【課文】
Punctuality is a necessary habit in all public affairs in civilized society. Without it, nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in state of chaos. Only in a sparsely-populated rural community is it possible to disregard it. In ordinary living, there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality. The intellectual, who is working on some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organized for the matter in hand. He is therefore forgiven if late for a dinner party. But people are often reproached for unpunctuality when their only fault is cutting things fine. It is hard for energetic, quick-minded people to waste time, so they are often tempted to finish a job before setting out to keep an appointment. If no accidents occur on the way, like punctured tires, diversions of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time. They are often more industrious, useful citizens than those who are never late. The over-punctual can be as much a trial to others as the unpunctual. The guest who arrives half an hour too soon is the greatest nuisance. Some friends of my family had this irritating habit. The only thing to do was ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.
If you are citing a train, it is always better to be comfortably early than even a fraction of a minted too late. Although being early may mean wasting a little time, this will be less than if you miss the train and have to wait an hour or more for the next one; and you avoid the frustration of arriving at the very moment when the train is drawing out of the station and being unable to get on it. An even harder situation is to be on the platform in good time for a train and still to see it go off without you. Such an experience befell a certain young girl the first time she was traveling alone.
She entered the station twenty minutes before the train was due, since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be unforgivable to miss it and cause the friends with whom she was going to stay to make two journeys to meet her. She gave her luggage to a porter and showed him her ticket. To her horror he said that she was two hours too soon. She felt in her handbag for the piece of paper on which her father had written down all the details of the journey and gave it to the porter. He agreed that a train did come into the station at the time on the paper and that it did stop, but only to take on mail, not passengers. The girl asked to see a timetable, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake. The porter went to fetch one and arrive back with the station master, who produced it with a flourish and pointed out a microscopic 'o' beside the time of the arrival of the train at his station; this little 'o' indicated that the train only stopped for mail. Just as that moment the train came into the station. The girl, tears streaming down her face, begged to be allowed to slip into the guard's van. But the station master was adamant: rules could not be broken and she had to watch that train disappear towards her destination while she was left behind.
【課文翻譯】
準時是文明社會中進行一切社交活動時必須養(yǎng)成的習慣。不準時將一事無成，事事都會陷入混亂不堪的境地。只有在人口稀少的農(nóng)村，才可以忽視準時的習慣。在日常生活中人們可以容忍一定程度的不準時。一個專心鉆研某個復雜問題的知識分子，為了搞好手頭的研究，要把一切都協(xié)調(diào)一致，組織周密。因此，他要是赴宴遲到了會得到諒解。但有些人不準時常常因為掐鐘點所致，他們常常受到責備，精力充沛、頭腦敏捷的人極不愿意浪費時間，因此他們常想做完一件事后再去赴約。要是路上沒有發(fā)生如爆胎、改道、突然起霧等意外事故，他們決不會遲到。他們與那些從不遲到的人相比，常常是更勤奮有用的公民。早到的人同遲到的人一樣令人討厭。客人提前半小時到達是令人討厭的。我家有幾個朋友就有這有令人惱火的習慣。的辦法就是請他們比別的客人晚來半小時。這樣，他們可以恰好在我們要求的時間到達。
如果趕火車，早到總比晚到好，哪怕早到一會兒也好。雖然早到可能意味著浪費一點時間，但這比誤了火車等上一個多小時坐下班車浪費的時間要少，而且可以避免那種正好在火車駛出站時趕到車站，因上不去車而感到的沮喪。更難堪的情況是雖然及時趕到站臺上，卻眼睜睜地看著那趟火車啟動，把你拋下。一個小姑娘第單獨出門就碰到了這種情況。
在火車進站20分鐘前她就進了車站。因為她的父母再三跟她說，如果誤了這趟車，她的東道主朋友就得接她兩趟，這是不應該的。她把行李交給搬運工并給他看了車票。搬運工說她早到了兩個小時，她聽后大吃一驚。她從錢包里摸出一張紙條，那上面有她父親對這次旅行詳細說明，她把這張紙條交給了搬運工。搬運工說，正如紙條所說，確有一趟火車在那個時刻到站，但它只停站裝郵件，不載旅客。姑娘要求看到時刻表，因為她相信父親不能把這么大的事弄錯。搬運工跑回去取時刻表，同時請來了站長。站長拿著時刻表一揮手，指著那趟列車到站時刻旁邊一個很小的圓圈標記。這個標記表示列車是為裝郵件而停車。正在這時，火車進站了。女孩淚流滿面，央求讓她不聲不響地到押車員車廂里去算了。但站長態(tài)度堅決，規(guī)章制度不能破壞，姑娘只得眼看那趟火車消逝在她要去的方向而撇下了她。
【詞匯】
punctuality n. 準時
rural adv. 農(nóng)村的
disregard v. 不顧，無視
intellectual n. 知識分子
abstruse adj. 深奧的
coordinate v. 協(xié)調(diào)
reproach v. 責備
puncture v. 刺破(輪胎)
diversion n. 改道，繞道
trial n. 討厭的事，人
fraction n. 很小一點兒
flourish n. 揮舞(打手勢)
