高中英语美文学习.docx

万圣节知识扫盲发布者：学科专家来源：普特英语发布时间：2012-10-31 1. The Halloween celebration comes from All Hallows Day or All Saints Day, the 1st of November. This was originally a pagan festival of the dead, but later became a holiday to honor Christian saints. 万圣节的庆祝活动来源于每年11月1日的All Hallows Day 或All Saints Day。它原先是异教徒们纪念死者的节日，但是逐渐演变成一个纪念基督圣者的节日。 2. The name Halloween comes from a contraction of All Hallows Eve (Evening), the day before All Hallows Day. On this night it was believed that the spirits of the dead would try to come back to life! Halloween这个词来自于All Hallows Eve(夜晚)，All Hallows Eve是All Hallows Day前一天的缩写。人们认为在当天晚上，亡者的灵魂会重新复活！ 3. Dressing up in costumes is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. According to tradition, people would dress up in costumes (wear special clothing, masks or disguises) to frighten the spirits away. Dressing up in costumes是最受欢迎的万圣节风俗之一，尤其是受孩子们的欢迎。按照传统习俗，人们会dress up in costumes（穿戴一些特別的服裝，面具或者装饰）来吓跑鬼魂。 4. Popular Halloween costumes include vampires (creatures that drink blood), ghosts (spirits of the dead) and werewolves (people that turn into wolves when the moon is full). 流行的万圣节服装包括vampires（吸血鬼），ghosts（死者的灵魂）和werewolves（每当月圆时就变成狼形的人）。 5. Trick or Treating is a modern Halloween custom where children go from house to house dressed in costume, asking for treats like candy or toys. If they dont get any treats, they might play a trick (mischief or prank) on the owners of the house. Trick or Treating 是现代万圣节的风俗。孩子们穿着特殊的衣服走街串巷，讨取糖果和玩具之类的赏赐。如果他们得不到任何的赏赐，就可能会对屋主大搞恶作剧或者胡闹了。 6. The tradition of the Jack o Lantern comes from a folktale about a man named Jack who tricked the devil and had to wander the Earth with a lantern. The Jack o Lantern is made by placing a candle inside a hollowed-out pumpkin, which is carved to look like a face. Jack o Lantern 的传统来自于一个民间传说。一个名叫Jack的人戏弄了恶魔，之后就不得不提着一盏灯在地球上流浪。Jack o Lantern是用雕刻成脸型，中间挖空，再插上蜡烛的南瓜做成的。 7. There are many other superstitions associated with Halloween. A superstition is an irrational idea, like believing that the number 13 is unlucky! 和万圣节有关的迷信还有很多。迷信是一种不合常理的想法，比如认为13是不吉利的数字！ 8. Halloween is also associated with supernatural creatures like ghosts and vampires. These creatures are not part of the natural world. They dont really exist. or do they? 万圣节还和一些诸如鬼魂和吸血鬼之类的超自然的生物有关。这些生物不是自然界的一部分。他们实际上是不存在的.或许他们其实真的存在？ 9. Witches are popular Halloween characters that are thought to have magical powers. They usually wear pointed hats and fly around on broomsticks. 女巫是万圣节很受欢迎的人物，人们认为她们具有强大的魔力。他们通常戴着尖顶的帽子，骑在扫把上飞来飞去。 10. Bad omens are also part of Halloween celebrations. A bad omen is something that is believed to bring bad luck, like black cats, spiders or bats. 恶兆也是万圣节庆祝活动的一部分。人们相信恶兆会带给坏运气，黑猫、蜘蛛或者蝙蝠都算是恶兆。怎样表达“灰色心情”？发布者：学科专家来源：普特英语发布时间：2012-09-18 所有人都有心情不好的时候，这个时候天是灰的，工作是累的，没有一件事是顺心的，令人难过的是，人开心的时候时间过得飞快，人不开心的时候时间过得却慢得要死。来学学关于表述不爽心情的口语吧。Oh man!最简单的抱怨句式，其中oh的声调为汉语拼音中的四声，man是一声，好莱坞电影中有时会出现这样的场景，一个人接到电话要去机场接机，然后去了以后发现看错短信应该去另外一个机场，这种办事不力的心情用这句话来表达再合适不过。Leave me alone!心情不好的时候，最常见的体验就是不想别人来打扰自己，这句话配一个凶悍的表情是最合适不过的，如果别人还来打扰你，你就可以更凶悍的说“back off!”。Im not in the mood.这句话往往用在情绪低落的时候，比如一个男孩子刚失恋，朋友来约他玩电子游戏，他就可以轻声地说出这句话来拒绝，表示现在自己没这个心情，声音越轻说明情绪越低落。Its driving me nuts!同样的表达还有Its driving me insane，表示事情让自己抓狂，比如你负责培训某个新来的职员，但教了一整个下午他还是不懂应该把文件存到哪里，你有种揪自己头发的冲动，那么也许这个句子很适合你。I need my down time.工作一天很辛苦很疲乏，有的人会听爵士乐放松，有的人会泡一个澡，疲惫后人们都需要静静的待一会，这段安静的时光称为down time，不用那么累那么拼命。