三篇超级优美的英语美文赏析,附翻译
三篇超级优美的英语美文赏析，附翻译
一、你的思想，才是世界的主宰
You're shut down and frightened, the world seems hostile; when you love what is, everything in the world becomes the beloved. Inside and outside always match -- they're reflections of each other. The world is the mirror image of your mind.
当你脑子停滞放空、被恐惧笼罩着，你就会觉得整个世界都不怀好意;当你爱上这个世界本身，你就会觉得世上的每样东西都值得你爱。心中所想和外物所现总是息息相关，它们互相映衬，外界就是你内心的镜像。
Not believing your own thoughts, you're free from the primal desire: the thought that reality should be different than it is. You realize the wordless, the unthinkable. You understand that any mystery is only what you yourself have created. In fact, there's no mystery. Everything is as clear as day. It's simple, because there really
isn't anything. There's only the story appearing now. And not even that.
如果你不相信自己的想法，那么你就可以免受原始欲望的驱使：因为你所想的现实往往不是其真实的样子。你意识到默默无言的和无法置信的，你会明白一切的神秘只是你自己在故弄玄虚。事实上每件事都是一清二楚，很容易就可以明白，因为并没有发生什么事。现在只是发生了一件事，它甚至不算是事。
When you realize that you can only see the world as you believe it to be, you look from a newperspective. The world is an optical illusion. In the end, it's just you, crazed and miserable, or you, delighted and at peace. Everything happens for you, not to you.
当你意识到你只能看到你所相信的世界时，你便从新的角度看待这个世界了。世界是一种错觉，到最后，世界就是你，那个疯狂又痛苦的你或是愉快又平和的你，每件事都是为你发生，而不是发生于你。
I have questioned my thoughts, and I've seen that it's crazy to argue with what is.
I don't ever want anything to happen except what's happening. For example, a man sticks a pistol into my stomach, pulls the hammer back, and says, "I'm going to kill you." I am shocked that he is taking his thoughts so seriously. To someone identified as an I, the thought of killing causes guilt that leads to a life of suffering, so I ask him, as kindly as I can, not to do it.
英语背诵美文30篇(翻译)
生而为赢（中文翻译） ——新东方英语背诵美文30篇 目录： ·第一篇：Y outh 青春 ·第二篇：Three Days to See(Excerpts)假如给我三天光明（节选） ·第三篇：Companionship of Books 以书为伴（节选） ·第四篇：If I Rest, I Rust 如果我休息，我就会生锈 ·第五篇：Ambition 抱负 ·第六篇：What I have Lived for 我为何而生 ·第七篇：When Love Beckons Y ou 爱的召唤 ·第八篇：The Road to Success 成功之道 ·第九篇：On Meeting the Celebrated 论见名人 ·第十篇：The 50-Percent Theory of Life 生活理论半对半 ·第十一篇What is Y our Recovery Rate? 你的恢复速率是多少？ ·第十二篇：Clear Y our Mental Space 清理心灵的空间 ·第十三篇：Be Happy 快乐 ·第十四篇：The Goodness of life 生命的美好 ·第十五篇：Facing the Enemies Within 直面内在的敌人 ·第十六篇：Abundance is a Life Style 富足的生活方式 ·第十七篇：Human Life a Poem 人生如诗 ·第十八篇：Solitude 独处 ·第十九篇：Giving Life Meaning 给生命以意义 ·第二十篇：Relish the Moment 品位现在 ·第二十一篇：The Love of Beauty 爱美 ·第二十二篇：The Happy Door 快乐之门 ·第二十三篇：Born to Win 生而为赢 ·第二十四篇：W ork and Pleasure 工作和娱乐 ·第二十五篇：Mirror, Mirror--What do I see镜子,镜子,告诉我 ·第二十六篇：On Motes and Beams 微尘与栋梁 ·第二十七篇：An October Sunrise 十月的日出 ·第二十八篇：To Be or Not to Be 生存还是毁灭 ·第二十九篇：Gettysburg Address 葛底斯堡演说 ·第三十篇：First Inaugural Address(Excerpts) 就职演讲（节选） 1．青春-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 青春不是人生的一个阶段，而是一种心境；青春不是指粉红的面颊、鲜艳的嘴唇、富有弹性的膝盖，而是指坚定的意志、丰富的想象、充沛的情感；青春，它是清新的生命之泉。 青春是一种气质，勇敢胜过怯弱，渴求冒险而不贪图安逸。这样的气息60老者常常有，20青年恰恰无。年岁增添，未必使人垂老；理想不再，终于步入暮年。 岁月悠悠，衰微只及肌肤；热忱抛却，颓废必致灵魂。忧烦、惶恐、自卑，使人心灵扭曲，心灰意冷。 无论60还是16岁，人人心中都怀着对新奇事物的向往，象孩童般对未来充满憧憬，此情永不消退，在生活的游戏中汲取快乐。在你我的内心深处都有一座无线电台，只要它接收到人间和上帝发出的美好、希望、欢乐、勇气和力量的信号，你就会青春永驻。
