1 Life is a Chess-board

The chess-board is the world: the pieces are the phenomena of the universe; the rules of the game are what we call the laws of nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. We know that his play is always fair, just and patient. But also we know, to our cost, that he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance.

By Thomas Henry Huxley

参考译文

棋盘宛如世界：一个个棋子仿佛世间的种种现象：游戏规则就是我们所称的自然法则。竞争对手藏于暗处，不为我们所见。我们知晓，这位对手向来处事公平，正义凛然，极富耐心。然而，我们也明白，这位对手从不忽视任何错误，或者因为我们的无知而做出一丝让步，所以我们也必须为此付出代价。

2 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

Excerpt from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

参考译文

这是一个最好的时代，也是一个最坏的时代；这是明智的年代，这是愚昧的年代；这是信任的纪元，这是怀疑的纪元；这是光明的季节，这是黑暗的季节；这是希望的春日，这是失望的冬日；我们面前应有尽有，我们面前一无所有；我们都将直下地狱……

3 Equality and Greatness

Between persons of equal income there is no social distinction except the distinction of merit. Money is nothing; character, conduct, and capacity are everything. Instead of all the workers being leveled down to low wage standards and all the rich leveled up to fashionable income standards, everybody under a system of equal incomes would find his or her own natural level. There would be great people and ordinary people and little people, but the great would always be those who had done great things, and never the idiot whose mother had spoiled them and whose father had left a horned thousand a year; and the little

would be persons of small minds and mean characters, and not poor persons who had never had a chance. That is why idiots are always in favour of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence),and the really great in favour of equality.

收入相当的人除了品性迥异以外没有社会差别。金钱不能说明什么；性格，行为，能力才代表一切。在收入平等制度下，每个人将会找到他或她正常的地位，而不是所有的工人被划到应拿低工资阶层，所有的富人被划到应得高收入的阶层。人有卓著伟人，平庸之辈和碌碌小人之别，然伟人总是那些有所建树之人，而非从小深受母亲溺爱，父亲每年留下一大笔钱之人；碌碌小人总是那些心胸狭窄，品德卑劣之人，而不是那些从未获取机会的穷人。愚蠢之众总是赞成收入不平等（他们职能凭借这种机会才能为人所知），而真正伟大之人则主张平等相待，原因就在于此。

4 Great Expectations

As the night was fast falling, and as the moon, being past the full, would not rise early, we held a little council: a short one, for clearly our course was to lie by at the first lonely tavern we could find. So ,they plied their oars once more, and I looked out for anything like a house. Thus we held on, speaking little, for four or five dull miles. It was very cold, and, a collier coming by us, with her gallery-fire smoking and flaring, looked like a comfortable home. The night was as dark by this time as it would be until morning; and what light we had, seemed to come more from the river than the sky, as the oars in their dipping stuck at a few reflected stars.

天黑得很快，偏巧这天又是下弦月，月亮不会很早升起。我们就稍稍商量了一下，可是也用不着多讨论，因为情况是明摆着的，再划下去我们一遇到冷落的酒店就得投宿。于是他们又使劲打起浆来，我则用心寻找岸上是否隐隐约约有什么房屋的模样。这样又赶了四五英里路，一路上好不气闷，大家简直不说一句话。天气非常冷，一艘煤船从我们近旁驶过，船上厨房里生着火，炊烟缕缕，火光荧荧，在我们看来简直就是个安乐家了。这时夜已透黑，看来就要这样一直黑到天明，我们仅有的一点光亮似乎不是来自天空，而是来自河上，一浆又一浆的，搅动着那寥寥几颗倒映在水里的寒星。

5 The doer of Deeds

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the are ‘ns, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again ;because there is not effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high

achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

真正令人尊敬的并非那些评论家和那些指出强者是如何跌倒，实干家本该做得更好的人。

荣誉属于那些亲临竞技场，满脸污泥，汗水和鲜血的人。他们不懈努力，他们曾犯过过错，并一再失败。因为付出即意味着犯错和失败。他们满怀激情地努力做事，执着不懈，将生命奉献于崇高的事业。他们为经过艰辛努力最终取得的伟大成就而自豪，如果失败，他们夜败的荣耀。因而，这样的人永远不应与那些不知道胜利，也从未失败过的冷淡而胆怯的灵魂相提并论。

第二篇：经典英语美文短篇

经典英语美文短篇：爱母亲甚于爱自己

说明和注解：丁克威

这是一篇动情之作，读完后掩卷而思：母亲的胸怀是博大的，母亲的心灵是至纯的，母亲的爱是无私的。然而我们对于母亲的报答又有多少？

文章语言朴素简单，相信作为中学生的你能轻松地读下来。读到佳句妙语处，真希望你能把它记下来、背下来。

Those Childhood Days

When you came into the world, she held you in her

arms.

You thanked her by weeping your eyes out.

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed

you.

You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk. You thanked her by running away when she called. When you were 3 years old, she made all your

meals with love.