God Im losing my mind.如果连续听一个婴儿哭10个小时，那种烦躁不安到极致的心情可以用这个句子来形容，尤其是一些让人不爽的事物积累到临界的状态，人们会用这个句子表示自己濒临崩溃。I am not on my game today.说到工作，我们的状态时好时坏，快的时候效率极高，慢的时候各种出错，这种在工作中接连出现失误的不爽可以用这个句子来表达，即我今天真心不在状态啊。Today I dont feel like doing anything，I just wanna lay in my bed.Lazy song的歌词，这首歌打入美国billboard排行榜后在iTunes上得到疯狂的购买和下载，也许正是因为这首歌简单的配乐和那种慵懒的曲风给那些正在心情不爽，想赖在床上哪里都不去的人一个很好的慰藉。为了工作经常睡眠不足的朋友也许可以听听这首歌，让自己周末的时候伴着音符安静地休息，顺便把睡眠债给还了，否则无论是身体还是心情都会觉得很疲乏。所以，从今天开始，给自己留一些down time，放松放松吧。pull oneself together 振作起来chin up 别灰心，别气馁hang in there 坚持住Itll work out. 总会有办法的Thats the spirit! 那样才对，那才算好样的15条经典英语谚语发布者：学科专家来源：普特英语发布时间：2012-09-18 1 Pain past is pleasure. （过去的痛苦就是快乐。）无论多么艰难一定要咬牙冲过去，将来回忆起来一定甜蜜无比。2 Wisdom in the mind is better than money in the hand. （脑中有知识，胜过手中有金钱。）从小灌输给孩子的坚定信念。4 Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. （心之所愿，无所不成。）坚持一个简单的信念就一定会成功。6 All things are difficult before they are easy. （凡事必先难后易。）放弃投机取巧的幻想。7 Great hopes make great man. （伟大的理想造就伟大的人。）8 God helps those who help themselves.（天助自助者。）9 Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. （四个简短的词汇概括了成功的秘诀：多一点点！） 比别人多一点努力、多一点自律、多一点决心、多一点反省、多一点学习、多一点实践、多一点疯狂，多一点点就能创造奇迹！10 In doing we learn.（实践长才干。）11 East or west, home is best.（东好西好，还是家里最好。）12 A bad thing never dies. （遗臭万年。）13 Two heads are better than one.（三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮。）14 Good company on the road is the shortest cut. （行路有良伴就是捷径。）15 Constant dropping wears the stone.（滴水穿石。）美文欣赏】杂货店里的老师发布者：学科专家发布时间：2012-08-30 Me & Miss Bee我们总会遇到这样一类人他们像恼人的虫子一样，不时蛰你一下，给你原本波澜不惊的生活增添烦恼。但在那一刹那阵痛过后，你有否静下心来想过，那刺痛留给你的真的仅仅只是遇人不淑的痛苦回忆？By Jackie Clements-MarendaYou went to the butchers for meat, the pharmacy for aspirin, and the grocery store for food. But when I spent the summer with my Grandmother in Warwick, N.Y., she sent me down to the general store with a list. How could I hope to find anything on the packed, jumbled shelves around me?I walked up to the counter. Behind it was a lady like no one Id ever seen. Fake-jewel-encrusted glasses teetered on the tip of her nose, gray hair was piled on her head.Excuse me, I said. She looked up.Youre that Clements kid, she said. Im Miss Bee. Come closer and let me get a look at you. She pushed her glasses up her nose. I want to be able to describe you to the sheriff if something goes missing from the store.Im not a thief! I was shocked. I was seven year too young to be a thief!From what I can see youre not much of anything. But I can tell youve got potential. She went back to reading her newspaper.I need to get these. I said, holding up my list.So? Go get them. Miss Bee pointed to a sign on the screen door. Theres no one here except you and me and Im not your servant, so I suggest you get yourself a basket from that pile over there and start filling. If youre lucky youll be home by sundown.Sundown was five hours away. I wasnt sure I would make it.I scanned the nearest shelf for the first item on my list: pork and beans. It took me three wall-to-wall searches before I found a can nestled between boxes of cereal and bread. Next up was toilet paper, found under the daily newspaper. Band-Aidswhere had I seen them? Oh, ye next to the face cream. The store was a puzzle, but it held some surprises too. I found a new Superman comic tucked behind the peanut butter.到肉铺买肉、到药房买药、去食品杂货店买食品，这都很平常。可那年夏天我呆在纽约州沃里克镇奶奶家时，情况则不一样。