小剑2016
学习英语可以是一个枯燥的过程，也可以是一个有趣的过程。我在此献上经典英语美文，希望对大家喜欢。
美文欣赏：我决定从此过上幸福的生活
It was many years ago. I was a young dad sitting on the couch reading a fairy tale to my little girl. She sat next to me with her head on my arm as I told the tale. When it came to the end I finished with those famous words: "And they lived happily ever after." As I looked over to her with her wavy, brown hair and big, innocent eyes I could see the smile on her face and I never wanted it to end. It dawned on me then that the ending of the book was what I wanted for her. I wanted her to "live happily ever after."
很多年前我还是个年轻的爸爸，坐在沙发上给小女儿讲童话故事。她坐在我身边，头枕在我胳膊上听我讲故事。故事的最后我用那句经典的话作结束语：“从此他们过上了幸福的生活。”我看着她，她有着卷曲的棕色头发和大大的、天真的眼睛，我能从她的脸上看到微笑，我希望能永远这样看着她。那时我明白了故事的结尾也是我对她的期望，我希望她“从此过上幸福的生活。”
Still, deep in my heart I knew that this couldn't always be so. I knew that there would be times when her heart was broken. I knew there would be times when she cried in grief and I couldn't comfort her. I knew there would be times when all she felt was fear, sadness, sorrow, and despair. As I stroked her hair and smiled at her I hoped that those times would be brief and that she would have joy in her life more often than not. Living happily ever after, though, seemed out of the question.
然而内心深处我知道现实并非总能如我所愿。我知道有时她会伤心;我知道有时她会伤心地哭泣，而我却不能给她安慰;我知道有时她只会感到恐惧、伤心、懊悔和绝望。我抚摸着她的头发，对她微笑，我希望那些时刻都能很快过去，希望她的生活中更多的是快乐，然而，从此过上幸福生活似乎是不可能的。
It took me a lot of years to realize that it IS possible to live happily ever after. You just have to do it "one day at a time." Happiness you see isn't some reward that you get at the end of your journey. Happiness isn't something dependent on what life hands you. Happiness is something you create in your life choice by choice and day by day.
很多年以后我才意识到从此过上幸福生活是可以实现的。你只需要“认真过好每一天”。你看到的幸福并非你人生旅程最终的奖励，幸福不是取决于生活赐予你什么，而是你日复一日通过一个个选择在生活中创造出来的。
The truth is happiness comes when you love. Love is a gift from God. It is love that mends broken hearts. It is love that heals grief. It is love that gives us joy. Choose to "live happily ever after, one day at a time."
事实是幸福就是付出爱时的体验，爱是上帝恩赐的礼物。只有爱才能修复受伤的心灵;只有爱才能抚平伤痛;只有爱才能给我们带来快乐。选择“从此过上幸福的生活，过好每一天。”
美文欣赏：想逃离现在的生活追寻自由
Have you ever gone on vacation and said to yourself, “I could live here?” On a trip to Jamaica, Kalisa Martin entertained that idea —and actually went through with it.
你是否曾经旅行过并告诉你自己：“我能住在这里”?在去牙买加的一次旅途中，卡丽萨·马汀思考了这个想法——也事实上将它完成了。
It was during a lingering and nasty New York City winter in March 2014. Martin and her boyfriend Jeff Belizaire decided to escape the snow by taking a last-minute getaway to Jamaica.
那是在2014年三月纽约市一个漫长而恶劣的冬季期间。马汀和她的男朋友杰夫·贝利泽尔突发奇想决定马上跑去牙买加躲避雪天。
At the time, Martin had a dream job in the New York culinary world: brand director at Tasting Table, a digital destination for culinary enthusiasts. She also appeared on national television shows like Good Morning America.
在那时，马汀在纽约的烹饪界有着一份理想的工作：Tasting Table的品牌主理人，这是一家美食热爱者的线上聚集地。她同时也在国家电视节目如《早安美国》中出现过。
But there was something about that trip that spoke to Martin — profoundly.
但是，有关那趟旅程的什么东西深深地印在了马汀的内心。
“That long weekend, the idea of the B&B concept came up and we thought, ‘Why not?’It could happen, and it could happen right here in Jamaica,”said 30-year-old Martin. “That was the first time we seriously considered the idea.”
“在那个漫长的周末里，“床加早餐”理念(一种旅店形式)的想法蹦了出来，我们想着‘为什么不呢?’那是有可能发生的，而且有可能就发生在这儿，在牙买加，”30岁的马汀说道。“那是我们第一次认真考虑这个想法。”
Within four months Martin had quit her job and was on her way to Jamaica with Belizaire to create The Runaway, a bed-and-breakfast that has grown into a lifestyle travel brand.
