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英语口语 Official Account 英语口语·吉米老师说  17. The Watch手表 I look around me and the room has changed imperceptibly and overtly.There are elephants on thin legs lining the walls, the people around me have become giant insects, my watch melts and slowly drips from my wrist. A Dalinian dream? AKafkaesque nightmare? The breeze of surrealism blows through my hair; an existential whirl wind captures my imagination. 我环顾周围，房间发生的变化微妙却又明显。墙壁上排列满长着细腿的大象，我四周的人都已变成了巨大的昆虫，我的手表熔化了，从我的手腕上慢慢地往下滴落。难道是达利式的梦？或者是卡夫卡式的噩梦？超现实主义的微风撩动着我的头发;存在主义的旋风俘获了我的想像力。 In the images of these two great creators, I see reflections of beautiful and insatiable imaginations, completely undisciplined, unbounded; yet full of the magic and power of the artists’ visions. These images are not as true as photographs, but they are a hundred times more honest. I, too, often find myself misrepresenting the world. In the midst of a truly dreary lecture I sometimes force wakefulness upon myself by images of what I am learning, and instead of seeing my teacher carrying on about the military campaigns of the Civil War, I see muskets blazing against raised flags. 从这两位伟大创作者笔下的形象之中，我看到了其反射出的美丽的和永不满足的想像力，全然不守成规、狂放不羁，然而又充满了艺术家洞察力的神奇和力量。这些形象不如照片那么真实，但是又比照片可信一百倍。我也常常发现自己曲解了这个世界。在听那些着实乏味枯燥的讲演时，我有时对正在学习的东西打幵想像之门，使自己保持清醒；我所看到的并不是老师继续讲的美国内战中的战役，而是看到高举的旗帜下步枪在射击。 More often, I see my life as an adventure; romanticized, idealized, exhilarating. Instead of seeing a boring test of memory, I see a test of will; instead of a debate, I see a battle of wits; instead of seeing the photographic image of life, I see the existential and intoxicating war of man against Fate itself. In these images I am sometimes challenged by faceless opponents, sometimes I am climbing a mountain. Perhaps I am fighting a bull or jumping on rooftops. 更多的时候，我把自己的生命视为一次冒险，极富传奇色彩，而且又理想化，令人激动振奋。在我眼中，令人厌倦的记忆力测试变成了对于意志力的检验;辩论变成了智慧之战；生活的画卷变成了人类与命运之神对抗的存在主义的，令人痴迷的战争。在这些画面里，有时我会遭遇无形的敌手的挑战，有时我又在登山。或许我正在和一头公牛鏖战，或许正在屋顶上跳来蹦去。 At times I question the benefits of reinventing the world to suit my fancy. It is true, of course, that everyone does this. Even the strictest of thinkers cannot avoid letting their own vision of the world show through in their works. Dali and Kafka are not exceptions, they are extremes. Why are we all so eager to get away from reality? I find that I, like many others, often don’t seem to fuly belong. But of course I do belong, this is my world as much as anyone else’s. 我时常会想，如果世界变为我想像的模样，将会有什么裨益。当然，每个人都确实这么想过。即使最严谨的思想家也会不可避免地在自己的作品中表现出他们对这个世界的设想。达利和卡夫卡也不例外，他们是极端的情况。为何我们都如此渴望逃离现实？我发现自己像许多人一样，经常看起来不太厲于这个世界。但是当然我又是属于这个世界的，因为这个世界是我的，就像它也是其他任何人的一样。I try to solve this contradiction between the perceived and the real by altering the world ever so slightly a horse drawn carriage instead of a car, a prize winning essay rather than another homework assignment so that it finds its place around me. 我试图通过对这个世界作出细微的变动来解决感知与真实之间的矛盾马车代替了小轿车，获奖的散文代替了家庭作业以便世界在我身边找到自己的位置。 A simple solution indeed. We do not change ourselves to fit the world, but change the world to fit within us. A simple act of wish fulfillment, and all is done. And, of course, to melt a watch with the mind is far better than to enslave the intellect within the watch like a genie in a bottle. Freedom to think requires only so little, and to adjust the world to one’s thought is ever more noble than adjusting thought to the world. 这真是个简单的解决办法。我们并不是改变自己来适应这个世界，相反，我们改变世界，以让它适应我们。就靠简单的心愿之旅，一切都可以做到。当然，用意识熔化手表远比被手表束 缚住才智好得多，后者就像精灵被瓶子困住手脚一样。思想的自由并不要求太多；调整世界，使之适合我们的思想，要比调整 自己的思想使之适合世界高贵得多。 