英语美文20句
1.To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. 对于世界而言，你是一个人；但是对于某个人，你是他的整个世界。 2. No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won't make you cry. 没有人值得你流泪，值得让你这么做的人不会让你哭泣。 3.Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile. 纵然伤心，也不要愁眉不展，因为你不知是谁会爱上你的笑容。 4. We met at the wrong time, but separated at the right time. The most urgent is to take the most beautiful scenery; the deepest wound was the most real emotions. 我们在错误的时间相遇，在正确的时间却又分开。走的最急的是最美的景色，伤的最深的是最真的感情。 5. Time would heal almost all wounds. If your wounds have not been healed up, please wait for a short while. 时间几乎会愈合所有伤口，如果你的伤口还没有愈合，请给时间一点时间！ 6. There's a difference between "love" and "like". If you like a flower you will pick it, but if you love a flower, you will water it every day. 爱与喜欢是有区别的。如果你喜欢一朵花，你会摘下它，但你要是爱它，你会浇灌它。 7. No need to have a reason to love you. Anything can be a reason not to love you. 喜欢你，不需要理由；不喜欢你，什么都可以成为理由。 8.Life is sad at times, but it is up to you to make your own life happy. 生活有时是令人沮丧的，但你可以努力让自己的过得开心。 9.Life is sad at times, but it is up to you to make your own life happy. 生活有时是令人沮丧的，但你可以努力让自己的过得开心。 10. No matter how long the rain lasts, there will be a rainbow in the end. No matter how sad you may be, believe, that happiness is waiting. 不管雨下多久，最终彩虹总会出现。不管你有多难过，始终要相信，幸福就在不远处 11.Life is sad at times, but it is up to you to make your own life happy. 生活有时是令人沮丧的，但你可以努力让自己的过得开心。 12. Three solutions to every problem: accept it, change it, leave it. If you can't accept it, change it. If you can't change it, leave it. 有三个方法可以解决所有的问题。接受，改变，放开。不能接受那就改变，不能改变，那就
散文诗名篇赏析《Youth-青春》中英文
经典英语名篇文章：青春 作者：Samuel Ullman 青春不是年华，而是心境；青春不是桃面、丹唇、柔膝，而是深沉的意志、宏伟的想象、炽热的感情；青春是生命的深泉在涌流。 经典英语文章《青春》背后的故事： 太平洋战争打得正酣之时，麦克阿瑟将军常常从繁忙中抬起头，注视着挂在墙上的镜框，镜框里是篇文章，名为《青春》。这篇文章一直伴随着他，也跟着他到了日本。后来，日本人在东京的美军总部发现了它，《青春》便开始在日本流传。 一位资深的日本问题观察家说，在日本实业界，只要有成就者，没有哪一个不熟知不应用这篇美文的，就连松下电器的创始人松下幸之助几十年来也把《青春》当作他的座右铭。 还有这么一件趣事，足以证明《青春》在日本的魅力。一天，美国影片销售协会主席罗森菲尔德参加日本实业界的聚会，晚宴之前的谈话，他随意说了一句：“《青春》的作者，便是我的祖父。”在座的各位实业界领袖大为惊讶，其中有一位一边激动地说“我一直随身带着它呢”，一边从口袋里掏出了《青春》。 Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep spring of life. Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exits in a man of 60, more than a boy of 20.nobody grows merely by the number of years; we grow old by deserting our ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust1 bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust. Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being’s heart the lure of wonders, the 青春不是年华，而是心境；青春不是桃面、丹唇、柔膝，而是深沉的意志、宏伟的想象、炽热的感情；青春是生命的深泉在涌流。 青春气贯长虹，勇锐盖过怯弱，进取压倒苟安，如此锐气，二十后生有之，六旬男子则更多见。年年有加，并非垂老；理想丢弃，方堕暮年。 岁月悠悠，衰微只及肌肤；热忱抛却，颓唐必至灵魂。烦忧、惶恐、丧失自信，定使心灵扭曲，意气如灰。 无论年届花甲，抑或二八芳龄，心中皆有生命之欢乐，奇迹之诱惑，孩童般天真久盛不衰。人人心中皆
