英语阅读练习

Robert Ginsberg

An Experience of Aesthetics

I climbed the heights above Yosemite Valley, California in order to see the splendid granite mountain, Half Dome, in its fullest view. Approaching the edge through the woods I was filled with heightened expectation. I saw the ruin of a cabin and my approach caused the alignment of the chimney on this side of the valley with the shorn mountain across the valley. I stopped. Something happened. The stone verticals corresponded, one human-shaped, the other natural. The human site was still engaged in sightseeing. I was on its side. I saw the famous sight through the eyes of the ruin. I had come expecting beauty; I discovered an unexpected dimension to the beauty of the scene I’ve seen.

为了饱览壮丽的花岗岩山峰半穹顶的全景，我登上了加州约塞米蒂谷的高地。穿过树林，走近山沿，心中充满美的期盼。远远望见一处小屋的废墟，走到近前，只见山谷这边的烟囱与横穿山谷的陡峭山崖恰好连成一线。我停下脚步，奇观出现了：两道石壁遥相呼应，一边人工打造，一边浑然天成。人造景观这边仍供观光游览，我此时就身临其境。透过小屋的废墟，我看到了著名的景观。我怀着对美的期盼而来，不经意间却发现了美的另一番天地。

In this experience I had been seeking the aesthetic. I knew I would find it, for I had seen postcards in advance and was following the trail map. The seeking took considerable effort and time. It was a heavy investment. I was not going for the scientific purpose of studying rock formation, nor was it for the recreational purpose of exercising my limbs in the fresh air, though that exertion added intensity to the experience and was its context. Primarily, I was going for the scenic wonders. No wonder that I would take delight in seeing Half Dome. The expectation elicited the outcome. I was suitably prepared. No distractions of practical consideration—or theoretic—detracted from my concentrated expectancy. Indeed, the world all around me on the climb contributed to the context for my goal. I was on the terrain of nature in a national park, following the trail to a viewpoint upon a celebrated natural formation. Each step in the climb not only brought me closer but obliged me to sense the altitude. Moving through the thick woods was in anticipatory contrast to the great gap of the valley and the starkness of the treeless granite boulder.

这次旅程中我一直在捕捉一种美感。我知道会如愿以偿，因为我事先看过一些有关的风景明信片，循着山路示意图一路找来。这样的寻找费时费力，投入颇大。我此行的目的既不是出于对科学的动机来研究岩石的结构，也不是出于娱乐消遣的考虑在清新的空气中舒展肢体——尽管这次跋涉

加深了我对美的体验，而且是这番体验的不可或缺的环节。我来这主要是为了览胜，因此见到半穹顶自然欣喜不已。有什么样的期盼就有什么样的结果。我有备而来，心无旁骛，一心期盼着美景，不受任何实际或假设因素的干扰。真的，在攀登过程中，我周围的一切都为寻美营造了氛围。我登上了国家公园的天然山地，循着山道前来观赏闻名遐迩的大自然的鬼斧神工。攀登中的每一步不仅使我距目标越来越近，也使我感受到海拔越来越高。不出所料，穿行在茂密的树林中，登上大峡谷寸草不生的花岗岩巨石，两种不同境界给人以强烈的反差。

希望你也能通过这篇优美的英文短文节选和再三斟酌的中文译文获得美的体验！

One day the wind said to the sun, “Look at that man walking alon g the road. I can get his cloak off more quickly than you can.”

“We will see about that,” said the sun. “I will let you try first.”

So the wind tried to make the man take off his cloak. He blew and blew, but the man only pulled his cloak more closely around himself.

“I give up,” said the wind at last. “I cannot get his cloak off.” Then the sun tried. He shone as hard as he could. The man soon became hot and took off his cloak.

(有一天风跟太阳说: “看看那个沿着路上走的人.我可以比你快让他把披风脱下来.)

(“我们等着看吧,”太阳说, “我让你先试.)

(因此风尝试让那个人把披风脱下来.他用力地吹,可是那个人把披风拉得更紧.)

