英语短文阅读A Plate of Peas 一盘豌豆.docx
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英语短文阅读APlateofPeas一盘豌豆
英语短文阅读:
APlateofPeas一盘豌豆
APlateofPeas一盘豌豆
MygrandfatherdiedwhenIwasasmallboy,andmygrandmotherstartedstayingwithusforaboutsixmonthseveryyear.Shelivedinaroomthatdoubledasmyfather'soffice,whichwereferredtoas"thebackroom."Shecarriedwithherapowerfularoma.Idon‘tknowwhatkindofperfumesheused,butitwasthedouble-barreled,ninety-proof,knockdown,render-the-victim-unconscious,moose-killingvariety.Shekeptitinahugeatomizerandapplieditfrequentlyandliberally.Itwasalmostimpossibletogointoherroomandremainbreathingforanylengthoftime.WhenshewouldleavethehousetogospendsixmonthswithmyAuntLillian,mymotherandsisterswouldthrowopenallthewindows,stripthebed,andtakeoutthecurtainsandrugs.Thentheywouldspendseveraldayswashingandairingthingsout,tryingfranticallytomakethepungentodorgoaway.
This,then,wasmygrandmotheratthetimeoftheinfamouspeaincident.
IttookplaceattheBiltmoreHotel,which,tomyeight-year-oldmind,wasjustaboutthefanciesplacetoeatinallofProvidence.Mygrandmother,mymother,andIwerehavinglunchafteramorningspentshopping.Igrandlyorderedasalisburysteak,confidentintheknowledgethatbeneaththatfancynamewasagoodoldhamburgerwithgravy.Whenbroughttothetable,itwasaccompaniedbyaplateofpeas.Idonotlikepeasnow.Ididnotlikepeasthen.Ihavealwayshatedpeas.Itisacompletemysterytomewhyanyonewouldvoluntarilyeatpeas.Ididnoteatthemathome.Ididnoteatthematrestaurants.AndIcertainlywasnotabouttoeatthemnow."Eatyourpeas,"mygrandmothersaid.
"Mother,"saidmymotherinherwarningvoice."Hedoesn‘tlikepeas.Leavehimalone."
Mygrandmotherdidnotreply,buttherewasaglintinhereyeandagrimsettoherjawthatsignaledshewasnotgoingtobethwarted.Sheleanedinmydirection,lookedmeintheeye,andutteredthefatefulwordsthatchangedmylife:
"I'llpayyoufivedollarsifyoueatthosepeas."
Ihadabsolutelynoideaoftheimpendingdoom.Ionlyknewthatfivedollarswasanenormous,nearlyunimaginableamountofmoney,andasawfulaspeaswere,onlyoneplateofthemstoodbetweenmeandthepossessionofthatfivedollars.Ibegantoforcethewretchedthingsdownmythroat.
Mymotherwaslivid.Mygrandmotherhadthatself-satisfiedlookofsomeonewhohasthrowndownanunbeatabletrumpcard."IcandowhatIwant,Ellen,andyoucan‘tstopme."Mymotherglaredathermother.Sheglaredatme.Noonecanglarelikemymother.IftherewereaglaringOlympics,shewouldundoubtedlywinthegoldmedal.
I,ofcourse,keptshovingpeasdownmythroat.Theglaresmademenervous,andeverysinglepeamademewanttothrowup,butthemagicalimageofthatfivedollarsfloatedbeforeme,andIfinallygaggeddowneverylastoneofthem.Mygrandmotherhandedmethefivedollarswithaflourish.Mymothercontinuedtoglareinsilence.Andtheepisodeended.OrsoIthought.
MygrandmotherleftforAuntLillian'safewweekslater.Thatnight,atdinner,mymotherservedtwoofmyall-timefavoritefoods,meatloafandmashedpotatoes.Alongwiththemcameabig,steamingbowlofpeas.Sheofferedmesomepeas,andI,intheverylastmomentsofmyinnocentyouth,declined.Mymotherfixedmewithacoldeyeassheheapedahugepileofpeasontomyplate.Thencamethewordsthatweretohauntmeforyears.
"Youatethemformoney,"shesaid."Youcaneatthemforlove."
Oh,despair!
Oh,devastation!
Now,toolate,camethedawningrealizationthatIhadunwittinglydamnedmyselftoahellfromwhichtherewasnoescape.
"Youatethemformoney.Youcaneatthemforlove."
WhatpossibleargumentcouldImusteragainstthat?
Therewasnone.DidIeatthepeas?