18. True Nobility 真正的高贵 In a calm sea every man is a pilot. 在风平浪静的大海上,每个人都是领航员。 But all sunshine without shade, all pleasure withoutpain, is not life at all.Take the lot of the happiest ,it isa tangled yarn.Bereavements and blessings,onefollowing another, make us sad and blessed by turns. Even death itself makes life more loving. Men comeclosest to their true selves in the sober moments oflife, under the shadows of sorrow and loss. 但只有阳光没有阴影,只有快乐没有痛苦,根本不是真正的生活.就拿最幸福的人来说,他的生活也是一团缠结在一起的乱麻。痛苦与幸福交替出现,使得我们一会悲伤一会高兴。甚至死亡本身都使得生命更加可爱。在人生清醒的时刻,在悲伤与失落的阴影之下,人们与真实的自我最为接近。 In the affairs of life or of business, it is not intellect that tells so much as character, not brainsso much as heart, not genius so much as self-control, patience, and discipline, regulatedby judgment. 在生活和事业的种种事务之中，性格比才智更能指导我们，心灵比头脑更能引导我们，而由判断获得的克制、耐心和教养比天分更能让我们受益。 I have always believed that the man who has begun to live more seriously within begins to livemore simplywithout. In an age of extravagance and waste, I wish I could show to the worldhow few the real wants of humanity are.我一向认为，内心生活开始更为严谨的人，他的外在生活也会变得更为简朴。在物欲横流的年代，但愿我能向世人表明：人类的真正需求少得多么可怜。 To regret one's errors to the point of not repeating them is true repentance.There is nothingnoble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to yourprevious self. 反思自己的过错不至于重蹈覆辙才是真正的悔悟。高人一等并没有什么值得夸耀的。真正的高贵是优于过去的自已。 19. A Mother's Letter to the World 一位母亲写给世界的信 Dear World, 亲爱的世界： My son starts school today. It’s going to be strangeand new to him for a while. And I wish you wouldsort of treat him gently. 我的儿子今天开始上学。在一段时间内，他都会感到既陌生又新鲜。我希望你能对他温和一点。 You see, up to now, he’s been king of theroost. He's been boss of the back yard. I havealways been around to repair his wounds, and to soothe his feelings. 你知道，直到现在，他一直是家里的小皇帝；一直是后院的主人。我一直在他身边，为他料理伤口，给他感情上的慰藉。 But now, things are going to be different. 可是现在一切都将发生变化。 This morning, he’s going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand and start on his greatadventure that will probably include wars and tragedy and sorrow. To live his life in the worldhe has to live in will require faith and love and courage. 今天早晨，他将走下屋前的台阶，挥挥手，踏上他伟大的冒险征途，途中也许会有战争、悲剧和伤痛。要在他必须生存的世界中生活需要信念、爱心和勇气。 So, World, I wish you would sort of take him by his young hand and teach him the things hewill have to know. Teach him―but gently, if you can. Teach him that for everyscoundrel, there is a hero; that for everycrooked politician there is a dedicatedleader; that for every enemy there is a friend. Teach him the wonders of books．Give himquiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers onthe green hill. Teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to havefaith in his own idea, even if everyone else tells him they are wrong. Teach him to sell hisbrawn and brains to the highest bidder, but never to put a price on his heart and soul. Teachhim to close his ears to a howling mob ... and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right. Teachhim gently, World, but don’t coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. 所以，世界，我希望你握住他稚嫩的手，教他必须知道的一些事情。教他，但如果可能的话，温柔点儿。教他知道，世界上有一个恶棍，就有一个英雄；有一个奸诈的政客，就有一个富有奉献精神的领袖；有一个敌人，就有一个朋友。教他感受书本的魅力。给他时间，去安静地思索自然界中永恒的神秘：空中的小鸟，阳光下的蜜蜂，青山上的花朵。教他知道，失败比欺骗要光荣得多。教他要坚信自己的思想，哪怕别人都予以否定。教他可把自己的体力和脑力以最高价出售，但绝对不要出卖自己的心灵和灵魂。教他对暴徒的嚎叫置若罔闻……并且在认为自己是对的时候站出来战斗。以温柔的方式教导他，世界，但不要溺爱 他，因为只有烈火才能炼出真钢。 This is a big order, World, but see what you can do. He's such a nice little fellow. 这是个很高的要求，世界，但请你尽力而为。他是一个多么可爱的小伙子。 