Lesson 11 How to grow old如何安度晚年
First listen and then answer the following question.
聽(tīng)錄音，然后回答以下問(wèn)題。
What, according to the author, is the best way to overcome the fear of death as you get older?
Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble. The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river -- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.【參考譯文】
有些老年人因?yàn)榕滤蓝械綗馈Ｇ嗄耆擞羞@種感覺(jué)是情有可原的。有理由害怕自己會(huì)死在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上的年輕人，想到自己被剝奪了生活所能給予的最美好的東西時(shí)，感到痛苦，這是可以理解的。可是老年人已經(jīng)飽嘗了人間的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有點(diǎn)兒可憐又可鄙?？朔滤赖霓k法 -- 至少在我看來(lái)是這樣 -- 就是逐漸使自己的興趣更加廣泛，逐漸擺脫個(gè)人狹小的圈子，直到自我的圍墻一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地倒塌下來(lái)，自己的生活慢慢地和整個(gè)宇宙的生活融合在一起。個(gè)人的存在應(yīng)該像一條河流，開(kāi)始很小，被緊緊地夾在兩岸中間，接著熱情奔放地沖過(guò)巨石，飛下瀑布。然后河面漸漸地變寬，兩岸后撤，河水流得平緩起來(lái)，最后連綿不斷地匯入大海，毫無(wú)痛苦地失去了自我的存在。上了年紀(jì)的人這樣看待生命，就不會(huì)有懼怕死亡的心情了，因?yàn)樽约宏P(guān)心的一切事件都會(huì)繼續(xù)下去。 再者，隨著精力的衰退，老年人的疲憊會(huì)增長(zhǎng)，有長(zhǎng)眠的愿望未嘗不是一件好事情，我希望工作到死為止，明白了有人會(huì)繼續(xù)我的未竟事業(yè)，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。1.oppress v.憂郁，壓抑
例句：The people were oppressed by the dictator's secret police.
人民受制于*者的秘密警察。
2.justification n.正當(dāng)理由
例句：There's not a shadow of justification for your behaviour.
你的舉動(dòng)毫無(wú)道理。
3.justifiably adv.無(wú)可非議地
例句：He thought that it was something of which he could justifiably boast.
他認(rèn)為這是一件可以自夸的事。
4.cheat v.欺騙
例句：He tried to tempt me to cheat in the examination.
他想誘使我在考試中作弊。
5.abject adj.可憐的
6.ignoble adj.不體面的，可恥的
例句：The fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
怕死就有點(diǎn)兒卑鄙和不光彩了。
7.impersonal adj.超脫個(gè)人感情影響的
例句：I hate dealing with large impersonal companies.
我討厭與那些沒(méi)有人情味的大公司打交道。
8.ego n.自我
9.receded v.退去
例句：Floodwaters began receding in some areas of Kentucky.
洪水在肯塔基州的某些區(qū)開(kāi)始退了。
10.increasingly adv.日益，不斷
11.passionately adv.激昂地
例句：He is passionately opposed to racial discrimination.
他極端反對(duì)種族歧視。
12.painlessly adv.毫無(wú)痛苦地
例句：Nobody can bring us swiftly, painlessly into the promised land.
無(wú)人能夠把我們迅速地、毫無(wú)痛苦地帶進(jìn)理想之園。
13.vitality n.精力
例句：This kind of plant has exuberant vitality.
這種植物有旺盛的生命力。
14.weariness n.疲憊感
例句：She fainted from sheer weariness.
她純粹是因?yàn)閯诶鄱鴷灥沟摹?.Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
in the thought of一想到
例句：He boggled at the thought of swimming in winter.
他想到要在冬天游泳就有些猶豫.
2.But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
no matter what和whatever都表示“無(wú)論什么”，但是whatever引導(dǎo)的是賓語(yǔ)從句，而no matter what引導(dǎo)的是讓步狀語(yǔ)從句。
3. The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
at least至少,起碼,無(wú)論如何
例句：The nail penetrated the wood at least two inches.
釘子釘進(jìn)木頭至少有兩英寸。
merge in并入,吸收,消失在…
例句：We merged the private in the general good.
我們把個(gè)人的利益和大眾的利益結(jié)合起來(lái)。
All fear was merged in curiosity.
由于好奇心而忘掉了一切恐懼。
4.Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
in the end最后,終于
例句：Everything was made good in the end.
最后所有的東西都獲得賠償。
5.I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
carry on繼續(xù)開(kāi)展,堅(jiān)持
例句：Carry on a thriving business.
經(jīng)營(yíng)繁忙的生意。1.Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
有理由害怕自己會(huì)死在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上的年輕人，想到自己被剝奪了生活所能給予的最美好的東西時(shí)，感到痛苦，這是可以理解的。
2.But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do,the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
可是老年人已經(jīng)飽嘗了人間的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有點(diǎn)兒可憐又可鄙。
3.The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal,until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
克服怕死的辦法 -- 至少在我看來(lái)是這樣 -- 就是逐漸使自己的興趣更加廣泛，逐漸擺脫個(gè)人狹小的圈子，直到自我的圍墻一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地倒塌下來(lái)，自己的生活慢慢地和整個(gè)宇宙的生活融合在一起。
4.Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
然后河面漸漸地變寬，兩岸后撤，河水流得平緩起來(lái)，最后連綿不斷地匯入大海，毫無(wú)痛苦地失去了自我的存在。
5. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
我希望工作到死為止，明白了有人會(huì)繼續(xù)我的未竟事業(yè)，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。
First listen and then answer the following question.
