经典英文散文精选
经典英文散文精选 经典英文散文精选:That"s what friends do 朋友就该这么做 Jack tossed the papers on my desk—his eyebrows knit into a straight line as he glared at me. 杰克把文件扔到我桌上,皱着眉头,气愤地瞪着我。"What’s wrong" I asked. “怎么了”我问道。
He jabbed a finger at the proposal. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, turning on his heels and leaving me stewing in anger. 他指着计划书狠狠地说道:“下次想作什么改动前,先征求一下我的 意见。”然后转身走了,留下我一个人在那里生闷气。
How dare he treat me like that, I thought. I had changed one long sentence, and corrected grammar, something I thought I was paid to do. 他怎么能这样对我!我想,我只是改了一个长句,更正了语法错误, 但这都是我的分内之事啊。
It’s not that I hadn’t been warned. Other women who had worked my job before me called Jack names I couldn’t repeat. One coworker took me aside the first day. "He’s personally responsible for two different secretaries leaving the firm," she whispered. 其实也有人提醒过我,上一任在我这个职位上工作的女士就曾大骂过 他。我第一天上班时,就有同事把我拉到一旁小声说:“已有两个秘书因为他而 辞职了。” As the weeks went by, I grew to despise Jack. His actions made me question much that I believed in, such as turning the other cheek and loving your enemies. Jack quickly slapped a verbal insult on any cheek turned his way. I prayed about the situation, but to be honest, I wanted to put Jack in his place, not love him. 几周后,我逐渐有些鄙视杰克了,而这又有悖于我的信条——别人打 你左脸,右脸也转过去让他打;爱自己的敌人。但无论怎么做,总会挨杰克的骂。说真的,我很想灭灭他的嚣张气焰,而不是去爱他。我还为此默默祈祷过。
One day another of his episodes left me in tears. I stormed into his office, prepared to lose my job if needed, but not before I let the man know how I felt. I opened the door and Jack glanced up. “What” he asked abruptly. 一天,因为一件事,我又被他气哭了。我冲进他的办公室,准备在被 炒鱿鱼前让他知道我的感受。我推开门,杰克抬头看了我一眼。“有事吗”他突然 说道。
Suddenly I knew what I had to do. After all, he deserved it. 我猛地意识到该怎么做了。毕竟,他罪有应得。
I sat across from him and said calmly, “Jack, the way you’ve been treating me is wrong. I’ve never had anyone speak to me that way. As a professional, it’s wrong, and I can’t allow it to continue.” 我在他对面坐下:“杰克,你对待我的方式很有问题。还从没有人像 你那样对我说话。作为一个职业人士,你这么做很愚蠢,我无法容忍这样的事情 再度发生。” Jack snickered nervously and leaned back in his chair. I closed my eyes briefly. God help me, I prayed. 杰克不安地笑了笑,向后靠靠。我闭了一下眼睛,祈祷着,希望上帝 能帮帮我。
“I want to make you a promise. I will be a friend,” I said. “I will treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect and kindness. You deserve that. Everybody does.” I slipped out of the chair and closed the door behind me. “我保证,可以成为你的朋友。你是我的上司,我自然会尊敬你,礼 貌待你,这是我应做的。每个人都应得到如此礼遇。”我说着便起身离开,把门 关上了。
Jack avoided me the rest of the week. Proposals, specs, and letters appeared on my desk while I was at lunch, and my corrected versions were not seen again. I brought cookies to the office one day and left a batch on his desk. Another day I left a note. “Hope your day is going great,” it read. 那个星期余下的几天,杰克一直躲着我。他总趁我吃午饭时,把计划 书、技术说明和信件放在我桌上,并且,我修改过的文件不再被打回来。一天,我买了些饼干去办公室,顺便在杰克桌上留了一包。第二天,我又留了一张字条, 在上面写道:“祝你今天一切顺利。” Over the next few weeks, Jack reappeared. He was reserved, but there were no other episodes. Coworkers cornered me in the break room. “Guess you got to Jack,” they said. “You must have told him off good.” 接下来的几个星期,杰克不再躲避我了,但沉默了许多,办公室里再 也没发生不愉快的事情。于是,同事们在休息室把我团团围了起来。“听说杰克 被你镇住了,”他们说,“你肯定大骂了他一顿。” I shook my head. “Jack and I are becoming friends,” I said in faith. I refused to talk about him. Every time I saw Jack in the hall, I smiled at him. After all, that’s what friends do. 我摇了摇头,一字一顿地说:“我们会成为朋友。”我根本不想提起杰 克,每次在大厅看见他时,我总冲他微笑。毕竟,朋友就该这样。