21.Successful English Learning成功的英语学习Research in the field of language indicates that there are many things you can do to become a successful learner. Curiosity about language and culture, daily study, and the commitment to use English in every possible situation while in an English-speaking environment, are very important conditions for success. 语言领域的研究显示，要想成为一个成功的学习者，你有许多事情可做。对于语言和文化的好奇、曰常学习以及处于 一个英语环境之中，自觉地在每个可能的场合中使用英语，这些都是迈向成功的重要条件。 1.Be clear and realistic about your goals. Your sense of success will depend on your needs for English and whether or not you meet your needs. It is not just a question of measured progress. If you need conversational fluency, notetaking skills will not meet your needs. If you must learn to write effective business letters, informal conversation with current slang will not help you achieve your goal. 1.目标明确而现实。成功的感觉依赖子你对英语的需要以及你是否满足了这些需要。这不仅仅是一个衡量学习进度的 问题。如果你想要流利地对话，笔记技巧不会满足你的需要。如果你一定要学会起草给人印象深刻的商务信函，非正式的、包含曰常悝语的对话不能帮你实现目标。 Know what your goals are. Do you need English for occasional speaking situations, for travel or entertaining English-speaking visitors? 要知道你的目标是什么。你学英语是为了应付偶而的说话场合、用于旅行中还是为接待说英语的客人？ Do you want to improve comprehension in both written and spoken English? Do you need to write English for professional purpose? Are you preparing for a university career in English? If so, your goals must include proficiency in all skill areas. 你想在英语写作和口语的理解方面取得进步吗？你因为职业原因而需要用到英语写作吗？你正准备在大学谋求一份有关英语的职业吗？如果是这样，你的目标一定要包括精通英语的所有技能。 Learning a foreign language is an inexact process. Very few people learn to use a foreign language as well as a native speaker does. Fortunately, very few people need to learn English like a native English speaker in every skill area. Be realistic and aware of your goals. There are many reasons to learn English, and your reasons are your own goals. 学习一门外语是一个非精确的过程。很少有人能学会和外国当地人一样使用英语。所幸的是，也很少有人需要像外国当地人一样学习英语的每一种技能。你的目标必须明确而现实。学英语的原因有许多，依据原因确定你自己的目标。 2.Be realistic about the length of time it takes to learn a language. Programs which promise overnight success are simply not being honest. Language learning is a cumulative process. You will experience bursts of accomplishment as well blocks and delays in progress. You will notice improvement at different speeds in each skill area. Many students progress more quickly in passive skills (reading and grammar analysis) than in active and complex skills (speaking, notetaking during a lecture). If you are beginning level student whose goal is proficiency, a typical program may include at least nine months of intensive English study. If your study program is short-term and your goals include improvement and review rather than proficiency you may realise some progress in two or more weeks. 2.安排学习语言的时间长短要实亊求是。承诺一夜成功的培训纯厲无稽之谈。语言学习是一个不断积累的过程。在学 习进展中，你会突飞猛进，也会经历阻碍和拖延。对于每一种技能，你会发现进步的速度也不尽相同。许多学生在被动的技能 训练（阅读和语法分析）中进步更快，而在主动并且复杂的技能训练（说、记课堂笔记）中则进步较悛。如果你是初级阶段的学 生，你的目标是熟练，典型的培训则可能包括至少9个月的英语 强化学习。如果你的学习班是短期性质，你的目标是复习与提高，而不是熟练，你在两个或两个以上的星期内就能取得一些进步。 3.Be aware of your learning style. If you know that you learn more quickly when you listen to an English statement a few times before writing it, or if you know that seeing a picture or graphic representation of a word or helps you to remember the word, then develop study habits which use the most effective techniques for you. Excellent instructors who know that students must be involved in active learning will created active learning experiences to connect you with the language. 3.注意你的学习风格。如耒你觉得在多次倾听一个英语陈述后写下它将有助于你更快地把握它；或者如果你觉得通过观看某个单词或短语的图示能帮你加强记忆，那么你就要培养这些能帮助你最有效提高的良好学习习惯。深知学生需要主动投入学习的优秀老师，就会努力营造积极的学习实践，使你和语言紧紧联结在一起。 