经典英语美文欣赏80篇(适用于成人)
经典英语美文欣赏80篇（适用于成人） 英语美文欣赏80篇 01-The Love of Beauty 英语美文欣赏80篇 02-The Happy Door 英语美文欣赏80篇 03-Born to Win 英语美文欣赏80篇 04-Work and Pleasure 英语美文欣赏80篇 05-Mirror,Mirror-What do I See 英语美文欣赏80篇 06-On Motes and Beams 英语美文欣赏80篇 07-An October Sunrise 英语美文欣赏80篇 08-To be or not to be 英语美文欣赏80篇 09-Gettysburg address 英语美文欣赏80篇10-First Inaugural Address
英语美文欣赏80篇11-American black bears 英语美文欣赏80篇 12-Coal-fired power plants 英语美文欣赏80篇 13-Statistics 英语美文欣赏80篇 14-Obtaining Fresh water from icebergs 英语美文欣赏80篇 15-The source of Energy 英语美文欣赏80篇 16-Vision 英语美文欣赏80篇 17-Folk Cultures 英语美文欣赏80篇 18-Bacteria 英语美文欣赏80篇 19-Sleep 英语美文欣赏80篇 20-Cells and Temperature 英语美文欣赏80篇21-Youth 英语美文欣赏80篇 22-Three Days to See 英语美文欣赏80篇 23-Companionship of Books 英语美文欣赏80篇24-If I Rest,I Rust 英语美文欣赏80篇 25-Ambition 英语美文欣赏80篇 26-What I have Lived for 英语美文欣赏80篇 27-When Love Beckons You 英语美文欣赏80篇 28-The Road to Success
英语美文：幸福是一段旅途
英语美文：幸福是一段旅途 For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin, real li fe. 很长一段时间我总觉得生命慎始。 But, there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be got ten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served o r a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. 但是得时无待，时不再来。生命无关途中际遇，兀自向前。 At last it dawned on me that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. 到底明白，幸福不在终点，幸福就是此生此路。 So treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more becau se you share it with someone special, someone special enough to spen d your time with.
珍视每一寸光阴，珍视每一个共同渡过的人。相信同伴就是一种珍贵。 Make the most of your time. Don’t waste too much of your time stud ying, working, or stressing about something that seems important. 惜时如金，莫要浪费挥霍。 Do what you want to do to be happy but also do what you can to ma ke the people you care about happy. Remember that time waits for n o one. 时不我待，请怀着幸福感认真的为人处事。 So stop waiting until you take your last test, until you finnish school, until you go back to school, until you have the perfect body, the pe rfect car, or whatever other perfect thing you desire. 完成与完整人生必经的学业、事业的历程，所有欲求，都在实践。 Stop waiting until the weekend, when you can party or let loose, until summer, spring, fall or winter, until you find the right person and ge
优秀英语美文摘抄带翻译
优秀英语美文摘抄带翻译 【导语】优美的文字于细微处传达出美感,并浸润着学生的心灵。通过英语美文,学生不仅能够感受语言之美,领悟语言之用,还能产生学习语言的兴趣。以下是由分享优秀英语美文摘抄带翻译，希望可以帮助大家! 【篇一】优秀英语美文摘抄带翻译 We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you’ve read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o’clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won’t need to live in fear of it. 我们的勇气并不是与生俱来的，我们的恐惧也不是。也许有些恐惧来自你的亲身经历，别人告诉你的故事，或你在报纸上读到的东西。有些恐惧可以理解，例如在凌晨两点独自走在城里不安全的地段。但是一旦你学会避免那种情况，你就不必生活在恐惧之中。 Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us.
