双语美文集锦
If you had an email?
A jobless man applied for the position of office boy at
Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him
cleaning the floor as a test.
“You are employed”, he said, “Give me your email address
and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.”
The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an email. ”
“I’m sorry”, said the HR manager, “If you don’t have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job.”
The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only 10 dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with 60 dollars.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and returned late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.
He started to plan his family’s future, and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email. The man replied, “I don’t have an email.”
The broker answered curiously, “You don’t have an email, and yet have
succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?!!” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”
如果你有邮箱那将会怎样？
一个失业的人去微软申请办公室文员的职位，人事经理面试了他，并且看着他打扫地板，作为测试。
“你被录用了”，人事经理说，“给我你的邮箱地址，我会把申请表发给你填，发给你的同时也意味着告诉你开始上班的日期。”
这个人回答说：“但是我没有电脑，更没有邮箱。”
“我很抱歉，”人事经理说，“如果你没有邮箱，那就意味着你不能生存。一个不能生存的人当然不能拥有这份工作。”
这个人不抱任何希望地离开了。他不知道要做什么，带着口袋里仅有的10美元。然后他决定去超市买10千克西红柿。接着他在附近挨家挨户地卖西红柿。不到两小时，他成功地将他的资金翻了一倍。他又做了3次，到回家时身上已经有60美元了。
这个人意识到他可以用这种方式生存，以后他每天早出晚归。因此，他的钱每天都翻两三倍。很短的时间里，他买了个手推车，然后卡车，接着他有了自己的运输车队。5年以后，他成了美国最大的食品零售商之一。
他开始计划他家庭的未来，并且决定买人身保险。他打电话给一个保险经济人，然后选择了一个保险项目。当谈话结束后保险经济人问他的邮箱地址，他说：“我没有邮箱。”
保险经济人很吃惊地说：“你没有邮箱都可以成功地建立一个帝国。你能想像如果你有邮箱的话会怎样吗？！！”这个人想了一下然后回答：“是的，我会
成为微软的办公室文员！”
Catch the shinning star that holds your destiny
Catch the star that holds your destiny, the one that
forever twinkles within your heart. Take advantage of
precious opportunities while they still sparkle before you.
Always believe that your ultimate goal is attainable as long as you commit yourself to it.
Though barriers may sometimes stand in the way of your dreams, remember that your destiny is hiding behind them. Accept the fact that not everyone is going to approve of the choices you’ve made. Have faith in your judgment. Catch the star that twinkles in your heart and it will lead you to your destiny’s path. Follow that pathway and uncover the sweet sunrises that await you.
Take pride in your accomplishments, as they are stepping stones to your dreams. Understand that you may make mistakes, but don’t let them discourage you. Value your capabilities and talents for they are what make you truly unique. The greatest gifts in life are not purchased, but acquired through hard work and determination. Find the star that twinkles in your heart—for you alone are capable of making your brightest dreams come true. Give your hopes everything you’ve got and you will catch the star that holds your destiny.
抓住最闪亮的星，抓住最美的梦想
当生命中的那颗星在你内心闪耀的时候，要学会把握它。当珍贵的机会仍在闪耀的时候，学会利用。永远相信只要自己持之以恒，就一定能够实现自己心中的梦想。
尽管通往梦想的道路上总有坎坷，你需要记住的是，你的命运就隐藏在那坎坷背后。学会接受这样的事实：不是每一个人都赞同你的选择。相信自己的判断。捕捉住那颗在你内心闪耀的星吧，它将引领你抵达自己的命运之路。沿那条路走下去，你就会发现那属于自己的美丽日出。
为自己的成绩自豪，因为它们是你通往梦想的阶梯。要知道你自己也会犯错误，但是可别因此而气馁。正确评价自己的能力与天分，是它们令你与众不同。生活里最丰厚的礼物不是买来的，而是通过艰苦的努力和决心获得的。找到在你内心闪耀的那颗星吧——虽然你独自一人，但也有能力实现你最辉煌的梦想。对既得的抱有希望并抓住那颗掌控你命运的星吧。
Are you ready to pay the price of your success?
Have you ever thought why there are very few great
people? I think there is probably only one great person out
of 10,000 at best, and most probably much less than that.
But why? Most people want to be great, right? Why are
there only very few of them? Here is the reason:
Most people do not pay the price of greatness.
I think this one is quite obvious. Now, the next question is: Why not? If there are so many people who want to be great, why only very few of them actually pay the price? The answer to the question explains the difference between the almost 100% people who want to be great and the much less than 0.01% who actually be so.
The reason why very few people actually pay the price is this: The road to greatness is continuously painful for long time.
Greatness requires sacrifices and there is no sacrifice without pain. The kind of
sacrifices required for greatness is the ones that make the process continuously painful for long time. If you want to be good it will be painful only every now and then, and many people can still handle it. But being great is a totally different level. The pain is much deeper and it is continuous. Very few people can endure this kind of pain and that’s why there are very few great people. Most people naturally choose things that bring pleasures to them. It’s unnatural to choose pain over pleasure, let alone doing it continuously for long time.
But that’s what I believe is the secret to greatness: The secret to greatness is choosing pain over pleasures continuously for long time.
