再没人在课堂上提起过这些纸,我也不清楚他们有没有在课下与同学或者父母谈论过。
Soon I was asked to teach junior-high math.The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again.He was more handsome and more polite than ever.Maybe since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the “new math”, he did not talk as much in the ninth grade as he had in the third.很快我就被调去教初中数学了。几年的时间一晃而过,在我还未意识到的时候,马克又出现在了我的课堂。他比以前帅气了,人也更加彬彬有礼。也许是因为他必须认真听我用“新数学”法讲课,九年级的他不再像三年级时那样爱讲话了。
That group of students moved on.[cn]就这样,这一批学生毕业了。
Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport.Mother gave Dad a side-ways glance and simply said, “Dad?” My father cleared his throat as he usually did before saying something important.“The Eklunds called last night,” he began.“Really?” I said.“I haven't heard from them in years.I wonder how Mark is.” Dad responded quietly.“Mark was killed in Vietnam,” he said.“The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend.”
几年后的一天,我度假归来,父母来机场接我。妈妈斜斜地瞟了爸爸一眼,只说了两个字:“她爸?”爸爸清了清嗓子——但凡有要事宣布,他都会这样。说:“埃克隆家昨晚打了个电话过来。”“是吗?”我说,“好几年没他们的消息了,不知道马克怎么样了。”爸爸轻声地回答道:“马克在越战中牺牲了,葬礼在明天举行。他父母希望你能去参加。”
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before.Mark looked so handsome, so mature.我从未见过军人躺在军用棺材里的样子。马克看上去是那样英俊,那样成熟。After the funeral, Mark's mother and father found me.“We want to show you something,” his father said.“They found this on Mark when he was killed.We thought you might recognize it.” Opening a billfold, he carefully removed two worn and frazzled pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times.I knew without looking that the pieces of paper were the ones on which I had listed all the good things that Mark's classmates had said about him.“Thank you so much for doing that.” Mark's mother said.“As you can see, Mark behaved better and better at school.It's all because of you and your list.”
葬礼结束后,马克的父母找到了我。“我们想给您看一样东西,”他爸爸说,“马克牺牲的时候他们在他身上找到了这个。我们想您可能认得。”他打开皮夹,小心翼翼地取出两张破损不堪的笔记本纸。很明显,这两张纸用胶带补过、反复折叠过。不用看我也知道,这就是当初那两张纸,我当时把马克的同学们对他的表扬都写在了上面。“您所做的这些,我们感激不尽,”马克的妈妈说,“您也看到了,马克在学校里的表现越来越好。这都归功于您和您的这张单子。”
Mark's classmates started to gather around us.Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list.It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.” Chuck's wife said, “Chuck asked me to put this in our wedding album.” “I have mine too,” Marilyn said.“It's in my diary.” Then Vicki, another
classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn list to the group.“I carry this with me at all times,” Vicki said without batting an eyelash.“I think we all saved our lists.”
这时,马克的同学们也围了过来。查利腼腆地笑着说:“这张单子我现在还保留着,就在我家书桌最上面的抽屉里。”查克的妻子说:“查克让我把这个放在我们的结婚纪念册里。”“我的也在,”玛丽莲说,“就在我日记本里。”接着,另一个同学维姬从手提袋里取出钱包,给大家看那张已经磨损了的纸。“我一直把这个带在身上,”维姬眼睛一眨不眨地说,“我想我们都保存着自己的单子。”
That's when I finally sat down and cried.那一刻,我终于坐下大哭起来。
Sometimes the smallest things could mean the most to others.The
density of people in society is so thick that we forget life will end one day and we don't know when that one day will be.Compliment the people you love and care about, before it is too late.有时候,即便是最微不足道的事情,对他人也可能意义非凡。在这个社会上,在熙熙攘攘的人群中,我们哪里还会记得某天人生终会走到尽头,更不知道那一天何时到来。所以,趁一切都还来得及,去赞美你爱着、关心着的人吧!