在四个月里，马汀辞了职，并和贝利泽尔踏上了去牙买加创造The Runaway的道路，一个有着“床加早餐”理念的想法开始成为一个生活方式旅游品牌。
“We ran away from the cold and the typical 9-5 to follow our dreams and create this new life,”says Martin.
“我们从寒冷与典型的朝九晚五中逃离出来追寻我们的梦，并创造了这个全新的生活，”马汀说。
And this isn’t your average bed-and-breakfast. The Runaway Jamaica is the first successfully funded B&B on Kickstarter. Backers donated almost $47,000 to help bring the property to life.
这也并非只是典型的“床加早餐”。The Runaway Jamaica是第一家成功在Kickstarter上得到资助的“床加早餐”理念的品牌。支持者们捐献了将近47000美元来帮助它成为现实。
美文欣赏：这就是信仰的力量
As we slowly drove down the street on that cold December evening we spotted the porch light. "This must be the house." I told our "Positive Teens In Action" group. We pulled up in front of an older home with the porch light glowing. We gathered up our song books, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door. We heard a faint voice from inside say, “Come on in. The door is open." We opened the door.
在那个寒冷的12月份的夜晚我们开车在路上慢慢行驶时看到了门廊的灯光，我跟我们这个“积极行动的青年小队”说：“一定就是这家了。”我们把车停在一栋旧房子前，门廊灯光很亮。我们拿出歌集，走上台阶敲了敲门，听到里面传来一个虚弱的声音：“进来吧，门开着呢”，我们推开了门。
There in a rocking chair sat an elderly woman with a big smile on her face. "I've been expecting you." she said weakly. Ruth was one of our Meals On Wheels stops I had arranged; along with the usual church members who enjoyed carolers. We handed Ruth the basket of goodies the teens had assembled earlier that evening. Then I asked Ruth what carols she would like to hear. Ruth's face was beaming as she joined in singing each song.
摇椅上坐着一位老太太，脸上带着灿烂的笑容，她虚弱地说：“我一直盼着你们来。”Ruth的家是我安排的上门送餐服务的一站，和我们一起来的还有喜欢唱圣歌的常去教堂的人。我们递给Ruth一篮子美味的食物，都是我们这些年轻人那天晚上提前装好的。然后我问Ruth她想听什么圣诞颂歌，她跟着唱每首歌时脸上都洋溢着笑容。
As we hugged Ruth good-bye she said to me with tears glistening in her eyes, “The day you called I was still in bed. I had just finished praying. I asked God if it would be possible to have some Christmas Carolers come to my home and sing this year. Thank you for being the answer to my Christmas prayer."
我们跟Ruth拥抱说再见时，她眼睛里闪着泪光对我说：“你打电话那天我还躺在床上，刚刚做完祷告，我问上帝今年能否让唱圣诞颂歌的人来我家唱颂歌。感谢你使我梦想成真。”
Wow, what an awesome experience to have the opportunity to be the answer to someone's Christmas prayer.
哇哦，能使别人的祷告得以实现是多棒的一次经历呀。
Bible Text: When you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you. Matthew 6:6
《圣经》原文：祈祷时要去房间里，关上门向无形的上帝祈祷，上帝看见你在秘密祈祷，就会回报给你。马太福音6:6
世界杯之猪
Knowledge and Progress [00:00.42]Passage 7.Knowledge and Progress [00:03.71]Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world? [00:09.18]Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us [00:14.76]and is becoming more and more manifest. [00:17.49]Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, [00:23.40]it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge. [00:28.11]Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual [00:34.23]could be communicated to another by means of speech. [00:37.85]With the invention of writing,a great advance was made, [00:41.89]for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. [00:47.15]Libraries made education possible,and education in its turn added to libraries: [00:54.36]the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound interest law, [00:58.09]which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. [01:01.37]All this was comparatively slow until,with the coming of science, [01:06.40]the tempo was suddenly raised. [01:08.26]Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. [01:13.29]The trickle became a stream; [01:16.14]the stream has now become a torrent. [01:18.33]Moreover,as soon as new knowledge is acquired,it is now turned to practical account. [01:24.89]What is called “modern civilization” is not the result of a balanced development of all man’s nature, [01:31.78]but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. [01:35.72]The problem now facing humanity is: [01:39.00]What is going to be done with all this knowledge? [01:41.85]As is so often pointed out,knowledge is a two-edged weapon [01:46.77]which can be used equally for good or evil. [01:50.05]It is now being used indifferently for both. [01:53.23]Could any spectacle,for instance,be more grimly weird [01:56.95]than that of gunners using science to shatter men’s bodies while,close at hand, [02:01.87]surgeons use it to restore them? [02:03.95]We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, [02:10.29]with its ever-increasing power,continues.