她写了一张购物清单叫我到一家乡村杂货店买东西。杂货店里的货架横七竖八地塞满各式商品，想找到要买的商品可让我伤脑筋。我走近柜台，柜台后面有一位我从未见过如此长相的女人。一副镶有假宝石边框的眼镜摇摇欲坠地架在她的鼻尖上，满头灰发。“打扰一下。”我说。女人抬起了头。“你就是克莱门特家的小孩吧，”她说,“我是蜜蜂小姐。过来让我好好看看。”蜜蜂小姐把眼镜向鼻子上扶了扶说道,“如果商店失窃，我好向治安官描述你的外貌特征。”“我又不是小偷！”我有些吃惊。我才7岁啊！怎么可能当小偷呢！“在我看来，你只是个黄毛丫头，可我觉得你有这方面的潜质。”蜜蜂小姐说着就回过头看报纸去了。“我要买这些东西，”我说着，举起手里的购物单给她看。“那又怎样？去取啊。” 蜜蜂小姐用手指了一下纱门上的一块牌子。“这里就我们俩，我不是你的佣人，所以我建议你最好到那一摞篮子那儿拿一个，找到要买的东西就往里面放。如果幸运的话,你在天黑之前可以赶到家。”离天黑还有五个小时，我不知道来不来得及。我从离我最近的货架开始逐层寻找购物单上第一件商品：猪肉和菜豆。我来来回回找了三次，才在一堆面包和麦片里发现一听猪肉。第二件是一卷手纸，在一份新闻报纸下找到的；创可贴我在哪儿看到的？哦，对了，在面霜旁。这家商店就像一座迷宫，然而里面却充满惊喜。我在花生酱后面还发现一本新的超人漫画！I visited Miss Bee a couple of times a week that summer. Sometimes she short-changed me. Other times she overcharged. Or sold me an old newspaper instead of one that was current. Going to the store was more like going into battle. I left my Grandmas house armed with my listmemorized to the letterand marched into Miss Bees like General Patton marching into North Africa.That can of beans is only twenty-nine cents! I corrected her one afternoon. I had watched the numbers change on the cash register closely, and Miss Bee had added 35 cents. She didnt seem embarrassed that I had caught her overcharging. She just looked at me over her glasses and fixed the price.Not that she ever let me declare victory. All summer long she found ways to trip me up. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce bicarbonate of soda and memorized its location on the shelf, than Miss Bee rearranged the shelves and made me hunt for it all over again. By summers end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return to Brooklyn, I stopped in to get a packet of gum.All right, Miss Potential, she said. What did you learn this summer? That youre a meany! I pressed my lips together. To my amazement, Miss Bee laughed. I know what you think of me, she said. Well, heres a news flash: I dont care! Each of us is put on this earth for a reason. I believe my job is to teach every child I meet ten life lessons to help them. Think what you will, Miss Potential, but when you get older youll be glad our paths crossed! Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd.Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles.Its too hard, she said. Could you finish my math problems for me?If I do it for you how will you ever learn to do it yourself? I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to tally up my bill along with the cashier. Had I ever been overcharged since?As my daughter went back to her homework, I wondered: Had Miss Bee really taught me something all those years ago? I took out some scrap paper and started writing.那年夏天，我每个星期都要到蜜蜂小姐的店铺几趟。有时，蜜蜂小姐少找我钱；有时，她多收我钱。更甚的是，她还把前一天的报纸当作即日的报纸卖给我。我到她店里买东西，感觉就像上战场一样。手里攥着购物单，脑中牢记商品名，我离开奶奶家向蜜蜂小姐的杂货店挺进，这阵势就像当年巴顿将军征战北非一样。“那听菜豆只要29美分。”一天下午，我纠正蜜蜂小姐道。我紧盯着收款机上的数字变化，蜜蜂小姐入账时记的是35美分。被我察觉多收了钱后，蜜蜂小姐毫无难堪之色，她越过镜框瞥了我一眼，然后把价格改了过来。她从不让我宣告胜利。整个夏天，她想尽办法来捉弄我。我刚记住小苏打的发音以及它在货架上的位置，她就调整了商品的排列，害得我又一顿好找。暑假快结束了，以前耗时要一小时的购物之行，现在十五分钟就完事了。在我要返回布鲁克林的那天早上，我到蜜蜂小姐杂货店买一包口香糖。“好了，潜能小姐，”她说，“这个夏天你都学到了什么？”你是个十分刻薄的人！我双唇紧闭。令人惊奇的是，蜜蜂小姐大笑起来。“我知道你是怎么看我的，”她说，“但你不会想到：我并不在意！人生于世，各得其所。我相信我的任务是教会我遇到的每一位小朋友人生的十个教益。随便你怎么想，潜能小姐。当你长大后，就会发现我俩的相遇其实是一件值得庆幸的事。”庆幸遇见蜜蜂小姐？哈！这想法有够荒唐的直到有一天，女儿拿着作业来到我的身边。“这些数学题太难了。你能替我做吗？”她说。“如果妈妈替你做了，那你自己如何能学会呢？”我说。这时候，我突然想起那时在蜜蜂小姐杂货店的情景：我吃力地核对着收款机里的数目。自那时起，我有被多收过钱吗？当我的女儿回过头继续做作业时，我在想：蜜蜂小姐真的在多年前就向我传授了若干人生之道吗？我随手拿起了纸，开始动笔记录。