YoubetIdid.Iatethemthatdayandeveryothertimetheywereservedthereafter.Thefivedollarswerequicklyspent.Mygrandmotherpassedawayafewyearslater.Butthelegacyofthepeaslivedon,asitlivesontothisday.IfIsomuchascurlmylipwhentheyareserved(because,afterall,Istillhatethehorridlittlethings),mymotherrepeatsthedreadedwordsonemoretime:
"Youatethemformoney,"shesays."Youcaneatthemforlove."
生命中的五个球FiveBallsofLife
生命不是一场赛跑,而是一步一个脚印的旅程。
别为生活找借口,过去已成历史,未来充满未知,活在当下,努力当下。
FiveBallsofLife
Inauniversitycommencementaddressseveralyearsago,BrianDyson,CEOofCocaColaEnterprises,spokeoftherelationofworktoone’sothercommitments:
几年前,在一所大学的开幕典礼中,可口可乐的首席执行官布赖恩?
戴森讲到工作与其他义务的关系:
Imaginelifeasagameinwhichyouarejugglingsomefiveballsintheair.Younamethemwork,family,health,friendsandspiritandyou’rekeepingalloftheseintheair.Youwillsoonunderstandthatworkisarubberball.Ifyoudropit,itwillbounceback.
想象生命是一场不停丢掷五个球于空中的游戏。
这五个球分别为工作、家庭、健康、朋友和心灵,而且你很努力地掷着这五个球,不让它们落地。
很快地你会了解工作是一个橡皮球。
如果你不幸失手落下它,它还是会弹回来。
Buttheotherfourballsfamily,health,friendsandspiritaremadeofglass.Ifyoudroponeofthese,theywillbeirrevocablyscuffed,marked,nicked,damagedorevenshattered.Theywillneverbethesame.Youmustunderstandthatandstriveforbalanceinyourlife.How?
但是家庭、健康、朋友和心灵这四个球是用玻璃做成的。
一旦你失手落下,它们可能会少了一角,留下无法挽回的记号、刻痕、损坏甚至碎落一地。
它们将永远不会跟以前一样。
你必须了解这个道理,并且为平衡你的生命而努力。
但要怎么才做得到呢?
Don’tundermineyourworthbycomparingyourselfwithothers.Itisbecausewearedifferentthateachofusisspecial.
别拿自己和他人比较,这只会降低了你原有的价值。
因为我们都是独一无二的,因为我们每一个人都很特别。
Don’tsetyourgoalsbywhatotherpeopledeemimportant.Onlyyouknowwhatisbestforyou.
别人认为重要的事不一定是你的目标。
只有你才知道什么最适合你。
Don’ttakeforgrantedthethingsclosesttoyourheart.Clingtothemastheywouldbeyourlife,forwithoutthem,lifeismeaningless.
不要将贴近你的心的人、事物视为理所当然的存在。
你必须将他们视为你的生命一般好好地抓牢他们。
没有他们,生命将失去意义。
Don’tletyourlifeslipthroughyourfingersbylivinginthepastorforthefuture.Bylivingyourlifeonedayatatime,youliveALLthedaysofyourlife.
别让你的生命总在依恋过去种种或是寄望未来中逝去。
如果你活在每个当下,你就活出了生命中的每一天。
Don’tgiveupwhenyoustillhavesomethingtogive.Nothingisreallyoveruntilthemomentyoustoptrying.
当你还能给予的时候别轻言放弃。
只要你不放弃,就有无限延伸的可能。
Don’tbeafraidtoadmitthatyouarelessthanperfect.Itisthisfragilethreadthatbindsustoeachtogether.
别害怕承认你并非完美。
正因如此,我们才得以藉由这脆弱的细丝紧密地串绑在一起。
Don’tbeafraidtoencounterrisks.Itisbytakingchancesthatwelearnhowtobebrave.
别害怕遇到危险。
正因如此,我们才得以藉由这些机会学习勇敢。
Don’tshutloveoutofyourlifebysayingit’simpossibletofind.Thequickestwaytoreceiveloveistogiveit;thefastestwaytoloseloveistoholdittootightly;andthebestwaytokeeploveistogiveitwings.
别以爱太难找到作为借口而紧闭你的心扉。
最迅速找到爱的方法就是给予你的爱;最快速失去爱的方法就是紧紧地守着你的爱不放;维持爱的最好方式就是给爱一双翅膀。
Don’trunthroughlifesofastthatyouforgetnotonlywhereyou’vebeen,butalsowhereyouaregoing.
莫要匆忙地度过你的一生,那匆忙让你忘了曾经到过哪里,也让你忘了你要去哪里。
Don’tforget,aperson’sgreatestemotionalneedistofeelappreciated.