请叫我大王哦
1.In this life, what did you miss?在生活中，你错过了什么？The wife asked the husband when she was 25. Despondently, the husband replied: 'I missed a new job opportunity.'妻子25岁的时候这样问丈夫。丈夫沮丧地回答：“我错过了一个新的工作机会。”When she was 35, the husband angrily told her that he had just missed the bus.35岁时，丈夫生气地说他错过了公交车。At 45, the husband sadly said: 'I missed the oppotunity seeing my closed relative before his last breath.'45岁时，丈夫悲伤地说：“我错过了见至亲最后一面的机会。”At 55, the husband said disappointingly: 'I missed a good chance to retire.'55岁时，丈夫失望地说：“我错过了一个退休的好机会。”At 65, the husband hurriedly replied: 'I missed a dental appointment.'65岁时，丈夫匆匆地回答：“我错过了和牙医的预约。”At 75, the wife did not ask the husband anymore, the husband was kneeling in front of the very sick wife. Remembering the question the wife used to ask him, this time he asked the wife the same question. The wife, with a smile and peaceful look, replied: 'In this life, I did not miss having you!'75岁，妻子不再问丈夫同样的问题，丈夫跪在病重的妻子面前，想起以前妻子常常问起的那个问题，这次他也问了妻子同样的问题，妻子笑了笑，一脸平静地说：“我这一生，没有错过你！”The husband was full of tears. He always thought that they could be together forever. He was always busy with work and trifles. So much so he had never been thoughtful to his wife. The husband hugged the wife tightly and said: 'Over 50 years, how I had allowed myself to miss your deep love for me.'丈夫满眼泪水，他总是认为可以和妻子白头到老，于是总是忙于工作和琐事，从没在意过妻子。他紧紧地抱住妻子说：“这50多年来，我怎么能允许自己错过了你对我的爱呢。”In the busy city life, there are many people who are always busy with work. These people revolve their lives around their jobs, these people sacrifice all their times and health to meet the social expectations. They are unwilling to spend times on health care. They miss the opportunity to be with their children in their growing up. They neglect the loved ones who care for them, and also their health.在繁忙的城市生活中，有人总是忙于工作。他们整天围着工作转，甚至为了达到社会的标准，牺牲了自己的健康。他们不愿花时间来关注自己的健康，在孩子成长的过程中错失了与之共享天伦之乐的机会。他们忽视了那些关心他们的人，以及他们的健康。Nobody knows what is going to happen one year from now.没有人知道一年后会发生什么事情。Life is not permanent, so always live in the now. Express your gratitude to your loved ones in words. Show your care with actions. Treat everyday as the last episode of life. In this way, when you are gone, you loved ones would have nothing to feel sorry about.生命不是永恒的，所以活在当下吧。把你对爱人的感谢说出来，用行动证明你关心他们。把每一天当作人生的最后一个篇章，只有这样，当你离开时，你爱的人们才会没有遗憾。From: hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.- Eric Hoffer世界上最难的算术题是如何清点我们的祝福。 From: to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet, he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. 据传说，一个年轻的男子在漫游沙漠途中看到一泉如水晶般清澈而可口的水。水的味道非常甜美，于是他灌满了他的皮水壶，这样就可以带一些回去，送给曾经是他老师的部落长老。After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart. 经过四天的旅程，他把水呈献给老人。老人深饮一口，和蔼地笑了笑，并深切感激学生赠予他甜美的水。年轻人怀着愉快的心情回到了村庄。Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container.后来，老师让他的另一个学生品尝水。学生吐了出来，说水太难喝了。它显然已经因为陈旧的皮革容器而变得不再新鲜。The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"学生质疑他的老师：“师父，水是臭的，你为什么要假装喜欢它？”The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."老师回答说，“你只品尝了水的味道，我却是在品尝礼物的味道。水仅仅是装载善与爱之行为的容器，而没有什么东西比善与爱更甜美了。”I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.我认为当我们从天真的孩子们那里收到爱的礼物时，能够最透彻地明白这个道理。无论它是一个陶瓷托盘或通心粉手镯，我们自然而恰当的反应是欣赏，并表示感激，因为我们喜欢礼物所包含的心意。Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.感恩并不总是自然而来的。不幸的是，大多数儿童和成人只看重被赠予的东西本身，而不是它体现的情谊。我们应该提醒自己，并教导我们的孩子，感情和对感激之情的表达是美丽而纯洁的。毕竟，发自内心给与的礼物才是真正的礼物。 From:
