英文美文阅读集锦
I remember quite clearly now when the story happened. The autumn leaves were floating in measure down to the ground, recovering the lake, where we used to swim like children, under the sun was there to shine. That time we used to be happy. Well, I thought we were. But the truth was that you had been longing to leave me, not daring to tell me. On that precious night, watching the lake, vaguely conscious, you said: “Our story is ending.”
The rain was killing the last days of summer. You had been killing my last breath of love, since a long time ago. I still don’t think I’m gonna make it through another love story. You took it all away from me. And there I stand, I knew I was going to be the one left behind. But still I’m watching the lake, vaguely conscious, and I know my life is ending.
我仍清晰地记得故事发生的时候。秋叶翻飞，飘落一地。我们曾经孩子般戏水畅游过的小湖盖满落叶，在太阳下闪着光。那时我们幸福过。哦，我是这样认为的。可事实上你早就想离开我，只是不敢告诉我罢了。在那美丽的夜晚，眼望湖水，恍惚中听见你说：我们的故事已到尽头。
雨水扼杀着所剩无几的夏日，而你很久以来也在扼杀我奄奄一息的爱。我仍不认为自己会再去经历另一段爱情故事。你把一切都带走了。我只有悄然伫立，早已明白自己将会是那个被遗弃的人。而我依然凝望着湖水，恍惚中，生命正离我而去。
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。
Five Balls of Life
生命中的五个球
In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relation of work to one’s other commitments:
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：
Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.
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。
But the other four balls family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. 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’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
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’t set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
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’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as they would be your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
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’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
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’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
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’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.
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’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
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’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give it; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
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’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.
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’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
莫忘记，人类情感上最大的需要是感恩。
Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
莫害怕学习。知识没有重量，它是可以随意携带的珍宝。
Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.
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。
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
生命不是一场赛跑, 而是一步一个脚印的旅程。
Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery and Today is a gift: that’s why we call it ‘The Present’.
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:The Scars of Love 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。
The Scars of Love 爱的伤疤
Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided togo for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.
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。
In a hurry to dive into the cool water,he ran out the back door,leavingbehind shoes,socks,and shirt as he went. He flew into the water,notrealizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake,an alligator wasswimming toward the shore. His mother - in the house was looking out thewindow - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utterfear,she ran toward the water,yelling to her son as loudly as she could.
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。
Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a return to swimto his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her,the alligatorreached him.
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。
From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as thealligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war betweenthe two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the motherwas much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard herscreams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.
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, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
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。
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter. But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let go.
事后，这位死里逃生的小男孩接受了一位报社记者的采访。当记者问他是否愿意让大家看看他身上的伤疤时，小男孩挽起了自己的裤腿，腿上深深的疤痕暴露无遗。紧接着，他满脸自豪地告诉记者，“大家还是看看我的手臂吧，我的手臂上也有好多伤疤呢。这是妈妈不放开我，在救我的时候留下的。”
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.
看了这个小男孩的故事后，人们都能感同身受。其实我们每个人身上都有伤疤。只不过并不是被鳄鱼咬的，或任何如此戏剧性事件所造成，而是过往的痛苦经历所留下的。那些伤疤是如此难看，让人深感懊悔。
But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.
但是，我的朋友，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，才在你身上留下了这些伤疤。
美文欣赏:Holding the hands of time 牵着时光的手
有人说，一旦开始喜欢回忆，那人便老去了。你觉得呢?! 时光如流水，别把太多的时间用在回忆过去，牵着时光的手，一起勇敢前进吧，因为路在前方！
Holding the hands of time
牵着时光的手
Blow-off vision of the rain, so that you are left with a brilliant rainbow.Shuttle time in my fingers, without any regrets, open stemmed bloom ripples. Blunt rolling thick liquid eternal, but you and I, were dispersed in which period of Acacia leaves.
吹断目光的雨，让虹的光辉带你离去。时光穿梭在我指间，无悔地绽放开朵朵涟漪。钝厚的流质绵延永恒，而你我，被冲散在其中，相思无绝期。
Inexplicable always feel like the time within the next few precious memories will be stripped from me, more than once dreamed that his standing in a dark empty space, only one track at the foot stretch into thedistance, such as the long past your time and ultimately disappear In myfield of vision at the end.
总是会莫名地感到时间在抽丝剥茧般的将宝贵的回忆从我身上剥离，不止一次梦见自己站在一片空旷黑暗的空间里，脚下只有一条铁轨伸向远方，冗长如过往的光阴，最终消失在我的视野尽头。
I am afraid to lose, I fear this time, and I love it but memories. I could not forget the sweat on the pitch with the sway of the brothers, forget accompany me cry close friend, and forget the bright Star of that everynight, and those words have touched me deeply.
我害怕失去，我对时间如此的恐惧，而我却又那么的热爱回忆。我忘不了球场上一起挥洒汗水的兄弟，忘不了陪我一起哭泣的知己，忘不了那一夜夜璀璨的星空，和那些令我感动至今的话语。
Those people, those things, such as bursts of light rain in the lake left ring Watermark four dispersed to each other to melt each other's impact; if the horizon is still experiencing Qianwanyinian quiet shining star, notvery bright, but clearly made . - They do not know how much to spend withme during the day bright and silent night.