渴望成功的你可曾准备好代价
你可曾想过为什么成功的人那么少？我想，大概在一万个人里最多有一个人能获得成功，很可能更少。但是为什么会这样呢？大多数人都渴望成功，不是吗？那为什么成功的人还是屈指可数呢？原因如下：
大多数人没有为成功付出代价。
这个答案显而易见。现在，就引出了下一个问题：为什么呢？为什么有那么多人想要成功，而只有很少数的人愿意为成功付出代价呢？这个问题的答案就能把几乎是100%想要获得成功的人和不足0.01%真正获得成功的人和给区分开来。
极少数人愿意为成功付出代价的真正原因在于：成功之路须要长期痛苦的坚持。
成功需要牺牲，而所有的牺牲都伴随着痛苦。获得成功所需要的牺牲是长期的、痛苦的。如果你的目标是优秀，那可能只是“短痛”而已，很多人还是可以承受得住的。但是，想要成功，所需要承受的就是“长痛”了。很少有人能承受这
种痛苦，这是为什么只有少数人能成功。大多数人会选择能给自己带来快乐的事物，这是自然的选择。很少有人会抛开快乐去选择痛苦，更不用说是长期的痛苦了。
但是正是上述原因让我相信，成功的秘密就在于：成功的秘密在于选择痛苦而不是快乐，并能够长期坚持承受痛苦。
Remember today
The new day is here, and so are you! Now that we’ve
started this new day, I hope that you’re ready to give your
best to it, and to enjoy it for all that it’s worth!
Remember today that you are alive.
Sometimes we tend to forget that you have a purpose that is all
your own, no one else is you.
You have dreams and hopes and desires. Listen to your heart for a while.
Remember today all the blessings you have: There’s beauty in every direction you look, enjoy the abundance that is already yours, the world is a wonderful place and you’re here.
Remember today that you get what you give: Your world is a mirror of your inner self, love will be yours when you give it away.
Remember today that life is creation: As long as you live you can always contribute your own special voice.
Remember today is a special time; make the best of it while you can.
拥有今天
新的一天开始了，你也要开始一天的忙碌了。既然我们已经开始新的一天，
希望你已经准备好全力以赴，充实而快乐地生活在今天！
记住今天你拥有生命。
有时我们似乎会忘记我们自己独有的生活目标，我们会忘记自我。
每个人都有梦想，希望和愿望。暂时去倾听一下你内心的召唤。
记住今天你拥有的所有的祝福：美存在于你所注视过的每个角落，享受你内心已有的充实，这是一个美丽的世界，你生活在这里。
记住今天你因奉献而有所得：你的世界是你内心的一面镜子，当你给予爱时，你才拥有爱。
记住今天生活就是去创造：只要你拥有生命，你可以永远奉献你那一份力量。
记住今天是一个特殊的日子；尽你所能努力去创造吧。
Time bank
Everyone has a bank. Its name is TIME. Every
morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night
it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to
invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It
allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow”. You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today: “Seize the day!”
So, you see, time is important, make the most of it. After all, life is either a daring adventure or nothing!
Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to have your time. And remember time waits for none.
时间银行
每个人都有一个银行，它的名字叫“时间”。每天早晨，它在你的帐户里存入86,400秒钟。不管你是否很好地利用了这笔时间，每天晚上它都会照例把这笔时间作为遗失注销。它没有设置余额。也不允许透支。
每天它会为你开一个新账户。每晚它会把该天的记录全部删除。如果你没有好好地利用当天的这笔时间，那么损失由你自己承担。
没有回头路。也不能向“明天”借时间。你必须以今天的时间“存款”为基础生活在现在。有效地投资这笔时间以便从中获取有关健康、快乐及成功最大的收益！时钟正在旋转。最大程度地利用今天：“抓住每一天！”
你看，时间挺重要的吧，一定要好好利用它。毕竟，生活要么是大胆的尝试，要么就什么都没有！
珍惜你所拥有的每一个时刻！你要更加珍惜它，因为你与某个特殊的人在一起分享它，这个人特殊到拥有你的时间。记住：时间不等人。
往事如烟
Do you condemn yourself for things which you did—or
failed to do—in the past? Everyone does this at some point.
However, if you want to lead a successful and productive life,
it is imperative that you release the past and not blame yourself for events which have already transpired and which cannot be changed.
The successful person takes this approach: Learn from past mistakes and make adjustments in future behavior. The strategy of berating yourself for past conduct solves nothing and only serves to lower your self-esteem. You create a vicious cycle where negative experiences and negative feelings are reinforced, which leads to more negative outcomes and more negative feelings.
If you insist on dwelling in the past, I suggest that you focus on your past successes. Visualizing and thinking about past successes is an excellent way to build confidence and self-esteem. What you think about is what you become. Therefore, when you concentrate on your successes, you help to create future successes.
When you find yourself starting to dwell on past negative experiences, immediately halt and remind yourself: “There is nothing I can do now which will change what happened. I learned a valuable lesson and will act in a more constructive manner next time.”
Regardless of what you have done—or failed to do—the only sane approach is to accept it and move forward energetically.
