儿童西方文化导读4(完整资料).doc

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儿童西方文化导读第四册：

目录

1.To My Daughter----F.Scott Fitzgerald

2.The Declaration of Independence----Thomas Jefferson

3.On Self-Discipline----Aristotle

4.What a Baby Costs---Edhar Guest

5.If You Were----Author Unknown

6.The Character of a Happy Life---Henry Wotton

7.Thinking on Friendship---William Tyler Page

8.The Athenian Oath---Ancient Athens

9.The American's Creed---Wlliam Tyler Page

10.The Ten Commandments----The Bible

11.The Quality of Mercy---William Shakespeare

12.Too Dear For The Whistle---Benjamin Franklin

13.The Farmer and His Sons---Aesop

14.The Brave Mice---Aesop

To My Daughter

By F . Scott Fitzgerald

Things to worry about :

Worry about courage

Worry about cleanliness

Worry about efficiency

Worry about horsemanship ……

Things not to worry about :

Don’t worry about popular opinion

Don’t worry about dolls

Don’t worry about the past

Don’t worry about the future

Don’t worry about growing up

Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you Don’t worry about popular opinion

Don’t worry about triumph

Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault Don’t worry about mosquitoes

Don’t worry about flies

Don’t worry about insects in general

Don’t worry about parents

Don’t worry about disappointments

Don’t worry about pleasures

Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about :

What am I really aiming at ?

How good am I in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to :

(a) Scholarship

(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them ?

(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it ?

The Declaration of Independence

By Thomas Jefferson

When in the course of human events , it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another , and to assume among the Powers of the earth , the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation . — We hold these truths to be self －evident , that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty

and the pursuit of Happiness . — That to secure these rights , Governments are instituted among Men , deriving their just powers form the consent of the governed , — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends , it is Right of the People to alter or to abolish it , and to institute new Government , laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form , as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness .

On Self —Discipline

By Aristotle

Moral virtues come from habit … They are in us neither by nature , nor in spite of nature , but we are furnished by nature with a capacity for receiving them , and we develop them through habit … These virtues we ac quire by first exercising them , as in the case of other arts . Whatever we learn to do , we learn by actually doing it : men come to be builders , for instance , by building , and harp players , by playing the harp . In the same way , by doing just acts we come to be just ; by doing self — controlled acts , we come to be self —controlled ; and by doing brave acts , we become brave ……

What a Baby Costs

By Edgar Guest

1．＂How much do babies cost ?＂said he The other night upon my knee ;

And then I said :＂They cost a lot ;

A lot of watching by a cot ,

A lot of sleepless hours and care ,

A lot of heartache and despair ,

A lot of fear and trying dread ,

And sometimes many tears are shed

In payment for our babies small ,

But every one is worth it all .

2．For babies people have to pay

A heavy price from day to day —

There is no way to get one cheap .

Why , somet imes when they’re fast asleep You have to get up in the night

And go and see that they’re all right . But what they cost in constant care

And worry , does not half compare

With what they bring of joy and bliss —You’d pay much more for just a kiss . 3．Who buys a baby has to pay

A portion of the bill each day ;

He has to give his time and thought Unto the little one he’s bought .

He has to stand a lot of pain

Inside his heart and not complain ;

And pay with lonely days and sad

For all the happy h ours he’s had .

All this a baby costs , and yet

His smile is worth it all , you bet .

IF You Were

Author Unknown

1． If you were busy being king , Before you knew it , you would find You’d soon forget to think’ twas true That someone was unkind to you . 2． If you were busy being glad , And cheering people who are sad , Although your heart might ache a bit , You’d soon forget to notice it .

3． If you were busy being good , And doing just the best you could , You’d not have time to blame some man Who’s doing just the best he can .

4． If you were busy being right , You’d find yourself too busy quite

To criticize your neighbor long

Because he’s busy being wrong .

The Character of a Happy Life

By Henry Wotton

1． How happy is he born and taught , That serveth not another’s will ;

Whose armor is his honest thought ,

And simple truth his utmost skill !

