英语美文24篇.doc

1、1. The English Character00:07.960To other Europeans, the best known quality of the British,00:13.500and in particular of the English, is “reserved”.00:17.090A reserved person is one who does not talk very much to strangers,00:22.580does not show much emotion, and seldom gets excited.00:26.800It is d

2、ifficult to get to know a reserved person:00:30.870he never tells you anything about himself,00:33.490and you may work with him for years without ever knowing where he lives,00:38.640how many children he has, and what his interests are.00:42.470English people tend to be like that.00:46.080Closely re

3、lated to English reserve is English modesty.00:51.870Within their hearts, the English are perhaps no less conceited than anybody else,00:58.110but in their relations with others they value at least a show of modesty.01:03.250Selfpraise is felt to be impolite.01:07.180If a person is, let us say,01:10

4、.250very good at tennis and someone asks him if he is a good player,01:14.510he will seldom reply “Yes,”01:17.470because people will think him conceited.01:20.420He will probably give an answer like,01:23.100“Im not bad,” or “I think Im very good,” or “Well, Im very keen on tennis.”01:30.340Even if

5、he had managed to reach the finals in last years local championships,01:37.200he would say it in such a way as to suggest that it was only due to a piece of good luck.01:42.930Since reserve and modesty are part of his own nature,01:47.540the typical English tends to expect them in others.01:51.570He

6、 secretly looks down on more excitable nations,01:55.500and likes to think of himself as more reliable than they are.01:59.510He doesnt trust big promises and open shows of feelings,02:03.880especially if they are expressed in flowery language.02:08.150He doesnt trust selfpraise of any kind.02:12.00

7、0This applies not only to what other people may tell him about themselves orally,02:17.980but to the letters they may write to him.02:20.830To those who are fond of flowery expressions,02:24.400the Englishman may appear uncomfortably cold.2. An Irish Wedding00:06.89Have you ever been to an Irish wed

8、ding?00:12.91I have just returned from one.00:14.98It is a quarter to five in the morning;00:17.72the sun has already climbed above the horizon;00:20.89the birds are busy celebrating the new day and have eagerly been in search of food.00:26.14But some of the guests have not yet left.00:29.09They are

9、 still prolonging the night:00:31.50dancing, singing, gossiping,00:33.91and postponing the unfortunate necessity of undertaking a days work00:38.72in the fields after a sleepless night.00:40.91The evening party was to start at ten oclock,00:44.52but many of the guests arrived earlier.00:47.03A few o

10、f the nearer male relatives were looking rather awkward00:51.29in evening suits with smart bow ties,00:54.14and the pleasant, unsophisticated countrywomen00:56.33appeared a little self-conscious in their Sunday best.00:59.28Two men squeezing accordions provided the music:01:02.67the old Irish tunes

11、that have been played at weddings for many years.01:06.94Half the people in the room were dancing the square dances01:11.31which have been enjoyed even longer.01:12.95A score of men stood in the narrow dark hall leaning against the wall,01:17.11drinking beer from bottles01:18.86and speculating about

12、 crops, cattle and the current political situation.01:23.12And whenever the dancing stopped,01:25.42somebody would start singing one of the sentimental, treasured Irish songs:01:29.36the exile longing for his home, the grief-stricken lover mourning his fate.01:33.84Sometimes we all joined in the cho

13、rus, sadly and solemnly,01:38.11before getting up to dance again.01:40.08Irish weddings are almost certain to have been celebrated in this way for generations.01:45.77I have been to wedding receptions01:47.95where champagne has been served to the accompaniment of soft unnoticed orchestral music;01:5

14、3.20I have listened to carefully prepared speeches01:56.15and eyed a little enviously the model gowns of women far more elegant02:00.64than I could ever hope to be.02:02.39I have been impressed, and a little bored.02:04.91I have just been sitting up all night in a small, uncomfortable Irish cottage0

15、2:09.82and I have been enjoying every moment of it.3 Building Bridges00:08.53When you hear the phrase cultural heritage, what comes to mind?00:13.89Maybe you remember going to see ethnic folk dances with people wearing traditional costumes.00:20.34Perhaps you were exposed to the music and arts of th

16、is culture.00:24.50Most likely, however, what comes to mind will be the food.00:29.75It might begin with the recollection of your mothers cooking,00:33.58or visiting grandmas house and receiving a special treat as a reward for good behavior.00:39.70As you close your eyes, can you picture your favori