One year after our "talk," I discovered I had breast cancer. I was thirty-two, the mother of three beautiful young children, and scared. The cancer had metastasized to my lymph nodes and the statistics were not great for long-term survival. After my surgery, friends and loved ones visited and tried to find the right words. No one knew what to say, and many said the wrong things. Others wept, and I tried to encourage them. I clung to hope myself. 一年后,我32岁,是三个漂亮孩子的母亲,但我被确诊为乳腺癌,这 让我极端恐惧。癌细胞已经扩散到我的淋巴腺。从统计数据来看,我的时间不多 了。手术后,我拜访了亲朋好友,他们尽量宽慰我,都不知道说些什么好,有些 人反而说错了话,另外一些人则为我难过,还得我去安慰他们。我始终没有放弃 希望。
One day, Jack stood awkwardly in the doorway of my small, darkened hospital room. I waved him in with a smile. He walked over to my bed and without a word placed a bundle beside me. Inside the package lay several bulbs. 就在我出院的前一天,我看到门外有个人影。是杰克,他尴尬地站在 门口。我微笑着招呼他进来,他走到我床边,默默地把一包东西放在我旁边,那 里边是几个球茎。
"Tulips," he said. “这是郁金香。”他说。I grinned, not understanding. 我笑着,不明白他的用意。
He shuffled his feet, then cleared his throat. "If you plant them when you get home, they’ll come up next spring. I just wanted you to know that I think you’ll be there to see them when they come up." 他清了清嗓子,“回家后把它们种下,到明年春天就长出来了。”他挪 挪脚,“我希望你知道,你一定看得到它们发芽开花。” Tears clouded my eyes and I reached out my hand. "Thank you," I whispered. 我泪眼朦胧地伸出手。
Jack grasped my hand and gruffly replied, "You’re welcome. You can’t see it now, but next spring you’ll see the colors I picked out for you. I think you’ll like them." He turned and left without another word. “谢谢你。”我低声说。杰克抓住我的手,生硬地答道:“不必客气。
到明年长出来后,你就能看到我为你挑的是什么颜色的郁金香了。”之后,他没 说一句话便转身离开了。
For ten years, I have watched those red-and-white striped tulips push their way through the soil every spring. 转眼间,十多年过去了,每年春天,我都会看着这些红白相间的郁金 香破土而出。事实上,今年九月,医生已宣布我痊愈了。我也看着孩子们高中毕 业,进入大学。
In a moment when I prayed for just the right word, a man with very few words said all the right things. 在那绝望的时刻,我祈求他人的安慰,而这个男人寥寥数语,却情真 意切,温暖着我脆弱的心。
After all, that’s what friends do. 毕竟,朋友之间就该这么做。
经典英文散文精选:May I sit here我可以坐这里吗 I look at spiders and butter-flies . I watch caterpillars and moths .Sometimes I think I"m the only one who notices these things . But if it hadn"t been for a crowded cafeteria , I wouldn"t Have ever noticed Valeri . After all , I wasn"t looking for new friends . 我观察蜘蛛和蝴蝶,还研究毛毛虫和飞蛾。有时,我想我是唯一注意 这些事物的人了。要不是一家拥挤的自助餐厅,我将永远不会注意到瓦莱丽。毕 竟,我一直都没有找新朋友。
Valeri was a new student . She walked to class with her books huddled against her chest and her head down . He talked only when the teacher asked her a question . After a month at our school , she hadn"t made any friend . At recess , she sat on a bench and read . If you asked who she was , you"d get a response like this , "She"s in my PE class , I can"t remenber her name ." 瓦莱丽是新来的学生。她总是将书抱在胸前,低着头走进教室。只有 在老师提问她时,她才肯说话。她来我们学校一个月了,还没交到一个朋友。课 间,她就坐在长椅上看书。如果你想知道她是谁,那你多半会得到这样的答复:
“我和她在一起上体育课,但我不记得她叫什么。” One day at lunch , I had nowhere to sit . Most tables were full , my friends scattered among them . But Valeri sat alone , book in hand , I walked over to her . 一天,吃午餐时,餐桌差不多都坐满了,我没地方坐了,我的朋友们 都分散开了。但瓦莱丽拿着书一个人坐在那儿。于是,我朝她走了过去。
"May I sit here "I asked . “我可以坐在这儿吗”我问。
"Sure ,"she said . “当然可以。”她说。
The cafeteria was noisy , but silence hung between us . Valeri didn"t seem to mind , but it drove me crazy . I searched my mind for things to say . 餐厅里喧闹不已,而我们一直都沉默着。瓦莱丽好像并不在意,但我 憋得受不了了。我绞尽脑汁,想找点话说。
"So,"I said , "is that a good book"Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading . "What"s it about"I asked , after several more agonizing seconds of silence . She looked at me , her eyes sparkling .“呃,那本书很好看吧”瓦莱丽轻轻的点了点头,又继续看书。“都写 了些什么呢”我问道。一阵令人恼火的沉默之后,她终于看着我,眼中闪出异样 的光芒。
"Well , it"s called Eragon , and it"s about a dragon!This boy , Eragon , finds this dragon egg when he goes hunging one day . He thinks it"s a rock !The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big ." “唔,它叫《龙骑士》,讲的是关于一条龙的故事!一天,一个名叫鄂 尔根的男孩打猎时,发现了一枚龙蛋。他以为那是一块石头,但那枚龙蛋孵化出 龙来,鄂尔根怕他的叔叔和堂兄发现,便把那条龙藏了起来,直到它长大。” "That sounds cool."I said. I was about to ask her another question,but the bell rang. “听来真不错。”我说。我还想再问个问题,可上课铃响了。
As I rushed out of the cafeteria , I called to Valeri , "See you later ." 我一边往餐厅外冲,一边对她大叫:“再见。” "Yeah,"she said,"see you later."She sounded doubtful . “好的,”她说,“再见。”她的声音若有若无。
A couple days later , I spotted Valeri looking for a place to sit at lunch . 几天以后,我发现瓦莱丽正在找地方坐下来吃饭。
"Valeri , come here."I pointed to an empty chair . “瓦莱丽,来这里。”我指着一个空座位说。
She sat down and pulled out her book . Everyone was talking about next week"s talent show . "So ,what are you doing for the show "My friend Erin asked my friend Kelly . 她坐了下来,拿出书。当时,大家都在谈论下个星期的才艺展示会。
“你打算表演什么”我的朋友埃林和凯利交谈着。
"Oh,I don"t know , probably nothing,"Kelly sighed ."What are you doing"She pointed to Valeri. “噢,我不知道,也许会放弃,”凯利叹着气,“你呢”她问瓦莱丽。"Oh."Valeri put her book down ."I don"t know . Maybe nothing." “噢,”瓦莱丽放下书,“我不知道,也许什么也不演。” The week flew by . Before I knew it . I was sitting in the auditorium , listening to a group of girls sing the latest pop songs at the talent show . I was bored out of my life , and I wanted it to end so I could read Eragon . I"d checked it out at the library , Then a shy girl walked on stage . I recongized her immediately . Valeri clutched a violin in one hand and a bow in the other . 不知不觉中,周末就到了,我坐在会堂里,听一群女孩子唱当下最流 行的歌曲,感觉却枯燥极了,真希望演唱快点结束,那样我就可以看《龙骑士》 了,我在图书馆找到了这本书。这时,一个腼腆的女孩走上了舞台,我立刻认出 了她------瓦莱丽。她一手抓着小提琴,一手拿着琴弓。
She stared to play . The notes formed a soft , weet tune . Then it turned fast , then faster . The music stopped altogether before the tune retumed . Valeri ended the song with one hard , fast , loud note . The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished . Still in a halftrance , we burst into applause . Valeri took a swift bow and walked off stage . 她开始拉提琴了。一个个音符变成了柔和,优美的旋律,韵律逐渐加 快,她越拉越急,音乐声戛然而止。乐曲在瓦莱丽拉出一串强硬,急速,洪亮的 音符后归于沉寂。会堂里出奇的安静,过了一会儿,我们才意识到她已经演奏完 了。仍陶醉于美妙中的我们对她报以雷鸣般的掌声。瓦莱丽快速地鞠了一躬,走 下了舞台。
