英文短文阅读菁华

改革开放三十多年以来,英语教育在我国已经广为普及,整个社会对英语的要求也愈加精益求精。本文是有关经典英文小短文，希望对大家有帮助!

On warm evenings I often sat in the boat playing the flute, and saw the perch swimming around me. I saw the moon traveling over the bottom of the lake, which was strewn1 with the fallen leaves and branches.

天气晴和的夜晚,我也常独驾一舟,弄笛湖上,看水中的鲈鱼饶舟不去。俯视湖底,落木坠枝,横斜交错,皓月一轮,行径其上。

Once, I used to come to this pond in dark summer nights with a friend. We would make a fire there, which we thought attracted the fishes. Late in the night, we threw the burning firewood high into the air, which, when it came down into the pond, went out with a loud hissing. And we were suddenly in total darkness. duanwenw.com Then, whistling a tune, we made our way to the village again. But now I had made my home by the shore.

以前,在那些深黝的夏日夜晚,我曾不止一次与友人寻胜至此。我们总是先在岸边燃起一堆篝火,我们认为此法最能把鱼招来。待到夜色渐深,我们便把那尚未燃尽的木柴像烟火似地抛入暗空,一阵闪亮之后,缀湖澌灭,嗤然有声。然后长啸一曲,摸黑寻回村落。不过我最近索性就迁居到那里,傍湖而居了。

Sometimes, after the family had all gone to bed, I returned to the woods. Partly for the next day’s dinner, I spent the hours of midnight fishing from a boat by moonlight. At this time, I heard owls and foxes serenade, along with the singing of some unknown birds. These experiences were very memorable and valuable to me. In the center of the water, there were sometimes thousands of small perch and shiners, breaking the surface with their tails. I sometimes threw a line into the pond as I drifted in the gentle night breeze, now and then feeling a slight shaking along it. Pulling the line out of the pond, I saw a perch wriggling in the air.(excerpt)

有时,待家人睡去,我又重新返回林中。半为明日的食物筹措,我于夜半自操一舟,趁着月色,独钓湖上。这时鸱鸣狐啸,伴着一两声怪鸟的戛鸣。回想这些夜游,至今历历难忘。在水中央,鲈鱼银鱼成群,不啻千百,翻舞嬉戏,不时在湖面翻起层层涟漪。有时,于夜风习习之中,我将钓丝投入湖里,但不时忽觉手下一丝微颤。轻轻将线一扯,只见一只鲈鱼在半空中活蹦乱跳。(节选)

Life is full of decisions and most people take their lifetime to master the ability to make one.

生活中,许多事情需要我们做出决定,因此,许多人用一生的时间去学习掌握做决定的能力。

Each of us makes decisions daily, such as what clothes to wear, what to eat, and what to drink. We’re all excellent at judging other people’s decisions. But what about our own decisions? What about the decisions each of us makes, such as going to college, quitting college, duanwenw.com quitting a job for another one and so on? These are life-defining moments that create two different life paths. None of these decisions should be taken lightly.

每个人每天都要做决定,如决定穿什么、吃什么、喝什么。我们都擅长判断别人的决定,但你擅长判断自己的决定吗?我们自己做的决定怎么样?如上学、退学、辞职另谋新生等等。这些都是对人生有界定意义、会创造两种不同人生道路的时刻,每一个都不能怠慢。

Although we are all skillful at judging others, we should spend some time to get comfortable with ourselves to make decisions without the fear of judgment. Judgment comes from insecurity3. Each insecurity that we have moves us further and further to make a good decision. In order to control our insecurities we need to identify them and be comfortable with ourselves. To accomplish that we can all use some help. You may get it from a friend or a family member.

即使擅长判断别人的决定,我们也应该花些时间让自己应付自如地做决定,而且不必害怕做出判断。判断力来自于不安全感。我们的每一个不安全感都会推动我们去做出正确的决定。为了控制我们的不安全感,我们需要辨别它们,让自己能无所顾忌。为了达到这个目标,我们可以寻求别人的帮助。你可以从朋友或者家人那里得到你需要的帮助。

The best part about decision-making is that there is no right or wrong answer. Decisions are choices, and choices are individual. Try to put some more effort into your own decisions and leave the judgment at the door.