英语美文欣赏
Sun smile 阳光般的微笑 The sun shone brightly on the ground in front of her feet as she pondered the reality of light. 太阳光芒四射地照耀这她脚前这片大地。她在沉思，思考着阳光是怎么一回事: How did light get here? Who made it and why? 它是怎么来到这儿的?谁让它来的?来做什么? She instinctively stepped into the sun spot and instantly felt warmer, brighter, and fuller of life and energy. 她下意识地踏进阳光里，整个人立刻觉得暖和，清醒起来，浑身充满了生机和活力。 The sun wrapped her in comfort and stability for, if nothing else,she could always count on the sun waking her up most mornings. 阳光笼罩着她，她感到很舒服很踏实，如果没有其他事情，大多数早晨，她都会让阳光叫她起床。
Its predictable radiance felt like the mother she never had as her childhood was characterized more so by pain and heartache than comfort and love. 太阳那如期而至的光芒就像妈妈一样，虽然她从来就没有感受过母爱，她的童年记忆里满是痛苦和伤心，而不是关怀和爱。 She stepped out of the sunlight and felt that all-too-familiar anxious pang in the pit of her stomach as she remembered how horrible it was to live in her childhood home. 她从阳光里走出来，一阵再熟悉不过的恼人的悲痛袭击了她的胸口，让她回忆起童年时的可怕生活。 Memories flooded her mind as she unsuccessfully tried to block them out by thinking good thoughts. 她努力朝好的方面想，希望能抵挡住如洪水般泛滥的痛苦回忆，但是无济于事。 Oh how she wished she could curl up in the middle of the sun and allow its love to encase her for all eternity. 她是多么希望可以蜷缩在温暖的阳光里，让太阳的爱包裹着她直到永远。 But, no, she was stuck here on earth with those who didn't feel the sun's rays the same way she did,who didn't feel deeply connected to this amazing source of life. 然而，这是不可能的。她只能在这儿，和其他人一起。其他人不像她一样渴望阳光，也不曾觉得自己与这神奇的生命之源有什么紧密联系。 All she could do was stand in the sun on occasion and shut out the rest of the world for a little while. 她唯一能做的就是偶尔站在阳光里，和阳光以外的世界短暂地隔离。 Maybe if she stood here long enough they would cease to exist. 她想也许只要一直站在阳光里，外面的世界也就不复存在了。
英语美文100篇·中英文对照-附带美图
谈一场恋爱就像读一本新书 Starting a new book is a risk, just like falling in love. You have to commit to it. You open the pages knowing a little bit about it maybe, from the back or from a blurb on the front. But who knows, right? Those bits and pieces aren’t always right. 读一本新书恰似坠入爱河，是场冒险。你得全身心投入进去。翻开书页之时，从序言简介直至封底你或许都知之甚少。但谁又不是呢？字里行间的只言片语亦不总是正确。 Sometimes people advertise themselves as one thing and then when you get deep into it you realize that they’re something completely different. Either there was some good marketing attached to a terrible book, or the story was only explained in a superficial way and once you reach the middle of the book, you realize there’s so much more to this book than anyone could have ever told you. 有时候你会发现，人们自我推销时是一种形象，等你再深入了解后，他们又完全是另一种模样了。有时拙作却配有出色的市场推销，故事的叙述却流于表面，阅读过半后，你方才发觉：这本书真是出乎意料地妙不可言，这种感受只要靠自己去感悟！ You start off slow. The story is beginning to unfold. You’re unsure. It’s a big commitment lugging this tome around. Maybe this book won’t be that great but you’ll feel guilty about putting it down. Maybe it’ll be so awful you’ll keep hate-reading or just set it down immediately and never pick it up again. Or maybe you’ll come back to it some night, drunk or lonely — needing something to fill the time, but it won’t be any better than it was when you first started reading it. 你慢慢翻页，故事开始缓慢展开，而你却依旧心存犹疑。阅读这样的巨著需要百分之百的投入。或许它并不是你想象中的伟大的作品，奈何半途弃读会使你觉得不安。又或许，故事真的很烂，你要么咬牙苦读下去，要么立刻放弃束之高阁。抑或某个酒醉或孤寂的夜晚，你又重新捡起这本书来——但只为打发时光。不管怎样，它并没有比你初次阅读时好多少。
关于经典英语美文带翻译摘抄
关于经典英语美文带翻译摘抄 导读：我根据大家的需要整理了一份关于《关于经典英语美文带翻译摘抄》的内容，具体内容：情景美文在思品教学中加以应用,能更有效地实现情感态度价值观目标。我精心收集了关于经典英语美文带翻译，供大家欣赏学习!关于经典英语美文带翻译：勇气The courag... 情景美文在思品教学中加以应用,能更有效地实现情感态度价值观目标。我精心收集了关于经典英语美文带翻译，供大家欣赏学习! 关于经典英语美文带翻译：勇气 The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no lessa magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must in spite of personal consequences，in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures and that is the basis of all human morality. To be courageous...requires no exceptional qualifications，no magic formula，no special combination of time，place and circumstance.It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all. Politics merely furnishes one arena which imposes special tests of courage.In whatever arena of life one may meet the challengeof courage，whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience，the loss of his friends，his fortune，his