那些人，那些事，如细雨在湖面留下的阵阵环型水纹四散开来彼此消融，彼此撞击;如经历千万亿年仍在天边寂静闪光的星，不甚明亮，却又清晰无比。——它们陪我度过不知多少明媚的白天与沉默的夜。
In my memory, the third year is not gray, because I remember thoseblessings are not what love is bearing fruit, I still remember holding alot of my friends and I hope to see sunrise and sunset, finally it isyellow everywhere.
在我的记忆中，高三不是灰色的，因为我记得那些不被祝福的爱情是怎样的开花结果，还记得我与朋友抱着一大堆的希望看日出日落，最后却是黄花遍地。
Youth is the eye lotus spring, third year is that this eye expansion of bubbling spring season. I, however, a strong smell in the bubble years of the Problem taste. I do not exclude these, but too much pressure to do away much fun. Unfortunately, after the college entrance examination, even the pressure would become the memories, be my third year living memory of the dead evidence. In the time before we are so powerless, the only left on just the eye springs, and we have no regrets of the oath, I hope day after day, year after year, when I re-turn to this page , people still.
青春是眼忘忧泉，高三是这眼泉水膨胀冒泡的季节。而我却在泡泡里嗅到了浓厚的习题的味道。我并不是排斥这些，但过大的压力确实带走了不多的乐趣。只可惜，高考过后，连压力也会成为回忆，成为我缅怀逝去的高三生活的证据。在时间面前我们是如此的无力，唯一能留下的，就只是那眼泉水和我们曾经无悔的誓言，但愿日复一日，年复一年，当我重新翻到这一页时，人心依旧。
I have seen one another chilling words: Some people say that once you start like the memories of those people will get old. I only admit mature, do not believe they have been growing old. My friends are growing up day by day, and was young and the mature, how can I not had time to grow on the outline of the first to hoary?
曾经看过一句另我毛骨悚然的话：有人说，一旦开始喜欢回忆，那人便老去了。我只承认自己的成熟，不相信自己已经老去。我的朋友们正在一天天地长大，成熟并且风华正茂着，我怎么可以没来得及成长就率先苍老了轮廓?
"Heaven Rain in green and so on, and I am waiting for you, the moonlight was recovered, the faint opened the outcome." Jay melancholy voice has been completely different from the business for the time Sentimental, Bard will be the years the pace of a camel inscribed into the blue and white porcelain in that respect.
“天青色等烟雨，而我在等你，月色被打捞起，晕开了结局。”杰伦忧郁的嗓音已经完全不同与刚出道时的青涩，吟游诗人般地将岁月的脚步镌刻进那一尊青花瓷器。
Our future? Friends ah, I will time the other end, waiting for you.
我们的未来呢?朋友啊，我会在时间的另一头，等你。
糊涂被人认为没主见，不糊涂被人觉得难以相处——‘难得糊涂’在于糊涂的时机，什么时候糊涂取决于你不糊涂的程度。世界是多彩的，每个人都有属于自己的颜色。为什么一直都要标榜着最聪明的自己呢？人生难得糊涂哦~给心灵一个歇脚的理由吧!
The Importance of Being Silly 难得糊涂
We all, at one time or another, have pretended to be a rock star, singing and dancing along to our favorite song. Most of us have done this in the privacy of our own room when we were kids and as adults, in the privacy of our homes. Me? I love to do that when I drive! I turn on the radio, find a song that I can sing along too and pretty soon my arms are in the air and I am moving along to the rhythm. Most of the time, I do this on my way to work.
我们每个人，在不同时期，都曾经像一个摇滚歌星那样，伴着我们最爱的那首歌又唱又跳.很多人在小时候，甚至是已长大成人，都曾在我们自己房间和家里类似的隐秘空间里这样过。我呢？我喜欢在开车的时候这样！打开收音机，找一首会唱的歌，很快我就会张开双臂，随着节奏起舞。大部分时候，我在上班的路上这么做。
Yes, that is true. I will be in my nice work clothes, jamming while driving or stopped at a traffic light. I get weird looks from some people and others laugh. Personally, I love to get lost in the rhythm of a song which leads me to share with you the importance of being silly!
是的，那是真的。我会穿上我漂亮的工作服，在堵车和遇到交通灯时，有人就会用奇怪的眼神看着我，或者笑我。对我个人而言，我喜欢沉浸在一首歌的节奏中，由此我愿和你们分享：为人糊涂贵在何处。
The definition for the word silly, according to the dictionary is: stupid, foolish and nonsensical. I know many people do not want to look foolish. So they walk around all serious, which in all honesty, is foolish!
糊涂一词在字典中的定义是：愚蠢的，傻，荒谬的。我知道很多人都不想被人看作愚笨。所以他们在生活中始终一脸严肃，而这在本质上才是真正的愚笨。
No one is perfect, I repeat: no one is perfect. I don’t care how educated, how thin, how beautiful, how simple, how frugal, how rich, and so on… No one is perfect! So why pretend to be something you are not?
