英语美文

第一篇：英语美文

英语好词好句摘抄

1、Life is a sail trip full of chances and challenges.人生的航行充满了机遇与挑战。

2、Life is a lane but it is a rotative course.生命是单行道，但是一个循环的过程。

3、A man has choice to begin love, but not to end it.----Bohn 一个人开始去爱上谁的时候，他可以有所选择，但当他要结束爱情的时候，他可没有选择了。

4、A happy family life is a wonderful asset for any one.快乐的家庭生活对每个人都是很大的一笔财富。

5、Without music, life is a journey through a desert.没有音乐，生命就如荒漠之旅。

6、Life is a line segment, the intersection after the separation.人生就是线段，交集后分离。

7、Life is a maze and love is a riddle.生活是座迷宫，爱情是个谜。

8、Life is a mystery to solve not a problem to resolve.生命是一个等待你去理解的神秘事物，而不是等待你去解决的问题。

9、Where love fails, we espy all faults.---Ray 在爱情丧失的地方，我们就察见所有的缺点了。

10、When work is a pleasure, life is a joy!当工作是一种乐趣时，生活才是一种享受。

11、The kiss of life is a love poem.吻是恋爱生活上的一首诗。

12、Life is a school and we are here to learn.生活是一所学校，我们都在这里学习。

13、Life is a path winding in the mountain, bumpy and zigzagging.生活是蜿蜒在山中的小径，坎坷不平。

14、Life is a neverandcent store romance.我们所谓的人生只是一篇廉价物品商店里听来的传奇故事。

18、Point to Ponder: Life is a test and a trust.思考重点：人生是考验，也是受托。

19、Peel a fig for your friend, a peach for your enemy.给朋友剥个无花果，给坏蛋抛只大坏桃。

20、One love expels another.---Lyly 一个爱情驱除另一个爱情。

21、Life is a journey to experience to learn and to enjoy.生活是不断经历、学习和享受的旅程。

22、Never explain: our friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe it anyway.永远不要解释：你的朋友不需要它，而你的敌人无论如何都不会相信它。

23、My life is a straight line, turning only for you.我的人生是一条直线, 转弯只是为了你。

24、Love me little, love me long.----John Heywood 爱不贵亲密，而贵长久。

25、Love me, love my dog.----St.Bernard 爱屋及乌。

26、Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy.和它交朋友、结为盟友，而不是成为敌人。

27、Life is a tragedy full of joy.人生是一场充满快乐的悲剧。

28、Life is a verb not a noun.生命是个动词，不是名词。

29、Love can turn the cottage into a golden palace.爱情可化陋室为宫殿。30、Marry in haste, and repent at leisure.----Ray 草率成婚，后悔莫及。

31、Maybe our life is a cup of water.也许生活本来就是一杯水。

32、Life is a vulgar flare amid the cool radiance.生命只是惨淡的星光里的平凡的一闪。

33、Life is a whistle-stop between eternities.人生只是永恒中的一刹那而已。

34、life to learn to enjoy: enjoy working happy laughter, enjoy friends, enjoy the warmth of family, enjoy the joy to create, enjoy the sweet fruit.生活中要学会享受：享受工作的欢快，享受朋友的笑声，享受家人的温馨，享受创造的快慰，享受果实的甜美。

35、Love and a cough cannot be hid.爱情与咳嗽不能隐匿。

36、Love and friendship make a home to its name.A sweet home is the ritght place for hearts to have a good rest.屋若有爱长驻，有友情为贵宾，就是真正的家，甜蜜的家。因为在那，心灵可以得到休息。

37、Love asks faith, and faith asks firmness.----Herber 爱情要求忠诚，而忠诚则要求坚定。

38、Love begets love.---Herrick 爱产生爱。

39、Life is a test and this world a place of trial.人生是一种考验，而这个世界就是考场。

40、life is a song, sing the life rhythm and melody;Life is a road, extend the footprint of the life and hope;Life is a cup of wine, full of life and mellow sorrow;Life is a mass of linen, interweaving the trouble with life and happy;Life is a picture, and describes the life experience of red, green, blue;Life is a fire, burning vision of life and to dream.生活是一首歌，吟唱着人生的节奏和旋律；生活是一条路，延伸着人生的足迹和希望；生活是一杯酒，饱含着人生的清醇与忧愁；生活是一团麻，交织着人生的烦恼与快乐；生活是一幅画，描绘着人生经历的红绿蓝；生活是一团火，燃烧着人生的憧憬和梦想。

41、Life is a short journey from birth to death.从生到死，生命是个简短的旅程。

42、Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes!人生就是一连串的你好、再见!

43、Whom we love best to them we can say least.----Ray 对我们最爱的人，我们能说的话最少。

44、With the friends there are always laughs and shared happy moments, the friends are like the small drops of water of the morning dew, where the heart is it and freshens up.总是能与朋友一齐笑和分享快乐时光的朋友，就像心里面一小滴清晨的露水，可以使人精神饱满。

45、Love cannot be compelled.----Chaucer 爱情不能被强迫。

46、Love laughs at locksmiths.----Colman 爱情嘲笑锁匠。

47、Love makes the world go round.----Dickens 爱能使世界转动。

48、Life is a journey that is meant to be experienced in full.生活是一次旅行，人们应该完整地体验它。

49、Life is a interwoven by struggles between Love and Fear.人的一生就是在爱与恐惧之间挣扎时交织出的画面。

50、Life is a gift we and everyday.生活是一份我们每日都收到的礼物。

51、Life is a flower, and love is the honey of the flower.人生是花，而爱便是花的蜜。

52、Life is a flower of which love is the honey.人生是花朵，爱情如蜜甜。

53、Faults are thick where love is thin.----Howell 嘲情义淡，样样不顺眼。

54、For if dreams go.Life is a barren field.Frozen with snow.如果梦想消失了, 生活就变成了积满冰雪的不毛之地。

55、Good self-esteem is necessary for good relationships.自尊才会有好人缘。

56、Life is a continuous course of death and revival.生命是连续不断的死亡与复活。

57、Life is a doyourself project.Be ambitious and just do it.人生是一个自助的工程, 要雄心壮志并努力去做。

