采摘集
Writers are well-known for their power of invention and imagination.
--Andersen, The Nightingale
作家以創造力和想象力而聞名。
--安徒生,《夜鶯》
《夜鶯》是安徒生以中國為背景的童話作品。他把自然的生物與機械仿造品做了有趣的比較和批判。這句話不僅是恭維,而且還有嘲諷的意味。
Tears in the listener’s eyes are the finest possible reward for any singer.
--Andersen, The Nightingale
對任何歌唱者來說,聆聽者眼中的淚水是最好的報酬。
--安徒生,《夜鶯》
皇帝病重時,夜鶯再現,用甜美的歌聲趕走了惡魔和死神。康復后的皇帝不知如何感激它,夜鶯就說了上面的這段話:當歌聲在你心中發生了回響,就是對歌者最大的肯定和報酬。
諺語簿
(建議此處配一張漫畫圖)
As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
解釋:自作自受,咎由自取。
If you make your bed badly, you will probably have an uncomfortable night, and you will have only yourself to blame. In much the same way, all of us are responsible for what we do, so we must put up with them.
make bed:鋪床be responsible for:對……負有責任
in the same way: 同樣地put up with:忍受
床沒鋪好,你可能一夜睡不好覺,而這只能怪你自己。同樣,我們都對自己的所作所為負有責任,所以做錯事情只能自嘗苦果。
心語錄
When trying to say special things about you,
It’s always so hard to begin…
For words can’t express all the things
or how wonderful you’ve always been…
But if feelings for you could be turned into words to express
what lies deep in the heart,
I would take a longtime to say all those nice things
And then, that would be only the start!
想表達對你的綿綿情意之時,
總是不知從何說起……
言語無法表達全部的情緒,
你又是如此的非凡出眾……
如果對你的感情可以化成詞句,
來表達我內心深處的情意,
我愿意暢述那一切的美好思念,
而這僅僅是敘述的開始!
留聲機
You ought to thank God tonight if, regardless of your years, you are young enough in spirit to dream dreams; if you are young enough in spirit to believe that poverty can be greatly lessoned; that peace at home and peace abroad can be maintained; and that one day a generation may possess this land, and make men's life abundant. If that is the fashion of your dreaming then I say: \"Hold fast to your dream.\"
--from Franklin Roosevelt: \"Address to the Young Democratic Club\"
無論你們年歲幾何,假如你們在精神上青春常在、不丟棄夢想;相信貧窮會被徹底消滅;相信國內的安定與國際的和平常在;相信子孫后代有一天能擁有這片土地,令人類的生活豐富無比。如果你們懷有這樣的青春夢想,今夜你們應該感謝上帝。如果這就是你們的夢想,那么,“牢牢地把握并實現它吧”。
這是美國總統富蘭克林·羅斯福(Franklin Delano Roosevelt) 1936年4月13日在巴庭莫的講話片段。夢幻是青年人人生中最美麗、最值得回憶的時光。羅斯福將青年夢想與“美國夢”緊緊地融合在一起,通過演講激勵青年人大膽展望未來、擁抱夢想。
幽默林
原文:
A Wise Young Man
A man gets into a train and finds himself sitting opposite (1) a woman. Soon they begin talking to each other, and he says to her,“Do you have a family?”
“Yes, I have one son,” the woman answers.
“Oh, really?” says the man.“Does he smoke?”
“No, he has never touched a cigarette,” the woman replies.
“That’s good,” the man continues.“I don’t smoke either. Tobacco is very bad for (2)one’s health. And does your son drink wine?”
“Oh, no,” the woman answers at once,“he has never drunk a drop of it.”
“Then I congratulate you, ma’am,”(3)the man says.“And does he ever come home late (4)at night?”
“No, never,” his neighbor answers.“He goes to bed (5)immediately after dinner every night.”
“Well,” the man says,“he’s a wise young man. How old is he, by the way?”
“He’s six months old today,” the woman replies proudly.
詞匯補給:
講解(1)opposite:對著
講解(2)is bad for sth:對……有害 / is good for:對……有益
講解(3)ma’am:美語里稱“女士”為“ma’am”,而不是我們課本上常看到的“madam”
講解(4)come home late:晚回家
講解(5)go to bed:睡覺
譯文:
聰明的年輕人
一個男子上了火車,發現自己對面坐著一位女子。他們很快就攀談起來。他問女子:“你成家了嗎?
“是的,我有一個兒子,”女人回答。
“噢,真的嗎?”男人說:“他吸煙嗎?”
“不,他從未碰過一根香煙,”女人回答。
“很好,”男人接著說:“我也不抽煙,吸煙對身體有害。你兒子喝酒嗎?”
“噢,不,”女子立即回答:“他滴酒不沾。”
“那我要向你表示祝賀了,夫人,”男人說:“他晚上回家晚嗎?”
“不,從不,”鄰座的這個女人答道:“每天晚上,他吃完飯立刻就睡覺。”
“這么說來,”男人說:“他真是個聰明的年輕人。順便問一句,他多大了?”
“他今天正好滿六個月,”女人自豪地回答。
自測卷
原文:
How Many Rabbits?
Teacher: Now, Jim, if I gave you 3 rabbits and then the next day I gave you 5 rabbits, how many rabbits would you have?
Jim: Nine, sir.
Teacher: Nine? 3+5=9?
Jim: I’ve got one already, sir.
詞匯補給:
rabbit: 兔子
老師:好,吉姆,假如我給了你三只兔子,第二天我又給你五只,你一共有多少只兔子?
吉姆:一共有九只,老師。
老師:九只?
吉姆:老師,我本來就有一只。