microscopic adj. 微小的
adamant adj. 堅定的，不動搖的
【重點詞匯講解】
【disregard】
英英：give little or no attention to
例句：
1. Please disregard the mess and sit right here.
請不顧凌亂狀態(tài)，就坐在這兒吧。
2. The boy's failure was due to continued disregard of his studies.
這孩子不及格是由于他經(jīng)常不重視功課的原故。
3. Her actions manifested a complete disregard for personal safety.
她的行動表明她全然不顧個人安危。
【abstruse】
例句：
1. Einstein's theory of relativity is very abstruse .
愛因斯坦的相對論非常難懂。
2. Lu Xun's works are very abstruse. You must read between the lines.
魯迅的著作非常深奧難解，你必須從字里行間去仔細體會。
【coordinate】
英英：bring order and organization to
例句：
1. Coordinate labour relations and gradually improve the living standards of the workers.
協(xié)調(diào)勞動關(guān)系，逐步提高勞動者的生活水平。
2. We should have established a rescue center or a system that can coordinate our resources.
我們應該建立了救援中心或一個系統(tǒng)，能夠協(xié)調(diào)我們的資源。
3. Communication was essential if we were to coordinate our protests and complaints.
如果我們要協(xié)調(diào)*和控訴活動，交流信息是必不可少的。
【reproach】
英英：express criticism towards
例句：
1. Do not reproach yourself, it was not your fault.
不要責備你自己，這不是你的過錯。
2. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with.
我既沒有什么奢望，也沒有什么擔心，更沒有什么要責備他的地方。
3. It is illegal to reproach Jesus Christ or the holy ghost.
責備耶穌基督或圣靈是違法的。
【trial】
例句：
1. Character can not be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthed.
性格不可能在安逸和平靜中得以發(fā)展，只有通過艱難和困苦的磨煉才能使內(nèi)心堅定，視野開闊，雄心振奮，從而達到成功的目的。
2. His blindness is a great trial to him.
眼睛瞎對他來說是非常麻煩的事。
【fraction】
例句：
1. It remains a fraction of its former size.
它目前的規(guī)模只有以前的一小部分。
2. The cost of copying a disk of software or a tape of music is a fraction of the cost of the product.
事實上，復制一個軟件光盤或者一盤音樂磁帶的成本，只是這個產(chǎn)品的整個成本的一小部分。
【adamant】
例句：
1. She was adamant in refusing to comply with his wishes.
她固執(zhí)地拒絕按他的意愿辦。
2. Most officials are adamant that the policy remains in place.
很多官員在遲疑是否要保留這項政策。
【常用短語】
【bring to a cnoclusion】結(jié)束
【in hand】手頭的
【in good time for】及時的
【impress upon】使牢記
【break the rule】違反規(guī)定
【課文】
First listen and then answer the following question.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
Who, according to the author, are 'Fortune's favoured children'?
A gifted American psychologist has said, 'Worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold of something and will not let it go.' It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition. The stronger the will, the more futile the task. One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins.
The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of the first importance to a public man. But this is not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improvised by a mere command of the will. The growth of alternative mental interests is a long process. The seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on good ground; they must be sedulously tended, if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed.