58、Life is a dream of a little less inconstant.人生是一场稍稍不那么无常的梦而已。

59、Life is a festival only to the wise.生活只是聪明人的喜庆日。60、have a heart of spring, ecstatic to in full bloom;Again the sea, the mind can open;Good, play to have womb agile;The eyes have god, the look line to sharp;Arm strength, make moves to the punch;With rhythm, steps are to light.心里有春天，心花才能怒放；胸中有大海，胸怀才能开阔；腹中有良策，处事才能利落；眼睛有炯神，目光才能敏锐；臂膀有力量，出手才有重拳；脚步有节奏，步履才能轻盈。61、Home is where I can shut the door and be by myself.家就是一个我能关起门来独处的地方。

62、I know someone in the world is waiting for me, although I`ve no idea of who he is.But I feel happy every day for this.我知道这世上有人在等我，但我不知道我在等谁，为了这个，我每天都非常快乐。63、I love you not for who you are, but for who I am before you 我爱你不是因为你是谁，而是我在你面前可以是谁。

64、Life is a bridge of sighs across the flood of tears.生活是跨越泪河的叹息之桥。

65、Life is a battle from cradle to grave.人生是从摇篮到坟墓的一场搏斗。

66、life four DaLe: youth, entrepreneurial success, family and harmonious, the neighborhood.Life four big and sad: disease, swayed by lost, repeat it, nothing at all.人生四大乐：青春活力，创业有成，家庭和顺，邻里和谐。人生四大悲：病魔缠身，患得患失，重蹈覆辙，一事无成。

67、In a sense, life is a succession of meeting with many individuals.在某种意义上，生命是与许多人接触的延续。

68、if you want to go famous, then we have slowly sleep;If you want to go long wisdom, then we have slowly proud.If you want to slow down the aging, then you will have to hurry up learning;If you want to slow down, so you must hurry out step.如果你想快点成名，那么就得慢点睡觉；如果你想快点长智，那么就得慢点骄傲。如果你想慢点老化，那么你就得快点学习；如果你想慢点淘汰，那么就得快点迈步。69、If life is a Series, what season are you in right now?如果生命是一个连续剧, 你现在是哪一个阶段呢? 70、If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread.假如生活就像一床被子, 那么爱就是其中的线。

71、Life is a chain of moments of enjoyments;not only about survival.生活是一串快乐时光，我们不仅仅是为了生存而生存。

72、Life is a chess game while happiness is devotion.人生就是一盘棋，而幸福就是投入。

73、Every day of thy life is a leaf in thy history.生命中的一天就是你历史上的一页。74、dont part with your illusions.when they are gone you may still exist，but you have ceased to live.不要放弃你的幻想。当幻想没有了以后，你还可以生存，但是你虽生犹死。

75、Don`t waste your time on a man/woman,who isn`t willing to waste their time on you.不要为那些不愿在你身上花费时间的人而浪费你的时间。

76、Don`t listen to what other say about you, lead you own life.不要听别人怎么说你，走自己的路。

77、Because life is a kind of freehand brushwork, casual like.因为人生就是一种写意，随意就好。78、Life is a process of survival, with all the process of competition.人生的生存过程, 也是一个充满各种竞争的过程。

79、Life is a pure flame and an invisible sun within us.生命是一束纯净的火焰，我们依靠自己内心看不见的太阳而生存。

80、Life is a road impassability one-way traffic, you can turn.生活不是单行线，此路不通，你可以转弯。

81、Without respect, love cannot go far.----A.Dumas 倘不互相尊敬，爱亦难久持。

82、Any field of life is a cloth woven with countless separate loops.生命的任何领域都是由数不清的独立的回路编织而成的。

83、not afraid, afraid he far short;Slow, afraid often stood;Are not afraid of poverty, afraid loc lazy;Not afraid, afraid his opponent fierce fibrillation.不怕路远，就怕志短；不怕缓慢，就怕常站；不怕贫穷，就怕惰懒；不怕对手悍，就怕自己颤。

84、addition and subtraction: knowledge to increase life, trouble will decline;Friendship will increase, resentment to decrease;A heart to heart to decrease, increasing;Increasing confidence to promise to decrease,;)to increase quantity to jealousy, diminishing.Steps to increase to decrease, alcohol and tobacco.生活加减法：知识要递增，烦恼要递减；友情要递增，怨恨要递减；善心要递增，灰心要递减；自信要递增，失信要递减；肚量要递增，妒量要递减。脚步要递增，烟酒要递减。

85.To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ti's nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,And by opposing end them.To die, to sleep, No more, and by a sleep to say we endThe heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ti's a consummationDevoutly to be wish'd.To die, to sleep, To sleep, perchance to dream,-----For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,-----Must give us pause.生存还是毁灭, 这是一个值得考虑的问题；是默默忍受命运的暴虐的毒箭,还是挺身反抗人世的无涯的苦难, 在奋斗中扫清那一切,这两种行为,哪一种更高贵? 死了,睡去了, 什么都完了；要是在这一种睡眠之中,我们心头的创痛,以及其他无数血肉之躯所不能避免的打击,都可以从此消失, 那正是我们求之不得的结局.死了, 睡去了；睡了也许还会做梦.在那死的睡眠里,究竟将要做些什么梦,那不能不使我们踌躇顾虑.

第二篇：英语美文

美文欣赏

When You Are Old

When you are old and gray and full of sleep, And nodding by the fire, take down this book, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look, Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face.And bending down beside the glowing bars, Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled, And paced upon the mountains overhead, And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.当你老了

当你老了，白发苍苍，睡意沉沉，倦坐在炉边，取下这本书来，慢慢读着，追梦当年的眼神，那柔美的神采与深幽的晕影。

多少人爱过你青春的片影，爱过你的美貌，处于虚伪或真情，唯独一人爱你那朝圣者的灵魂，爱你哀戚的脸上岁月的留痕。

在炉栅边，你弯下了腰，低语着，带着浅浅的伤感，爱情是怎样逝去，又怎样步上群山，将面庞藏在了繁星之间。

向大家推荐一首老歌——《昨日重现》，这是我12岁那年听到的第一首英文歌曲，当时就被它的旋律迷住了，后来慢慢了解了歌词的意思。很老，但很美！希望大家都能把美好留在自己的记忆里！卡朋特yesterday once more_在线视频观看_土豆网视频 影视

Yesterday Once More

昨日重现-卡朋特

When I was young I'd listen to the radio

waiting for my favorite songs when they played I'd sing along，it make me smile.Those were such happy times and not so long ago how I wondered where they'd gone.But they're back again just like a long lost friend

all the songs I love so well.every shalala every wo'wo

still shines.Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting

to sing so fine when they get to the part where he's breaking her heart it can really make me cry

just like before.It's yesterday once more.(shoobie do lang lang)looking bak on how it was in years gone by

and the good times that had makes today seem rather sad, so much has changed.It was songs of love that i would sing to them

and I'd memorise each word.Those old melodies still sound so good to me

as they melt the years away every shalala every wo'wo still shines every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're startingto sing

so fine all my best memorise come back clearly to me

some can even make me cry

just like before.it's yesterday once more.(shoobie do lang lang)every shalala every wo'wo still shines.Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting to sing

so fine every shalala every wo'wo still shines.Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting to sing.