人无完人，我重申一次：没有人是完美的。我不在乎一个人学识多深，身材多好，外表多美，思想多浅薄，生活多俭朴，多富有，等等……人无完人！那么，为什么要伪装成我们实际上本不是的呢？
Life is so short… You never know when this beautiful journey will be over, so why waste a single second on being so full of rigidity? Here is a quote by Souza, that I think says it all and is a great recipe for life:
人生何其短暂……你不会知道这美好的征程何时会结束，那么，为什么要浪费一分一秒，让自己变得棱角分明？这里引用索萨的话，我觉得她一语中的，是人生的一大秘方：
“Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, Live as though heaven is on earth.”
跳舞吧，就像没有人欣赏一样，
去爱吧，就像没有受到伤害一样，
唱歌吧，就像没有人倾听一样，
生活吧，就像今天是最后一天一样。
When we were kids, we had no idea of what limitations were and we had no care in the world so we could do things without worrying about how we appeared to others. However, as we grew up, we lost that childlike innocence.
当我们还是孩子，我们天不怕，地不怕，无忧无虑，所以我们可以不在乎自己再别人眼中的形象去做事情。然而，当我们长大，我们失去了那种天真烂漫。
So don’t lose the child that still lives within you. The next time you feel down, go turn on your favorite song, and sing and dance along like there is no tomorrow. Or watch something that makes you laugh. Laughter is the best medicine to whatever ails you and nothing is better than laughing so hard that your tummy hurts. Trust me, you will feel a whole lot better, and who doesn’t want to feel good?
所以，不要丢失你心中那个小孩。下次你感到沮丧时，去打开你最爱的那首歌吧，随之歌唱起舞，就像没有明天一样。或者看点能让你笑的东西。笑声是除去任何烦恼良方，没有什么比笑到肚子疼更好的事了。相信我，你会好受很多，谁又不想让自己好受呢？
美文阅读:Salty Coffee 咸咖啡
默默付出是伟大的，为了自己的真爱，学着接受，学着改变 —— 爱需要无私的付出。
Salty Coffee 咸咖啡
He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee. She was surprised. So as not to appear rude, she went along.
他在一次晚会上遇见了她。她很迷人，有很多男孩子追求，但是却没有任何人注意到他。晚会结束后，他请她出去喝咖啡，这让她很吃惊。出于礼貌，她去了。
As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter, "Could you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
他们坐在一家幽雅的咖啡店里。他紧张得说不出话来，而她也感到很拘束。突然，他叫来服务生，说道：“给我在咖啡里加点盐，好吗?”
They stared at him. He turned red, but when the salt came, he put it in his coffee and drank. Curious, she asked, "Why salt with coffee?" He explained, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing on the sea ... I could feel its taste salty, like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are still there."
她和服务生都看着他。他脸红了，盐端上来了，他往咖啡里放了一些，喝了起来。她好奇地问：“为什么在咖啡里放盐呢?”他解释说：“小时候，我住在海边，喜欢在那里玩耍……海水是咸的，就像这杯咸咖啡。每次喝咖啡时，我就想起了童年和家乡。我怀念这种味道，想念那里的父母亲。”
She was deeply touched. A man who can admit that he's homesick must love his home and care about his family. He must be responsible.
她被深深地感动了。一个有思乡情结的男人一定很爱家，很关心家人。他一定是值得信赖的。
She talked too, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the start to their love story.
于是，她也谈起了遥远的家乡，她的童年和家人。他们的爱情故事就这样拉开了帷幕。
They continued to date. She found that he met all her requirements. He was tolerant, kind, warm and careful. And to think she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee!
之后，他们常常约会。她发现他宽容、善良、热情而细心，这些正符合她的标准。她想，若不是那杯咸咖啡，她或许就错过了他。
So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it.
最后，他们结婚了，幸福地生活在一起。每每给他冲咖啡时，她总会放些盐，因为他喜欢喝咸咖啡。
After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said:
40年后，他去世了，留了一封信给她，信中的内容是这样的：
My dearest, please forgive my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous I asked for salt instead of sugar.
亲爱的，请原谅我——有一个谎言，我隐瞒了你整整一生。还记得我们的第一次约会吗?我很紧张，原想要糖，却说成了盐。
It was hard for me to ask for a change, so I just went ahead. I never thought that we would hit it off. Many times, I tried to tell you the truth, but I was afraid that it would ruin everything.
再改过来很难，我只好将错就错。我从未想过要喝咸咖啡。许多次，我都想告诉你真相，但又担心说出来一切会化为泡影。
Sweetheart, I don't exactly like salty coffee. But as it mattered so much to you, I've learnt to enjoy it. Having you with me was my greatest happiness. If I could live a second time, I hope we can be together again, even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life.
亲爱的，我并不喜欢喝咸咖啡，但你很在乎这个，我已经学着接受它了。与你在一起是我一生最大的幸福。倘若我能重生，我希望还能和你在一起，即使这意味着余生都要喝咸咖啡，我也心甘情愿。