To be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real. It is no use starting late in life to say: 'I will take an interest in this or that.' Such an attempt only aggravates the strain of mental effort. A man may acquire great knowledge of topics unconnected with his daily work, and yet get hardly any benefit or relief. It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do. Broadly speaking, human beings may be divided into three classes: those who are toiled to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death. It is no use offering the manual labourer, tired out with a hard week's sweat and effort, the chance of playing a game of football or baseball or Saturday afternoon. It is no use inviting the politician or the professional or business man, who has been working or worrying about serious things for six days, to work or worry about trifling things at the weekend.
As for the unfortunate people who can command everything they want, who can gratify every caprice and lay their hands on almost every object of desire -- for them a new pleasure, a new excitement if only an additional satiation. In vain they rush frantically round from place to place, trying to escape from avenging boredom by mere clatter and motion. For them discipline in one form or another is the most hopeful path.
It may also be said that rational, industrious, useful human being are divided into two classes: first,those whose work is work and whose pleasure is pleasure; and secondly those whose work and pleasure are one. Of these the former are the majority. They have their compensations. The long hours in the office or the factory bring with them as their reward, not only the means of sustenance, but a keen appetite for pleasure even in its simplest and most modest forms. But Fortune's favoured children belong to the second class. Their life is a natural harmony. For them the working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday, and ordinary holidays, when they come, are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation. Yet to both classes, the need of an alternative outlook, of a change of atmosphere, of a diversion of effort, is essential. Indeed, it may well be that those work is their pleasure are those who and most need the means of banishing it at intervals from their minds.
WINSTON CHURCHLL Painting as a Pastime
【New words and expressions 生詞和短語】
gifted adj. 有天才的
psychologist n. 心理學家
spasm n. 一陣(感情)發(fā)作
futile adj. 無用的
insinuate v. 便潛入，暗示
convulsive adj. 起痙攣的
illumination n. 啟發(fā)，照明
undue adj. 不造當?shù)? grip n. 緊張
recuperation n. 休息
improvise v. 臨時作成
sedulously adv. 孜孜不倦地
vivify v. 使生氣勃勃
aggravate v. 加劇
trifling adj. 微小的
gratify v. 便滿意
caprice n. 任性
satiation n. 滿足
frantically adv. 狂亂地
avenge v. 替…報復
boredom n. 厭煩
clatter n. 喧鬧的談話
sustenance n. 生計
appetite n. 欲望
grudge v. 怨恨
absorbing adj. 引人入勝的
banish v. 排除，放棄
【課文注釋】
1.catch hold of 抓住……
let ... go 放掉……
2.The stronger the will, the more futile the task 這種意志越是強烈，這種嘗試越是徒勞。
futile adj.無用的
例句：Pace considers attempts at timing futile.
貝斯認為企圖控制時間是無效的。
It is futile to attempt to convince him that certain things are simply undoable.
使他相信某事情是完全不可為的是無用的嘗試。
3.insinuate v.使?jié)撊?，暗? 例句： What are you insinuating?
你旁敲側(cè)擊，究竟指得是什么?
Are you insinuating that I am a liar?
你繞來繞去是否暗指我在撒謊?
He insinuated his doubt of her ability.
他暗示了他對她能力的懷疑。
4. undue adj.不適當?shù)?，過度的
例句：I didn't want to show undue excitement.
我不想表現(xiàn)出過分的激動。
Don't give undue deference to the opinions and feelings of others.
不要對他人的意見和感情給予過分的尊重。
He used it to discourage any undue sense of danger.
他這樣做是為了制止任何不適當?shù)奈C感
5.aggravate
例句：vt. 惡化
Scratching can aggravate the rash.
搔癢會使疹子發(fā)炎。
The Europeans' appeasement policy towards irrational regimes would only
aggravate the hidden dangers.
歐洲國家對非理性政權(quán)的綏靖政策,只會讓潛在危機惡化。
The lack of rain aggravated the already serious shortage of food.
干旱少雨使原本就很嚴重的糧食短缺問題更加嚴重。
6.those who are toiled to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death勞累至死的人，憂慮至死的人，無聊至死的人
7.tired out with疲憊，精疲力盡
例句：She was tired out with wonder and marvelling.
一整天的獵奇把她累壞了。
He was tired out with mountain climbing.
他因爬山而筋疲力竭。
8.gratify v. 使?jié)M足, 使高興
例句：Now that she has a job in France she can gratify her desire to see Europe.