你是否为你曾经做过的事，或失败的事而对自己耿耿于怀？每个人都会在某种程度上有过这种经历。然而，如果你想要一种成功而有效率的生活，学会释怀过去，不要为已经发生且无法改变的过去而责备自己，这一点是非常必要的。
大凡成功的人都会采取这种做法：从过去的错误中吸取经验教训，并为将来的行为作调整。为过去的行为而责备自己的这种策略并不能解决任何问题，
只能挫败你的自尊心。你因此而制造了一个恶性循环，消极的经历和感受再次被强化，同时导致了更多的恶性结果和消极的情感。
如果你坚持沉湎于过去，我建议你多想想你过去的成功。回忆过去的成功是重建信心和自尊的很好方式。你所想像的也就是你会最终成为的。因此，当你集中精力思考成功时，你正在帮助创造将来的成功。
当你发现自己开始沉湎于过去的消极经历时，立即停止，并提醒自己：“我现在这么做并不能改变已经发生了的过去。我学会了宝贵的一堂课，并且下次会采取更有建设性的措施。”
不管你曾做过什么，有过何失败，唯一理智的方式是接受你的过去，并积极前进。
Free to fly
One windy spring day, I observed young people
having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored
creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like
beautiful birds darting and dancing. As the strong winds
gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.
Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the cumbersome tail kept them in tow, facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!” They soared beautifully even as they fought the restri ction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. “Free at last,” it seemed to say, “Free to fly with the wind.”
Yet freedom from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic breeze. It fluttered ungracefully to the ground and landed in a tangled mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. “Free at last” made it free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to lodge lifeless against the first obstruction.
How much like kites we sometimes are. The Heaven gives us adversity and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the commandment and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights, recognizing that some of the restraints that we may chafe under are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.
自由飞翔
在一个有风的春日，我看到一群年轻人正在迎风放风筝玩乐。各种颜色、各种形状和大小的风筝就好像美丽的鸟儿在空中飞舞。当强风把风筝吹起时，牵引线就能够控制它们。
风筝迎风飘向更高的地方，而不是随风而去。它们摇摆着、拉扯着，但牵引线以及笨重的尾巴使它们处于控制之中，并且迎风而上。它们挣扎着、抖动着想要挣脱线的束缚，仿佛在说：“放开我！放开我！我想要自由！”即使与牵引线奋争着，它们依然在美丽地飞翔。终于，一只风筝成功挣脱了。“终于自由了，”它好像在说，“终于可以随风自由飞翔了。”
然而，脱离束缚的自由使它完全处于无情微风的摆布下。它毫无风度地震颤着向地面坠落，落在一堆乱草之中，线缠绕在一颗死灌木上。“终于自由”使它自由到无力地躺在尘土中，无助地任风沿着地面被吹走，碰到第一个障碍物便
毫无生命地滞留在那里了。
有时我们真像这风筝啊。上苍赋予我们困境和约束，赋予我们成长和增强实力所要遵从的规则。约束是逆风的必要匹配物。我们中有些人是如此强硬地抵制规则，以至我们从来无法飞到本来能够达到的高度。我们只遵从部分戒律，因此永远不会飞得足够高，使尾巴远离地面。
让我们每个人都飞到高处吧，并且认识到这一点：有些可能会令我们生气的约束，实际上是帮助我们攀升和实现愿望的平衡力。
渐行渐远的童年天堂
I remember, I remember the house where I was born,
the little window where the sun came peeping in at morn;
he never came a wink too soon nor brought too long a day;
but now, I often wish the night had borne my breath away.
I remember, I remember the rose red and white, the
violet and the lily-cups—those flowers made of light! The lilacs where the robin built, and where my brother set the laburnum on his birthday, — the tree is living yet!
I remember, I remember where I used to swing, and thought the air must rush as fresh to swallows on the wing; my spirit flew in feathers then that is so heavy now, and summer pools could hardly cool the fever on my brow.
I remember, I remember the fir trees dark and high; I used to think their slender tops were close against the sky: it was a childish ignorance, but now this little joy to know I’m farther off from heaven than when I was a boy.
我记得，我记得，我出生的那间屋子，早晨，阳光从小窗悄悄往里张望；
他从不早来片刻，也不多留半晌；但现在，我常愿黑夜带走我的呼吸。
我记得，我记得，玫瑰花红白相映，还有紫罗兰和百合——全是由光织成的花朵！有知更鸟筑巢的紫丁香，还有哥哥在他生日那天种植的金链花，——它依然生机勃勃！
我记得，我记得，我从前常在那儿荡秋千，想着拂面的风是如此清爽，风中的飞燕肯定也感觉一样；昔日我那自在翱翔的心灵，如今变得如此沉重，即使夏日的池塘也无法冷却我额头的热狂。
我记得，我记得，苍郁高耸的冷杉；我从前常以为它们细长的树梢已经逼近天空：虽然那只是孩子的幼稚无知，但是现在却少有那般快乐，我知道儿时离我那么近的天堂，如今已经越来越远了。
施以爱心，不图回报
One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young
woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a
drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she
brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied, “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit
before this point.
Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists could be called in to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his brain. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room, she was afraid to open it because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally, she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words, “Paid in full with a glass of milk.”
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human’s hearts and hands.”