第三篇：英语美文

Diogenes was a famous Greek philosopher of the fourth century B.C.,who established the philosophy of cynicism.He often walked about in the daytime holding a lighted lantern,peering around as if he were looking for something.When auestioned about his odd behavior,he would reply,“I am searching for an honest man.” Diogenes held that the good man was self-sufficient and did not require material comforts or wealth.He believed that wealth and possessions constrained humanity's natural state of freedom.In keeping with his philosophy,he was perefectly satisfied with making his home in a large tub discarded from the temple of Cybele,the goddess of nature.This earthen tub,called a pithos,and formerly been used for holding wine or oil for the sacrifices at the temple.One day,Alexander the Great ,conqueror of half the civilized world,saw Diogenes sitting in this tub in the sunshine.So the king,surrounded by his countries,approached Diogenes and said,“I am Alexander the Great.”The philosopher replied rather contemptuously,“I am Diogenes,the Cynic.”Alexander then asked him if he could help him in any way.“ Yes,”shot back Diogenes,“don't stand between me and the sun.”A surprised Alexander then replied quickly,“If I were not Alexander,I would be Diogenes.”

提奥奇尼斯是公元前四世纪一位著名的希腊哲学家,就是他创立了犬儒派哲学。他经常在白天点着灯笼四处走动、张望，像是在找什么东西似的。哪人们问起他这古怪行为时，他会回答说：“我正在寻找正人君子。”提奥奇尼斯认为好人是自给自足的，不需要物质享受和财富。他认为财富、财产束缚了人们天生的自由状态。与他的哲学相一致，他拿一个从别人从自然之母的庙里丢弃的大坛作为自己的家，还对此万分满意。这个陶制的大坛叫做圣坛，过去在庙里是用来盛装祭祀用的酒和油的。一天，征服了半个文明世界的亚历山大大帝看见提奥奇尼斯坐在大坛里晒太阳。于是这位君主在大臣们的簇拥下走过去，对提奥奇尼斯说：“我是亚历山大大帝。”哲学家相当傲慢地回答说：“我是提奥奇尼斯————犬儒学者。”然后亚历山大问他是否需要任何帮助。“是的”，提奥奇尼斯驳回道，“别站在我和太阳之间。”大吃一惊的亚历大继而迅速回答道：“假如我不是亚历山大，我就会是提奥奇斯。”

If I were a boy again, I would practice perseverance more often, and never give up a thing because it was or inconvenient.If we want light, we must conquer darkness.Perseverance can sometimes equal genius in its results.“There are only two creatures,” syas a proverb, “who can surmount the pyramids—the eagle and the snail.” If I were a boy again, I would school myself into a habit of attention;I would let nothing come between me and the subject in hand.I would remember that a good skater never tries to skate in two directions at once.The habit of attention becomes part of our life, if we begain early enough.I often hear grown up people say “ I could not fix my attention on the sermon or book, although I wished to do so” , and the reason is, the habit was not formed in youth.If I were to live my life over again, I would pay more attention to the cultivation of the memory.I would strengthen that faculty by every possible means, and on every possible occasion.It takes a little hard work at first to remember things accurately;but memory soon helps itself, and gives very little trouble.It only needs early cultivation to become a power.假如我又回到了童年，我做事要更有毅力，决不因为事情艰难或者麻烦而撒手不干，我们要光明，就得征服黑暗。毅力在效果上有时能同天才相比。俗话说：“能登上金字塔的生物，只有两种——鹰和蜗牛。”假如我又回到了童年，我就要养成专心致志的习惯；有事在手，就决不让任何东西让我分心。我要牢记：优秀的滑冰手从不试图同时滑向两个不同的方向。如果及早养成这种专心致志的习惯，它将成为我们生命的一部分。我常听成年人说：“虽然我希望能集中注意听牧师讲道或读书，但往往做不到。”而原因就是年轻时没有养成这种习惯。假如我现在能重新开始我的生命，我就要更注意记忆力的培养。我要采取一切可能的办法，并且在一切可能的场合，增强记忆力。要正确无误地记住一些东西，在开始阶段的确要作出一番小小的努力；但要不了多久，记忆力本身就会起作用，使记忆成为轻而易举的事，只需及早培养，记忆自会成为一种才能。

