英语美文背诵

1 Youth 20 世纪初塞缪尔世纪初塞缪尔 厄尔曼写的这篇不足厄尔曼写的这篇不足 500 字的短文字的短文 青春青春 一一 直为世人倾倒 过了这么多年它的魅力依旧 因为它给予了一种启直为世人倾倒 过了这么多年它的魅力依旧 因为它给予了一种启 示 教我们如何美好地生活 示 教我们如何美好地生活 Youth is not a time of life it is a state of mind it is not a matter of rosy cheeks red lips and supple knees it is a matter of the will a quality of the imagination a vigor of the emotions it is the freshness of the deep springs of life Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy of twenty Nobody grows old merely by a number of years We grow old by deserting our ideals Years may wrinkle the skin but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul Worry fear self distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust Whether sixty or sixteen there is in every being s heart the lure of wonder the unfailing child like appetite of what s next and the joy of the game of living In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station so long as it receives messages of beauty hope cheer courage and power from men and from the infinite so long are you young When the aerials are down and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism then you are grown old even at twenty but as long as your aerials are up to catch the waves of optimism there is hope you may die young at eighty Samuel Ullman 注释 rosy cheeks 玫瑰花般的脸颊 supple readily bent pliant 柔软的 vigor physical or mental strength energy or force 精力 活 力 temperamental excessively sensitive or irritable moody 心情 变化快的 喜怒无常的 predominance the state or quality of being predominant preponderance 优势 timidity shy 胆怯的 害羞的 appetite 食欲 胃口 欲望 爱好 desert 放弃 遗弃 wrinkle to draw up into wrinkles pucker 起皱 enthusiasm great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause 狂热 热心 积极性 wireless 无线的 infinite having no limits 无限的 无穷的 aerial 天线 cynicism a scornful bitterly mocking comment or act 玩世不恭 冷嘲热讽 pessimism a tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable possible view 悲观 悲观主义 optimism a tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation 乐观 乐观主义 塞缪尔 厄尔曼 1840 年生于德国 童年时移居美国 他在古稀之 年才开始写作 是一个了不起的人 本文由于手抄流传等多种原因 存在多个版本 这里采用作者原文 2 Does It Make a Difference 这个故事可以让我们反复思考并放飞心灵 这个故事可以让我们反复思考并放飞心灵 An old man was walking along the beach one evening at low tide He noticed that thousands of starfish had been stranded on the sand by the receding waters In the course of his walk he came upon a young man who was picking up some of the starfish and throwing them back into the sea What are you doing the old man asked Oh just saving some starfish the young man replied Well you re a fool the old man told him Really replied the young man What makes you say so Well just look at all the starfish on this beach There are thousands of them The old man looked around and then at the young man You don t have the time nor the energy to save all of them Your saving a few starfish is nice but in the larger scheme of things it s ridiculous What difference could you possibly make The young man looked at the old man for a moment Then wordlessly he bent down picked up a starfish and threw it far out into the water Well he said putting his hands on his hips in satisfaction I made a big difference to that one And he tossed another into the ocean and this one tossed and this one 注释 starfish 海星 strand 搁浅 使搁浅 recede to move back or away from a limit point or mark 后退 toss the act of tossing or the condition of being tossed 投 掷 3 Jane Eyre excerpt 仿佛我们两人穿过坟墓 站在上帝脚下 彼此平等仿佛我们两人穿过坟墓 站在上帝脚下 彼此平等 本来就如本来就如 此此 这是小说这是小说 简简 爱爱 里面简和罗切斯特最经典的对白 里面简和罗切斯特最经典的对白 No You must stay I swear it and the oath shall be kept 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 feeling 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 soulless 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 even of mortal flesh it is my spirit that addresses your spirit just as if both had passed through the grave and we stood at God s feet equal as we are Charlotte Bronte 注释 swear to make a solemn promise vow 发誓 oath the words or formula of such a declaration or promise 誓 言 retort to present a counterargument 反驳 反击 automaton a self