(“我放弃了,”风最后说, “我无法让他把披风脱下来.”然后由太阳试试看.他尽可能地晒他.不久,那个人很热就把披风脱下来了.)

2 THE NEWSPAPER 报纸

Nowadays the newspaper possesses considerable value Everybody should read it. It supplies us with a variety of news every day. It tells us the political situation of the world. If we form the habit of reading the newspaper, we shall (will) get enough knowledge to cope with our circumstances.

现今报纸拥有极大的价值，人人都应该看它。它每天提供我们各种类类的消息。它告诉我们世界政治局势。如果我们养成看报的习惯，我们就能得到足够的知识来因应我们的环境。学生虽然每天须做功课，但他们至少应该匀出一两个小时来看报。哪些，他们不但能增加知识而且也能赶上时代。总而言之，看报对学生很有益处。

3 MY DAILY LIFE 我的日常生活

Though my daily life is extremely monotonous, I try hard to adapt myself to it. Why? Because I intend to be a good student. I wish to render service to my country.

I get up at six o’clock every day. After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I begin to review my lessons. I go to school at seven o’clock.

After school is over, I return home. We usually have suppe r at seven o’clock.

Then I begin to do my homework. I want to finish it before I go to bed.

虽然我的日常生活十分单调，但我却竭力设法去适应它。为什么？因为我打算做一个好学生，希望将来为国家服务。

我每天六点起床、洗脸刷牙后，就开始复习功课，七点钟我就去上学。

放学后，我就回家了。我们通常在七点钟吃晚餐，之后我就开始做家庭作业，希望在睡觉前把它做完。

4 A MODEL STUDENT 模范学生

Do you mind being called a bad student? Of course not. So far as I know, everybody intends to be (become) a model student.

However, to be a model student is by no means an easy thing. First, he must do his best to obtain knowledge. A man without sufficient knowledge will not succeed. Secondly, he must remember to improve his health. Only a strong man can do great tasks. Thirdly, he should receive moral education. If his conduct is not good, no one will consider making friends with him.

你价意被称为坏学生吗？当然不。就我所知，每个人都打算做模范学生。

然而，做模范学生却不容易。第一，他必须尽力获得知识（求知）。一个没有足够知识的人是不会成功的。第二，他必须记住促进健康。只有强壮的人才能做大事。第三，他应该接受道德教育。如果他品行不好，没有人会考虑和他交朋友的。

5 HOW TO GET HAPPINESS 如何获得快乐

There is no doubt that happiness is the most precious thing in the world. Without it, life will be empty and meaningless. If you wish to know how to get happiness, you must pay attention to the following two points.

First, health is the secret of happiness (the key to happiness). Only a strong man can enjoy the pleasure of life.

Secondly, happiness consists in contentment. A man who is dissatisfied with his present condition is always in distress.

无疑的快乐是世界上最宝贵的东西。没有它，人生将是空虚的而且毫无意义的。如果你希望知道如何获得快乐，你须注意下面两点。

健康是快乐的要诀。唯有身体强壮的人才能享受人生的乐趣。

快乐在于知足。一个不满于现状的人终是处在痛苦之中

One day, a teacher took his pupils to a chicken farm to pay a visit. When they came near the incubator, chick just got out of its egg shell.

一天，老师带学生到养鸡场参观，当他们走近孵化器时，刚好一只小鸡破壳而出。

"It's wonderful to see a little thing come out from the egg shell, isn't it？" the teacher said. “看见一个小生命从蛋壳里出来，岂不是很奇妙的吗？”老师说。

"Yes, sir." said one of the boys, " but it would be more wonderful if we knew how a chick gets in to its eggs hell before hand."

