英语美文赏析-初中美文-英语晨读

A Strange PresentOne day, when I was 14, my uncle sent me a pink T-shirt from ST. Louis,Missouri as my birthday present. On a beautiful Sunday morning, I worethis pink T-shirt and walked gently to the market. On the way, some boyswhistled at me. I became very nervous, so I walked faster and moreproperly with more decorum, but more and more boys whistled at melater. Therefore, I couldnt help but become more agitated. Suddenly, Iturned back and run to my home. I asked my mother, “Why did the boyswhistled at me?” My mother looked at my T-shirt with a smile and saidnothing. Then I turned to my father. “Why did the boys whistle at me?”My father looked at my beautiful new T-shirt and then laughingly asked,“Are you lonely?” Suddenly, I realized why the boys were whistling atme. The message on my pink T-shirt was“I am lonely”.注释：whistle: a small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath 口哨properly: characterized by appropriateness or suitability; fitting 恰当的decorum: the conventions of polite behavior 礼貌agitated: 激动的，表现不安的Vacations in SpaceWant a ride in a spaceship? It will cost you about 20 million US dollars.At least thats what Dennis Tito recently paid for a trip to theInternational Space Station. What if you arent rich, but still want totravel in space? Dont worry. Research supported by NASA might makeyour dream come true. Scientists are refining a process that, if successful,will enable rockets to take off from the back of an airplane. If people doend up taking vacations in space, dont worry about finding somewhere tostay. Businessmen like British Richard Branson are already thinkingabout building hotels out there.注释：NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (美国)国家航空航天局；美国航天及太空总署end up: 结束；告终Keeping PleasantIn these grim times, weighed down with tension and pressure from therealities of life, many people have lost their sense of humor. They tend tokeep a straight face all day long and fail to keep life in perspective. Theyforget how to smile and finally become physical and mental wrecks. Theyregard life as a burden, and tend to look on the dark side of things.Well goes a saying, “Laugh, and grow fat.” Laughter releases tension,and smiling helps create a pleasant social atmosphere. And, thus, in a way,a sense of humor is an elixir that helps cure mental diseases. Somepatients even improve their physical and mental health by readinghumorous stories or watching funny movies. This proves that a sense ofhumor helps us look at the world in a true and healthy light and makesour life worth living. 注释：grim: rigid 无情的，严酷的tension: uneasy suspense 紧张(状态)，不安perspective: subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view 观点，评价； indim bimbo 又笨又坏的女人The Man I Respect MostMy father is the man I respect most. Stern as he may be, he never fails toshow his care and consideration. Once I broke a neighbors window.Seeing nobody around, I ran away immediately. When Dad came home,he noticed my uneasiness and asked me what had happened.I could only tell him the truth. Rather than scold me, he praised myhonesty and then encouraged me to apologize to our neighbor. I learnedfrom this episode that not only does Dad take care of our health but healso teaches us how to be good citizens. How lucky I am to have such agood father! 注释：stern : severe, strict 严厉的consideration : careful thought; deliberation 体谅，考虑uneasiness : 不安episode : an incident or event that is part of a progression or a larger sequence 插My Time of Happiness Each DayAs a student, most of my time is spent on school work and otherschool-related activities. Consequently, my time of happiness each day isvery limited.However, this is not to say that I am not happy every day. In fact, Ireally enjoy coming home from school each evening and having dinnerwith my family. After dinner, I read or watch some TV with my family.This is a happy time for me every day. But my happiest time of a day is just before I fall asleep. Lying inbed, I think about all I achieved that day, and it makes me happy to knowthat the day was full.注释：consequently : therefore 从而，因此achieve : to perform or carry out with success; accomplish 完成，达到Stopping by Woods on a SnowyEvening风雪夜 林边停是一首著名的诗歌。写的是雪夜美景？写的是守诺如一？写的是人生不得不向前行？不同的读者会有完全不同的理解。这大概就是文学批评中所说的“接受美学”的观点吧。Whose woods these are I think I know,His house is in the village though.He will not see me stopping here,To watch his woods fill up with snow.My little horse must think it queer,To stop without a farmhouse near,Between the woods and frozen lake,The darkest evening of the year.He gives his harness bells a shake,To ask if there is some mistake.The only other sounds the sweep,英语晨读精华87Of easy wind and downy flake.The woods are lovely, dark and deep,But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep. Robert Frost 注释：queer : deviating from the expected or normal; strange 奇怪的farmhouse : a dwelling on a farm 农舍，农家harness : the gear or tackle, other than a yoke, with which a draft animal pulls a vehicle or animplement (全套)马具, 系在身上的绳子downy : made of or covered with down 绒毛的，柔和的flake : a flat, thin piece or layer; a chip 薄片；雪片Robert Frost: 弗罗斯特R.