operating machine or mechanism especially a robot 机器人 morsel a small amount a piece 食物 一口 少量 snatch to grasp or seize hastily eagerly or suddenly 攫取 dash to splash bespatter 泼溅 obscure of undistinguished or humble station or reputation 身 份卑微的 conventionality the state quality or character of being conventional 惯例 俗套 老一套 mortal of or relating to humankind human 人类的 grave an excavation for the interment of a corpse 墓穴 坟墓 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 无依无靠的女家庭教师的曲折遭遇 简 成为纯 洁 热情 坦率 热爱真理 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从作者对人性的描述中 我们隐约看 到了自己 卑劣或美丽的人性 而觉得心有戚戚焉 4 A Courageous Leader 下面是一段人物描写 这段文字围绕下面是一段人物描写 这段文字围绕 courageous leader 这个中这个中 心展开 文中的转折连词 心展开 文中的转折连词 but despite though 起到了很好的 起到了很好的 衔接作用 衔接作用 Koffi Annan has a tough job As Secretary General of the United Nations he has made it his goal to fight against poverty disease and war in the world He has called upon the nations of the world to step in and try to solve these problems together In Annan s view seeing a crime and failing to prevent it is as bad as committing the crime He believes that the idea that states can do as they please within their borders is nonsense Many people support Annan s goals but wonder if they are realistic The United Nations has little power to act on its own It has to receive permission from its member nations but powerful countries like the United States often disagree with and sometimes actively oppose Annan s ideas Despite the difficulties Annan has succeeded in restoring a sense of respect to the United Nations Though he speaks with a soft voice and is known at the United Nations for being polite and elegant he is also often praised for his toughness and courage Annan s goals may be difficult to achieve but that hasn t kept him from trying Courage he believes will win out over cowardice in the end 注释 courageous having or characterized by courage valiant 勇敢的 poverty the state of being poor lack of the means of providing material needs or comforts 贫 穷 贫困 step in 走进 干涉 commit to do perform or perpetrate 犯 罪 border the line or frontier area separating political divisions or geographic regions a boundary 边界 国界 realistic of or relating to the representation of objects actions or social conditions as they actually are 现实 主义 的 permission consent especially formal consent authorization 许可 restore to bring back to an original condition 恢复 使回复 elegant characterized by or exhibiting refined tasteful beauty of manner form or style 文雅的 端庄的 雅致的 toughness able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking strong and resilient 坚韧 韧性 cowardice ignoble fear in the face of danger or pain 怯懦 胆 小 科菲 安南 1938 年 4 月 8 日生于加纳 先后在加纳和美国高等 学府就读 获经济学学士和管理学硕士学位 1962 年进入联合国 工作 先后在联合国非洲经济委员会 联合国总部 联合国日内瓦 办事处 联合国难民署和世界卫生组织等部门工 作 1996 年 12 月 17 日 第 51 届联大任命安南为联合国第七任秘书长 2001 年 6 月 26 日 第 56 届联大批准安南连任 任期至 2006 年 12 月 31 日 5 Learn Constantly 在这个知识爆炸的年代 我们应接受并保持在这个知识爆炸的年代 我们应接受并保持 终身学习终身学习 的观念和习的观念和习 惯 通过不断的学惯 通过不断的学 习 我们才可以更深入地了解自己 人生 大自然 也才可以获得习 我们才可以更深入地了解自己 人生 大自然 也才可以获得 恒久喜悦 恒久喜悦 Learning intelligibly is one of the characteristics that distinguish humans from other animals In other words learning spontaneously is one of man s unique traits Throughout the history human have even learned acculturation handing down their cultural heritages from generation to generation Therefore we can conclude that all forms of learning inclusive of the acquisition of skill the shaping of views the absorption of knowledge take a very essential part in the course of human civilization Once learning stops vegetation arises To each of us the process of learning may be full of frustrations and boredom yet the fruit is often sweet and satisfactory In terms of learning I am convinced that it s better late than never In this knowledge explosion era in particular no one should withstand the trend and concept of lifelong learning The more efforts we make to learn the more we can keep life nature and the universe in perspective Learning is the surest way to eternal joy 注释 intelligibly capable of being understood 易理解地 