一天，一个贫穷的男孩为了攒够学费正挨家挨户地推销商品，饥寒交迫的他摸遍全身，却只有一角钱。于是他决定向下一户人家讨口饭吃。
然而，当一位美丽的年轻女子打开房门的时候，这个男孩却有点不知所措了。他没有要饭，只乞求给他一口水喝。这位女子看到他饥饿的样子，就倒了
一大杯牛奶给他。男孩慢慢地喝完牛奶，问道：“我应该付多少钱？”
“一分钱也不用付,”年轻女子微笑着回答,“我妈妈教导我，施以爱心，不图回报。”男孩说：“那么，就请接受我由衷的感谢吧！”说完，霍华德·凯利就离开了这户人家。此时的他不仅自己浑身是劲儿，而且更加相信上帝和整个人类。本来，在此之前他都打算放弃了。
数年之后，那位年轻女子得了一种罕见的重病。当地医生对此束手无策。最后，她被转到大城市，由专家会诊治疗这种罕见的疾病。大名鼎鼎的霍华德·凯利医生也参加了这个医疗方案的制订。当他听到她来自的那个城镇的名字时，一个奇怪的念头霎时间闪过他的脑际。他马上起身直奔她的病房。
身穿手术服的凯利医生来到病房。一眼就认出了恩人。回到会诊室后，他决心一定要竭尽所能来治好她的病。从那天起，他就特别关照她的情况。
经过艰苦的努力，手术成功了。凯利医生要求把医药费通知单送到他那里。他看了一下，便在通知单的旁边写了一些字。当医药费通知单送到她的病房时，她不敢看，因为她确信，治病的费用将会花费她整个余生来偿还。最后，她还是鼓起勇气，翻开了医药费通知单，旁边的那行字引起了她的注意。她读了出来：
“医药费已付：一杯牛奶。”
(签名)霍华德·凯利医生
她眼里饱含喜悦的泪水，她默默地祈祷着：“谢谢你，上帝。你的爱已通过人类的心灵和双手传播了。”
成长的孤独不需要害怕
We’re like the cream. When the cream rises to the top, it
separates itself from the milk. Perhaps that is what the New Age Movement is really all about. We find ourselves lonely at the top. Yes, it is.
It is no different with political enlightenment, spiritual enlightenment, or even becoming enlightened about relating to each other. The more mentally healthy you become, the more spiritual, the more balanced, the wealthier, the more global you become... the more alone you may feel.
Often, we find ourselves unable to find those other rare individuals who are choosing the same path as ours. The path of sloppy and lazy is full of other people to meet and talk to. The path of whiners is full. The path of being safe, generic, and boring is so crowded you almost cannot even move forward. Isn’t that why you left that path? You had a need to move forward, a need for some elbowroom, a need to spread your arms wide, a need to be seen as special, unique, different. The masses may admire you, but they are not going to be able to really relate to you. You will be alone much of the time.
Do not be afraid of the loneliness of enlightenment. Do not force others to agree with you. Simply give your heart and know that you are growing and that they are free to grow or not. It is the nature of the game. We are all free to choose our paths.
我们就像奶油。当奶油浮到顶部的时候，它会和牛奶分离。也许这种现象正像是新世纪运动的写照。我们发现自己飞得越高，就会越感孤独。是的，这就是现实。
不论是政治或精神修养的造诣有多深，或者甚至是与他人之间有一种默契的关系，就孤独这一点而言，是没有区别的。你越是拥有健康有理智，精神修
养的造诣越深，生活越平衡，越富有，或你的名气传播得越广……你就会感觉越孤独。
经常，我们很难找到那些选择和我们同路的少数的个体。那条潮湿、慵懒的道路挤满了其他可以相遇并聊天的人。那条满是牢骚者的道路上也拥挤不堪。那条所谓安全、普通以及枯燥的道路是如此拥挤以至于你无法向前挪步。难道那不正是你离开那条道路的原因吗？你需要向前挪步，需要自由活动的空间，需要展开你的双臂，需要被认知为特别，有个性，与众不同。万千大众仰慕你，但他们却不可能真正地融入你。大部分的时间里，你将是孤独的。
不要害怕因造诣深而产生的孤独感。不必要勉强别人同意你。做你自己，坚定着你自己的成长，别人是否愿意成长就由他们自己去决定吧。这就是自然界的规则。我们都有选择自己道路的自由。
英语美文欣赏10 Melancholy Music Can Make Us Feel Better 听悲伤的歌会让心情变好 We've all turned to melancholy music to make us feel better at some point in our lives, but why does doubling down on the sadness help drag us out of the mire? 我们都曾在生命中的某些时刻通过听悲伤的歌来让自己好受一些，但是为什么更多的悲伤反而会让我们走出低谷呢？ A new study sheds light on what's going on inside our brains when we match our music to our feels, and it looks like sad music can be enjoyable - rather than simply depressing - because it triggers positive memories that can help to lift our mood. 一项新的研究阐明了当我们将所听的音乐与心中感受配对的时候我们大脑里到底发生了什么。其结果显示：悲伤的音乐也能带来愉悦（而非简单地令人低落），因为它能通过触发积极的回忆来使我们的心情变好。 Psychologist Adrian North from Curtin University in Australia says there are two groups of possible explanations for why we enjoy listening to sad music like this: one from social psychology, and one from cognitive neuroscience. 澳大利亚科廷大学的心理学家阿德里安·诺斯说，对于我们为什么这么享受悲伤的歌曲这一点，有两派可能的解释：一派来自社会心理学，一派来自认知神经科学。 In terms of social psychology, one way of thinking about this is that we feel better about ourselves if we focus on someone who's doing even worse, a well-known process known as downward social comparison. Everything's going to be okay, because this person is having an even worse day than you are. 从社会心理学这一派来讲，有一种思路是：当我们把注意力集中在一个比我们过得还惨的人身上时，我们会觉得好受些，这个过程就是著名的下行社会比较。一切都会好起来的，因为这个人比你过得更惨。 Another hypothesis from social psychology is that people like to listen to music that mirrors the tone of their current life circumstances – the songs act as a sort of tuning fork for our own situations, and they resonate with us. 社会心理学这一派的另一个假说是：人们喜欢听那些能反映自己现在生活境况基调的音乐，这些歌对于我们的境况来讲起到了类似音叉的作用，他们与我们产生了共鸣。 You Don’t Lack Reason But Action 你不缺道理，缺的是行动力 If you ask me what are the things that people should not do no matter how, the