既然現(xiàn)在她在法國工作，那就可以滿足她游覽歐洲的愿望了。
I was gratified to see how much my birthday present was appreciated.
看到我的生日禮物受到極大的贊賞，我感到高興。
9.lay their hands on得到......抓到......
10.Fortune's favoured children 中的Fortune指“命運女神”
11.banish vt.
?、?驅(qū)逐，流放
例句：His lies caused his wife to banish him from the house.
他因說謊而被老婆驅(qū)逐出家門。
The sound of doctrine rings out daily in order to banish various curiosities about this
world.
一種主義的聲響日以夜繼，千日不絕，用以驅(qū)逐人們對這個世界的種種好奇與揣測!
?、谙? 例句：You can banish that idea from your mind.
你能消除心中的那種念頭。
The doctor advised her to banish fear and anxiety.
醫(yī)生勸她消除恐懼和憂慮。
【參考譯文】
一位天才的美國心理學家曾經(jīng)說過：“煩惱是感情的發(fā)作，此時腦子糾纏住了某種東西又不肯松手?！痹谶@種情況下，你又和頭腦爭吵讓它松手是無濟于事的。這種意志越是強烈，這種嘗試越是徒勞。你只能緩和而巧紗地讓另一種東西進入痙攣僵持的頭腦中。如果選得合適，而且的確受到別的領(lǐng)域的情趣的啟迪，那么漸漸地，往往也是很順利地，原先不適當?shù)木o張就會松弛下來，恢復和修整的過程就會開始。
因此，對一個從事社會活動的人來說，培養(yǎng)一種業(yè)余愛好和各種新的興趣是關(guān)等重要的做法。但這并非一日之功，也不是單憑意志一蹴而就的事。精神上多種情趣的培養(yǎng)是一個長期的過程。要想在需要的時候可隨手摘取充滿生機的果實，那就必然從選良種做起，然后將其植入肥沃的土地，還需要勤勉地護理。
一個人要想真正感到幸福和平安，至少應有兩三種愛好，而且都比較實際。到了晚年才開始說：“我會對這些人或那個人發(fā)生興趣”，已沒有用了。這種愿望只能加劇精神緊張。一個人可能會獲得與其日常工作無關(guān)的某些課題的淵博知識，而沒有從中得到什么實益或?qū)捨?。干你所喜歡的事是沒有用的，你得喜歡你所干的事。泛泛地說，人可以分為3類：勞累至死的人、憂慮至死的人、無聊至死的人。對于流汗出力干了一周苦活的體力勞動者來說，讓他們在星期六下午再踢足球或打壘球是不合適的;同樣，對于為嚴肅的公務操勞或煩惱了6天的政界人士、專業(yè)人員、商人來說，在周未再讓他們?yōu)楝嵤露鴦幽X子和憂慮也是無益的。
至于那些能任意支配一切的“可憐的人”，他們能夠恣意妄為，能染指一切追求的目標。對這種人來說，多一種新的樂趣、多一種新的刺激只是增加一分厭膩而已。他們到處奔亂跑，企圖以閑聊和亂竄來擺脫無聊對他們的報復，但這是徒勞的。對他們來說，用某種形式的紀律約束他們一下才能有希望使他們走上正道。
也可以這樣說，理智的，勤勞的、有用的人可以分為兩類：第一類是他分清工作是工作，娛樂是娛樂的人;第二類人的工作和娛樂是一回事。這兩類人當中，第一類人是大多數(shù)，他們能夠得到補償。在辦公室或工廠里長時間工作給他們帶來了酬勞，這不僅是謀生的手段，而且還帶來了尋找樂趣的強烈欲望，那怕是簡單的、低等的樂趣。但是，命運之神的寵兒是第二類人，他們的生活是一種自然的和諧，對他們來說，工作時間總不會太長，每天都是假日，而通常的假期來到，他們卻惋惜這假期強制打斷了他們埋頭從事的工作。然而對這兩種人來說，都需要換一換腦子，改變一下氣氛，轉(zhuǎn)移一下注意力，這是不可缺少的。說實在的，把工作當作享受的那些人需要每隔一段時間把工作從頭腦中撇開。