distinguish to perceive as being different or distinct 区别 辨 别 spontaneously happening or arising without apparent external cause self generated 自然地 本 能地 acculturation the modification of the culture of a group or an individual as a result of contact with a different culture 文化适应 文化传入 heritage something that is passed down from preceding generations a tradition 传统 acquisition the act of acquiring 获得 absorption a state of mental concentration 吸收 civilization cultural or intellectual refinement good taste 文明 文化 文明社会 frustration the act of frustrating or an instance of being frustrated 挫败 挫折 受挫 boredom the condition of being bored ennui 厌倦 convince to bring by the use of argument or evidence to firm belief or a course of action 使 确 信 深信 explosion a violent bursting as a result of internal pressure 爆 发 发出 爆炸 withstand to resist or endure successfully 抵挡 经受住 surest sure 的最高级 eternal being without beginning or end existing outside of time 永恒的 永远的 6 Lincoln s Gettysburg Address 盖茨堡位于美国宾夕法尼亚州 盖茨堡位于美国宾夕法尼亚州 1863 年年 7 月月 1 日至日至 3 日 北日 北 军在此重创了南军 扭转了战争局势 此战役后这里修建了一个战军在此重创了南军 扭转了战争局势 此战役后这里修建了一个战 争牺牲者的公墓 本篇是争牺牲者的公墓 本篇是 1863 年在公墓落成典礼上林肯的演说词 年在公墓落成典礼上林肯的演说词 Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure We are met on a great battlefield of that war We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate we cannot consecrate we cannot hallow this ground The brave men living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract The world will little note nor long remember what we say here but it can never forget what they did here It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth 注释 Lincoln Abraham Lincoln 1809 1865 16th president of the United States 1861 1865 林肯 美国第十六任总统 fourscore and seven years ago eighty seven years ago here referring to the year 1776 when the United States of America declared its independence 87 年 前 指 1776 年美国宣布独立时 father forefather 祖先 brought forth gave birth to 缔造 conceived in liberty having liberty as an ideal of the nation 以 自由为理想 dedicated to devoted to 献身于 proposition statement assertion 主张 信条 that all men are created equal that all men are born equal one of the self evident truths mentioned in the Declaration of Independence 美国独立宣言明 白揭示的真理 人类生而平等 endure exist last 存续 a portion of that field a part of that battlefield 那个战场的一 部分 final resting place burial place cemetery 葬地 墓地 in a larger sense broadly speaking 从广义上说 consecrate set apart as sacred 奉为神圣 hallow regard as holy 尊为神圣 detract reduce in degree 减损 thus far to this extent 到如此地步 gave the last full measure of devotion gave the last largest extent of devoutness 鞠躬尽瘁 perish be destroyed or ruined 毁灭 7 Hip hop World 饶舌歌曲方兴未艾 布袋挎裤 运动鞋 闪亮配件样样齐全 没有饶舌歌曲方兴未艾 布袋挎裤 运动鞋 闪亮配件样样齐全 没有 跳过街舞也必定看过打扮一身行头的帅哥酷妹吧 一探劲爆的跳过街舞也必定看过打扮一身行头的帅哥酷妹吧 一探劲爆的 hip hop 文化如何攻占你的心 文化如何攻占你的心 Every age has its music Jazz was once king Rock had its day Now rap is in the house and the party is just getting started Like other musical forms such as jazz and rock that have their roots in the black community rap has faced its share of criticism Rap music was once called a fad but it s been around for more than two decades and it s more popular than ever Rap is a way of speaking or singing rhythmically in rhyme Hip hop first refers to the backing music for rap It also refers to rap culture Hip hop is not just music it s a way of life a culture Look around you wherever there are young kids hanging out you re sure to see the signs Baggy jeans sports jerseys and baseball hats worn sideways are just a few of hip hop trademarks that have begun appearing on the streets of somewhere Technically there are four elements that make up hip hop graffiti break dancing rap music and mixing Most agree that the culture of hip hop started in New York s Bronx in the late 1970s Early hip hop music focused on the difficulties of living in the poor urban ghettoes It talked to African Americans directly about their problems It was a way for inner city youths to publicize the problems they faced The music of hip hop is rap It s a style based on rhythm and spoken words The music went hand