聽(tīng)錄音，然后回答以下問(wèn)題。
What, according to the author, is the best way to overcome the fear of death as you get older?
Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble. The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river -- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.【參考譯文】
有些老年人因?yàn)榕滤蓝械綗馈Ｇ嗄耆擞羞@種感覺(jué)是情有可原的。有理由害怕自己會(huì)死在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上的年輕人，想到自己被剝奪了生活所能給予的最美好的東西時(shí)，感到痛苦，這是可以理解的。可是老年人已經(jīng)飽嘗了人間的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有點(diǎn)兒可憐又可鄙?？朔滤赖霓k法 -- 至少在我看來(lái)是這樣 -- 就是逐漸使自己的興趣更加廣泛，逐漸擺脫個(gè)人狹小的圈子，直到自我的圍墻一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地倒塌下來(lái)，自己的生活慢慢地和整個(gè)宇宙的生活融合在一起。個(gè)人的存在應(yīng)該像一條河流，開(kāi)始很小，被緊緊地夾在兩岸中間，接著熱情奔放地沖過(guò)巨石，飛下瀑布。然后河面漸漸地變寬，兩岸后撤，河水流得平緩起來(lái)，最后連綿不斷地匯入大海，毫無(wú)痛苦地失去了自我的存在。上了年紀(jì)的人這樣看待生命，就不會(huì)有懼怕死亡的心情了，因?yàn)樽约宏P(guān)心的一切事件都會(huì)繼續(xù)下去。 再者，隨著精力的衰退，老年人的疲憊會(huì)增長(zhǎng)，有長(zhǎng)眠的愿望未嘗不是一件好事情，我希望工作到死為止，明白了有人會(huì)繼續(xù)我的未竟事業(yè)，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。1.oppress v.憂郁，壓抑
例句：The people were oppressed by the dictator's secret police.
人民受制于*者的秘密警察。
2.justification n.正當(dāng)理由
例句：There's not a shadow of justification for your behaviour.
你的舉動(dòng)毫無(wú)道理。
3.justifiably adv.無(wú)可非議地
例句：He thought that it was something of which he could justifiably boast.
他認(rèn)為這是一件可以自夸的事。
4.cheat v.欺騙
例句：He tried to tempt me to cheat in the examination.
他想誘使我在考試中作弊。
5.abject adj.可憐的
6.ignoble adj.不體面的，可恥的
例句：The fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
怕死就有點(diǎn)兒卑鄙和不光彩了。
7.impersonal adj.超脫個(gè)人感情影響的
例句：I hate dealing with large impersonal companies.
我討厭與那些沒(méi)有人情味的大公司打交道。
8.ego n.自我
9.receded v.退去
例句：Floodwaters began receding in some areas of Kentucky.
洪水在肯塔基州的某些區(qū)開(kāi)始退了。
10.increasingly adv.日益，不斷
11.passionately adv.激昂地
例句：He is passionately opposed to racial discrimination.
他極端反對(duì)種族歧視。
12.painlessly adv.毫無(wú)痛苦地
例句：Nobody can bring us swiftly, painlessly into the promised land.
無(wú)人能夠把我們迅速地、毫無(wú)痛苦地帶進(jìn)理想之園。
13.vitality n.精力
例句：This kind of plant has exuberant vitality.
這種植物有旺盛的生命力。
14.weariness n.疲憊感
例句：She fainted from sheer weariness.
她純粹是因?yàn)閯诶鄱鴷灥沟摹?.Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
in the thought of一想到
例句：He boggled at the thought of swimming in winter.
他想到要在冬天游泳就有些猶豫.
2.But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
no matter what和whatever都表示“無(wú)論什么”，但是whatever引導(dǎo)的是賓語(yǔ)從句，而no matter what引導(dǎo)的是讓步狀語(yǔ)從句。
3. The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
at least至少,起碼,無(wú)論如何
例句：The nail penetrated the wood at least two inches.
釘子釘進(jìn)木頭至少有兩英寸。
merge in并入,吸收,消失在…
例句：We merged the private in the general good.
我們把個(gè)人的利益和大眾的利益結(jié)合起來(lái)。
All fear was merged in curiosity.
由于好奇心而忘掉了一切恐懼。
4.Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
in the end最后,終于
例句：Everything was made good in the end.
最后所有的東西都獲得賠償。
5.I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
carry on繼續(xù)開(kāi)展,堅(jiān)持
例句：Carry on a thriving business.
經(jīng)營(yíng)繁忙的生意。1.Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
有理由害怕自己會(huì)死在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上的年輕人，想到自己被剝奪了生活所能給予的最美好的東西時(shí)，感到痛苦，這是可以理解的。
2.But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do,the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
可是老年人已經(jīng)飽嘗了人間的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有點(diǎn)兒可憐又可鄙。
3.The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal,until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
克服怕死的辦法 -- 至少在我看來(lái)是這樣 -- 就是逐漸使自己的興趣更加廣泛，逐漸擺脫個(gè)人狹小的圈子，直到自我的圍墻一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地倒塌下來(lái)，自己的生活慢慢地和整個(gè)宇宙的生活融合在一起。
4.Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
然后河面漸漸地變寬，兩岸后撤，河水流得平緩起來(lái)，最后連綿不斷地匯入大海，毫無(wú)痛苦地失去了自我的存在。
5. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
我希望工作到死為止，明白了有人會(huì)繼續(xù)我的未竟事業(yè)，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。