名篇赏析 5-8.doc

03 Equality and greatness 平等与伟大Between persons of equal income there is no social distinction except the distinction of merit. Money is nothing: character, conduct, and capacity are everything. Instead of all the workers being leveled down to low wage standards and all the rich leveled up to fashionable income standards, everybody under a system of equal incomes would find her or his own natural level. There would be great people and ordinary people and little people, but the great would always be those who had done great things, and never the idiot whose mothers had spoiled them and whose fathers had left a hundred thousand a year; and the little would be persons of small minds and mean characters, and not poor persons who had never had a chance. That is why idiots are always in favour of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence), and the really great in favour of equality.By George Bernard Shaw 注释distinctiondistikn: the condition or fact of being dissimilar or distinct; difference 区别，差别meritmerit: 功绩，荣誉，价值eminenceeminns: a position of great distinction or superiority 卓越 作者简介George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was an Irish-born playwright, pamphleteer and music and theater critic. Shaw was a ruthless social critic and irreverent toward institutions. By forging a drama that combined moral passion and intellectual conflict and experimenting with symbolic farce, Shaw helped to reshape the stage of his time and to mold the thought of his own and later generations. His play The Devils Disciple became a success in the United States, and Shaws next work, Man and Superman (1903) helped establish Shaws reputation in London. Among the plays that followed was Saint Joan (1923), for which Shaw received the 1925 Nobel Prize in literature. 萧伯纳，英国戏剧家，1856年7月26日生于爱尔兰都柏林。1885年萧伯纳开始戏剧创作。到1949年为止，共完成剧本51部。1925年获得诺贝尔文学奖。5 American dream 美国梦美国梦是一个被众多美国人普遍信仰的信念，即通过努力的工作，非凡的勇气与意志力，每个人都可以致富，实现自己的梦想。机会均等是美国梦的灵魂。聪明、勤奋与坚忍不拔是实现美国梦的必要条件。To Americans, industriousness, thrift and ambition are positive values. We encourage our children to be competitive, to get ahead, to make money, to acquire possession. In games and in business alike, the aim is to win the game, the trophy, the contract. We go in for labor-saving devices, gadgets, speed and shortcuts. We think every young couple should set up a home of their own. And we pity the couple who must share their home with their parent, let alone with other relatives. Actually, of course, not all Americans hold all these values. And those who do may hold other, and at times contradictory, values that affect their ways of behaving. In the main, however, the collective expectation of our society is that these are desirable goals, and the individual, whatever his personal inclination, is under considerable pressure to conform. By Corinne Brown 注释positivepztiv: 积极的，却有助益的gadgetgdit: 小器具，小配件conformknf:m: 一致，符合 作者简介Corinne Brown has her master degree in history. The author of childrens books is also a poet and playwright. Her stories demonstrate that children from diverse backgrounds can choose to get along even when adults are hostile to each other. Brown is the author of Lets Keep This Secret.科林娜.布朗，儿童作家、诗人及剧作家。对美国人而言，刻苦努力、勤俭节约、胸怀大志都是积极向上的美德。我们鼓励子女敢于竞争、力争上游、自谋营生、积累财富。在比赛中，在商务往来中，目标就是要赢得比赛，获得奖品，签订合约。我们孜孜不倦地追求省力的工具、灵巧的装置，提高速度，寻求捷径。我们认为每对年轻夫妇都应该有属于自己的家，我们同情那些必须和父亲或者母亲住在一起的年轻夫妇，更不用说与其他亲戚住在同一屋檐下的人了。当然，事实上并不是所有的美国人都具有这些品质，拥有这些品质的人可能同时还具备一些影响他们行为方式的品质，或者相反的品质。但是，总的来说，我们的社会普遍期望这些品德是我们的既定目标，无论每个人的自我倾向是什么，他都承受着一定压力去实现这些目标。6. Heart of a stranger 陌生者之心每位作家在滚滚红尘中，大概都渴望有一个宁静恬适的地方，在那里不但可以思考、写作，也可以让疲惫的心灵能够停泊在避风的港湾。虽然有些作家相信“大隐隐于市”，因此并不刻意想在大自然中寻觅隐居之所，然而自然总是具有某种不可抗拒的魔力，当自然喃喃细语、含情轻诉之时，恐怕没有哪个作家，可以对它野性多情的呼唤充耳不闻。