Sure enough, I had learned ten life lessons:1. Listen well.2. Never assumethings arent always the same as they were yesterday.3. Life is full of surprises.4. Speak up and ask questions.5. Dont expect to be bailed out of a predicament.6. Everyone isnt as honest as I try to be.7. Dont be so quick to judge other people.8. Try my best, even when the task seems beyond me.9. Double-check everything.10. The best teachers arent only in school.确实，我学到了整整十条人生教益：1. 学会仔细倾听。2. 不要想当然事物每天都在变化。3. 生活充满惊喜。4. 大声说出你的问题。5. 不要以为身临困境总会有援手。6. 并不是每一个人都像你一样诚实。7. 不要急于评判他人。8. 凡事要竭尽全力，即使任务似乎超出自己的能力范围。9. 仔细复核每个环节。10. 最好的老师并不只在学校。英语美文摘抄:放慢你的脚步发布者：学科专家来源：恒星英语发布时间：2012-07-06 A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street， going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.一位年轻的总裁，以有点快的车速，开着他的新Jaguar经过住宅区的巷道。他必须小心游戏中的孩子突然跑到路中央，所以当他觉得小孩子快跑出来时，就要减慢车速。As his car passed， one child appeared， and a brick smashed into the Jags side door. He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.就在他的车经过一群小朋友的时候，一个小朋友丢了一块砖头打到了他的车门，他很生气的踩了煞车并后退到砖头丢出来的地方。He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car， shouting， What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?Building up a head of steam， he went onThats a new car and that brick you threw is gonna cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?他跳出车外，抓了那个小孩，把他顶在车门上说：“你为什么这样做，你知道你刚刚做了什么吗？” 接着又吼道：“你知不知道你要赔多少钱来修理这台新车，你到底为什么要这样做？”“Please， mister， please， Im sorry. I didnt know what else to do!”pleaded the youngster. Its my brother， he said. He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I cant lift him up.小孩子求着说：“先生，对不起，我不知道我还能怎么办？”他接着说：“因为我哥哥从轮椅上掉下来，我没办法把他抬回去。”Sobbing， the boy asked the executive， Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? Hes hurt and hes too heavy for me.那男孩啜泣着说：“你可以帮我把他抬回去吗？他受伤了，而且他太重了我抱不动。”Moved beyond words， the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts， checking to see that everything was going to be okay.这些话让这位年轻的总裁深受感动，他抱起男孩受伤的哥哥，帮他坐回轮椅上。并拿出手帕擦拭他哥哥的伤口，以确定他哥哥没有什么大问题。Thank you， sir. And God bless you， the grateful child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother to the sidewalk toward their home.那个小男孩感激地说：“谢谢你，先生，上帝保佑你。” 然后他看着男孩推着他哥哥回去。It was a long walk backs to his Jaguar. a long， slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.年轻总裁返回Jaguar的路变的很漫长，他也没有修他汽车的侧门。他保留着车上的凹痕就是提醒自己。生活的道路不要走的太匆忙，否则需要其他人敲打自己来注意生活的真谛。Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes,when you dont have the time to listen,its your choice: Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait for the brick!当生命想与你的心灵窃窃私语时，若你没有时间，你有两种选择：倾听你心灵的声音或让砖头来砸你！Do you sometimes ignore loved ones because your life is too fast and busy leaving them to wonder whether you really love them?请问你是否曾因为生活太快、太忙碌而忽略了你所爱的人，然后让他们开始开始怀疑起你是不是真的爱他们呢？美文阅读:自由思想与心灵的作用发布者：学科专家来源：恒星英语发布时间：2012-07-06 At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played.This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else. This is organized major league baseball, and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me.1947年的世界职业棒球大赛开赛那天，当美国国歌奏响的那一刻，我产生了一种全新的情感。这一次，国歌是为我而奏，就像为其他人奏一样。我终于能和其他人一样，站在职业棒球大联盟球赛的赛场上，成为这一切的一部分。About a year later, I went to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in an exhibition game. On the field, for the first time in Atlanta, there were Negroes and whites. Other Negroes, besides me. And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be.