经典英语美文欣赏80篇（适用于成人） 英语美文欣赏80篇 01-The Love of Beauty 英语美文欣赏80篇 02-The Happy Door 英语美文欣赏80篇 03-Born to Win 英语美文欣赏80篇 04-Work and Pleasure 英语美文欣赏80篇 05-Mirror,Mirror-What do I See 英语美文欣赏80篇 06-On Motes and Beams 英语美文欣赏80篇 07-An October Sunrise 英语美文欣赏80篇 08-To be or not to be 英语美文欣赏80篇 09-Gettysburg address 英语美文欣赏80篇10-First Inaugural Address
英语美文欣赏80篇11-American black bears 英语美文欣赏80篇 12-Coal-fired power plants 英语美文欣赏80篇 13-Statistics 英语美文欣赏80篇 14-Obtaining Fresh water from icebergs 英语美文欣赏80篇 15-The source of Energy 英语美文欣赏80篇 16-Vision 英语美文欣赏80篇 17-Folk Cultures 英语美文欣赏80篇 18-Bacteria 英语美文欣赏80篇 19-Sleep 英语美文欣赏80篇 20-Cells and Temperature 英语美文欣赏80篇21-Youth 英语美文欣赏80篇 22-Three Days to See 英语美文欣赏80篇 23-Companionship of Books 英语美文欣赏80篇24-If I Rest,I Rust 英语美文欣赏80篇 25-Ambition 英语美文欣赏80篇 26-What I have Lived for 英语美文欣赏80篇 27-When Love Beckons You 英语美文欣赏80篇 28-The Road to Success
【双语美文】《无论如何》 2014-11-15英语美文 《无论如何》 ——特蕾莎修女 People are unreasonable，illogical and self-centered； 人们不讲道理、思想谬误、自我中心， Love them anyway. 无论如何，还是爱他们； If you are kind，people may accuse you of selfish，ulterior motives； 如果你友善，人们会说你自私自利、别有用心， Be kind anyway. 无论如何，还是要友善； If you are successful，you will win some false friends and some true enemies；如果你成功以后，身边尽是假的朋友和真的敌人， Succeed anyway. 无论如何，还是要成功； The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow； 你所做的善事明天就会被遗忘， Do good anyway. 无论如何，还是要做善事； If you are honest and frank，people may cheat you； 诚实与坦率使你容易受到欺骗和伤害， Be honest and frank anyway. 无论如何，还是要诚实与坦率； People favor under dogs but follow only topdogs. 人都会同情弱者，却只追随赢家， Fight for a few underdogs anyway. 无论如何，还是要为一些弱者奋斗； What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight； 你耗费数年所建设的可能毁于一旦， Build anyway. 无论如何，还是要建设； If you find serenity and happiness，they may be jealous； 如果你找到了平静和幸福，人们可能会嫉妒你，
>01 The Language of Music A painter hangs his or her finished picture on a wall, and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it until it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is utterly dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as arduous a training to become a performer as a medical student needs to become a doctor. Most training is concerned with technique, for musicians have to have the muscular proficiency of an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords would be inadequate without controlled muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow to and fro with the right arm -- two entirely different movements. Singers and instrumentalists have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists are spared this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, waiting for them, and it is the piano tuner's responsibility to tune the instrument for them. But they have their own difficulties: the hammers that hit the strings have to be coaxed not to sound like percussion, and each overlapping tone has to sound clear. This problem of getting clear texture is one that confronts student conductors: they have to learn to know every note of the music and how it should sound, and they have to aim at controlling these sounds with fanatical but selfless authority. Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music that they can enjoy performing works written in any century. 01 音乐的语言 画家将已完成的作品挂在墙上，每个人都可以观赏到。作曲家写完了一部作品，得由演奏者将其演奏出来，其他人才能得以欣赏。因为作曲家是如此完全地依赖于职业歌手和职业演奏者，所以职业歌手和职业演奏者肩上的担子可谓不轻。一名学音乐的学生要想成为一名演奏者，需要经受长期的、严格的训练，就象一名医科的学生要成为一名医生一样。绝大多数的训练是技巧性的。音乐家们控制肌肉的熟练程度，必须达到与运动员或巴蕾舞演员相当的水平。歌手们每天都练习吊嗓子，因为如果不能有效地控制肌肉的话，他们的声带将不能满足演唱的要求。弦乐器的演奏者练习的则是在左手的手指上下滑动的同时，用右手前后拉动琴弓--两个截然不同的动作。歌手和乐器演奏者必须使所有的音符完全相同协调。钢琴家们则不用操这份心，因为每个音符都已在那里等待着他们了。给钢琴调音是调音师的职责。但调音师们也有他们的难处：他们必须耐心地调理敲击琴弦的音锤，不能让音锤发出的声音象是打击乐器，而且每个交叠的音都必
