I am special

I m special In the entire world there s nobody like me Since the beginning of time there has never been another person like me Nobody has my smile Nobody has my eyes my nose my hair my hands or my voice I m special No one can be found who has my handwriting Nobody anywhere has my tastes for food or music or art No one sees things just as I do In all of time there s been no one who laughs like me no one who cries like me And what makes me laugh and cry will never provoke identical laughters and tears from anybody else ever No one reacts to any situation just as I would react I m special I m the only one in all of creation who has my set of abilities Oh there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things I m good at but no one in the universe can reach the quality of my combination of talents ideas abilities and feelings Like a room full of musical instruments some may excel alone but none can match the symphonysound when all are played together I m a symphony Through all of eternity no one will ever look talk walk think or do like me I m special I m rare And in all rarity there is great value Because of my great rare value I need not attempt to imitate others I will accept yes indeed celebrate my differences I m special And I m beginning to realize it s no accident that I m special I m beginning to see that I have been made for a very special purpose There is a job for me that no one else can do as well as I Out of all the billions of job applicants only one is qualified only one has the right combination of what it takes That one is me Because I m special 大千世界 芸芸众生 没人与我相同 自创世伊始 从未有过像我一样的人 没人拥 有和我一样的笑容 没人拥有和我一样的眼睛 鼻子 头发 双手或声音 我就是我 我的笔迹独一无二 我的品味与众不同 不管是对于食物 音乐还是艺术 对于世 间万物 我拥有独特的视角 无论何时 都没有人欢笑如我 哭泣如我 让我开心和流泪 的事物不会引起他人相同的反应 绝对不会 面对各种处境 我也有自己独特的应对方式 我就是我 在天地万物中 我的能力组合独具一格 哦 我所擅长之处 必有人技高一筹 但是 世界上没有人能像我一样 将天赋 思想 能力和感觉如此独特地结合在一起 好比一间 放满乐器的房间 某件乐器可能会一鸣惊人 但所有乐器共同奏出的交响乐将无与伦比 我就是一曲交响乐 亘古恒远 没有人会像我一样地观察 交谈 行走 思考或行事 我就是我 独一无二 而且 独特中蕴含着巨大的价值 因为这独特而又巨大的价值 我不需要去模仿他人 我会欣然接受 更确切地说是赞美 我的与众不同 我就是我 我渐渐理解 我之所以独特并非机缘巧合 我开始明白 造物主为我创设了一个特定 的目标 有一份工作是为我量身定制的 他人无法胜任 在数以亿计的求职者中 只有一 个人是合格的 只有一个人具备恰如其分的条件 那个人就是我 因为 我就是我 15 个英语文化陷阱个英语文化陷阱 这些知识你需要知道这些知识你需要知道 1 You have matches 一次 我拿着两杯鸡尾酒 途中遇到一位女士 她笑着说 You have matches 我回 答说 很抱歉 我 15 年前就戒烟了 所以没有火柴 她立刻会意到我误解了她的意 思 说道 It s a joke 事后我向一个美国朋友请教 他解释说 因为她看你两手都 占着 就故意开玩笑跟你要火柴 这是个非常普通的笑话 非但没有恶意 反而是想问你 需不需要帮忙 2 Turn the table 几天前接到亲戚电话 说他和妻子求助于婚姻问题专家 拯救了婚姻 我高兴地把这一消 息告诉了一位美国朋友 这位连连说着 感谢上帝 还补充了一句 He turned the table 我打抱不平说 不会 他不不会以高压让对方屈从 朋友突以另一种方法向我解释 终于让我明白 她是说我亲戚 扭转了局面 那 table 和我想到的 桌子 根本无 关 再说远一点 turn the tables on someone 这个短语也和 桌子 没什么关系 它的意思 是 to suddenly take a position of strength or advantage that was formerly held by someone else 反败为胜 转弱为强 例如 She played badly in the first set but then she turned the tables on