The Beauty of Nature 自然之美
爱默生
Nature satisfies by its loveliness， and without any mixture of corporeal bene fit. I see the spectacle of morning from the hill-top over against my house， from day-break to sun-rise， with emotions which an angel might share. The long slender bars of cloud float like fishes in the sea of crimson light. From the earth， as a shore， I look out into that silent sea. I seem to partake its rapid transformations： the active enchantment reaches my dust， and I dilate and conspire with the morning wind. How does Nature deify us with a few and cheap elements！ Give me health and a day， and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous. The dawn is my Assyria； the sun-set and moon-rise my Paphos， and unimaginable realms of faerie； broad noon shall be my England of the senses and the understanding； the night shall be my Germany of mystic philosophy and dreams.
corporeal adj. 物质的
dilate v. 扩张
conspire v. 共谋
deify v. 神化
pomp n. 壮观景象
Assyria n. 亚述（亚洲西南部底格里斯河流域的古国）
自然的可爱让人满足，不掺杂丝毫物欲。我在房子前的小山顶观看清晨的美景，从破晓一直到日出，那是一种可与天使分享的感受。纤长的云仿佛红色朝霞海中的游鱼。我在地上，仿佛从岸边眺望平静的海，随之经历瞬息万变，被其充满活力的魔法笼罩，晨风让我心旷神怡。自然竟能用如此简单的云和风让我们心灵升华！给我健康的身体和一天的时间，我就能够享受超越帝王的辉煌盛景。晨曦是我的亚述王国；日落月出是我那不可思议的帕弗斯仙境；正午是我理性的英格兰；夜晚是我神秘哲思与梦境的德意志。
Our Paradise 我们的伊甸园
纳撒尼尔·霍桑
I do trust， my dearest， that you have been employing this bright day for both of us； for I have spent it in my dungeon， and the only light that broke upon me was when I opened your letter. I am sometimes driven to wish that you and I could mount upon a cloud (as we used to fancy in those heavenly walks of ours)， and be borne quite out of sight and hearing of all the world； for now all the people in the world seem to come between us. How happy were Adam and Eve！ There was no third person to come between them， and all the in finity around them only served to press their hearts closer together. We love one another as well as they； but there is no silent and lovely garden of Eden for us. Will you sail away with me to discover some summer island？ Do you not think that God had reserved one for us， ever since the beginning of the world？ Foolish that I am to raise a question of it， since we have found such an Eden-such an island sacred to us two-whenever we have been together！ Then， we are the Adam and Eve of a virgin earth. Now， good-by； for voices are babbling around me， and I should not wonder if you were to hear the echo of them while you read this letter.
dungeon n. 地牢
infinity n. 无限
sacred adj. 神圣的
babble v. 乱哄哄地说话
我相信，我最亲爱的，你在为我俩享受这个明媚的日子；我在地下室待了一天，只在打开你的信时才得到一线光明。我有时很想和你一起攀上云朵（就像我们曾在醉人的漫步中幻想的那样），远离世俗喧嚣；现在似乎全世界都挡在我们中间。亚当和夏娃真幸福！他们中间无人介入，而他们周围无限的空间似乎使他们的心更紧密。尽管没有安宁美丽的伊甸园，我们也和他们一样彼此相爱。你愿跟我一道远航，寻觅夏之岛吗？你不认为上帝在创世之初就为我们保留了这样一个岛屿吗？我问这问题真愚蠢，因为我们已经有了这样一个伊甸园——一个我俩的神圣之岛——每当我们在一起的时候！我们就是处女地上的亚当和夏娃。现在，再见了，因为我的周围人声嘈杂，或许你在读这封信时，也能听到些许回声。
A Song for the Whole World 为全世界点歌
I was listening to some soothing tunes on the radio last night. To be exact， it was 98.1， "Easy R&B Listening".
Usually when listeners call in， you know， they request a song and dedicate it to their sweetheart， or best friend， or a parent， or a soldier overseas. It's natural thing， to share love with those around us.
But as I listening in， a man called in with a very unusual dedication.
"Hey， brother， I'd like to make a song request，" he said.
"Sure thing. Whom would you like to dedicate it to？" the DJ asked.
"I want to dedicate this song to the whole world."
"Whole world？ That's not possible." The DJ replied in a somewhat joking manner. "We only reach a few million people."
That brief conversation really hit home for me， though. Yes， a song on a radio can only reach those listeners within the local geographic region that covers that frequency. And yet， here was a listener who went beyond the idea of loving only those who we are supposed to love， and instead， he extended a heartfelt dedication which reached further than his own brother， his own child， his own wife， or father. He sent a song to the universe！
It was powerful.
They say that a butterfly flapping its wings in Texas can create tornado in Brazil； and I say， the waves of generosity are more powerful than the vibrations of sound. One kind act might truly change the world.
soothing adj. 抚慰性的，安慰的
dedicate v. 奉献
vibration n. 震动
昨天晚上我在听收音机放一些舒缓的歌。确切说，是98.1兆赫的“轻松R&B”节目。
通常听众打进电话时，你知道，他们会点一首歌给他们的爱人、好友、父母，或者在海外的士兵。和身边的人分享爱是件很自然的事。
可我听的时候，有个人打电话点歌的对象却很不寻常。
“嗨，兄弟，我想点首歌。”他说。
“好啊。你想把这首歌送给谁呢？”主持人问。
“我想把这首歌送给全世界。”
“全世界？那不可能。”主持人调侃道。“我们的节目只有几百万人收听得到。”
但这段简短的对话却深深打动了我。确实，收音机里的一首歌只能传送给电台覆盖的当地听众。然而有一个听众超越了这样一个思维定式——只爱那些我们应该爱的人——将他诚挚的情感从自己的妻子父兄延伸出去。他要送歌给全世界！
太强大了。
据说，一只蝴蝶在得克萨斯扇动翅膀可能会在巴西引发龙卷风。我要说，慷慨的举动比声音更强大。一个善举可能真的改变世界。
The Daffodils 水仙
威廉·华兹华斯
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills，
When all at once I saw a crowd， A host， of golden daffodils；
Beside the lake， beneath the trees，
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way，
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay：
Ten thousand saw I at a glance，
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced； but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee：
A poet could not but be gay，
In such a jocund company：
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought：
For oft， when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood，
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude；
And then my heart with pleasure fills，
And dances with the daffodils.
daffodil n. 水仙花
breeze n. 微风，和风
sprightly adj. 生气勃勃的；轻快的
jocund adj. 快乐的，快活的
bliss n. 极乐，狂喜
我像一朵孤云独自游荡，
在峡谷与山巅飘浮，
忽然间，我看到许多
许多，金色的水仙；
在湖畔，在树下，
在微风中翩翩起舞。
连绵如繁星闪亮，
闪烁在银河，
它们沿着水湾，
无穷无尽地延伸；
我一眼便看到成千上万水仙，
轻轻起舞，点头晃脑。
一旁的水波也在舞动，
但花儿比闪亮的水波更欢畅。
有这样欢乐的伙伴，
诗人怎能不开怀？
我久久地，久久地看望，
却未料此景给我怎样的财富。
当我躺在卧榻之上，
或者茫然，或者沉思，
常常水仙会闪现在我的心中，
这是独处的幸福；
我的心充满欢乐，
与水仙翩然共舞。
Pray for My Mother 为母亲祈祷
Now that I am no longer young， I have friends whose mothers have passed away. I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them.
I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive. I appreciate her more each day. My mother does not change， but I do. As I grow older and wiser， I realize what an extraordinary person she is. How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence， but they flow easily from my pen.
How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself？ For the love， the patience and the plain hard work that go into raising a child？ For running after a toddler， for understanding a moody teenager， for tolerating a college student who knows everything？ For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes how her mother really is？
How does a grown woman thank for a mother for continuing to be a mother？ For being ready with advice (when asked) or remaining silent when it is most appreciated？ For not saying "I told you so"， when she could have uttered these words dozens of times？ For being essentially loving， thoughtful， patient， and forgiving？
I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine.
appreciate v. 为……表示感激
toddler n. 学步的小孩
tolerate v. 容忍，容许
utter v. 说出
如今我不年轻了，我一些朋友的母亲已经去世。我曾听这些子女们说，他们从没有向母亲充分表达过他们的感激，等到想要倾诉时却已经晚了。
我很幸运，我亲爱的母亲依然健在。我对她的感激与日俱增。母亲没有变，但我变了。随着年龄和阅历的增长，我发觉她很了不起。我很难过自己无法当面跟她这样说，但这些话却可以轻易地写出来。
一个女儿该怎样开口感谢母亲所给予的生命？感谢她在抚养孩子时所付出的爱、耐心以及平凡而辛勤的劳动？感谢她在蹒跚学步的孩子身后奔忙，感谢她对脾气古怪的少女的理解，感谢她对一个自以为是的大学生的宽容，感谢她等待女儿真正了解母亲的一天？
一个成年女子该怎样感谢母亲始终如一的角色？感谢她在被求助时提供良言，并在需要时保持沉默？感谢她没有说“我告诉过你的”，而她本来可以说上许多次？感谢她的爱心、体贴、耐心与宽容？
我祈愿在孩子的眼里我会如同母亲在我眼里一样好。
Companionship of Books 以书为伴
A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps； for there is a companionship of books as well as of men； and one should always live in the best company， whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was， and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness； amusing and instructing us in youth， and comforting and consoling us in age.