Sun smile 阳光般的微笑 The sun shone brightly on the ground in front of her feet as she pondered the reality of light. 太阳光芒四射地照耀这她脚前这片大地。她在沉思，思考着阳光是怎么一回事: How did light get here? Who made it and why? 它是怎么来到这儿的?谁让它来的?来做什么? She instinctively stepped into the sun spot and instantly felt warmer, brighter, and fuller of life and energy. 她下意识地踏进阳光里，整个人立刻觉得暖和，清醒起来，浑身充满了生机和活力。 The sun wrapped her in comfort and stability for, if nothing else,she could always count on the sun waking her up most mornings. 阳光笼罩着她，她感到很舒服很踏实，如果没有其他事情，大多数早晨，她都会让阳光叫她起床。
Its predictable radiance felt like the mother she never had as her childhood was characterized more so by pain and heartache than comfort and love. 太阳那如期而至的光芒就像妈妈一样，虽然她从来就没有感受过母爱，她的童年记忆里满是痛苦和伤心，而不是关怀和爱。 She stepped out of the sunlight and felt that all-too-familiar anxious pang in the pit of her stomach as she remembered how horrible it was to live in her childhood home. 她从阳光里走出来，一阵再熟悉不过的恼人的悲痛袭击了她的胸口，让她回忆起童年时的可怕生活。 Memories flooded her mind as she unsuccessfully tried to block them out by thinking good thoughts. 她努力朝好的方面想，希望能抵挡住如洪水般泛滥的痛苦回忆，但是无济于事。 Oh how she wished she could curl up in the middle of the sun and allow its love to encase her for all eternity. 她是多么希望可以蜷缩在温暖的阳光里，让太阳的爱包裹着她直到永远。 But, no, she was stuck here on earth with those who didn't feel the sun's rays the same way she did,who didn't feel deeply connected to this amazing source of life. 然而，这是不可能的。她只能在这儿，和其他人一起。其他人不像她一样渴望阳光，也不曾觉得自己与这神奇的生命之源有什么紧密联系。 All she could do was stand in the sun on occasion and shut out the rest of the world for a little while. 她唯一能做的就是偶尔站在阳光里，和阳光以外的世界短暂地隔离。 Maybe if she stood here long enough they would cease to exist. 她想也许只要一直站在阳光里，外面的世界也就不复存在了。
英语美文欣赏64 勇敢面对自己内心的敌人 We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it. 我们的勇气并不是与生俱来的，我们的恐惧也不是。也许有些恐惧来自你 的亲身经历，别人告诉你的故事，或你在报纸上读到的东西。有些恐惧可以理解，例如在凌晨两点独自走在城里不安全的地段。但是一旦你学会避免那种情 况，你就不必生活在恐惧之中。 Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us. 恐惧，哪怕是最基本的恐惧，也可能彻底粉碎我们的抱负。恐惧可能摧毁 财富，也可能摧毁一段感情。如果不加以控制，恐惧还可能摧毁我们的生活。 恐惧是潜伏于我们内心的众多敌人之一。 Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within. The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is! "Ho-hum, let it slide. I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain. 让我来告诉你我们面临的其他五个内在敌人。第一个你要在它袭击你之前 将其击败的敌人是冷漠。打着哈欠说："随它去吧，我就随波逐流吧。"这是多 么可悲的疾病啊！随波逐流的问题是：你不可能漂流到山顶去。 The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy. 我们面临的第二个敌人是优柔寡断。它是窃取机会和事业的贼，它还会偷 去你实现更美好未来的机会。向这个敌人出剑吧！ The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there's room for healthy skepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it. 第三个内在的敌人是怀疑。当然，正常的怀疑还是有一席之地的，你不能
谈一场恋爱就像读一本新书 Starting a new book is a risk, just like falling in love. You have to commit to it. You open the pages knowing a little bit about it maybe, from the back or from a blurb on the front. But who knows, right? Those bits and pieces aren’t always right. 读一本新书恰似坠入爱河，是场冒险。你得全身心投入进去。翻开书页之时，从序言简介直至封底你或许都知之甚少。但谁又不是呢？字里行间的只言片语亦不总是正确。 Sometimes people advertise themselves as one thing and then when you get deep into it you realize that they’re something completely different. Either there was some good marketing attached to a terrible book, or the story was only explained in a superficial way and once you reach the middle of the book, you realize there’s so much more to this book than anyone could have ever told you. 有时候你会发现，人们自我推销时是一种形象，等你再深入了解后，他们又完全是另一种模样了。有时拙作却配有出色的市场推销，故事的叙述却流于表面，阅读过半后，你方才发觉：这本书真是出乎意料地妙不可言，这种感受只要靠自己去感悟！ You start off slow. The story is beginning to unfold. You’re unsure. It’s a big commitment lugging this tome around. Maybe this book won’t be that great but you’ll feel guilty about putting it down. Maybe it’ll be so awful you’ll keep hate-reading or just set it down immediately and never pick it up again. Or maybe you’ll come back to it some night, drunk or lonely — needing something to fill the time, but it won’t be any better than it was when you first started reading it. 你慢慢翻页，故事开始缓慢展开，而你却依旧心存犹疑。阅读这样的巨著需要百分之百的投入。或许它并不是你想象中的伟大的作品，奈何半途弃读会使你觉得不安。又或许，故事真的很烂，你要么咬牙苦读下去，要么立刻放弃束之高阁。抑或某个酒醉或孤寂的夜晚，你又重新捡起这本书来——但只为打发时光。不管怎样，它并没有比你初次阅读时好多少。