If I were a boy again, I would cultivate courage.“Nothing is so mild and gentle as courage, nothing so cruel and pitiless as cowardice,” syas a wise author.We too often borrow trouble, and anticipate that may never appear.” The fear of ill exceeds the ill we fear.” Dangers will arise in any career, but presence of mind will often conquer the worst of them.Be prepared for any fate, and there is no harm to be freared.If I were a boy again, I would look on the cheerful side.Life is very much like a mirror: if you smile upon it, I smiles back upon you;but if you frown and look doubtful on it, you will get a similar look in return.Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner, but of all that come in contact with it.“ who shuts love out ,in turn shall be shut out from love.” If I were a boy again, I would school myself to say no more often.I might write pages on the importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young boy can stand erect, and decline doing an unworthy act because it is unworthy.If I were a boy again, I would demand of myself more courtesy towards my companions and friends, and indeed towards strangers as well.The smallest courtesies along the rough roads of life are like the little birds that sing to us all winter long, and make that season of ice and snow more endurable.Finally, instead of trying hard to be happy, as if that were the sole purpose of life, I would , if I were a boy again, I would still try harder to make others happy.假如我又回到了童年，我就要培养勇气。一位明智的作家曾说过：“世上没有东西比勇气更温文尔雅，也没有东西比懦怯更残酷无情。”我们常常过多地自寻烦恼，杞人忧天。“怕祸害比祸害本身更可怕。”凡事都有危险，但镇定沉着往往能克服最严重的危险。对一切祸福做好准备，那么就没有什么灾难可以害怕的了。假如我又回到了童年，我就要事事乐观。生活犹如一面镜子：你朝它笑，它也朝你笑；如果你双眉紧锁，向它投以怀疑的目光，它也将还以你同样的目光。内心的欢乐不仅温暖了欢乐者自己的心，也温暖了所有与之接触者的心。“谁拒爱于门外，也必将被爱拒诸门外。”假如我又回到了童年，我就要养成经常说“不”字的习惯。一个少年要能挺得起腰，拒绝做不应该做的事，就因为这事不值得做。我可以写上好几页谈谈早年培养这一点的重要性。假如我又回到了童年，我就要要求自己对伙伴和朋友更加礼貌，而且对陌生人也应如此。在坎坷的生活道路上，最细小的礼貌犹如在漫长的冬天为我们歌唱的小鸟，那歌声使冰天雪地的寒冬变得较易忍受。最后，假如我又回到了童年，我不会力图为自己谋幸福，好像这就是人生唯一的目的；与之相反，我要更努力为他人谋幸福。

第四篇：经典英语美文

有一种旅行叫做人生

Life comes in a package.This package includes happiness andsorrow, failure and success, hope and despair.Life is a learningprocess.Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us abetter person.With each passing day we learn to handle varioussituations.人生好似一个包裹，这个包裹里藏着快乐与悲伤、成功与失败，希望与绝望。人生也是一个学习的过程。那些经历给我们上了全新的课，让我们变得更好。随着每一天的过去，我们学会了处理各种各样的问题。

FailureandSuccess Failure is the path to success.It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us aspecific way.Success brings in money, fame, pride and self-respect.Here it becomes veryimportant to keep our head on out shoulder.The only way to show our gratitude to God forbestowing success on us is by being humble, modest, courteous and respectful to the lessfortunate ones.失败是成功之母。它让我们触及蓝天，它教会我们如何生存，它给予我们一条特殊的路。成功给予我们金钱、名誉、骄傲和自尊。这里，保持头脑清醒便显得尤为重要。唯一能让我们感激上帝给予的成功便是始终卑微、谦虚、礼貌并且尊重没有我们幸运的人们。

美文:我们心中的“如果”“到那时”

IF and WHEN were friends.Every week they met and had lunch.Their conversation usually centered on all the things they weregoing to achieve.They both had many dreams and they lovedto talk about them.“如果”和“到那时”是一对好朋友。他们每星期相约吃一顿午餐。会面时，他们谈论的话题通常围绕在他们即将要做的事情上面。两个人都有着许多梦想，并且他们热衷于这种交谈。

This particular Saturday when they met, WHEN sensed that IF was not in a great mood.As usualthey sat at the table reserved for them and ordered their lunch.Once they placed their order,WHEN questioned IF.“IF what is wrong with you? You don't seem your usual cheery self?” 这个星期六他们见面时“到那时”觉察到“如果”的心情不是很好。像往常一样，他们坐在特意预留给他们的餐桌上点餐。刚一点完“到那时”就问道:如果，你怎么了?你看起来好像不太高兴。“

IF looked at WHEN and replied, ”I'm not sure, I just don't feel like I am making any progress.Thislast week I saw a course I wanted to take if only I had the time to take it.“ ”如果“看了看”到那时“答道”我也不知道怎么了，只是觉得自己没什么进步。上个星期我发现一个很好的课程，如果有时间的话，我就去学。“

WHEN knew exactly how IF felt.”Yeah,“ replied WHEN, ”I too saw a course and I am going toregister when I get enough money together.“ WHEN then said, ”well what about that new job youwere going to apply for.You were so excited about it last week, did you apply?“ ”到那时“非常理解”如果“的感受。他答道是啊，我也看到一项课程，等到钱充足的时候，我就去报名。对了，你打算申请的新工作怎么样了?上星期见你说得那么情绪激昂，申请了吗? ”

IF responded, “If my computer didn't break down last week, I would have applied.But, mycomputer is not working, so I could not type my resume.” “如果”回答道“如果不是上周我的电脑坏了，我会申请的。但是它坏了，我无法打印简历，所以只能放弃了。”

“Don 't worry about it IF, when you are ready another job will come through.I have been thinkingabout looking for another job also, but I will wait and when the weather gets nicer I will look then.”WHEN then went on to tell IF about his week, hoping that it would cheer him up a bit.“别着急，等到你准备好时，另-个工作就出现了。我也一直考虑着换个工作，但是我想等到天气看起来好一些时再行动。”然后，“到那时”继续跟“如果”谈论着他的星期计划，希望这样能使他的朋友高兴起来。

The man at the next table couldn't help overhear WHEN and IF.They both were talking aboutwhen this and if that, finally he couldn't take it anymore.“Excuse me gentlemen,” the man said.IFand WHEN both looked at the man and wondered what he wanted.The man continued, “I'msorry, but I couldn't help hearing your conversation.I think I know how you could solve yourproblems.” 邻桌的一个男人无意中听到他们的谈话。他昕见两个人一直在说着“等什么什么时候如果这样那样”的话，他再也无法忍受了。于是，男人说道“打扰一下，先生们。”“如果”和“到那时”吃惊地看着他，不知道他要做什么。男人继续道很抱歉，我无意中听到你们的交谈。我想我知道如何解决你们的问题。“

IF smiled and thought, how could a complete stranger know how to solve all of their problems.Ifonly he knew.When he realized the challenges they faced there was no way he could solve theirproblems!Curious, IF asked the gentleman, ”How do you think you can solve our problems?“ ”如果“笑了笑，心想，一个完全陌生的人怎么会知道如何解决他们两个人生活中的问题呢。如果让他认识到他们所面对的困难，恐怕他再也不会那样说了。出于好奇”如果“还是问道你认为应该如何解决我们的问题呢? ”

The gentleman smiled and said , “You only need listen to yourselves.It reminds me of an oldproverb: ”If and When were planted , and Nothing grew.“ 男人笑着答道”你们说的话让我想起一句古老的谚语:'只想不做，就会没有收获。“