（18741963）美国诗人。生于旧金山，求学于哈佛大学。它的诗集新罕布什尔、诗选和又一片牧场均获得普利策奖，被公认为美国无冠的桂冠诗人。HomeA Joy ForeverHome means a lot to me. “Be it ever so humble, there is no place likehome.” I appreciate the warmth of my home, and regard it as one of thebrightest and dearest spots on earth. It is the place where I can take refugewhenever I meet with difficulties, failures and even frustrations in mydaily life. At home, my dear parents and brothers and sisters will comfortme and cheer me up. And with their concern and encouragement, I willregain my self-confidence and muster up all my strength and courage toface the stern realities of life. To me, home is forever a joy where I canalways find love, understanding, care and help.注释：humble : low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly 粗陋的refuge : protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship 庇护，避难，避难所frustration: the act of frustrating or an instance of being frustrated 挫败，挫折，受挫muster : to call forth; summon up 鼓起(勇气等)，积聚stern : hard, harsh, or severe in manner or character 严厉的，严酷的Summer夏日晨风，拂过我的脸庞，扰动我的梦想，飞扬在这青春读书的好时光。I chanced to rise very early one particular morning this summer, and tooka walk into the country to divert myself among the fields and meadows,while the green was new, and the flowers in their bloom. As at this seasonof the year every lane is a beautiful walk, and every hedge full ofnosegays, I lost myself, with a great deal of pleasure, among severalthickets and bushes that were filled with a great variety of birds, and anagreeable confusion of notes, which formed the pleasantest scene in theworld to one who had passed a whole winter in noise and smoke. Thefreshness of the dews that lay upon everything about me, with the coolbreath of the morning, which inspired the birds with so many delightfulinstincts, created in me the same kind of animal pleasure, and made myheart overflow with such secret emotions of joy and satisfaction as are notto be described or accounted for. Joseph Addison, Tulips 英语晨读精华90注释：divert : to entertain by distracting the attention from worrisome thoughts or cares; amuse 消遣，通过把注意力从烦恼之事上转移开而娱乐meadow : 草地hedge : 树篱nosegay : 花束thicket : 灌木丛animal pleasure： 快感instinct : 本能overflow : to have a boundless supply and to be filled beyond capacity 溢出，充满Joseph Addison 艾迪生J. (1672l 719)，英国随笔作家和诗人。生于威尔特郡，曾就读于牛津大学。曾任贸易和殖民地事务专员，1717 年被任命为国务大臣。同年他还创办旁观者杂志。本文选自他的郁金香。Exploring the Oceans海洋是生命的摇篮，风雨的故乡，气候的调节器，交通的要道，资源的宝库。缤纷的海洋世界到底有多少未知的秘密?Ever wonder what lives in the Earths waters? Some 300 scientists from53 different countries are wondering the same thing. For the first time inhistory, scientists are trying to count how many species of fish, animalsand plants live under water.They are conducting a census of life in the worlds oceans, whichcover 70 per cent of the Earths surface. The study began in 2000 and isexpected to end in 2010, at a cost of US$1 billion. So far, scientists havecounted more than 15,000 species of fish and around 200,000 species ofanimals and plants in the oceans. They expect to find at least another5,000 species of fish.Scientists believe that the animals and plants theyve found so farrepresent just 10 per cent of the worlds total underwater population. Thatmeans that they expect to find almost 2 million species of animals and英语晨读精华103plants by 2010. “Our goal by 2010 is to know as much about life in theoceans as we know about life on land now,” says a marine biologist whois working on the project.The newly-discovered species are not all new species. Many of themhave just never been recorded before. Scientists fear that the growinghuman population is decreasing the variety of species living in the ocean.They hope the census will help them learn how human activity, such asfishing and agriculture, is affecting the oceans.注释：species : 品种（单复数同形）census : official counting of the information 普查，种群普查conduct : to direct the course of; to manage or control 进行，主持surface : the outer or the topmost boundary of an object 表面represent : to stand for; to symbolize 代表underwater : relating to, occurring, used, or performed beneath the surface of water 水中的biologist : 生物学家decrease : to grow or cause to grow gradually less or smaller, as in number, amount, or intensity减少variety : a group that is distinguished from other groups by a specific characteristic or set ofcharacteristics 种类Spring Song布莱克的诗读起来朗朗上口，有音乐的美感，充满感性，喜欢的人很多。希望你也喜欢。Spring is coming, spring is coming,Birdies, build your nest;Weave together straw and feather,Doing each your best.Spring is coming, spring is coming,Flowers are coming too:Pansies, lilies, daffodillies Now are coming through.Spring is coming, spring is coming,All around is fair,Shimmer and quiver on the river,Joy is everywhere.William Blake 英语晨读精华112注释：straw : a single stalk of threshed grain 稻草，麦秆pansies, lilies, daffodillies: 三色紫罗兰、百合花、喇叭水仙花sahimmer : to shine with a subdued, flickering light 微光quiver : to shake with a slight, rapid, tremulous movement 颤抖，振动William Blake， 布莱克（17571827），英国诗人，著有诗集天真之歌(1789)经验之歌（1794）。