2． Whose passions not his masters are , Whose soul is still prepared for death , Untied unto the worldly care

Of public fame , or private breath ;

3． Who envies none that chance doth raise , Or vice ; who never understood

How deepest wounds are given by praise ;

Nor rules of state , but rules of good ;

4． Who hath his life from rumors freed , Whose conscience is his strong retreat ;

Whose state can neither flatterers feed ,

Nor ruin make oppressors great ;

5． Who God doth late and early pray , More of his grace than gifts to lend ;

And entertains the harmless day

With a religious book or friend .

6． This man is freed from servile bands , Of hope to rise , or fear to fall ;

Lord of himself , though not of lands ;

And having nothing , yet hath all .

Thinking on Friendship

By William Shakespeare

SONNET XXIX

When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes .

I all alone beweep my outcast state ,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries , And look upon myself , and curse my fate , Wishing me like to one more rich in hope , Featured like him , like him with friends possess’ d , Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope , With what I most enjoy contented least ;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising , Haply I think on thee , and them my state ,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth , sings hymns at heaven’s gate ; For thy sweet love remember’ d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings . SONNET XXX

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought

I summon up remembrance of things past ,

I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought ,

And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste : Then can I drown an eye , unused to flow ,

For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night , And weep afresh love’s long since cancel’ d woe , And moan the expense of many a vanish’ d sight : Then can I grieve at grievances foregone ,

And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er

The sad account of fore — bemoaned moan ,

Which I new pay as if not paid before ,

But if the while I think on thee , dear friend ,

All losses are restored and sorrows end .

The Athenian Oath

From Ancient Athens

We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice .

1．We will fight for the ideals and Sacred Things of the City both alone and with many .

We will revere and obey the City’s laws , and will do our best to incite a like reverence and respect in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught .

2．We will strive increasingly to quicken the public’s sense of civic duty . Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City . not only not less , but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us .

The American’s Creed

By William Tyler Page

1．I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people , by the people , for the people ; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed ; a democracy in a republic ; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States ; a perfect union , one and inseparable ; established upon those principles of freedom , eqaulity , justice , and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes .

2．I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it ; to support its Constitution ; to obey its laws ; to respect its flag , and defend it against all enemies .

The Ten Commandments

From The Bible

1．I am the Lord thy God . Thou shalt have no other gods before me . 2．Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image .

3．Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain . 4．Remember the Sabbath day , to keep it holy .

5．Honor thy father and thy mother .

6．Thou shalt not kill .

7．Thou shalt not commit adultery .

8．Thou shalt not steal .

9．Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor . 10．Thou shalt not cover .

The Quality of Mercy

By William Shakespeare

The quality of mercy is not strain’ d .

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath .It is twice blest :

It blesseth him that gives ,

and him that takes .

’ Tis mightiest in the mightiest ;

it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown .

His scepter shows the force of temporal power ,

The attribute to awe and majesty ,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings ;

But mercy is above this sceptered sway ;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings ;

It is an attribute to God himself ;

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice .

Too Dear For The Whistle

By Benjamin Franklin

When I was a child of seven years old , my friends , on a holiday , filled my pocket with coppers . I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children . Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way , in the hands of another boy , I handed over all my money for one . I then came home , and went whistling all over the house , much pleased with my whistle , but disturbing all the family . My brothers and sisters and cousins , when I told of the bargain I had made , said I had given four times

as much as the whistle was worth . They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money , and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation . Thinking about the matter gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure .

This , however , was afterwards of use to me , for the impression continued on my mind , so that often , when I was tempted to buy something I did not need ,I said to myself , ＂Don’t give too much for the whistle , ＂and I saved my money . As I grew up , came into the world , and observed the actions of men , I thought I met with many , very many , who ＂gave too much for the whistle . ＂When I saw some men too eager for court favour , wasting his time at court gatherings , giving up his rest , his liberty , his virtue , and perhaps his friends , for royal favour , I said to myself —＂This man gives too much for the whistle . ＂When I saw another fond of popularity , constantly taking part in political affairs , neglecting his own business , and ruining it by neglect , ＂He pays , indeed , ＂said I , ＂too dear for his whistle .＂

If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living , all the pleasure of doing good to others , all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship , for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth —＂poor man , ＂said I , ＂you pay too dear for your whistle .＂When I met a man of pleasure , who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having good time , perhaps neglecting his health , ＂Mistaken man , ＂said I , ＂you are providing pain for yourself , instead of pleasure ; you are paying too dear for your whistle . ＂If I saw someone fond of appearance who had fine clothes , fine houses , fine furniture , fine earrings , all above his fortune , and for which he had run into debt , ＂Alas , ＂said I , ＂he has paid dear , very dear , for his whistle . ＂In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their putting a false value on things — to giving ＂too much for their whistles ＂.

The Farmer and His Sons

By Aesop

A farmer , being at death’s door , and desiring to impart to his sons a secret of much moment , called them round him and said , ＂My sons , l am shortly about to die . I would have you know , therefore , that in my vineyard there lies a hidden treasure . Dig , and you will find it . ＂As soon as their father was dead , the sons took spade and fork and turned up the soil of the vineyard over and over again , in their search for treasure which they supposed to lie buried there . They found none , however : but the vines , after so thorough a digging , produced a crop such as had never before been seen .

There is no treasure without toil .

The Brave Mice

By Aesop

An old cat was in the habit of catching all the mice in the barn .

One day the mice met to talk about the great harm that she was doing them . Each one told of some plan by which to keep out of her way .

＂Do as I say , ＂said an old gray mouse that was thought to be very

wise . ＂Do as I say . Hang a bell to the cat’s neck . Then , when we hear it ring , we shall know that she is coming , and can scamper out of her way . ＂＂Good ! Good !＂said all the other mice , and one ran to get the bell .

＂Now which of you will hang this bell on the cat’s neck ?＂said the old gray mouse .

＂Not I ! Not I ! ＂ said all the mice together . And they scampered away to their holes .

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致女儿

E . 斯科特·菲茨杰拉德

F . Scott Fitzgerald斯科特·菲茨杰拉德（1896-1940），美国小说家。因对爵士乐时代（20世纪20年代）的描写而闻名，最优秀的小说是《了不起的盖茨比》。其文学才能在普林斯顿大学学习期间即崭露头角。1920年出版了描写20年代青年道德风尚的《人间天堂》，一举成名。1925年在法国发表《了不起的盖茨比》，小说以美国理想为主题，充分提示他的双重性格和矛盾心理，是他杰出的作品，也是当代最深刻的一部美国小说。晚年在好莱坞从事电影剧本写作。

本篇是作者写给女儿的一封信。信中写道：生活会回报品德高贵的人，而不负责任的行为终将受到惩罚。从而告戒女儿应努力培养自己的性格、高雅的气质和高尚的德行，而不要过分流连于喜怒哀乐、成败荣辱等虚妄不实、稍纵即逝的东西。

需要操心的事情：

操心勇气的有无，

操心是否整洁，

操心有无效率，

操心学术的进步……

不应操心的事情：

不要为街谈巷议而烦恼，

不要为梳妆打扮而分心，

不要为往事困扰，

不要为未来担心，

不要为如何长大操心，

不要为别人胜过自己而不悦，不要处处争强好胜，

除非是由于自己的过失。

不要怕蚊子，

不要怕苍蝇，

不要讨厌那些普通的昆虫，

不要为父母担忧，

不要为父母而灰心，

不要在意是否满足。

需要思考的事情：

我真正的目的是什么？和同

龄人相比以下几个方面我做

得如何？

（a）学习成绩

（b）我能真正理解别人吗？我能与人为善，友好相

处吗？

（c）我正在使身体成为有用的工具，还是忽视了他？

独立宣言