IF and WHEN looked puzzled.The gentleman smiled and said, ”Start counting how many timesyou use the words 'if' and 'when'.Rather than thinking 'if and when', start doing, take action, stoptalking about 'if and when'.“ ”如果“和”到那时“疑惑地看着他。男人继续说从现在开始，数一下你们用了多少次„如果'和„到那时'这两个词语。你们不要总是思考„如果怎样怎样到那时怎样怎样而是应该着手去做，采取行动，请不要再谈论„如果和到那时'。”

IF and WHEN both looked surprised, and suddenly realized that what the gentleman had said wasso true.Both of them were guilty of thinking,acting and living their life for the “ifs and whens', Thegentleman left and IF and WHEN's conversation changed.They made a pact that when they metfor lunch next week, there would be no ”ifs and whens“;they would only talk about what theyaccomplished!”如果“和”到那时“感到十分惊讶，他们突然意识到这个男人说得很正确。两个人都为自己把思想、行为、生活的希望放在”如果和到那时“上感到惭愧。男人离开后，他们谈话的内容有了改变。他们约定下个星期一起吃午餐时，再也没有”如果“和”到那时他们只会谈论已经完成的事情。

Two Roads 两条路

【英语散文赏析】

It was New Year's night.An aged man was standing at awindow.He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky,where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of aclear calm lake.When he cast them on the earth where fewmore hopeless people than himself now moved towards theircertain goal-the tomb.He had already passed sixty of the stagesleading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and remorse.Now his healthwas poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.这是新年的夜晚一位老人站在窗边，忧伤的眼睛眺望着深蓝的天空空中的繁星，犹如漂浮在清澈如镜的湖面上的朵朵百合。他慢慢将目光投向地面。此刻，没有什么人比他还绝望。他即将迈向他最终的归宿——坟墓。他已走过通向坟墓的六十级台阶，除了错误和悔恨，他一无所获。现在他体弱多病，精神空虚，心哀神伤，人到晚年却无所慰藉。

The days of his youth appeared like dream before him, and he recalled the serious moment whenhis father placed him at the entrances of the two roads One leading to a peaceful, sunny placecovered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs;the other leading to a deepdark cave which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonsnakes hissed and crawled.年轻岁月，如梦般展现在他面前，老人想起父亲把他带到岔路口的那个庄严时刻。一条路通向安宁、快乐的世界，鲜花遇布，果实丰硕，甜美轻柔的歌声在空中回荡；另一条路则通向幽深黑暗，没有尽头的洞，洞内流淌着的不是水而是毒液，群魔乱舞，毒蛇嘶嘶爬动。

He looked towards the sky and cried painfully,“0h youth, return!Oh, my father, place me oncemore at the entrance to life and I'II chose the better way!”But both his father and the days of hisyouth had passed away.他仰望星空，痛苦地大喊：“啊，青春，回来吧！啊，父亲，再一次带我到人生的岔路口吧，我会选一条更好的道路。”但是，他的父亲和他的青春岁月都已一去不复返了。

He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness, and these were the days of his wasted life;he saw astar fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself.His remorse which waslike a sharp arrow struck deeply into his heart.Then he remembered his friends in his childhood,which entered life together with him.But they had made their way to success and were nowhonored and happy on this New Year's night.他看到灯光在黑暗中流逝，就像他挥霍掉的往昔；他看到一颗流星自天边坠落，消失不见，就像是他的化身。无尽的悔恨，像一支利箭，深刺心间。他又记起和自己一同迈入人生之途的儿时玩伴，j但他们已功成名就，在这个新年之夜，倍受尊崇，幸福快乐。

The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents' earlylove for him.They had taught him and prayed to God for his good.But he chose the wrong waywith shame and grief he dared no longer to look towards the heaven where his father lived.Hisdarkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort.He burst out a cry:“Come back, myearly days!Come back!” 高高的教堂钟楼传来钟声，这声音使他记起父母早年对他的疼爱：他们教育他，为他祈祷。然而，他却选择了错误的道路：羞愧和悲哀使他再也没有勇气仰望父亲所在的天堂：黯淡的双眼溢满了泪水，他绝望地嘶声大呼：“回来吧，我的往昔！回来吧！”

And his youth did return for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year's night.He was stillyoung though his faults were real.He had not yet entered the deep dark cave, and he was still freeto walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.他的青春真的回来了，所有这些只是一个梦，一个他在新年之夜所做的梦，他仍然年轻，虽然他犯的错误是真实的；他尚未走入那幽深黑暗的洞穴，还有自由选择通向安宁、快乐的道路：

Those who still linger on the entrance of life hesitating to choose the bright road remember thatwhen years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains.You will cry bitterly, but invain.“0h youth return!Oh give me back my early days!” 仍在人生路口徘徊，仍在为是否应当选择光明坦途而犹豫不决的人们啊，请记住：当青春不再，当你在黑暗的山岭间跌倒时，你会痛苦地呼喊：“啊，青春，回来吧！啊，还给我往昔吧！”此时，一切已是徒劳。

散文:青春常在

No young man believes he will ever die.It was a saying of mybrother's, and a fine one.年轻人不相信自己会死。这是我哥哥的话，可算得一句妙语。

There is a feeling of Eternity in youth, which makes us amendfor everything.青春有一种永生之感——它能弥补一切。

To be young is to be as one of the Immortal Gods.One half of time indeed is flown — the otherhalf remains in store for us with all its countless treasures, for there is no line drawn, and we see nolimit to our hopes and wishes.We make the coming age our own — 人在青年时代好像一尊永生的神明。诚然，生命的一半已经消逝，但蕴藏着不尽财富的另一半还有所保留，我们对它也抱着无穷的希望和幻想。未来的时代完全属于我们——

The vast, the unbounded prospect lies before us.无限辽阔的远景在我们面前展现。

Death, old age, are words without a meaning that pass by us like the idea air which we regard not.死亡，老年，不过是空话，毫无意义;我们听了，只当耳边风，全不放在心上。

Others may have undergone, or may still be liable to them — we “bear a charmed life”, whichlaughs to scorn all such sickly fancies.这些事，别人也许经历过，或者可能要承受——但我们自己“冥冥中有神保佑”，对于诸如此类脆弱的念头，统统付之轻蔑的一笑。

As in setting out on delightful journey, we strain our eager gaze forward — 像是刚刚走上愉快的旅程，极目远眺——

Bidding the lovely scenes at distance hail!向远方的美景欢呼!