her opponent and won the match 3 Wearing two hats 先生在向我介绍他的同事 Larry 时 说他可是个大忙人 He is wearing two hats 我 说 你开什么玩笑 他根本就没戴帽子 原来 先生是指 Larry 在医院某一部门担任要职 除此之外 还有自己的生意 就是说 Larry 身兼两职 而不是真的戴了两顶帽子 4 With a grain of salt 一天吃饭的时候 好友 Allen 和他的中国籍太太坐在餐桌旁大谈最近流行的一种草药 说 它能包治百病 Allen 说了一句 I d like to take it with a grain of salt 他太太笑 道 你以为它是蔬菜啊 还要加点盐再吃 Allen 愣了一下 然后大笑不已 解释道 Take something with a grain of salt 是 对某事有保留 持怀疑态度 的意思 原来刚才 Allen 是说他对这种草药的神奇疗效表示怀疑 而不是说要 放些盐再吃 5 You are in for a treat 这天 Rhonda 建议去 BBQ 餐厅吃饭 我从来没有去过那里 于是就问她那里有什么特 色 Rhonda 便开始滔滔不绝的介绍他们的招牌菜 听得我十指大动 直咽口水 Rhonda 便笑着说 You are in for a treat 我愣了一下 以为 Rhonda 要请我去那 里吃饭 心里十分不好意思 试探着问过她之后 Rhonda 笑着解释说 You are in for a treat means you ll like it 6 Knife and fork 中国人吃饭用筷子 洋人进餐用刀叉 其实洋人从前没有 knife and fork 用的是木片削 成的叉 这种木叉从意大利经伊斯坦堡传到英国 是两刺的肉叉 two pronged fork 在此之前 人们吃肉用手 因此对于改用肉叉有人说是 对赐人五指之神的侮辱 筷子又叫作 箸 据说由于箸与住同音 住有停止之意 航船忌停 江苏一带行船的人 们改称箸为 筷儿 筷音同快 不住而快 一帆风顺矣 7 Skeleton in the closet 一天朋友谈及一则八卦新闻 说那些家族中人以搬弄 skeleton in the closet 为乐事 难道这些名人家的壁橱中真的有骷髅 他说的 skeleton in the closet 英国人则习惯 说成 skeleton in the cupboard 现在的意义并没有那么可怕 不过据说当年这个习语产生 的时候的确指那些有钱人家谋杀了一个人 把骸骨暗藏在壁橱中 不让外人知道 从此 skeleton in the closet 就成了那家人的秘密 后来这个短语用来指不可或不愿外扬的家 丑 简称作 family skeleton 例如 Many old families have a number of skeletons in their closets which they are loath to discuss 许多古老的家族中有很多秘密 他们不 愿谈及这些话题 8 Skin off one s nose teeth 有一天 Joe 拿了一份报纸 上面就有剧院要找义工的消息 我打算下班后过去看看 可是 不巧碰上那天身体不舒服 第二天碰到 Joe 问我有没有去 我把实情跟他解释 他听完 后说 No skin off my nose 我不懂 回家查了俚语词典 才知道 skin off one s nose 是与某人有关的意思 Joe 是在说我去不去其实 不关他的事 他只是顺便问一下罢 了 9 Small beer 难道啤酒还分大小 其实 在英国 small beer 指的是口味比较淡啤酒 但是在美语中则是 少量啤酒 的意思 比如说夏天有客人来访 问他 Anything to drink 客人就可能回 答说 I ll have a small beer 给我一点儿啤酒 比喻用法中说的 small beer 指规 模或者格局不大的事物 自以为了不起 不是小人物的人 He thinks no small beer of himself Be small beer 口语中常用 small beer 作形容词 因此开快餐店的朋友可以说 Ours is a small beer fast food joint beside McDonald 10 Spaghetti 朋友 S 说 意大利面食 pasta 除实心粉 spaghetti 外 还有通心粉 macaroni 宽面条 lasagna 有肉馅做小方块形的意大利馄饨 云吞 ravioli 细长面条 tagliatelle 以及细线状 的细面 vermicelli 我们将 粉丝 译作 vermicelli 原是意大利细面之名 Spaghetti 一 词源于意大利语 spago 意思是一条线 一条意粉是 spaghetto 通常用复数的 spaghetti 意粉一碟 面条杂乱 因此车辆往来多 交通混乱的街口称为 spaghetti junction 11 Speaking of the devil 几个同学聚到一起聊天 大家都到齐了 唯独不见 Wayne 其中一个说 今天好像没见到 Wayne 另一个接着说 他的女儿放暑假 大概帮忙搬东西去了 正说着 只见 Wayne 从外面走过来 Joe 于是说 speaking of the devil 原来 speaking of the devil 相当于中文的 说曹操 曹操到 12 Stolen from dealer 朋友突然指着前方一部小轿车 说 哇 这人好嚣张 贼车还敢挂上招牌 我顺着他 的目光看过去 不禁哑然失笑 我说 人家车牌上写着 stolen from Dealer 是 指他这部从 Dealer 那儿买来的车 价格低廉 便宜得像偷来得一样 13 Sweet tooth 当牙医为我检查的时候 他问我 Do you have a sweet tooth 我很无辜地回答 I had a doughnut this morning before coming here I brushed my teeth There is no sweet tooth 回家查了字典后 我才恍然大悟 原来 sweet tooth 的意思是 爱吃 甜食 14 The Hong Kong dog 一次铃响后 秘书突然跑到教室来宣布 Dr Walker has a touch of the Hong Kong dog and will be here a little bit late 