他最重要的绘画有坎特伯雷香客和雅各的梦。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 theuniverse first began. Now, thanks to some photographs taken byWilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), scientists are muchcloser to understanding, even seeing, the universe in its beginning years.This is all possible thanks to the WMAP satellite in orbit about onemillion miles above Earth. The satellite is specially designed to recordone kind of cosmic energy: microwave radiation. It can use this radiationto show us what the universe looked like 13.3 billion years ago!Wait a minute . how can this satellite show us a picture of theuniverse billions of years ago? The Big Bang created the universe in ahuge explosion, and at the same time it created a specific field ofradiationcalled the cosmic microwave background, or CMB. ThisCMB still lingers in the universe today. What the satellite actually does istake pictures of the CMB.So what did scientists learn from these new pictures? First, theylearned that stars formed very soon merely 200 million years afterthe Big Bang. And they were able to confirm estimates of the universesage: it was born about 13.7 billion years ago. This is the age that英语晨读精华116scientists long suspected to be true, but now they have the birthdaypictures 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 andobtain 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 violentmanner 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 mustdie, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are inbuoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. Thedays stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks, hardlyaware of our listless attitude toward life.I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being werestricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adultlife. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence wouldteach him the joys of sound.Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they英语晨读精华126see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returnedfrom a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed.“Nothing in particular,” she replied. I might have been incredulous had Inot been accustomed to such reposes, for long ago I became convincedthat the seeing see little.How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through thewoods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds ofthings to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of aleaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, orthe rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In the spring I touch the branches oftrees hopefully in search of a bud the first sign of awakening Nature afterher winters sleep. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, anddiscover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle ofNature is revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place myhand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song.I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my openfinger. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is morewelcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the pageant ofseasons is a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streamsthrough my finger tips.Helen Keller 英语晨读精华127注释：buoyant: having or marked by buoyancy 有浮力的，轻快的unimaginable: 想不到的，不可思议的vista: an awareness of a range of time, events, or subjects; a broad mental view 展望，回想listless: lacking energy or disinclined to exert effort; lethargic 倦怠的，冷漠的，情绪低落的incredulous: expressive of disbelief 怀疑的，不轻信的accustom: to familiarize, as by constant practice, use, or habit 使习惯于symmetry: exact correspondence of form and constituent configuration on opposite sides of adividing line or plane or about a center or an axis 对称，匀称silver birch: 白桦树shaggy: having a rough nap or surface, as a textile 表面粗糙的delightful: greatly pleasing 令人愉快的，可喜的velvety: suggestive of the texture of velvet; soft and smooth 像天鹅绒的，柔软的remarkable : attracting notice as being unusual or extraordinary 不平常的，非凡的，值得注意的，显著的convolution: a form or part that is folded or coiled 回旋，盘旋，卷绕brook: 小溪lush: having or characterized by luxuriant vegetation 青葱的，豪华的luxurious : fond of or given to luxury 奢侈的，豪华的pageant: 壮观thrilling: 颤动的, 发抖的，令人振奋的I Have a Dream马丁路德金(19291968)，美国黑人解放运动的著名领袖，1968 年被种族主义者刺杀。1963 年8 月28 日，美国首都华盛顿举行大规模的黑人集会，为黑人争取自由、平等和就业。马丁路德金在会上发表本篇演说。I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation wherethey will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content oftheir character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governorslips are presently dripping with