英语美文欣赏
英语美文欣赏 第一篇：A Grain of Sand 一粒沙子William Blake/威廉.布莱克To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild fllower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. 从一粒沙子看到一个世界，从一朵野花看到一个天堂，把握在你手心里的就是无限，永恒也就消融于一个时辰。 第二篇：Love Your Life 热爱生活Henry David Thoreau/享利.大卫.梭罗However mean your life is,meet it and live it ;do not shun it and call it hard names.It is not so bad as you are.It looks poorest when you are richest.The fault-finder will find faults in paradise.Love your life,poor as it is.You may perhaps have some pleasant,thrilling,glorious hourss,even in a poor-house.The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode;the snow melts before its door as early in the spring.I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there,and have as cheering thoughts,as in a palace.The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any.May be they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving.Most think that they are above being supported by the town;but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means.which should be more disreputable.Cultivate poverty like a garden herb,like sage.Do not trouble yourself much to get new things,whether clothes or friends,Turn the old,return to them.Things do not change;we change.Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. 不论你的生活如何卑贱，你要面对它生活，不要躲避它，更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活，尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里，你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人，我看，倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的，不
英语美文(带翻译)
Always will I seek the seed of triumph in every adversity 在困境中寻找成功的希望 1．There is no better school than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve my performance next time. Never again will I contribute to my downfall by refusing to face the truth and learn from my past mistakes. Because I know: gems cannot shine without polish, and I cannot perfect myself without hardship. 2．Now I know that there are no times in life when opportunity, the chance to be and do, gathers so richly about my soul as when it has to suffer cruel adversity. Then everything depends on whether I raise my head or lower it in seeking help. Whenever I am struck down, in the future, by any terrible defeat, I will always inquire of myself, after the first pain has passed how I can turn that adversity into good. What a great opportunity that moment might present… to take the bitter root I am holding and transform it into a fragrant garden of flowers. 3．Always will I seek the seed of triumph in every adversity. 1．逆境是一所最好的学校每一次打击、每一次损失。都蕴含着成功的萌芽。都教会我在下一次有更出色的表现。我再也不会逃避现实，也不会拒绝从以往的错误中获取经验，我不再因此促成自己的失败。因为我我知道，宝玉不经磨砺就不能发光，没有磨练，我也不完善自我。 2．现在我知道，灵魂倍受煎熬的时刻，也正是生命中最多选择与机会的时刻。任何事情的成败取决于我在寻求帮助时是抬起头还是低下头。无论何时，当我被可怕的失败击倒，在最初的阵痛过去之后，我都要想方设法将苦难变成好事。伟大的机遇就在这一刻闪现——这苦涩的根本必将迎来满园芬芳！ 3．我将一直在困境中寻找成功希望。 Hold Fast to Dreams 紧紧抓住梦想 1．We all have dreams. We all want to believe deep down in our souls that we have a special gift, that we can make a difference, that we can touch others in a special way, and that we can make the world a better place. 2．At one time in our lives, we all had a vision for the quality of life that we desire and deserve. Yet, for many of us, those dreams have become so shrouded in the frustrations and routines of daily life that we no longer even make an effort to accomplish them. For far too many, the dream has dissipated and with it, so has the will to shape our destinies. Many have lost that sense of certainty that creates the winner’s edge.