我一脸正经地向坐在隔壁的美国朋友抱怨说 Dr Walker 怎么可以抚弄他的爱犬以至于来不及上课呢 老美听完后居然大笑着说 真是太好笑了 The Hong Kong dog 并非指一种狗 而是指某人吃坏了肚子 拉肚子 的意思 15 Throw the book at Somebody 有一个美国人在高速公路上超速开车 他辩解之所以开快车 是因为想让风尽快把刚刚洗 过的车吹干 结果是 They threw the book at him 我不禁诧异 想像着他被 书砸 的样子 原来并非如此 Throw the book at somebody 是指给某人最大极限的惩罚 charge someone to the full range of law 竹的启示竹的启示 One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank There I would enjoy the peace and quiet watch the water rush downstream and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down When I think about the bamboo tree s ability to bounce back or return to it s original position the word resilience comes to mind When used in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover from shock depression or any other situation that stretches the limits of a person s emotions Have you ever felt like you are about to snap Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point Thankfully you have survived the experience to live to talk about it During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health You felt emotionally drained mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms Life is a mixture of good times and bad times happy moments and unhappy moments The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point bend but don t break Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation things may not be as bad as they seem to be The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point show resilience Like the bamboo tree bend but don t break 对我而言 童年时代最珍爱的回忆就是去河边散步 在堤岸上慵懒地闲坐 在那里 我可以尽情地享受这份恬静和闲适 看着向下游奔涌的河水 倾听鸟鸣和树叶的 沙沙 声 我也会经常注视那片竹林 由于风的压力 竹子会弯下身子 然而当风力逐渐减小乃 至完全停止时 它们便会优雅地恢复到原来那种竖直状态 当我回想起竹子所具有的这种恢复原状的本领时 韧性 这个词便在我的脑海中浮现 出来 这个词用来形容人的时候 则表示一个人具有从惊吓 沮丧以及其它任何超越人类 情感极限的状态中从容地恢复过来的能力 你是否曾觉得自己就要垮掉 你是否曾感到自己正处在崩溃的边缘 令人欣慰的是 当 你谈论这些事情的时候 你已经通过了这些考验并使生活能得以继续了 当你经历这些考验的时候 你也许察觉到了对你的健康产生危害的复杂情绪 当你感到 萎靡不振 心力憔悴时 各种讨厌的病症也很可能会接踵而来 人生是复杂的 其中既有美好 也有痛苦 既有快乐 也有悲伤 当你下一次经历痛苦 或悲伤的时候 当你感到自己接近崩溃边缘的时候 要顺应而不是使自己崩溃 尽你的全 力不要让现状战胜你 心怀希望将会帮助你度过难关 当你对一个更好的明天或者更好的状况到来充满希望时 所有事情都不会像看上去的那么糟糕 如果结局值得拥有 你将会更容易战胜那些不愉快 的考验 假如生活艰难 以至于你正处在崩溃的边缘 那么就要拿出你的韧性来 像那片竹林一 样弯曲顺应而不是折断崩溃 成长不息成长不息 Sir Edmund Hillary is famous for being the first person to climb Mt Everest What many people do not know is that Sir Hillary did not make it to the top of Everest the first time he tried The first attempt was a complete failure His climbing party encountered one problem after another and more than half his climbing party died Nonetheless the British Parliament decided to honor him with some type of award When he entered the chamber to receive his award Sir Hillary saw that a large picture of Everest had been setup During the standing ovation that he was receiving he walked over to the picture shook his fist at it and said You won this time But you are as big