The most loved place, for me, in this country has in fact been many places. It has changed throughout the years, as I and my circumstances have changed. I havent really lost any of the best places from the past, though. I may no longer inhabit them, but they inhabit me, portions of memory, presences in the mind.My best place at the moment is very different, although I guess it has some of the attributes of that long-ago place. It is a small cedar cabin on the Otonabee river in southern Ontario. Ive lived three summers there, writing, birdwatching, riverwatching. I sometimes feel sorry for the people in speedboats who spend their weekends zinging up and down the river at about a million miles an hour. For all theyre able to see, the riverbanks might just as well be green concrete and the river itself flowing with molten plastic.By Margaret Laurence 注释circumstances:kmstns: 环境inhabitinhbit: to live or reside in 居住于，栖息attributetribju(:)t: 品质，特性cedarsi:d: 雪松cabinkbin: 小屋，船舱Otonabee river: 奥托拿比河Ontariontriu: 安大略湖北美洲中东部（美国和加拿大共有的湖）birdwatching: 赏鸟riverwatching: 观河speedboat: 高速游艇zinging: 俚拟声词尖啸声；风嗖嗖声concreteknkri:t: 混凝土moltenmultn: 熔铸的 作者简介Margaret Laurence (1926-1987), a much-loved Canadian author, was one of the greatest novelists of the twentieth century. Her stories feature strong women and their struggles for self-understanding and acceptance. She was known for her outspoken support of peace, womens rights, and other progressive causes. 玛格丽特.劳伦斯（1926-1987）出生在加拿大中部的曼尼托巴省尼帕瓦镇，她的故乡后来成为其小说系列中虚构的马那瓦卡镇。劳伦斯自幼就开始写作。她的作品有石头天使（1964）、上帝的嘲弄（1966）、受尽煎熬的人（1968）、笼中之鸟（1970）、先明者，以及一个儿童读物连续篇杰逊的追求（1970）。上帝的嘲弄和先明者使她两度获得加拿大荣誉最高的总督奖，1971年她被列入加拿大名人榜。在这个国家里我最喜欢的地方其实一直有很多。这些年来，由于我们自己和情况的变迁，我最爱的地方也随着改变。虽然如此，过去我喜爱过的任何一个地方我并没有真正地失去它们。我或许不再居住在那儿，但它们却存在于我的心里，成为我记忆中的片段，时常浮现在脑海中此刻我最喜爱的地方相当不同，但我想它仍具有和老早的那个地方（即明湖，Clear Lake）相同的某些特质。这个地方是安大略省南方奥托拿比河边的一间松木小屋。我在那儿居住了三个夏天：写作、赏鸟、观河。有时候我为那些来此地度周末，却驾着快艇以极速在河上往来呼啸的人感到难过，因为这些人看见的河岸只不过是绿色的混凝土岸，而河流本身也仿佛只是条闪亮的流动塑料7.Thoughts in a grave yard面对墓园那各式各样的十字架，总会使人思绪无尽。生与死，在永恒的两极相通：正因为人之难免一死，我们才更感受到那“生命中不可承受之轻”的沉重When I look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me; when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, even inordinate desire goes out; when I meet with the grief of parents upon a tombstone, my heart melts with compassion; when I see the tomb of the parents of themselves, I consider the vanity of grieving for those who deposed them, when I consider rival wits placed side by side, or the holy men that divided the world with their contests and disputes, I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind. When I read the several dates of the tombs, of some that died yesterday, and some six hunderd years ago, I consider that great when we shall all of us be contemporaries, and make our appearance together.Excerpt from Westminster Abbey by Joseph Addison 注释inordinatein:dinit: exceeding reasonable limits; immoderate过分的，无节制的deposedipuz: to remove from office or power免职；废黜 作者简介Joseph Addison (1672-1719) was an English essayist, poet, and statesman. He was educated at Charterhouse, where he was a classmate of Richard Steele, and at Oxford, where he became a distinguished classical scholar. Addison first achieved prominence with The Campaign (1704). Addisons most enduring fame was achieved as an essayist. His contributions to the periodicals raised the English essay to a degree of technical perfection never before achieved and perhaps never since surpassed. In a prose style marked by simplicity, order, and precision, he sought to engage mens thoughts toward reason, moderation, and a harmonious life.约瑟夫.艾迪生，英国散文家、诗人、剧作家及政治家。艾迪生的名字在文学史上常常与他的好朋友理查德.斯蒂尔一起被提起，两人最重要的贡献是创办两份著名的杂志闲谈者与旁观者。