关于做决定,其最美好之处在于答案没有对错之分。做决定是种抉择,而且抉择是仁者见仁、智者见智。尽力做出自己的选择,不必介意你的选择是对或是错。

Perhaps your idea is a business venture, a travel adventure, or a career that you would like to pursue. duanwenw.com When you get an idea that excites you, don’t push the idea away. Remember to follow your dream, because you have the power to make it come true.

或许你想去投资经商、旅游历险或是致力于你喜爱的事业。当你有了让自己激动的想法,那就坚持这个想法。记得坚持自己的梦想,因为你有能力让梦想成真。

Would you say your life is fun? Would you say you have more fun days than not? You would be surprised at so many people tell me that they do not think their life is fun and that most of their days are anything but fun. I find that a shame! Life is more fun than you think!

你会说自己的生活很有趣吗?你会说你度过的有趣日子比无趣的日子多吗?你会惊讶于许多人曾告诉我他们从不觉得自己的生活有趣甚至根本就无趣。这些人的话真令人感到遗憾。实际上,生活比你想像的要有趣得多。

What’s fun about it? That depends on you! What is it that would make your life more fun? duanwenw.com I know the answer for me. I find all sorts of things fun, but if my mind is thinking negatively, then nothing seems fun.

生活怎么才有趣?决定权在你。什么会让你的生活更有趣?我知道什么能让我的生活更有趣。我发现各种各样有趣的事物,但如果我的思想很消极,那一切有趣的事物都会变得很无趣。

How’s your thinking? If your head is in the wrong place, you could have a million dollars cash but you wouldn’t be having fun. On the other side of the coin, you could be changing a flat tire and, if your mind is right, it might be the most fun thing you have ever done.

关于有趣的生活,你有何见解?如果心态不对,即使拥有一百万美金你也不可能尽情享乐。换个角度想想,如果心态是对的,即使是在换爆掉的轮胎,那都可能会是你干过的最有趣的事。

You decide what is fun. When I do something, I just tell myself that I am not going to complain about it and that I will enjoy it; and I do.

你可以决定什么事情有趣。当我做事时,我会告诉自己不去抱怨而是享受。我确实做到了。

If you believe, think and act like everything is a pain, then it will be. If you think, believe and act like life is happy, then that will become your reality as well.

如果你的信仰、思维和行为表现得好像任何事情都是痛苦的,那任何事情就都会是一种痛苦。反而言之,如果你的思维、信仰和行为表现得好像生活很幸福,那你的生活也就会很幸福。

Which do you choose?

你打算做何选择呢?

随着英语学习的全球化，英语阅读已经成为学习英语、获取信息的一个主要方式。我整理了优秀英文短文美文，欢迎阅读!

There was a farmer in Africa who was happy and content. He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy.

从前在非洲有一位快乐而满足的农夫。他因满足而快乐，同时也因快乐而感到满足。

One day a wise man came to him and told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along them.

有一天，一位智者向他走来并告知他关于钻石的荣耀，以及随之而来权力。

The wise man says, “If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist you could probably own your own country.” And then he went away.

智者说，“如果你拥有一块拇指般大的钻石，你就能换到一座属于自己的城市;如果你拥有一块拳头般大的钻石，你就可能会拥有一个属于自己的国家。”说完他便离开了。

That night the farmer couldn't sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent, and he was discontent because he was unhappy.

那一晚，农夫难以入睡，他开始变得不快乐而且不满足起来。他因不满足而不快乐，同样也因为不快乐而变得不满足。

The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds. He looked all over Africa and couldn't find any. He looked all through Europe and couldn’t find any. When he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially broke. He got so disheartened that he threw himself into the Barcelona River and committed suicide.

第二天早上，他卖掉了自己的农场，安顿好了他的家人便踏上了寻找钻石之路。他寻遍了整个非洲但却一无所获。他找遍整个欧洲还是一无所获。当他到达西班牙的时候，他已精神崩溃、周身疲惫、钱财耗尽。绝望之下，他跳进了巴塞罗那河，自杀了。

Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow.