as you are ever going to get And I m still growing We frequently hear the stories of people who have succeeded And we frequently assume that they succeeded the first time But in fact it s the exact opposite The road to success is paved with the bricks of failure 埃德蒙 希拉里爵士是登上珠穆朗玛峰的第一人 他因此而闻名天下 然而 很多人并不知道 希拉里爵士第一次试着攀登珠穆朗玛峰时并未成功登顶 第 一次登山以彻底的失败而告终 他们接二连三遇到问题 登山队中超过半数的人都丧生了 尽管如此 英国议会还是决定授予他某种奖励 希拉里爵士走进议会大厅领奖时 看 到里面竖着一幅很大的珠穆朗玛峰的画 大家起立热烈欢迎希拉里爵士 这时他走到画跟前 冲画挥动了一下拳头 说道 你这次赢了 但是你就这么高 再也不会长 而我还在长 我们常常听到成功人士的故事 我们常常以为他们第一次就成功了 但事实恰恰相反 成功之路是由失败之砖垫就的 What should be remembered 我要谨记的事情我要谨记的事情 Everybody doesn t have to love me 无须人人都爱我无须人人都爱我 Not everyone has to love me or even like me I don t necessarily like everybody I know so why should everybody else like me I enjoy being liked and being loved but if somebody doesn t like me I will still be okay and still feel like I am an okay person I cannot make somebody like me anymore than someone can get me to like them I don t need approval all the time If someone does not approve of1 me I will still be okay It is okay to make mistakes 犯错误没什么大不了的犯错误没什么大不了的 Making mistakes is something we all do and I am still a fine and worthwhile person when I make them There is no reason for me to get upset when I make a mistake I am trying and if I make a mistake I am going to continue trying I can handle making a mistake It is okay for others to make a mistake too I will accept my mistakes and also the mistakes that others make Other people are okay and I am okay 互相尊重互相尊重 People who do things that I don t like are not necessarily bad people They should not necessarily be punished just because I don t like what they do or did There is no reason why other people should bethe way I want them to be and there is no reason why I should be the way somebody else wants me to be People will be whatever they want to be and I will be whatever I want to be I cannot control other people or change them They are who they are we all deserve basic respect I don t have to control things 我无须控制一切我无须控制一切 I will survive if things are different than what I want them to be I can accept things the way they are accept people the way they are and accept myself the way I am There is no reason to get upset if I can t change things to fit my idea of how they ought to be There is no reason why I should have to like everything Even if I don t like it I can live with it I am responsible for my day 我对自己的一生负责我对自己的一生负责 I am responsible for how I feel and what I do Nobody can make me feel anything If I have a rotten2 day I am the one who allowed it to be that way If I have a great day I am the one who deserves credit for being positive It is not the responsibility of other people to change so that I can feel better I am the one who is in charge of my life I can handle it when