必讀經典英語文章

　　英語學習不能侷限於教材內容,一要多接觸西方國家的風土人情和傳統文化。下面是小編帶來的，歡迎閱讀!

　　1

　　優秀的標準

　　My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat simultaneously. It was hanging on a rack at a secondhand clothing store in Northampton Mass, crammed in with shoddy trench coats and an assortment of sad, woolen overcoats -- a rose among thorns.

　　在馬薩諸塞州北安普頓市的一家出售二手服裝的店裡，我和我14歲的兒子約翰同時盯上了那件大衣。它就掛在衣架上，夾在劣質的軍用風雨衣和各式各樣寒酸的羊毛大衣當中，然而它卻像荊棘叢中的一朵玫瑰。

　　While the other coats drooped, this one looked as if it were holding itself up. The thick, black wool of the double-breasted chesterfield was soft and unworn, as though it had been preserved in mothballs for years in dead old Uncle Henry's steamer trunk. The coat had a black velvet collar, beautiful tailoring, a Fifth Avenue label and an unbelievable price of $28. We looked at each other, saying nothing, but John's eyes gleamed. Dark, woolen topcoats were popular just then with teenage boys, but could cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even better, bearing that touch of classic elegance from a bygone era.

　　其他的大衣都顯得沒精打采，惟獨這件衣服趾高氣揚。厚厚的黑色羊絨柔軟而蓬鬆，這件雙排扣暗鈕長大衣顯然還沒上過身，看樣子，就像用樟腦球在老亨利叔叔的扁平旅行箱裡儲存了多年。其做工精細：領子是黑天鵝絨的，商標是第五大街的，價錢讓人難以置信，只賣28美元。我們彼此看著對方，一言不發，可約翰的眼裡卻閃著欣喜的光。黑色的羊絨輕便大衣那時在小夥子們中很流行，買一件新的要花好幾百美元，而這一件質地更好一些，還帶有一種逝去年代的古典美。

　　John slid his arms down into the heavy satin lining of the sleeves and buttoned the coat. He turned from side to side, eyeing himself in the mirror with a serious, studied expression that soon changed into a smile. The fit was perfect.

　　約翰將胳膊伸進了袖管裡——襯裡是厚厚的緞子，繫上了釦子。他在鏡子面前轉過來調過去地打量著自己，臉上的嚴肅表情不一會兒就變成了微笑。衣服合身極了。

　　John wore the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big grin. "Ho. did the kids like your coat?" I asked. "They loved it," he said, carefully folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat. I started calling him "Lord Chesterfield" and "The Great Gatsby."

　　第二天約翰就穿著它去上學了。放學回來他笑逐顏開。我問他：“那些孩子覺得你的大衣怎麼樣?”“他們非常喜歡。”他一邊說，一邊在椅子背兒上把衣服仔細地疊起來，並甩手把它展平。我於是就開始叫他“切斯特菲爾德大人”和“了不起的蓋茨比”。

　　Over the next few weeks, a change came over John. Agreement replaced contrariness, quiet, reasoned discussion replaced argument. He became more judicious, more mannerly, more thoughtful, eager to please. “Good dinner, Mom," he would say every evening.

　　在接下來的幾周內，約翰慢慢地變了：變得聽話而不再故意作對，遇事能心平氣和地商討而不再強詞奪理。他變得更明事理、更有禮貌，也更體貼人了。他也樂於討人歡喜。每天晚上都要說：“媽媽，晚飯好極了。”

　　2

　　生活充滿選擇

　　Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I’d be twins!” He was a natural motivator.

　　邁克爾是那種你真想恨一恨的傢伙，他總是樂呵呵的，總是說些積極上進的話。如果有人問他近況如何，他會這樣回答：“如果我還能再好，我就成雙胞胎了!”他生來就會讓人積極進取。

　　If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don' t get it. You can' t be positive all the time. How do you do it?"

　　如果哪位僱員有天過得很糟糕，邁克爾會告訴他如何看待問題的積極一面。他的這種方式著實讓我好奇，所以有一天我找到邁克爾問：“我真弄不明白。你怎麼能總是那樣積極樂觀?你是如何做到這一點的?”

　　Michael replied, each morning I wake up and say to myself 'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

　　邁克爾回答說，“每天早晨醒來時我對自己說，‘邁克，今天你有兩種選擇。你可以選擇心情愉快，你也可以選擇心情惡劣。’我選擇心情愉快。每次什麼不愉快的事情發生時，我可以選擇成為一個犧牲品，也可以選擇從中吸取教訓。我選擇從中吸取教訓。每次有什麼人找我來抱怨，我可以選擇接受他們的抱怨，也可以選擇向他指出生活的積極面。我選擇指出生活的積極面。”

　　"Yeah, right. It isn't that easy." I protested.