in hand with break dancing a dance style that took off around the same time Mixing records started as a way to produce new music cheaply The other element graffiti has long been a part of urban culture Originally used by gangs as a way to mark their territory graffiti eventually developed into an independent form of street art That s how it started so then where did hip hop go Everywhere man it went everywhere From England to Brazil to Japan hip hop spread everywhere and it spread fast Now even the Eskimos have hip hop 注释 Jazz 爵士乐 Rock to move back and forth or from side to side especially gently or rhythmically 摇滚乐 label to attach a label to 标签 rapper one that raps or strikes especially a door knocker 叩击 者 物 敲门者 rap a quick light blow or knock 叩击 轻拍 criticism a critical comment or judgment 批评 批判 fad a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period of time a craze 时尚 一时 流行的狂热 rhythmically of relating to or having rhythm recurring with measured regularity 有节奏地 rhyme to compose rhymes or verse 韵 押韵 backing approval or endorsement 支持者 赞助者 graffiti 涂鸦 jersey 运动衫 ghetto 犹太人区 8 New Pictures of an Old Universe 这段科技文章看似复杂难懂 其实不难 读的同时不妨仔细分析这这段科技文章看似复杂难懂 其实不难 读的同时不妨仔细分析这 类文章的特点 这对于在考试中阅读理解同类文章一定有帮助 类文章的特点 这对于在考试中阅读理解同类文章一定有帮助 For thousands of years humans have wondered how and when the universe first began Now thanks to some photographs taken by Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe WMAP scientists are much closer to understanding even seeing the universe in its beginning years This is all possible thanks to the WMAP satellite in orbit about one million miles above Earth The satellite is specially designed to record one kind of cosmic energy microwave radiation It can use this radiation to show us what the universe looked like 13 3 billion years ago Wait a minute how can this satellite show us a picture of the universe billions of years ago The Big Bang created the universe in a huge explosion and at the same time it created a specific field of radiation called the cosmic microwave background or CMB This CMB still lingers in the universe today What the satellite actually does is take pictures of the CMB So what did scientists learn from these new pictures First they learned that stars formed very soon merely 200 million years after the Big Bang And they were able to confirm estimates of the universe s age it was born about 13 7 billion years ago This is the age that scientists long suspected to be true but now they have the birthday pictures to prove it 注释 microwave a high frequency electromagnetic wave one millimeter to one meter in wavelength intermediate between infrared and short wave radio wavelengths 微波 probe an exploratory action expedition or device especially one designed to investigate and obtain information on a remote or unknown region 探测 器 卫 星 宇宙飞船 satellite a celestial body that orbits a planet a moon 卫星 orbit the path of a celestial body or an artificial satellite as it revolves around another body 运 转 轨道 cosmic of or relating to the universe especially as distinct from Earth 宇宙的 radiation energy radiated or transmitted in the form of rays waves or particles 辐射 explosion a release of mechanical chemical or nuclear energy in a sudden and often violent manner with the generation of high temperature and usually with the release of gases 爆炸 specific special distinctive or unique 特定的 明确的 linger to be slow in leaving especially out of reluctance tarry 徘徊 suspect to have doubts about distrust 怀疑 猜测 9 Three Days to See 下面的文字摘选自海伦 凯勒的自传 假如给我三天光明 海伦虽 然自幼丧失了视力和听觉 但却是一个生活在黑暗中而给人类带来 光明的女性 她在 1904 年获得学位 成为优秀的讲师和作家 我 要把别人眼睛所看见的光明当作我的太阳 别人的耳朵听见的音乐 当作我的乐曲 别人嘴角的微笑当作我的快乐 她接受了命运的挑 战 获得了超越自己的喜悦 我们为之感动的不仅是文字本身的优 美和其中所含的真情 还包括字里行间所反映的那颗伟大心灵 Most of us however take life for granted We know that one day we must die but usually we picture that day as far in the future When we are in buoyant health death is all but unimaginable We seldom think of it The days stretch out in an endless vista So we go about our petty tasks hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight silence would