莫忘记,人类情感上最大的需要是感恩。
Don’tbeafraidtolearn.Knowledgeisweightless,atreasureyoucanalwayscarryeasily.
莫害怕学习。
知识没有重量,它是可以随意携带的珍宝。
Don’tusetimeorwordscarelessly.Neithercanberetrieved.
莫漫不经心地蹉跎光阴或口无遮拦。
时间与言词两者都是一放便收不回来。
Lifeisnotarace,butajourneytobesavoredeachstepoftheway.
生命不是一场赛跑,而是一步一个脚印的旅程。
Yesterdayishistory,TomorrowisamysteryandTodayisagift:
that’swhywecallit‘ThePresent’.
过去已成历史,未来充满未知。
今天是份礼物:
那就是我们称之为“现在”的原因。
美文赏析:
TheScarsofLove爱的伤疤
伤疤,听起来总有点令人心寒,但你可曾想过有些伤口是一些不想放弃你的人造成的。
在你挣扎的过程中,那些爱你的人为了拉住你,才在你身上留下了的伤疤。
TheScarsofLove爱的伤疤
SomeyearsagoonahotsummerdayinsouthFloridaalittleboydecidedtogoforaswimintheoldswimmingholebehindhishouse.
几年前的一个炎炎夏日,在美国佛罗里达州南部,有个小男孩为贪图凉快,决定去自家房子后面一个形成已久的深水潭中游泳。
Inahurrytodiveintothecoolwater,heranoutthebackdoor,leavingbehindshoes,socks,andshirtashewent.Heflewintothewater,notrealizingthatasheswamtowardthemiddleofthelake,analligatorwasswimmingtowardtheshore.Hismother-inthehousewaslookingoutthewindow-sawthetwoastheygotcloserandclosertogether.Inutterfear,sherantowardthewater,yellingtohersonasloudlyasshecould.
因为迫不及待地想投入到清凉的水中,他飞快地从后门跑了出去,边跑边脱掉鞋子、袜子和衬衣,把它们随手抛在了身后。
他一头扎进了水里,丝毫没有意识到自己游往潭中心的同时,一只美洲鳄也正在朝岸边游来。
小男孩的母亲当时在屋子里透过窗子向外看着,发现那只美洲鳄正向她的孩子步步逼近。
她极度惊恐起来,一边迅速奔向水潭,一边声嘶力竭地朝自己的孩子呼喊着。
Hearinghervoice,thelittleboybecamealarmedandmadeareturntoswimtohismother.Itwastoolate.Justashereachedher,thealligatorreachedhim.
听到她的呼喊,小男孩才猛然意识到了危险,立即掉头向岸边的母亲游去。
可这时已经无济于事。
他的手勉强刚够到他的母亲,鳄鱼也已经接触到了他。
Fromthedock,themothergrabbedherlittleboybythearmsjustasthealligatorsnatchedhislegs.Thatbegananincredibletug-of-warbetweenthetwo.Thealligatorwasmuchstrongerthanthemother,butthemotherwasmuchtoopassionatetoletgo.Afarmerhappenedtodriveby,heardherscreams,racedfromhistruck,tookaimandshotthealligator.
母亲在岸上拼命地拽紧儿子的手臂,而此时美洲鳄也死死地咬住孩子的腿不放。
为了争夺小男孩,母亲和鳄鱼之间俨然展开了一场让人难以置信的拔河较量。
美洲鳄的力气显然要比母亲强大得多,但是母亲挽救儿子的坚定信念让她无论如何也绝不放手。
就在这万分危急的关头,一位农夫恰巧驾车经过,一听到孩子母亲的尖叫便飞速从卡车上跳下,瞄准鳄鱼并开枪将其射杀。
Remarkably,afterweeksandweeksinthehospital,thelittleboysurvived.Hislegswereextremelyscarredbytheviciousattackoftheanimaland,onhisarms,weredeepscratcheswherehismother'sfingernailsdugintohisfleshinherefforttohangontothesonsheloved.
值得庆幸的是,经过在医院数周的抢救治疗,小男孩居然存活了下来。
鳄鱼凶残的袭击在他的腿上刻下了触目惊心的伤痕。
不仅如此,他的双臂上也留下了深深的抓痕,那是在生死关头母亲为了牢牢抓住挚爱的儿子,以至于手指甲都掐入了儿子的肉中所留下的。
Thenewspaperreporterwhointerviewedtheboyafterthetrauma,askedifhewouldshowhimhisscars.Theboyliftedhispantlegs.Andthen,withobviouspride,hesaidtothereporter.Butlookatmyarms.Ihavegreatscarson