And see no end to the landscape, new objects presenting themselves as we advance.——此时，但觉好风光应接不暇，而且，前程更有美不胜收的新鲜景致。

So, in the commencement of life, we set no bounds to our inclinations, nor to the unrestrictedopportunities of gratifying them.在这生活的开端，我们听任自己的志趣驰骋，放手给它们一切满足的机会。

We have as yet found no obstacle, no disposition to flag;and it seems that we can go on soforever.到此为止，我们还没有碰上过什么障碍，也没有感觉到什么疲惫，因此觉得还可以一直这样向前走去，直到永远。

We look round in a new world, full of life, and motion, and ceaseless progress;and feel inourselves all the vigor and spirit to keep pace with it, and do not foresee from any presentsymptoms how we shall be left behind in the natural course of things, decline into old age, anddrop into the grave.我们看到四周一派新天地——生机盎然，变动不居，日新月异;我们觉得自己活力充盈，精神饱满，可与宇宙并驾齐驱。而且，眼前也无任何迹象可以证明，在大自然的发展过程中，我们自己也会落伍，衰老，进入坟墓。

It is the simplicity, and as it were abstractedness of our feelings in youth, that(so to speak)identifies us with nature, and(our experience being slight and our passions strong)deludes us intoa belief of being immortal like it.由于年轻人天真单纯，可以说是茫然无知，因而将自己跟大自然划上等号;并且，由于经验少而感情盛，误以为自己也能和大自然一样永世长存。

Our short-lives connexion with existence we fondly flatter ourselves is an indissoluble and lastingunion — a honeymoon that knows neither coldness, jar, nor separation.我们一厢情愿，痴心妄想，竟把自己在世上的暂时栖身，当作千古不变、万事长存的结合，好像没有冷淡、争执、离别的蜜月。

As infants smile and sleep, we are rocked in the cradle of our wayward fancies, and lulled intosecurity by the roar of the universe around us — we quaff the cup of life with eager haste withoutdraining it, instead of which it only overflows the more — objects press around us, filling the mindwith their magnitude and with the strong of desires that wait upon them, so that we have noroom for the thoughts of death.像婴儿带着微笑入睡，我们躺在用自己编织成的摇篮里，让大千世界的万籁之声催哄我们安然入梦;我们急切切、兴冲冲地畅饮生命之杯，怎么也不会饮干，反而好像永远是满满欲溢;森罗万象纷至沓来，各种欲望随之而生，使我们腾不出工夫想死亡。

美文:拥抱生活

We often close ourselves off when traumatic events happen inour lives;instead of letting the world soften us, we let it drive usdeeper into ourselves.We try to deflect the hurt and pain bypretending it doesn‟t exist, but although we can try this all wewant, in the end, we can‟t hide from ourselves.We need tolearn to open our hearts to the potentials of life and let the worldsoften us.生活发生不幸时，我们常常会关上心门;世界不仅没能慰藉我们，反倒使我们更加消沉。我们假装一切仿佛都不曾发生，以此试图忘却伤痛，可就算隐藏得再好，最终也还是骗不了自己。既然如此，何不尝试打开心门，拥抱生活中的各种可能，让世界感化我们呢?

Whenever we start to let our fears and seriousness get the best of us, we should take a stepback and re-evaluate our behavior.The items listed below are six ways you can open your heartmore fully and completely.当恐惧与焦虑来袭时，我们应该退后一步，重新反思自己的言行。下面六个方法有助于你更完满透彻地敞开心扉。

1.Breathe into pain 直面痛苦

Whenever a painful situation arises in your life, try to embrace it instead of running away or tryingto mask the hurt.When the sadness strikes, take a deep breath and lean into it.When we runaway from sadness that‟s unfolding in our lives, it gets stronger and more real.We take anemotion that‟s fleeting and make it a solid event, instead of something that passes through us.当生活中出现痛苦的事情时，别再逃跑或隐藏痛苦，试着拥抱它吧;当悲伤来袭时，试着深呼吸，然后直面它。如果我们一味逃避生活中的悲伤，悲伤只会变得更强烈更真实——悲伤原本只是稍纵即逝的情绪，我们却固执地耿耿于怀。

By utilizing our breath we soften our experiences.If we dam them up, our lives will stagnate, butwhen we keep them flowing, we allow more newness and greater experiences to blossom.深呼吸能减缓我们的感受。屏住呼吸，生活停滞;呼出呼吸，更多新奇与经历又将拉开序幕。

2.Embrace the uncomfortable 拥抱不安

We all know what that twinge of anxiety feels like.We know how fear feels in our bodies: thetension in our necks, the tightness in our stomachs, etc.We can practice leaning into these feelingsof discomfort and let them show us where we need to go.我们都经历过焦灼的煎熬感，也都感受过恐惧造成的生理反应：脖子僵硬、胃酸翻腾。其实，我们有能力面对这些痛苦的感受，从中领悟到出路。

The initial impulse is to run away — to try and suppress these feelings by not acknowledging them.When we do this, we close ourselves off to the parts of our lives that we need to experience most.The next time you have this feeling of being truly uncomfortable, do yourself a favor and lean intothe feeling.Act in spite of the fear.我们的第一反应总是逃避——以为否认不安情绪的存在就能万事大吉，可这也恰好妨碍了我们经历最需要的生活体验。下次感到不安时，不管有多害怕，也请试着勇敢面对吧。

3.Ask your heart what it wants 倾听内心

We‟re often confused at the next step to take, making pros and cons lists until our eyes bleed andour brains are sore.Instead of always taking this approach, what if we engaged a new part ofourselves that isn‟t usually involved in the decision making process? 我们常对未来犹疑不定，反复考虑利弊直到身心俱疲。与其一味顾虑重重，不如从局外人的角度看待决策之事。

I know we‟ve all felt decisions or actions that we had to take simply due to our “gut” impulses:when asked, we can‟t explain the reasons behind doing so — just a deep knowing that it had toget done.This instinct is the part of ourselves we‟re approaching for answers.其实很多决定或行动都是我们一念之间的结果：要是追问原因的话，恐怕我们自己也道不清说不明，只是感到直觉如此罢了。而这种直觉恰好是我们探索结果的潜在自我。

To start this process, take few deep breaths then ask, “Heart, what decision should I make here?What action feels the most right?”