参考译文：当我瞻仰伟人的坟墓，心中所有的嫉妒顿时烟消云散；当我读到伟人的悼文，所有的非分之想顷刻消失殆尽；当我遇见在墓碑旁悲痛欲绝的父母亲，我的心中也满怀同情；当我看到那些父母亲自己的坟墓，我不禁感慨：既然我们很快都要追随逝者的脚步，悲伤又有何用。当我看到国王与那些将他们废黜的人躺在一起，当我想到那些争斗一生的智者，或是那些通过竞争和争执将世界分裂的圣人们被后人并排葬在一起，我对人类的那些微不足道的竞争、内讧和争论感到震惊和悲伤。当我看到一些坟墓上的日期，有的死于昨日，而有的死于六百年前，我不禁想到，有那么一天我们都会在同一个时代同时出现在世人眼前。 8.I have as much soul as you这段文字是无需多言的绝对经典。I tell you I must go! I retorted, roused to something like passion. Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton?-a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am souless and heartless? You think wrong!-I have as much soul as you,-and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor evern of mortal flesh;-it is my spirit that adresses your spirit; just as if both has passed through the grave, and we stood at Gods feet, equal,-as we are!Excerpt from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 注释retortrit:t: to present a counterargument to 反驳，反击automaton:tmtn: 机器人morselm:sl: a small piece of food（食物）一口，少量snatchsnt: 攫取dash: 泼溅obscurebskju: of undistinguished or humble station or reputation 身份卑微的conventionalityknvennliti: the rules of conventional social behavior 惯例，俗套，老一套mortalm:tl: 人类的grave: 墓穴，坟墓 作者简介Charlotte Bronte (1816-1854) was born on 21 April, 1816, third of the six children of Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell Bronte. The major event of her young life was the death of her mother in 1821, which created a lot of chaos. She had two elder sister, Maria and Elizabeth. 夏洛蒂.勃朗特的简.爱通过简.爱的自述，描绘了一个出身贫苦家庭、长相平凡、无依无靠的家庭女教师的曲折遭遇。简成为纯洁、热情、坦率、爱好真理、敢于追求幸福的女性的象征，因而形象鲜明。作品成功之处还在于作者对人性的描述中，我们隐约看到了自己或卑劣或美丽的人性，而觉得心有戚戚焉。参考译文：“我告诉你我非走不可！”我回驳着，感情很有些冲动。“你难道认为，我会留下来甘愿做一个对你来说无足轻重的人？你以为我是一架机器一架没有感情的机器？能够容忍别人把一口面包从我嘴里抢走，把一滴生命之水从我杯子里泼掉？难道就因为我一贫如洗、默默无闻、长相平庸、个子瘦小，就没有灵魂和心肠了？你想错了！我的心灵跟你一样丰富，我的心胸跟你一样充实！要是上帝赐予我一点姿色和财富，我会使你难以离开我，就像现在我很难离开你一样。我不是根据习俗、常规，甚至也不是血肉之躯同你说话，而是我的灵魂同你的灵魂在对话，就仿佛我们两人穿过坟墓，站在上帝脚下，彼此平等，本来就如此！” 9.Frankness文中的第一段，常常为人们所引用。本文是李将军写给儿子的话，其中包含深刻的为人处事的道理，令人受益匪浅。You must study to be frank with the world:frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do, on every occasion. If a friend asks a favor, you should grant it, if it is reasonable; if not, tell him plainly why you cannot. You would wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one. The man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice. Deal kindly but firmly with all your classmates. You will find it the policy which wears best. Above all, do not appear to others what you are not.If you have any fault to find with any one, tell him, not others, of what you complain. There is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to do one thing before a mans face and another behind his back. We should say and do nothing to the injury of any one. It is not only a matter of principle, but also the path of peace and hornor.By Robert E. Lee 注释frankness: candidness; outspokenness 坦白；率直occasionkein: timely opportunity 时机favorfeiv: kindness; friendly regard 恩惠；眷顾grant: allow; give 同意，允许；给reasonable: proper; rational 正当的；合理的plainly: frankly 坦白地wrong: do injustice to 得罪equivocationikwivkein: using expressions of uncertain meaning 含糊其辞，模棱两可的话deal with: treat 对待wear: endure 持久above all: more than all; above everything else 首先，最重要的是have any fault to find with: criticize unfavorably; blame 指责；责备experiment: practical test 试验undertakingndteiki: promising 允许injuryindri: damage 损害principleprinspl: moral principles 原则；道义 作者简介Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), American soldier, general in the Confederate States army, was the youngest son of major-general Henry Lee, called “Light Horse Harry”. He trained at West Point, and in the Mexican War became chief engineer of the central army in Mexico (1846). He commanded the US Military Academy (1852-1855), was a cavalry officer on the Texan border (1855-1859), and in 1861 was made commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces. He was in charge of the defense at Richmond, and defeated Federal forces in the Seven Days Battles (1862). His strategy in opposing General Pope, his invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and other achievements are central to the history of the war. In 1865, he surrendered his army to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. After the war, he became President of Washington College at Lexington. 