17、te dish?00:45.17Is it a salad with a special dressing, or a scrumptious dessert?00:50.86Can you smell the aroma wafting through the house?00:54.68Maybe youre far away from home and eating your favorite soul food01:00.09makes you feel closer to those youre separated from.01:03.59Many of us have misse

18、d spending a holiday or two with our loved ones,01:08.74only to find ourselves calling to ask what they had for dinner.01:13.01It doesnt matter if its the same thing that is served year after year.01:17.81Theres nothing like food to help us identify with our roots.01:23.39These recipes, cherished fa

19、mily favorites,01:26.67handed down from each generation to the next might undergo subtle changes,01:31.82but there still remains a cable of unity.01:34.44It is this unity which constructs the bridge between families and generations.01:40.57Food can be described as the building blocks of this cultura

20、l bridge.01:45.92Good food knows no boundaries.01:49.64It becomes the great equalizer between young and old.01:53.25Here, in the kitchen the old master works hand in hand with younger family members and friends,01:59.92passing on traditional skills used in the culinary arts.02:03.75However, more is

21、taking place than a mere transfer of information about ingredients and mixing instructions.02:12.17Magic moments are created between child and elder.02:16.44It becomes an opportunity for a parent to teach family values while passing the sugar and beating the eggs.02:24.97Confidences can be exchanged

22、 along with the natural flow of conversation.4.The Beatles00:07.87Even if the word “pop” disappears from the English vocabulary,00:13.01the influence of pop will remain.00:15.31Pop has become part of British and American history.00:19.03There has always been a close cultural link, or tie,00:22.63bet

23、ween Britain and English peaking America,00:25.15not only in literature but also in the popular arts, especially music.00:31.05Before the Second World War the American exported jazz and the blues.00:35.00During the 1950s they exported rock and roll,00:38.82and star singers like Elvis Presley were id

24、olized by young Britons and Americans alike.00:44.70The people responsible for the pop revolution were four Liverpool boys00:48.92who joined together in a group and called themselves the Beatles.00:56.68They played in small clubs in the back streets of the city.00:55.81Unlike the famous solo stars w

25、ho had their songs written for them,00:59.86the Beatles wrote their own words and music.01:02.37They had a close personal relationship with their audience,01:06.09and they expected them to join in and dance to the “beat” of the music.01:10.36Audience participation is an essential characteristic of p

26、op culture.01:15.06Some pop groups, in particular the Rolling Stones,01:19.21did more than just entertainment.01:21.29They wrote words which were deliberately intended to shock.01:24.24They represented the anger01:26.21and bitterness of youth struggling for freedom against authority,01:29.60and for

27、this reason they were regarded by some people01:32.56as the personification of the “permissive society”.01:35.73The Beatles, on the other hand,01:38.02finally won the affection and admiration 01:40.54of people of all ages and social backgrounds.01:43.16As they developed, their songs became more seri

28、ous.01:46.77They wrote not only of love,01:48.52but of death and old age and poverty and daily life.01:51.80They were respected by many intellectuals and by some serious musicians.01:56.18Largely thanks to the Beatles,01:58.15pop music has grown into an immense and profitable occupation.5.The Americ

29、an Obsession: Fast Food00:07.87The most obvious and striking trait is that Americans00:15.85always seem to be going somewhere and always seem to be in a hurry.00:19.90In New York, where the streets are usually choked with traffic,00:24.16drivers try in every way to get ahead of each other,00:27.12wh

30、ile pedestrians run through the streets often disregarding traffic signals.00:31.60Nowhere is this impatience more evident than in American eating habits.00:36.63Sitting down to a leisurely meal seems to be a luxury.00:40.57It is quicker to serve oneself in a fast food restaurant like McDonalds.00:4

31、4.76McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys are nationwide food chains00:48.91specializing in the most popular of all foods, the hamburger.00:52.20The popularity of these eating places has much to do with being inexpensive,00:57.12but more important, with fast service.00:59.19Fast and instant are the key

32、words.01:02.26A salad bar, a central feature in most restaurants,01:06.53has a dizzying variety of uncooked vegetables, pickled salads, cold fish, and cheese.01:12.22Putting together your own choices makes sense01:15.49but you also dont have to wait to be served.01:18.01The salad may be your main me

33、al,01:20.74or the appetizer which will keep you busy until the rest of the meal is ready.01:25.44“Takeout” food is an American way of life.01:28.51One can place an order over the phone with any of the take-away food shops01:33.10in the neighborhood for an instant meal to be taken to the office01:36.