开始前先做几次深呼吸，问自己：“内心认为该做什么样的决定呢?觉得采取哪个方案最恰当?”

See what comes up, then engage and evaluate the outcome.看看自己的内心反应如何，然后全力以赴、静待结果吧。

4.Engage your shadow 了解阴暗面

Many of us who are on the personal development path get caught up in embracing characteristicswe want to have, like happiness, compassion, love, and passion.In this pursuit we end up losingparts of ourselves that make us whole, such as suppressing our negative qualities instead ofengaging them.Try asking yourself a few questions: 很多人在成长过程中都或多或少养成期望的性格，比如快乐、同情、爱心以及激情等等;与此同时，我们也会陷入消极压抑的品性。这时，你就要问问自己：

What parts of myself could I do without? 我有哪些可以完全抛弃的性格?

How do I get in my own way? 有哪些品性会妨碍我的成长?

Is there anything I‟m hiding from myself? 我对自己是不是足够诚实坦白?

Don‟t be afraid of what comes out;you might want to run from the answers, but instead,acknowledge them and be with them as much as possible.Once you‟re a little clearer about whatexactly you‟ve been hiding, from it gets easier to shine your light on it.别害怕最终得出的结果，也别逃避，相反，你应该面对并尽量接受现实。如果你能确切了解自己的阴暗面，也就更容易去改正。

5.Spend time alone 享受独处

For most of our lives we‟re surrounded by people: our friends, colleagues, peers, family members,loved ones, and strangers.How often do we really spend time alone? 大部分人身边总不缺陪伴：朋友、同事、同伴、亲人、爱侣，还有陌生人。那么，怎样才能真正独处呢?

When you spend time in solitude, you‟re free from the influences of other people, and can trulyopen yourself and explore whatever you‟d like.See where your thoughts take you.The goldenticket here is to not let yourself become distracted;just see what it‟s like to be alone.独处使人免受他人干扰，能让我们真正敞开心怀去探究所喜所恶，让自己跟着思绪游走——一定要保持专心，用心体会独处的曼妙。

It might be painful or even scary at first, but by opening yourself up to these new feelings, you‟lladd a whole new layer of depth, experience, and understanding into your life.一开始可能会感到痛苦甚至惶恐，可一旦敞开心胸面对这些感受，你便能达到更高一层境界，收获别样的经验，也更理解自己的生活。

6.Get outside of yourself 走出自我

This may seem a little contradictory to the last tip, but in reality, they actually work hand-in-hand.After you‟ve explored the depths of yourself, you come away with a new understanding.这和前一个建议貌似有点矛盾，但其实两者却是相辅相成的。独处之后，你对自己获得了全新了解。

Now, it‟s time to share that — not through telling others, but through being with others.然后，你应该把它分享出来——当然，这不是要你直接把它告知与人，而是要求你通过与人交往进行分享。

When you‟re in a group of people, try to give them your full energy and attention so you canunderstand them just as you did yourself.Appreciate their uniqueness, as if they are an extensionof you.Lose yourself in the beauty of others;see what they can teach you about yourself.当你与人交往时，请试着用心去了解他们，就好比你用心了解自己一样。感同身受地欣赏他们的个性、观察他们的优点，看看自己能从中学到什么。

Remember, there‟s no need to do every one of these at the same time.Take each one a day at atime, determine which work best for you, and see what you can discover.请记住：以上建议并不要求你一气呵成，你可以每天尝试一个，选择最适合自己的建议，看看自己能从中收获什么。

美文:2015如何做崭新的自己?

THE annual ritual of the New Year‟s resolution — I‟ll lose 10pounds, get my finances in order, be more patient with myfamily, feel more grateful — misses the point.We try to steel ourwills to do what we already know we should be doing.Kick-in-the-pants reminders, however stern, are missed opportunitiesfor genuine self-renewal.(Not to mention that the shelf life ofany motivational juice we generate in January tends to expirein February.)制定新年规划这个一年一度的常规动作——我要减重10磅，要解决财务问题，要更耐心地对待家人，要更知道感恩——总是放错重点。我们竭力强化意志，去做已经意识到自己该做的那些事情。但好似“催命符”的备忘录不管多严苛，都无法激励人们进行真正的自我更新。（更别提1月份才成形的这些宏图大志是多么容易过期，2月份一到，它们往往就宣告破产。）

The turning over of a new year is an opportunity to create ourselves anew.How? The key, Isuggest, is in shifting our understanding of the choices we make.For many people, the mostimportant choices in life are sources of agony, dread, paralysis — even depression or suicide.Itdoesn‟t have to be like this.新年来临之际是重新塑造自我的良机。如何塑造呢？我认为，关键在于换个角度来理解我们所做的选择。对很多人而言，生命中最重要的一些选择是痛苦、恐惧、无力的根源，甚至会让人产生抑郁和自杀倾向。但事情并不一定非是如此不可。

A hypothetical example: Eve works as a textbook editor at a Boston publishing house and wasapproached by a small but prestigious imprint on the West Coast that was looking for a fictioneditor.The job would be a big promotion, with a significant raise, and Eve had always wanted towork in fiction.比方说，伊芙是波士顿某出版社的教科书编辑，西海岸一家正在寻找小说编辑的出版公司找到了她。该公司规模虽小，但却久负盛名。接受这份工作，伊芙的职位会大大提升，薪水会大幅提高，而且她一直都想在小说领域发展。

But Eve is in crisis.Should she move her husband and young daughter from their cozy life inBoston, her home of 15 years, to the wilds of California? If she stays, will she be forsaking theopportunity of a lifetime? If she moves, will her new boss turn out to be a jerk? Will her child bebullied at school? What if her husband can‟t find a good job? Will the family quarrel, the marriagedissolve, her boss fire her for being incompetent, and she and her child end up on food stamps ina homeless shelter? 但伊芙却面临着艰难的抉择。她已经在波士顿生活了15年，该让丈夫和年幼的女儿抛开这里的惬意生活，与她一起搬走吗？如果选择留在波士顿，她能够割舍一生中难得的机遇吗？如果选择搬去西海岸，要是发现新老板是个混球可怎么办？要是她的孩子在学校挨欺负可怎么办？要是她丈夫找不到好工作可怎么办？家里是否会争吵不断，婚姻是否会解体，老板是否会因为她无法胜任工作而炒她鱿鱼，她和孩子是否会落得在收容所靠食品券度日的田地？