“是的，老师。”一个男学生说，“可是，如果我们知道它是怎样事先钻进蛋壳里的那就更奇妙了。”

One good turn deserves another 礼尚往来

I was having dinner at a restaurant when Tony Steele came in. Tony worked in a lawyer's office years ago, but he is now working at a bank. He gets a good salary, but he always borrows money from his friends and never pays it back. Tony saw me and came and sat at the same table. He has never borrowed money from me. While he was eating, I asked him to lend me twenty pounds. To my surprise, he gave me the money immediately. 'I have never borrowed any money from you,' Tony said, 'so now you can pay for my dinner!'

我正在一家饭馆吃饭，托尼.斯蒂尔走了进来。托尼曾在一家律师事务所工作，而现在正在一家银行上班。他的薪水很高，但他却总是向朋友借钱，并且从来不还。托尼看见了我，就走过来和我坐到一张桌子前。他从未向我借过钱。当他吃饭时，我提出向他借20英镑。令我惊奇的是，他立刻把钱给了我。“我还从未向你借过钱，”托尼说道，“所以现在你可以替我付饭钱了！”

Goodbye and good luck

再见，一路顺风

Our neighbour, Captain Charles Alison, will sail from Portsmouth tomorrow. We'll meet him at the harbour early in the morning. He will be in his small boat, Topsail. Topsail is a famous little boat. It has sailed across the Atlantic many times. Captain Alison will set out at eight o'clock, so we'll have plenty of time. We'll see his boat and then we'll say goodbye to him. He will be away for two months. We are very proud of him. He will take part in an important race across the Atlantic.

我们的邻居查尔斯.艾利森船长明天就要从朴次茅斯启航了。明天一大早我们将在码头为他送行。他将乘坐他的“涛波赛”号小艇。“涛波赛”号是艘有名的小艇，它已经多次横渡大西洋。艾利森船长将于8点钟启航，因此我们有充裕的时间。我们将参观他的船，然后和他告别。他要离开两个月，我们真为他感到自豪，他将参加一次重大的横渡大西洋的比赛。

He often does this!

他经常干这种事！

After I had had lunch at a village pub, I looked for my bag. I had left it on a chair beside the door and now it wasn't there! As I was looking for it, the landlord came in.

'Did you have a good meal?" he asked.

'Yes, thank you,' I answered, 'but I can't pay the bill. I haven't got my bag.'

The landlord smiled and immediately went out. In a few minutes he returned with my bag and gave it back to me.

'I'm very sorry,' he said. 'My dog had taken in into the garden. He often does this!'

我在一家乡村小酒店吃过午饭后，就找我的提包。我曾把它放在门边的椅子上，可这会儿不见了！当我正在寻找时，酒店老板走了进来。

“您吃得好吗？”他问。

“很好，谢谢。”我回答，“但我付不了帐，我的提包没有了。”

酒店老板笑了笑，马上走了出去。一会儿工夫他拿着我的提包回来了，把它还给了我。

“实在抱歉，”他说，“我的狗把它弄到花园里去了，他常干这种事！”

Sold out

票已售完

'The play may begin at any moment,' I said.

'It may have begun already,' Susan answered.

I hurried to the ticket office. 'May I have two tickets please?' I asked.

'I'm sorry, we've sold out,' the girl said.

'What a pity!' Susan exclaimed.

Just then, a man hurried to the ticket office.

'Can I return these two tickets?' he asked.

'Certainly,' the girl said.

I went back to the ticket office at once.

'Could I have those two tickets please?' I asked.

'Certainly,' the girl said, 'but they're for next Wednesday's performance. Do you still want them?'

'I might as well have them,' I said sadly.

“剧马上就要开演了，”我说。

“也许已经开演了呢，”苏珊回答说。

我匆匆赶到售票处，问：“我可以买两张票吗？”

“对不起，票已售完。”那位姑娘说。

“真可惜！”苏珊大声说。

正在这时，一个男子匆匆奔向售票处。

“我可以退掉这两张票吗？”他问。

“当然可以，”那姑娘说。

我马上又回到售票处。

“我可以买那两张票吗？”我问。

“当然可以，不过这两张票是下星期三的，您是否还要呢？”

“我还是买下的好，”我垂头丧气地说。