而在他的家乡，买下他农场的那个人此时正在小溪边给骆驼饮水。潺潺的溪水流经了整个农场。清晨的阳光穿过溪水照射在一块石头上，折射的光芒好像是一道彩虹。

He thought it would look good on the mantelpiece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room. That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, "Is Hafiz back?"

这人心想：若是将这块石头摆在壁炉架上一定会十分漂亮。于是，他捡起石头并把它放到客厅里。当天下午，那个智者又出现了。他看到闪闪发光的石头，便问道：“哈夫兹(旧主人)回来了吗?”

The new owner said, "No, why do you ask?" The wise man said, "Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one." The man said, "No, that's just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I'll show you. There are many more.' They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds.

新主人回答说：“没有啊!你为什么会这么问?”智者回答道：“因为这石头是一块钻石，我一眼就能识别。”新主人说：“不是!这只是我从溪水中捡起的一块石头。不信，你就跟我来，那里还有好多呢!” 于是两人走到小溪边，捡了一些石头送去验证。毫无疑问，这些石头确实是钻石!他们还发现这整个农场蕴藏着大量的钻石。

We read that Alexander, the great, was the follower of Aristotle, from whose instructions he got the greatest advantage. What was the most, he asked his master what would profit himself, and at the same time be serviceable to others.

通过阅读我们了解到，亚历山大大帝是亚里士多德的门徒，大帝从这位大师身上学到了不少的东西。其中最重要的一条是，他曾经询问过大师，怎样既得益于自己又助于他人。

Aristotle answered, “My son, hear with attention; and if you accept my advice, you duanwenw.com will arrive at the greatest honors. There are seven distinct points to be remembered. First , you do not overcharge the balance. Secondly, you do not feed a fire with the sword, Thirdly, stress not the crown; nor, fourthly, eat the heart of a little bird. Fifthly, when you have taken the right road, never turn from it. Sixthly, walk not in the high road; and, seventhly, do not allow a talkative duanwenw.com swallow to possess your eaves.”

亚里士多德回答说：“请注意听，我的孩子。你若接纳我的忠告，你一定能功盖星辰。有七点你要切记：一忌打破平衡;二忌用剑拔火;三忌太重皇权;四忌贪吃小鸟心脏;五忌走对路又回头观望;六忌走出通衢大道;七忌让多舌的燕子占你屋檐。”

The king carefully considered the meaning of these puzzling directions; and observing them, experienced their utility in his following years.

国王苦思冥想这令人迷惘的指导，并悉心观察，在他随后的日子里受益无穷。

Because of heat, a deer came to a spring to drink. Seeing his own shadow reflecting in the water, he greatly admired the size and variety of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such slender and weak feet.

天气炎热，一只鹿来到泉边饮水。看着自己倒映在水中的影子，鹿很欣赏他头上那巨大的鹿角和它们的参差有致，也为自己细长而柔弱的脚饿懊恼。

While he was in deep thought, a lion appeared at the pool duanwenw.com and sprang upon him. The deer immediately began to run away as fast as possible. As long as the road was smooth and open, he kept himself at ease at a safe distance from the lion. But entering a wood he became entangled by his horns, and the lion quickly came up to him and caught him. When too late he thus regretted, “My god! How have I cheated myself! These feet saved me, but I had despised them, and I duanwenwcom was proud of these antlers which have brought me destruction.”

正当他沉思的时候，一头狮子出现在池边，向他猛扑过来。鹿立刻以最快的速度逃走了。跑在平坦宽阔的路上，他很容易保持离狮子安全的距离，但一进树林，他就被自己的角缠住了。狮子迅速赶上来抓住了他。鹿此时悔之晚矣:””天啊!我怎么会自己欺骗自己!这些脚本来可以救我的命，我却轻视，而这些置我于死地的角我却感到荣耀

We often look down upon what is most truly valuable in our life.

在生活中，我们常常轻视一些真正有价值的东西。