英语励志美文美段摘抄
英语励志美文美段摘抄 【篇一：英语励志美文美段摘抄】 英语励志美文篇一 eagle in a storm 风雨中的雄鹰 did you know that an eagle know when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? 你知道吗?鹰在暴风雨爆发之前就可以预知它的来临。 the eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. when the storm hits. it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. while the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring about it. 鹰会飞到一个很高的地方，等待着风暴的来临。当暴风雨来临的时候，它会张开双翅，这样暴风就可以把它拖起，将它置于暴雨之上。当暴风雨肆虐的时候，鹰已经翱翔于狂风暴雨之上。 the eagle does not escape the storm. it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. it rises on the winds that bring the storm. 鹰没有逃避暴风雨，它只是利用暴风雨让它飞得更高，它翱翔于带 来暴风雨的飓风之上。 when the storms of life come upon us and all of us will experience them we can rise above them by setting our belief that we can make it. the storms do not have to overcome. we can allow our inner power to lift us above them. 当生活中的暴风雨降临的时候这是我们每个人都要经历的我们可以 坚定我们必胜的信念，这样我们就可以凌驾于风暴之上。暴风雨并 不一定会摧毁我们，我们内心的力量可以让我们超越暴风雨。
英语美文欣赏带翻译
Friends or 'Enemies?' When I was younger, my Dad used to tell me: "Boys don't want to be your friend." He then left the rest to my imagination. At the time, I didn't agree. I thought: I can crack a good joke, I know how to shoot a hoop, and I'm a cheerful person (but not in an annoying way). What kind of boy wouldn't want to be around that kind of girl? Turns out, my Dad was right. Not to be all "Samantha Brick" about it, but in my experience, single, heterosexual men aren't actively looking for an exclusively platonic relationship with a woman they find sexually attractive. This of course is not a revolutionary concept. In fact, it seems pretty natural to me. Now, I will be the first to say that it is really and truly the most wonderful thing in the world if the attraction is mutual. But the Powers That Be seem to like to play these complicated little mating games with humans where the guy we want to re-enact scenes from 9? Weeks with sees our attractiveness level as akin to that of a discarded dishcloth, and the most physical we could see ourselves being with the guy who actually likes us is a game of ping pong over an especially long table. All of which means that someone usually ends up getting rejected. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I have struggled with the scenario where I am not interested in a man romantically, but I want to keep him as a friend because he is funny and I enjoy his company, or he has shown himself to be that rare specimen known as "a nice, genuine person, " or he simply doesn't mention his therapist in every other sentence. Rather than string him along and give him hope, I feel compelled to somehow communicate to him sooner rather than later that we'll just be staying friends, nothing more. Otherwise, I think I am being unfair to him. Why should he waste his romantic stamina on me when there are loads of other single women out there who might fall instantly in love with him? The thing is, it can sometimes be tricky to reject a man and keep him as a friend. If the operation is not executed carefully, you may end up creating a "menemy." It requires a certain amount of skill to be able to turn down a man's sexual advances or romantic gestures and then get him to agree to meet you for blueberry pancakes the following weekend and chat about the latest Woody Allen film. Some men aren't satisfied with just that. I'm not clear why. What's so bad about friendship? Everyone needs buddies. But I've seen men react poorly or simply fall off the face of the earth. I get it -- their feelings are hurt. None of us likes getting rejected. But in my experience, some men find it especially soul-crushing. I am only bringing all of this up because I recently had to go through this scenario again. I had spent some time cultivating a friendship with a man who, in my defense, I thought was gay. So I didn't see the harm in him buying me the occasional falafel, or accepting an invitation to see a film with him. Isn't that what friends are for? But a mutual friend shed light on his sexual orientation (straight) and suggested that his intentions -- and attentions -- weren't platonic. He had never "made the moves" but now it was all crystal clear -- that explains the way he had looked at me that time the tahini sauce dribbled down my chin! Since he had clearly been too timid to express his feelings, I thought I would be clever this time and subtly mention the dates I had been going on, focusing on the one guy I was kind of keen on, so that he would know that I was "unavailable" for heavy petting and those sorts of activities, but that I was available for things like roller skating, falafel-eating and shooting the breeze. Doesn't that sound nice? That way, he would known not to try to lean in for a kiss, and I wouldn't have to pull the Stevie Wonder dance and dodge him went he went for it. It was like pre-rejection, yet I was sparing his feelings because he didn't even have to put himself out there! I really thought I was being brilliant. It backfired, of course. Said man ended up sending me an email rant accusing me of being insensitive by talking about other men when he had "feelings for me." As if I am psychic, by the way, just because I am a woman! How was I supposed to know that? I think in his mind we were dating. In my mind, he was my new gay BFF. In the end, I got mad at him for getting mad at me, and now the friendship has ended. And I have created yet another "menemy." Look, I have also tried the direct thing: "I really like you, but only as a friend, " but you can only do that when the guy has made his intentions clear, and in my experience, they either cope okay (though rarely do I feel much enthusiasm for friendship after that), or they really don't cope well. I also tried the thing where you make them think they are rejecting you, but it gets quite confusing and only works if the guy isn't very sharp, and why would I -- or you -- be hanging out with someone not that sharp in the first place? As we all remember, Billy Crystal's character says men and women can't be friends in When Harry Met Sally because the sex stuff gets in the way. I do have single, male, heterosexual friends with whom I have an easy, non-romantic rapport, but I honestly don't know if they would walk away if I was sprawled naked on a bed calling out to them. I may not be everybody's cup of tea, but sometimes, I wonder if they wonder. And they may wonder if I wonder. If so, I hope they'll keep it to