英语美文欣赏 第一篇：A Grain of Sand 一粒沙子William Blake/威廉.布莱克To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild fllower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. 从一粒沙子看到一个世界，从一朵野花看到一个天堂，把握在你手心里的就是无限，永恒也就消融于一个时辰。 第二篇：Love Your Life 热爱生活Henry David Thoreau/享利.大卫.梭罗However mean your life is,meet it and live it ;do not shun it and call it hard names.It is not so bad as you are.It looks poorest when you are richest.The fault-finder will find faults in paradise.Love your life,poor as it is.You may perhaps have some pleasant,thrilling,glorious hourss,even in a poor-house.The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode;the snow melts before its door as early in the spring.I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there,and have as cheering thoughts,as in a palace.The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any.May be they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving.Most think that they are above being supported by the town;but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means.which should be more disreputable.Cultivate poverty like a garden herb,like sage.Do not trouble yourself much to get new things,whether clothes or friends,Turn the old,return to them.Things do not change;we change.Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. 不论你的生活如何卑贱，你要面对它生活，不要躲避它，更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活，尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里，你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人，我看，倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的，不
人生价值,活得精彩,要有理想: 生命可以归结为一种简单的选择:要么忙于生存,要么赶着去死。 活着不就是为活着而活着,生命就是一个过程,这个过程美好而又绚丽多彩。春天观察小草发出嫩绿的芽,很就是开心;夏天闻着君子兰飘来的淡淡清香,很就是悠哉;秋天体会丰收的喜悦,很就是知足;冬天瞧着“千里冰封,万里雪飘”很就是壮观。但这都不就是让我活着更好的理由。 苏联作家奥斯特洛夫斯基在小说《钢铁就是怎样炼成》当中写到:“人的一生应当这样度过:当回忆往事的时候,她不会因为虚度年华而悔恨,也不会因为碌碌无为而羞愧;在临死的时候,她能够说:我的整个生命与全部精力,都已经献给了世界上最壮丽的事业——为人类的解放而斗争。” 人活着就就是要做点什么,给世界留下一份美丽。岳飞留下了“待从头,收拾旧山河”的忠心,文天祥留下了“留取丹心在汉青”的志向,于谦发出了“粉骨碎身浑不怕,要留清白在人间”的呐喊。她们的人生都就是有意义的。生与死对她们来说已经不重要了。 人生的旅途也许有恶风险浪,沟沟坎坎,生命若活得浑浑噩噩,就像行尸走兽,大家要摒弃这种毫无意义的生活。要无论何时何地不忘自己的责任,不丢掉理想的追求,沿着自己的目标,活得光明磊落,扬起出征的风帆用有限的生命去做有价值的事,这才会使生命绽放光彩！生命如花,就让自己的生命花开时就是美好的,落时也就是美好的吧！把生命的花瓣,一瓣一瓣撒在人生的旅途上…… 为了人类自己,为了共同的社会,为了整个地球,让生命活得更有价值、更精彩,并让它飘出幽香吧！ 英雄的赞歌,骨气,意气 在长达几千年的中国历史上,涌现出无数的英雄。她们或守疆卫土,或敌御强敌,或驱逐外寇,或与腐败王朝殊死斗争,留下了伟大的英雄浩气,谱出了不朽的壮歌。这些满含英雄豪气的千古壮歌,如川江奔泻,如山峰屹立,感召着后人的壮志,鼓舞着后人们去拼搏,去创造更加辉煌的未来。这就是中华伟大民族精神的体现,更就是中华民族的本质。 骨气就就是孟子“富贵不能淫,贫贱不能移”的忠贞不渝。骨气就就是李白“安能摧眉折腰事权贵,使我不得开心颜”的傲岸不羁。骨气就就是于谦“粉身碎骨浑不怕,要留青白在人间”的刚强不屈。骨气就就是叶挺“人的身躯怎能从狗的洞子爬出”的凛然不惧。 宝剑锋从磨砺出,梅花香从苦寒来”这个人从不怕苦,吃得苦中苦,方为人上人。“黄师北定中原日,家祭无忘告乃翁”“醉里挑灯瞧剑”中国人不缺有志爱国志士,团结刻苦,永不认输。“山不在高,有仙则名;水不在深,有龙则灵。斯就是陋室,惟吾德馨。”文人骚客自古便有折她们的高风亮节,德馨就是她们的准则……“吾爱吾师,但更爱真理”中国人一直都不比遥远的西方国家笨,同样的时间,我们用我们专属的语言陈述着一样的真理！中国人我们用我们最精炼,优美的语句抒发着我们的对祖国的回报！ 智慧的结晶除了四大发明,怎么少得了儒家思想！孔子用她的儒教化了“人”何以为“人”。令世界知晓人非蛮夷,人需懂礼,品德行性的重要！韩国不就就是先借鉴了不？她将“礼”学习了,发展了,成了礼仪之国。别人的借鉴无疑就是对此的肯定！新加坡,一个小到只有我们的十万分之一的国家,她用从我们那学去的“礼”建立了一个家喻户晓的国家,即使她并没有辽阔的土地……而汉语在世界的各个角落正在发展,“全世界的在说中国话,孔夫子的话,越来越国际化……”我们就这样一路领先的用我们深厚的文化底蕴影响着世界……“三人行必有我师焉”“已所不欲,勿施于人”“有朋自远方来,不亦说乎”…… 善良
1.October Lake十月湖上 Herbert Ernest Bates赫伯特·欧内斯特·贝慈The October leaves have fallen on the lake. On bright, calm days they lie in thousands on the now darkening water, mostly yellow flotillas of poplar, floating continuously down from great trees that themselves shake in the windless air with the sound of falling water, but on rainy days or after rain they seem to swim or be driven away, and nothing remains to break the surface except the last of the olive—yellow lily pads that in high summer covered every inch of water like emerald porcelain. The lilies have gone too, the yellow small—headed kind that in bud are like swimming snakes, and the great reeds are going, woven by wind and frost into untidy basket islands under which coot and moorhen skid for cover at the sound of strangers. 十月时树叶已飘落湖上。在晴朗无风的日子里，树叶成千上万地攒聚在此刻已经色泽转暗的水面，这黄色小舟般的落叶——大多为白杨树叶——纷纷不停地从那些即使无风天气也颤抖不已的高树之上飘落下来，淅淅沥沥，仿佛水声；但是遇上雨天或雨后，它们又被飘得无影无踪，于是，除了那在盛夏时节宛如盏盏翠盘把湖面盖个满当而如今色作橄榄黄的睡莲残叶之外，这时湖上是一片利落。这连睡莲——一种在其蓓蕾时期有如浪里金蛇似的色黄头细的睡莲——也已不在，另外茂密的芦苇也稀疏起来，它们被风霜编织成了许多凌乱的蓝篓似的汀渚，这里的大鷭鸟和松鸡一听见什么陌生人的响动便溜进那底下去躲避。 