I smiled to myself . Valeri wasn"t just a "quiet girl" .She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I"d ever heard . Like a caterpillar or butterfly , she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely . 我暗自微笑,原来瓦莱丽不仅仅是一个“安静的女孩”,她博览奇妙的 好书,能拉出我闻所未闻的小提琴曲。她就像那毛毛虫或蝴蝶,当你靠近她,仔 细的观察,你会发现,她有着惊人的美。
经典英文散文精选:With one small gesture 不经意间的举动 One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran athim, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives. 当我还在上高一时,有一天,我看到我们班的一个孩子正步行回家。
他叫凯尔。他似乎背着所有的书。我心想:“为什么有人在周五就把所有的书都 带回家呢他肯定是个书呆子。”我的周末计划得非常详细(先是派对,在第二天下 午和我的朋友踢足球)。因此我耸了耸肩,走开了。正走着,我看到一帮孩子朝 他跑去。他们追上他,把他所有的书都从怀里扔到地上并把他绊倒,结果他摔在 污泥里,眼镜也被打飞了,我看到它落在离他10英尺远的草地上。他抬起头时, 我看到他眼里极度悲伤的表情。因此,我慢步向他跑过去。在他爬着寻找眼镜时, 我看到了他眼中的泪水。
我把眼镜递给他,说道:“那些家伙都是些蠢蛋,他们 真该遭到报应。” He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. 他看了看我,说:“嗨,谢谢了!”笑容在他脸上展现。正是这样的笑 显示出了真正的感激。我帮他捡起书,问他住在哪里。原来他住得离我很近。于 是我就问他,怎么以前我从没有见过他呢,他说在来这所学校以前他上的是私立 学校。
We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. The more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Dim boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books. 我们一路聊着回家,我帮他拿着书。他原来竟是一位非常讨人喜欢的 孩子,我问他是否周六想跟我及我的朋友一起踢足球。他答应了。对凯尔了解得 越多,我越是喜欢他。我的朋友也都这么认为。到了周一早晨,凯尔又要背上那 个巨大的书包了。我制止他,说:“傻孩子,你每天背这么一大堆书,想练就一 身强壮的肌肉呀!”他只是笑,并把一半书都递给了我。
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we wereseniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. 接下来的四年里,凯尔和我成为最好的朋友。到了高年级后,我们开 始考虑上大学的事。凯尔决定去乔治敦,而我要去杜克。我知道我们永远都是朋 友,距离决不会成为问题。
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn"t me having to get up there and speak. 凯尔是我们班致告别词的学生代表。
我总是取笑他是一个书呆子。
他必须为毕业准备一个演讲。我很庆幸不是我要站在那儿演讲。
Graduation day, I saw Kyle.. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found themselves during high school. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous. 毕业日来临了——我看到了凯尔,他看起来帅极了。他是那些在高中 真正把握住自己的人之一。他的约会比我还要多,几乎所有的女孩都喜欢他。
天 哪,有时候我都有些嫉妒。
Today was one of those days. I can see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you"ll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled."Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach.... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give him or her. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn"t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." 今天就是这样。我能看出他对于演讲有些紧张。因此,我拍了拍他的 后背,说:“嗨,大小伙子,你会很出色的!”他看了看我,带着那样的表情(真正 出于感激的那种),笑了。“谢谢,”他说。开始演讲时,他清了清喉咙,开始说:
“毕业的时候,你应该感谢那些帮助你度过最困难时期的人。你的父母、老师、 兄弟姐妹、也许还有教练……但主要是你的朋友。我在这儿要告诉你们,做别人 的朋友是你能给予他们的最好礼物。我要给你们讲一个故事。”我不敢置信地望 着我的朋友,他讲的就是我们第一天相遇的故事。他本来打算要在那个周末自杀,他谈到自己如何把课桌收拾干净,把他所有的东西都带回家,这样就不用妈妈以 后再收拾了。他直直地看着我,给了我一个笑容。“谢天谢地,我获救了。我的 朋友阻止了我去做那不堪设想的事情。” I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it"s depth. 当这位帅气的、受欢迎的男孩告诉我们有关他的最脆弱的时刻时,我 听到人群中都深吸了一口气。我看到他的爸爸妈妈都看着我,带着同样感激的微 笑。直到那时我才意识到它的深刻。
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person"s life. For better or for worse. 决不要低估你的行动的力量,一个简单的举止也许会改变人的一生, 无论是好是坏。