34、71or to eat at home from barbecued chicken to pizza.01:40.21With a little patience,01:42.40you can go to the supermarket and buy instant foods that take a little time to prepare 01:47.10instant cereals, instant soups, instant rice, instant coffee 01:51.80all of which require only boiling water,01:54

35、.65or frozen dinners available in infinite choices.01:57.82Here the meal needs only to be heated.02:00.78With all the possibilities of eating instantly and constantly02:05.59and with the abundance of food in America,02:07.99is it any wonder that Americans tend to be overweight?6. Every Living Person

36、 Has Problems00:08.62What is the secret ingredient of tough people that enables them to succeed?00:16.16Why do they survive the tough times when others are overcome by them?00:20.21Why do they win when others lose?00:22.73Why do they soar when others sink?00:24.92The answer is very simple.00:27.01It

37、s all in how they perceive their problems.00:29.30Yes, every living person has problems.00:31.93A problem-free life is an illusion a mirage in the desert.00:36.08Accept that fact.00:38.06Every mountain has a peak.00:40.68Every valley has its low point.00:42.75Life has its ups and downs, its peaks an

38、d its valleys.00:46.80No one is up all the time, nor are they down all the time.00:50.74Problems do end. They are all resolved in time.00:54.46You may not be able to control the times,00:57.41but you can compose your responses.00:59.60You may not have chosen your tough time,01:02.57but you can choos

39、e how you will react to it.01:04.87For instance, what is the positive reaction to a terrible financial setback?01:10.00In this situation would it be the positive reaction to cop out and run away?01:14.93Escape through alcohol, drug, or suicide?01:18.64No! Such negative reactions only produce greater

40、 problems01:22.81by promising a temporary “solution” to the pressing problem.01:26.08The positive solution to a problem may require courage to initiate it.01:30.57When you control your reaction to the seemingly uncontrollable problem of life,01:35.60then in fact you do control the problems effect on

41、 you.01:38.66Your reaction to the problem is the last word!01:41.28Thats the bottom line.01:43.04What will you let this problem do to you?01:45.12It can make you tender or tough.01:47.85It can make you better or bitter.01:49.38It all depends on you.01:51.09In the final analysis, the tough people who

42、 survive the tough times do so01:56.01because theyve chosen to react positively to their predicament.01:59.63Tough times never last, but tough people do.02:02.47Tough people stick it out.02:04.77History teaches us that every problem has a lifespan.02:07.50No problem is permanent.7. April Showers Bri

43、ng May Flowers00:11.92From the golden-tipped fields of mid-west America00:18.16to the ancient kingdoms of verdant Palestine,00:21.22there is a happy truth to be shared with all who would take heed.00:25.60In more recent times, this truth has been expressed as:00:29.75April showers bring May flowers.

44、00:32.82This is a truth that promises light bursting from darkness,00:37.19strength born from weakness and,00:39.71if one dares to believe, life emerging from death.00:43.97Farmers all over the world know the importance and immutability of the seasons.00:49.76They know that there is a season to plan

45、t and a season to harvest;00:54.58everything must be done in its own time.00:57.42Although the rain pours down with the utmost relentlessness,01:01.80ceasing all outdoor activities,01:04.42the man of the field lifts his face to the heavens and smiles.01:08.90Despite the inconvenience,01:11.10he know

46、s that the rain provides the nourishment his crops need to grow and flourish.01:16.35The torrential rains in the month of April,01:19.51give rise to the glorious flowers in the month of May.01:23.02But this ancient truth applies to more than the crops of the fields;01:28.05it is an invaluable messag

47、e of hope to all who experience tragedy in life.01:33.52A dashed relationship with one can open up the door01:37.65to a brand new friendship with another.01:39.53A lost job here can provide the opportunity for a better job there.01:45.33A broken dream can become the foundation of a wonderful future.

48、01:50.03Everything has its place.01:52.33Remember this: overwhelming darkness may endure for a night,01:57.80but it will never overcome the radiant light of the morning.02:01.62When you are in a season of sorrow, hang in there,02:05.12because a season of joy may be just around the corner.8. Types of University Students00:08.52University students are different.00:12.46They come from different par