大约一年以后，我参加了在乔治亚州首府亚特兰大举办的一次棒球表演赛。这是亚特兰大的赛场上第一次同时出现白人和黑人运动员。除我之外，还有其他黑人选手。那一刻，我一直坚守的信念终于实现了。And what is it that I have always believed? First, that imperfections are human. But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think, those imperfections would disappear, no matter how slowly. I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection. That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events. Handicaps, stumbling blocks, prejudices all of these are imperfect. Yet, they have to be reckoned with because they are in the scheme of human events.我一直坚守的信念是什么呢？首先，我知道人类不可避免会有缺陷。但只要人类有一息尚存，只要人类还能思考，这些缺陷一定会逐渐消失，无论过程会多么漫长。我 并不认为我们已经到达或正在接近完美无缺的境界。完美无缺的境界并非人类社会不可或缺的一部分。有些缺陷，例如残疾、障碍和偏见，在人类社会中都存在，也 就需要我们勇敢地去面对。Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder. But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all, except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance. It had a chance because it took place in a free society. Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object. Not once was the situation so cast-iron rigid that I had no chance at all. Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me; and so there was the probability of improvement. I look at my children now, and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices.我一路上遇到的阻碍都促使我更加努力地去抗争、去奋斗。然而，如果不是我内心深处坚信我的奋斗有希望，我就根本无法坚持。我的奋斗有希望，因为这是一个自 由的社会。在这里，我不止一次遇到过无法逾越的障碍，也不止一次经历过令人绝望的境况。但那时，思想与心灵的自由便能起作用，让我摆脱困境。如今我看着自 己的孩子们，我知道我仍需要他们准备面对困难与歧视。But I can tell them, too, that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them. And to myself I can say that, because progress is unalterable, many of todays dogmas will have vanished by the time they grow into adults. I can say to my children: There is a chance for you. No guarantee, but a chance.And this chance has come to be, because there is nothing static with free people. There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward. I do not believe that every person, in every walk of life, can succeed in spite of any handicap. That would be perfection. But I do believe and with every fiber in me that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us (no matter how slowly) the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today; and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow.然而，我可以告诉他们，正因为前人的努力奋斗，他们今后不必再经受我们现在承受的某些偏见。我也告诉自己，社会进步是必然的，当我的孩子们长大成人时，现 在社会上的许多教条一定会消失。因此，我可以告诉我的孩子们：你们有希望我不敢保证什么，但肯定有希望。有自由思想的人决不会停滞不前，所以你们有希 望。再也没有中世纪强大荒谬的逻辑能阻挡人类历史的潮流滚滚向前。我并不认为从事任何职业的任何人都能排除一切障碍获得成功这样的完美不现实。但我的 确有一条坚定不疑的信念我现在所做到的一切是因为我们能够抛开从前的教条（无论多么缓慢），能探寻当下的真理，也许还能发现未来的美好。I believe in the human race. I believe in the warm heart. I believe in mans integrity. I believe in the goodness of a free society. And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist.My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball. This was the area where I found imperfection, and where I was best able to fight. And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight. It couldnt be a losing fight-not when it took place in a free society. And in the largest sense, I believe that what I did was done for me that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight. And that what was done for me must and will be done for others.我相信人类。我相信热诚的心。我相信人们的正直与诚实。我相信自由社会中的美德。我相信只要我们愿意为