　　“是的，不錯。可並不那麼容易呀。”我表示異議。

　　3

　　成長的過程

　　The drugstore was beginning to close for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, who worked in the store was putting on his coat, getting ready to go home. On his way out, he passed Mr. Carr, the little gray-haired man who owned the store. Mr. Carr looked up at Alfred as he passed, and said in a very soft voice, "Just one moment, Alfred. One moment before you go." Mr. Carr spoke so quietly that he worried Alfred.

　　天晚了，雜貨店即將打烊，在店裡工作的年輕的艾爾弗雷德·希金斯穿上大衣準備回家。出門時，他碰上了店主卡爾先生。卡爾先生是個小個子，頭髮灰白。當艾爾弗雷德經過時卡爾先生抬頭看著他，然後低聲說：“等一下，艾爾弗雷德。等一下再走。”卡爾先生的聲音那麼低沉，使艾爾弗雷德不禁緊張起來。 "What is it, Mr. Carr?"

　　“什麼事，卡爾先生?”

　　"Maybe, you' d be good enough to take a few things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go.” said Mr. Carr.

　　“你也許在走之前會把兜裡的東西拿出來，放在這兒。”卡爾先生說。

　　"What -- What things? What are you talking about?"

　　“什麼——什麼東西?你在說些什麼呀?”

　　"You've got a compact and a lipstick and at least two tubes of toothpaste in your pockets, Alfred,"

　　“你拿了一個粉盒，一支口紅還有至少兩管牙膏在你衣兜裡，艾爾弗雷德。”

　　"What do you mean?" Alfred answered.

　　“你這是什麼意思?”艾爾弗雷德回答：“你以為我瘋了嗎?”他的臉紅了。

　　"Do you think I' m crazy?" his face got red. Mr. Carr kept looking at Alfred coldly. Alfred did not know what to say, and tried to keep his eyes from meeting the eyes of his boss. After a few moments, he put his hand into his pockets and took out the things he had stolen.

　　卡爾先生冷冷地直盯著艾爾弗雷德。艾爾弗雷德一時語塞，努力避開老闆的目光、過了一會兒，他把手伸進口袋，把偷的東西拿了出來。

　　4

　　成長的過程

　　The drugstore was beginning to close for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, who worked in the store was putting on his coat, getting ready to go home. On his way out, he passed Mr. Carr, the little gray-haired man who owned the store. Mr. Carr looked up at Alfred as he passed, and said in a very soft voice, "Just one moment, Alfred. One moment before you go." Mr. Carr spoke so quietly that he worried Alfred.

　　天晚了，雜貨店即將打烊，在店裡工作的年輕的艾爾弗雷德·希金斯穿上大衣準備回家。出門時，他碰上了店主卡爾先生。卡爾先生是個小個子，頭髮灰白。當艾爾弗雷德經過時卡爾先生抬頭看著他，然後低聲說：“等一下，艾爾弗雷德。等一下再走。”卡爾先生的聲音那麼低沉，使艾爾弗雷德不禁緊張起來。 "What is it, Mr. Carr?"

　　“什麼事，卡爾先生?”

　　"Maybe, you' d be good enough to take a few things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go.” said Mr. Carr.

　　“你也許在走之前會把兜裡的東西拿出來，放在這兒。”卡爾先生說。

　　"What -- What things? What are you talking about?"

　　“什麼——什麼東西?你在說些什麼呀?”

　　"You've got a compact and a lipstick and at least two tubes of toothpaste in your pockets, Alfred,"

　　“你拿了一個粉盒，一支口紅還有至少兩管牙膏在你衣兜裡，艾爾弗雷德。”

　　"What do you mean?" Alfred answered.

　　“你這是什麼意思?”艾爾弗雷德回答：“你以為我瘋了嗎?”他的臉紅了。

　　"Do you think I' m crazy?" his face got red. Mr. Carr kept looking at Alfred coldly. Alfred did not know what to say, and tried to keep his eyes from meeting the eyes of his boss. After a few moments, he put his hand into his pockets and took out the things he had stolen.

　　卡爾先生冷冷地直盯著艾爾弗雷德。艾爾弗雷德一時語塞，努力避開老闆的目光、過了一會兒，他把手伸進口袋，把偷的東西拿了出來。