You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor. When you were 4 years old, she gave you some

crayons.

You thanked her by coloring the dining room table. When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the

holidays.

You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of

mud.

When you were 6 years old, she walked you to

school.

You thanked her by screaming, “I'm not going!” When you were 7 years old, she bought you a ? hold somebody in one’s arms: 把某人抱在怀中 ? weep one’s eyes out: 痛哭；大哭 ? 注意bathe在此处用作及物动词，意为“给??洗澡”。 ? all night long：整夜；如说“整天”则是all day long。 ? 可说teach somebody to do something（教某人做某事） ? do something with love: 带着爱意/心做某事。 ? toss: 抛投。 ? crayon: 蜡笔。 ? color在此句中用作动词，表示“着色”。 ? dress: 给??穿衣。 ? plop: 扑通一声地掉下去。 ? 注意walk在此处用作及物动词，意为“陪??一起走”。 ? scream: 尖叫。 ? baseball: 棒球。

baseball.

You thanked her by throwing it through the

next-door-neighbor's window.

When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice

cream.

You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap. When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano

lessons.

You thanked her by never even bothering to

practice.

When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day,

from soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another.

You thanked her by jumping out of the car and

never looking back.

When you were 11 years old, she took you and your

friends to the movies.

You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row. When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to

watch certain TV shows.

You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.

? next-door-neighbor: 隔

壁邻居。

hand somebody something: 把某物递给某人。

? drip: （液体）滴落下来。

注意形近词drop指“掉下、落下”，两者有区别。

? bother to do something是

一个重要短语，意为“劳神做某事、费神做某事”。

? one after another: 一个

接一个。有时one后面接名词，如此句的one birthday party after another。

? certain在此句中表示“某

些、某种”。

? 常说wait until …形式，

表示“等到??”。

Those Teenage Years

When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that

was becoming.

You thanked her by telling her she had no taste. When you were 14, she paid for a month away at

summer camp.

You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter. When you were 15, she came home from work,

looking for a hug.

You thanked her by having your bedroom door

? becoming: 合适的；恰当

的（注意此词的一词多义。

? have no taste: 没有品

味。

? summer camp: 夏令营。

? looking for a hug: 希望

得到你的拥抱（表示问候）。

? 注意have something

done（此处意为“让某物

locked.

When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her

car.

You thanked her by taking it every chance you

could.

When you were 17, she was expecting an important

call.

You thanked her by being on the phone all night. When you were 18, she cried at your high school

graduation.

You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

被??”）结构。

? 词组teach somebody

how to do something（教某人怎样做某事）。

? 利用一切机会玩车。

? expect: 等着。

? party在此句中作动词，

表示“参加聚会/晚会”。

Growing Old and Gray

When you were 19, she paid your college tuition,

drove you to campus, carried your bags. You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the

dorm so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were 20, she asked whether you were

seeing anyone. You thanked her by saying, “It's none of your

business.”

When you were 21, she suggested certain careers

for your future.

You thanked her by saying, “I don't want to be like

you.”

When you were 22, she hugged you at your college

graduation.

You thanked her by asking whether she could pay

for a trip to Europe.

When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your

first apartment.

You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.

? grow gray指人头发变灰

白了，意即“人渐老”。

? tuition: 学费。

? be embarrassed: 感到困

窘；感到丢人现眼。

? 注意此处用过去进行时

表示“安排要做的事”，see在此处为“见某人”亦即“与人约会”。

? It’s none of your

business. 这不管你的事。

: 未婚夫，这是一When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked ? fiancé

个法语词，如说“未婚妻”

则是fiancee。 about your plans for the future.

You thanked her by glaring and growling, “Muuhh-ther, please!”

When you were 25, she helped to pay for your

wedding, and she cried and told you how

deeply she loved you.

You thanked her by moving halfway across the ? move在此处意为“迁

移”。 country.

When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.

You thanked her by telling her, “Things are different now.”

? remind somebody of When you were 40, she called to remind you of a something: 提醒某人某

事。 relative's birthday.

You thanked her by saying you were “really busy right now.”

When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.

? parents become to their You thanked her by reading about the burden children是定语从句，修

饰burden。 parents become to their children.

And then one day she quietly died.

And everything you never did came crashing down ? 像打雷一样炸响。 like thunder.

? rock是“摇摆”的意思。 “Rock me baby, rock me all night long.”

? 注意体会此句的深刻含“The hand who rocks the cradle...may rock the 义。请把它背下来吧！

world”.

经典英语美文短篇：爱母亲甚于爱自己（2）

说明和注解：丁克威

Let us take a moment of the time just to pay tribute and show appreciation to the person called mom though some may not say it openly to their mother. There's no substitute for her. Cherish every single moment. Though at times she may not be the best of friends, may not agree to our thoughts, she is still your mother!!! She will be there for you...to listen to your woes, your braggings, your frustrations, etc. Ask yourself...have you put aside enough time for her, to listen to her “blues” of working in the kitchen, her tiredness? Be tactful, loving and still show her due respect though you may have a different view from hers. Once gone, only fond memories of the past and also regrets will be left.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Love her more than you love yourself. Life is meaningless without her.

? pay tribute to: 对??表

示敬意。

? substitute: 替代品。 ? cherish: 珍爱；珍惜。 ? woe: 哀哭。

? bragging: 自夸、吹牛。 ? frustration: 挫折。 ? blues在此并不表示“蓝色”，而是指“抑郁之情”。 ? tactful: 机智的、有技巧的。

? due: 应有的，due

respect: 应有的尊敬。 ? Once gone: 一旦（她）走了。

? fond memories: 美好的记忆。

? ... take something for

granted: 把某事作为当然。

中文译文：

童年时光

你来到人世，她抱你在怀。 你报答她，哭得天昏地暗。

你1岁时，她为你哺乳，为你洗澡。 你报答她，哭了个通宵。 你2岁时，她教你走路。 你报答她，她一叫你就跑。

你3岁时，她满怀爱心为你备三餐。

你报答她，把盘子一抛摔在地。

你4岁时，她给你几支彩笔。

你报答她，把餐桌涂成大花脸。

你5岁时，节日里她盛妆打扮你。

你报答她，扑通一声摔进旁边一堆泥巴里。

你6岁时，她步行送你去上学。

你报答她，扯着嗓子叫：“我就是不去！”

你7岁时，她给你买来个棒球。

你报答她，把邻居的玻璃砸得稀里哗啦。

你8岁时，她递给你一支冰淇淋。

你报答她，膝盖上滴的全是它。

你9岁时，她掏钱让你学钢琴。

你报答她，从来不费心去练它。

你10岁时，她整天开车为你忙，从足球场到健身房，到一个又一个的生日会场。 你报答她，跳下车，头也不回背朝她。

你11岁，她带你和朋友去影院。

你报答她，请她坐到另一排。

你12岁，她警告你有些电视不要看。

你报答她，等她离开偏要看。

少年岁月

你13岁，她建议你把发型剪得体。

你报答她，对她连说没品味。

14岁时，她掏钱送你进夏令营。

你报答她，整月没有一封信。

15岁时，她下班回到家，期望有人拥抱她。

你报答她，把房门反锁不理她。

你16岁时，她手把手教你开她的车。

你报答她，逮着机会就玩车。

你17岁，她在等一个重要电话。

你报答她，电话粥煲了一通宵。

18岁你高中毕业时，她喜极而泣把泪洒。

你报答她，在外面聚会通宵达旦不回家。

成人、渐老

你19岁，大学学费她买单，扛着包开车送你到学校。

你报答她，在宿舍门外说再见，为的是不在朋友面前现大眼。 你20岁，她问你是否在约会。

你报答她，对她说，“这事不管不行吗！”

你21岁，她为你将来事业提建议。

你报答她，对她说，“我才不愿学你样！”

你22岁，大学毕业典礼上，她伸手把你紧拥抱。

你报答她，问她能否掏钱让你到欧洲逛一趟。

你23岁，她为你第一套公寓置家具。

你报答她，告诉朋友家具的模样丑。

你24岁，她遇到你的未婚夫，问你们将来何打算。

你报答她，对她怒目加咆哮，“妈??，得了吧，求你啦！” 你25岁，她花钱帮你筹办婚礼，哭诉深深爱着你。 你报答她，安家离她千万里。

你30岁，她打来电话为宝宝抚养提忠告。

你报答她，告诉她，“如今情况不同啦！”

你40岁，她打电话把醒提，亲戚的生日匆忘记。

你报答她，说你“实在忙得不用提。”

你50岁，她病倒需要你照顾。

你报答她，念叨父母成负担。

后来有一天，她悄悄地去了。

突然间，你该做未做的事，仿佛霹雳，在你耳边炸响。

“摇啊摇，摇我这个小宝宝，一夜到天亮。”

“摇摇篮的手啊??可以摇世界。”

让我们花一小会儿时间，对那个叫“妈”的人表示敬意，表达感谢，虽然有些人当着面说不出口。妈妈是不可替代的。珍惜与她在一起的每一时刻吧。虽然有时候，她可能不是我们最好的朋友，可能不同意我们的想法，但妈妈就是妈妈！！！她始终陪伴你身边，听你的伤心事，听你吹大牛，听你把沮丧倾诉??。扪心自问，你是否曾经抽出过足够的时间陪伴她，听她讲围着灶台转的“伤心事”，讲她也会疲劳？？？就算你与她意见不一，也要委婉，充满爱心，对她表示出应有的尊敬。一旦她去了，剩下的就只有对过去岁月的美好回忆，还有就是终生的遗憾。

不要以为，与你心最近，你就理所应得。

爱她，要甚于爱你自己。

生命中没有了她，将了无意义??