罗伯特.李将军是美国历史上最为传奇的人物之一，他曾经是美国内战时期南方联军的统帅。有兴趣的读者可以找来他的传记读一读。参考译文：在世间必须学会以真诚示人：率真乃是诚实与勇敢之子。无论在何种场合，都应该道出自己的真实想法。如果朋友对你有所求，对于合情合理之请，应该欣然同意；不然，应该明明白白地告诉朋友拒绝的理由。任何模棱两可的话语将会让别人误解，也会使自己蒙受冤屈。千万不要为了结交朋友或者挽留友情而做错一事。对你有这种要求的人也会付出沉重的代价。与同学真心相对，绝不背叛。你将发现这是最有效用的准则。总之，要以真实面目示人。如果发现某人身有瑕疵，直接告诉他你的意见，而不是诉之他人。人前一套，背后又是一套，没有什么比这更加危机四伏。任何有损他人的言语或者事情我们都应该避免。这不仅是一种做人的原则，而且也是通向平和的人际关系、获得他人尊敬之道。 10. 英语名篇名段背诵精华12 Letter to a Young Friend 给年轻朋友的一封信婚姻就像个杯子，提供个容器，把男人和女人放在一起，依靠相互的渗透，让这本来很苦的生活散出点香味儿来。My dear friendI know of no Medicine fit to diminish the violent natural inclination you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. Marriage is the proper Remedy. It is the most natural State of Man, and therefore the state in which you will find solid Happiness. Your Reason against entering into it at present appears to be not well founded. The Circumstantial Advantages you have in view by Postponing it, are not only uncertain, but they are small in comparison with the Thing itself, the being married and settled. It is the Man and Woman united that makes the complete human Being, Separate she wants his force of Body and Strength of Reason; he her Softness, Sensibility and acute Discernment. Together they are most likely to succeed in the World. A single man has not nearly the value he would have in that State of Union. He is an incomplete Animal. He resembles the odd Half of a Pair of Scissors.If you get a prudent, health wife, your Industry in your Profession, with her good Economy, will be a Fortune sufficient.Your Affectionate FriendExcept from Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress by Benjamin Franklin 注释circumstantial advantages: 可能的利益he her softness: 男人缺乏女人的温柔 作者简介Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was famous for being a scientist, an inventor, a statesman, a printer, a philosopher, a musician, and an economist. He was the most famous American in his day. Today, Americans honor Franklin as one of the Founding Father and as one of Americas greatest citizens. 本杰明.富兰克林，资本主义精神最完美的代表，18世纪美国最伟大的科学家，著名的政治家和文学家。独立战争爆发后，他参加了第二届大陆会议和独立宣言的起草工作。参考译文亲爱的朋友：我知道没有药物能够消除你们所提到的那种疯狂的自然倾向；即使我知道,我想我也不该告诉你。婚姻是适当的药物。它是人类最本能的状态, 因此是一种最幸福的生活状态。你拒绝现在进入婚姻殿堂的理由显的不够充分。你认为推迟婚姻可能存在好处，不仅不一定实现，而且，那些利益跟婚姻本身以及婚后的安定相比起来就微不足道了。男人和女人只有联合起来才能组成完整的人。女人缺乏男人的力量和周密的推理，而男人缺乏女人的温柔、感性和敏锐的洞察力。因此当男人和女人联合起来，就能够无往不胜。单身和离婚生活的男男女女不可能具有婚姻生活中的价值，是一种不完善的动物。他简直好比半把剪刀-孤掌难鸣。如果你拥有一位健康而谨慎的妻子，你的辛勤工作，加上她的勤俭节约，必定会创造充足的财富。您真挚的朋友 11 The meaning of life生命的意义生命的意义是什么？这似乎已成为千古的话题，每个人在无意间或寂寞时往往会想起这个永恒的话题。这是许多人共有的心路历程。Life is never just being. It is becoming, a relentless flowing on. Our parents live on through us, and we will live on through our children. The institutions we build endure, and we will endure through them. The beauty we fashion cannot be dimmed by death. Our flesh may perish, our hands will wither, but that which they create in beauty and goodness and truth lives on for all time to come.Dont spend and waste your lives accumulating objects that will only turn to dust and ashes. Pursue not so much the material as the ideal, for ideals alone invest life with meaning and are of enduring worth. Add love to a house and you have a home. Add righteousness to a city and yo