Men often discover their affinity to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb， "Love me， love my dog." But there is more wisdom in this： "Love me， love my book." The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think， feel， and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together， and he in them.
A good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life could think out； for the world of a man's life is， for the most part， but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words， the golden thoughts， which， remembered and cherished， become our constant companions and comforters.
Books possess an essence of immortality. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay， but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts， which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author's minds， ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time has been to sift out the bad products； for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.
Books introduce us into the best society； they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did； we see them as if they were really alive； we sympathize with them， enjoy with them， grieve with them； their experience becomes ours， and we feel as if we were in a measure actors with them in the scenes which they describe.
The great and good do not die， even in this world. Embalmed in books， their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens.
affinity n. 亲近；类似
sympathize v. 同情；理解
enshrine v. 珍藏
sift out 淘汰
embalm v. 使不朽
通常看一个人读什么书就可知道他的为人，就像看他同什么人交往就可知道他的为人一样，因为书和朋友一样可以为伴。无论读书还是交友，我们都应该选最好的。
好书就像是最好的朋友。它在过去和现在始终如一，将来也不会改变。它是最耐心、开怀的伙伴。在我们身处逆境，面对困难时，它不会背弃我们，对我们一如既往地亲切。在我们年轻时，好书令我们愉悦，给我们知识；到我们年老时，它又给我们以慰藉。
人们常常因为喜欢同一本书而结为知己，就像有时两个人因为敬慕同一个人而成为朋友一样。老话说得好：“爱屋及乌。”其实“爱我及书”更有道理。书是更为真诚而高尚的情谊纽带。人们可以通过共同喜爱的作家思考、感受，产生共鸣。众多读者在作家笔下找到共同的精神家园，作家也因读者的喜爱而得到永生。
好书常常如最精美的宝器，珍藏着人生思想的精华，因为人生的境界主要就在于其思想的境界。因此，好书是金玉良言和崇高思想的宝库，记住并珍视它们，它们就会成为我们永久的伙伴和慰藉。
书籍具有不朽的本质，是人类创造的最持久的成果。寺庙和雕像会破败，而书却经久长存。对于伟大的思想来说，时间并不重要，从多年前初次闪现于作者脑海，到今日依然清新如故。当时所言所思印在书页上，现在依然生动。时间唯一的作用是淘汰不好的作品，因为只有真正的佳作才能经世长存。
书籍把最优秀的人介绍给我们，把我们带到历代伟人巨匠中间，如闻其声、如观其行、如见其人，同他们情感交融、悲喜与共、感同身受。我们觉得自己仿佛在作者所描绘的舞台上和他们一起粉墨登场。
即使在凡间，伟大杰出的人物也永生不灭。他们的精神被载入书册，传于四海。书是活的声音，是人们至今仍在聆听的智者。
The Farmer's Donkey 农夫的驴子
One day a farmer's donkey fell into an abandoned well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally， he decided the animal was too old and the well needed to be covered up anyway； so it just wasn't worth it to him to try to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. Realizing what was happening， the donkey at first cried and wailed horribly. Then， a few shovel-falls later， he quieted down completely. The farmer peered down into the well， and was astounded by what he saw. With every shovel-full of dirt that hit his back， the donkey would shake it off and take a step up on the new layer of dirt.
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal， he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon， the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off， to the shock and astonishment of everyone.
Life is going to shovel dirt on you， all kinds of dirt. The trick of getting out of the well is to stop wailing， and not let the dirt bury you， but to shake it off and take a step up. Each one of our troubles is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping， never giving up！ Shake it off and take a step up！
piteously adv. 可怜地；凄惨地
retrieve v. 重新得到
shovel n. 铲子，铁铲
有一天，农夫的驴子掉进了一口枯井里。驴子凄惨地叫了好几个小时，而农夫则在绞尽脑汁想怎么办。最后，他觉得驴子太老了，而且这口井也该填上，所以花力气把这头驴弄上来很不值得。