Many people are like Eve and see their choices as, in essence, problems of computation.Butchoosing between jobs is not like computing the distance between Memphis and Mumbai.The viewof choice as a matter of calculating maximal value is assumed in cost-benefit analysis, governmentpolicy making and much of economic theory.It‟s even embedded in the apps you can downloadthat purport to help you decide whether to buy a new car, get married or change jobs.许多人都和伊芙差不多，他们其实把选择看成了计算利害得失的问题。但在不同工作之间做出选择，跟测量从孟菲斯到孟买的距离可不是一回事。把选择看作对价值最大化的计算，是内化于成本收益分析、政府决策过程以及许多经济理论之中的一种观念。它甚至潜藏在可以从网上下载的某些旨在帮助你决定是否要买新车、是否要结婚、是否要换工作的应用程序之中。

At the heart of this model is a simple assumption: that what you should choose is alwaysdetermined by facts in the world about which option has more value — facts that, if only you weresmart enough to discover, would make decision-making relatively easy.该模型的核心假设非常简单：你的选择总是取决于世界上的某些与哪个选项会带来更大价值有关的事实——你只要聪明到足以发现这些事实，就能够相对容易地做出决策。

But the assumption is false.When we compute distances, there are only three possibilities: onedistance is more than, less than or equal to another.Similarly, when we compute value, there areonly three possibilities: one thing is better than, worse than or just as good as another.But weshouldn‟t assume that goodness is like distance.Values don‟t have the same structure as facts.但这个假设是错误的。我们测算距离的时候，所面对的可能性只有三种：一段距离比另一段长，比另一段短，或者跟另一段相等。同样，我们计算价值的时候，所面对的可能性也只有三种：一个事物比另一个好，比另一个糟，或者跟另一个差不多。但我们不该把事物的好坏和距离的长短等同起来。价值的体系和事实的体系是截然不同的。

Options can be “on a par” — different in value while being in the same overall neighborhood.Ifyour alternatives are on a par, you can‟t make a mistake of reason in choosing one instead of theother.Since one isn‟t better than the other, you can‟t choose wrongly.But nor are they equallygood.When alternatives are on a par, when the world doesn‟t determine a single right thing to do,that doesn‟t mean that value writ large has been exhausted.Instead of looking outward to find thevalue that determines what you should do, you can look inward to what you can stand behind,commit to, resolve to throw yourself behind.By committing to an option, you can confer value onit.各种选项可能会“平分秋色”——虽然价值不完全相同，但也相差无几。如果你有一些平分秋色的选项，你无论选择哪个，都不会犯判断上的错误。因为两种选择没有优劣之分，你不可能做出错误的选择。不过，它们也并非一样好。当选项平分秋色时，当世界上并非只有唯一正确的答案时，那并不意味着真正的价值已经枯竭。与其从外部寻找价值来判断自己应该做些什么，你可以向内心来询问自己能够支持、承诺，以及决心投身于什么。只要笃定于一个选项，你就为它赋予了价值。

Of course, this isn‟t to say that you should commit to being a first-class jerk, pedophile ormurderer.That‟s because being a jerk is not on a par with being a good person.当然了，这并不是说你应该笃定于成为一个头号混蛋、恋童癖，或者杀人犯。这是因为，做一个混蛋和做一个好人可不是平分秋色的选项。When we choose between options that are on a par, we make ourselves the authors of our ownlives.Instead of being led by the nose by what we imagine to be facts of the world, we shouldinstead recognize that sometimes the world is silent about what we should do.In those cases, wecan create value for ourselves by committing to an option.By doing so, we not only create valuefor ourselves but we also(re)create ourselves.Eve might resolve to make her life in Boston.Someone else, in her shoes, might resolve to start a new life in California.There is no error here,only different resolutions that create different sorts of people.当我们在平分秋色的选项中做选择时，我们就成了自己人生的创造者。我们不应该被我们想象中的世界现实牵着鼻子走，而是应该认识到，有时，这个世界不会告诉我们应该做什么。在这种情况下，我们应该笃定一种选项，创造我们自己的价值。这样做的话，我们不仅为自己创造了的价值，我们也（重新）创造了自己。伊芙可能决心在波士顿生活。而面临同样的境遇，另一个人可能会决定在加州开始新的生活。这无所谓对错，只是不同的解决方案造就不同类型的人罢了。

So Eve, faced with her choice, should reflect on what kind of person she can be.Can she besomeone who abandons a contented life for a new adventure? A choice between alternatives thatare on a par is a precious opportunity to create the sort of person she can commit to being, bycommitting to being that sort of person.因此，伊芙在做出选择时，应该考虑的是，她能成为什么样的人。她能为了新的冒险而放弃舒适的生活吗？在平分秋色的选项中做决定是一个宝贵的机会，可以创造出一个自己能够决心成为的人，方法就是下决心成为那种类型的人。

第五篇：英语美文

;It is not difficult to imagine a world short of ambition.It would probably be a kinder world: without demands, without abrasions, without disappointments.People would have time for reflection(磨损).Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity.Competition would never enter in, conflict would be eliminated, tension become a thing of the past.The stress of creation would be at an end.Art would no longer be troubling, but purely celebratory in its functions.Longevity would be increased, for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous endeavor.Anxiety would be extinct.Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart.Ah, how unrelieved boring life would be!

There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth, and ambition therefore a sham(骗子).Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is at bottom empty? That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events? Now not all success, obviously, is worth esteeming, nor all ambition worth cultivating.Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one's own.But even the most cynical secretly admit that success exists;that achievement counts for a great deal;and that the true myth is that the actions of men and women are useless.To believe otherwise is to take on a point of view that is likely to be deranging.It is, in its implications, to remove all motives for competence, interest in attainment, and regard for posterity.We do not choose to be born.We do not choose our parents.We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing.We do not, most of us, choose to die;nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death.But within all this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift.We decide what is important and what is trivial in life.We decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do.But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make.We decide.We choose.And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed.In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.