4.Learn something about “language learning”. Remember that language is a complex system of meaningful sounds organised with a series of rules (grammar). Every student has to study enough pronunciation, grammar and sentence structure to understand this! It is also true that language is a form of behaviour involving the human need to communicate and to be understood. Language learning involves motivation, emotion, a sense of self, and a set of cultural beliefs. Language is much more than sound and words and grammar. As you learn a new language, you will produce a “series of successive approximations”, meaning that each attempt at a new language will bring you closer to effective communication. Language learning requires that you make mistakes. Do not be afraid of a language or afraid of making errors. Develop an ability to relax; “playing” with a new language is an important part of learning. 4.掌握学习语言的技巧。要记住，语言是一个按规则（语法）组织起来的具有意义的声音的复杂系统。每一个学生必须通过学习足够的发音、语法和句子结构知识来理解它。语言也是人类用来进行交流和表达自己的一种行为形式。语言学习包 括动机、情感、自我感觉和文化理念。语言的意义远不止于声音、词汇和语法。当你学习一门新语言时，你会产生一系列连续 性的共鸣，也就意味着，对一种新语言的每一次尝试，都会让你感觉距离有效交流更近一步。语言学习容许你犯错误，不要害 怕学习语言或者害怕犯错误。培养一种放松的心态，将学习融入乐趣，这在学习一门新的外语过程中是非常重要的。 5.Take responsibility for your own learning. A good instructor is half the equation for successful language learning. Take charge of your learning; participate actively in your program. Look for opportunities to use your new language in any of many new environments. Be willing to make mistakes and learn from these mistakes. Focus on your goals, your study habits, and your willingness to “learn to learn”. Enjoy the process! Find inside yourself the reasons you want to learn, and determine ways to evaluate your success for yourself. 5.对自己的学习负责。有好的老师就是语言学习成功的一半。要管理好自己的学习，积极参与你的培训课程。在任何可能的新环境中寻求使用新语言的机会。乐于犯错误并学会从这些错误中吸取教训；关注你的目标、你的学习习惯以及对“学会学习”的追求。享受这一过程吧！寻找你想要学习的内在动 因并为自己找出评价成功的方式。 22.Science and Art科学和艺术 请允许我为你们如此友善和赞赏地为科学干杯而深表感谢。我尤其感激在这般友善的大会上来为科学祝酒。因为事实上近些年我确实发现有些戏称自己是在前科学时代出生的人，正在酝酿一股很强大而且日渐强大的倾向，将科学视为入侵和占领的势力，而且若假以时日，必将我们宇宙其他的事物驱逐出去。我想有很多人认为我们的时代是从现代头脑中爆发的怪物，目的就是要吞噬掉艺术的安德洛默达。时不时的，还有一位珀尔修斯，脚蹬写作快手之超速鞋，头戴社论文章之阴形帽，或许还安着充斥漫骂之词的“美杜沙之脑”威风凛凛，大有与科学之龙一比高下的气势。但是，各位绅士，我劝这位珀尔修斯先生三思而行。首先，为了他自己的安全着想，因为这怪物脑壳坚硬，口鄂强壮，从它过往的经历可以看出它所到之处，势如破竹，所向披靡，无人能拦，实不易对付。再者，为正义说句话，我可以向你们保证，以我愚见，只要放任不管，它还是一个温而文雅，无比绅士的怪物。至于艺术的安德洛默达，此怪物穷其所有的敬仰，别无他求，只希望看到她能够安居乐业，每年都能生一大群如我们所见的快乐迷人的小孩子。 But putting parables aside, I am unable to understand how any one with a knowledge of mankind can imagine that the growth of science can threaten the development of art in any of its forms. If I understand the matter of all, science and art are the obverse and reverse of the Nature's medal; the one expressing the external order of things, in terms of feeling, and the other in terms of thought. When men no longer love norhate; when suffering causes nopity, and the tale of great deeds ceases to thrill. when the lily of the field shall seem no longer more beautifully arrayed than the Solomon in all his glory, and the owe has vanished from the snowcapped peak and deep ravine, and indeed the science may have the world to itself, but it will not be because the monster has devoured the art, but because one side of human natureis dead, and because men have lost half of their ancient and present attributes. 不过撇去那些比喻，我实在不能理解那些有一点人文知识的人为什么会担心科学的进步怎么就会威胁到艺术的发展。依我所见，科学和艺术实乃大自然这枚圣牌的正反两面，一个以情感的方式表达了事物的外在规律，而另外一个则是一理性的方式。当人类不再爱，也不再恨；当苦难不再引起怜悯；当壮举不再让人激动，当山野的百合花还比不上所罗门的荣光，当雪山之巅和万丈深渊不再博得敬畏，那么科学是真的统治了这个世界。但是那不是因为怪物吞噬了艺术，而是因为人性的另一面已经死亡，而是因为人类已经失去了他们从古到今的天性。 
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