All summer in this world of water —lilies, the coot and moorhen lived a bewildered life. There was no place where they could swim and all day they could be seen walking daintily，heads slightly aside and slightly down, across the lily-hidden water, as bemused by the world of leaves as they had been in winter by the world of ice. In the clearer water they are more active. The lake is long and unbroken except for two small islands. The birds, as the fit takes them, dash madly up and down it, taking off and touching down it, taking off and touching down like small fussy black sea-planes. Beside them the arrival of the wild duck, at much higher speed, is almost majestic. They plane down, the necks of the drakes shining like royal green satin, with the air of squadrons coming in after long flights from home. 长夏之际，在这片处处睡莲的世界里，大鷭和松鸡过着一种困惑迷惘的日子。它们找不到可以自由游泳的地方，于是整天整天可以看到它们在这片为睡莲盖满的水面之间小心翼翼地徐图前进，不时把头歪歪低低，对这片绿叶世界感到不胜惶惑，正如在冬天时候对冰天雪地感到的那样。遇到稍清净的水面，它们马上就活跃多了。湖面很长，除其中两处小岛外，大体连成一片。湖上的鸟儿兴致来时往往发狂般地参差其羽，翻飞水上，那起飞降落恍若无数细小激动的黑色水上飞机。相比之下，那野鸭飞来时的样子，而且速度也快得多，便几乎颇形威武。它们着陆时——一些雄鸭脖颈处闪耀着色如浓绿缎面的光泽，那神气大有飞机中队于其长期国外飞行之后初次返回本土之势。 It was not until late summer that fishing was possible. The water was so low and clear after drought that fish could be seen in great dark shoals, sunning themselves, shy, impossible to catch. Only in the evening, as the air cooled and the water darkened, and the surface was broken with the silver dances of the rising shoals, would you perhaps get a bite or two, a baby perch sucking at the worm, a roach no bigger than a sardine. All the time, on bright hot mornings especially, great pike would lie out in the middle of the lake in shoals of ten or even twenty, like black torpedoes, transfixed, never moving except in sudden immense rises that rocked the water-surface with rings. 钓鱼一事则要等待时序进入夏末才有可能。久旱之后，水面浅而清，深黝黝的游鱼可以成批看见，这是出来晒太阳的，但羞怯易惊，不好捕捉。只有等到晚间，当天气已经转凉，
Friends or 'Enemies?' When I was younger, my Dad used to tell me: "Boys don't want to be your friend." He then left the rest to my imagination. At the time, I didn't agree. I thought: I can crack a good joke, I know how to shoot a hoop, and I'm a cheerful person (but not in an annoying way). What kind of boy wouldn't want to be around that kind of girl? Turns out, my Dad was right. Not to be all "Samantha Brick" about it, but in my experience, single, heterosexual men aren't actively looking for an exclusively platonic relationship with a woman they find sexually attractive. This of course is not a revolutionary concept. In fact, it seems pretty natural to me. Now, I will be the first to say that it is really and truly the most wonderful thing in the world if the attraction is mutual. But the Powers That Be seem to like to play these complicated little mating games with humans where the guy we want to re-enact scenes from 9? Weeks with sees our attractiveness level as akin to that of a discarded dishcloth, and the most physical we could see ourselves being with the guy who actually likes us is a game of ping pong over an especially long table. All of which means that someone usually ends up getting rejected. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I have struggled with the scenario where I am not interested in a man romantically, but I want to keep him as a friend because he is funny and I enjoy his company, or he has shown himself to be that rare specimen known as "a nice, genuine person, " or he simply doesn't mention his therapist in every other sentence. Rather than string him along and give him hope, I feel compelled to somehow communicate to him sooner rather than later that we'll just be staying friends, nothing more. Otherwise, I think I am being unfair to him. Why should he waste his romantic stamina on me when there are loads of other single women out there who might fall instantly in love with him? The thing is, it can sometimes be tricky to reject a man and keep him as a friend. If the operation is not executed carefully, you may end up creating a "menemy." It requires a certain amount of skill to be able to turn down a man's sexual advances or romantic gestures and then get him to agree to meet you for blueberry pancakes the following weekend and chat about the latest Woody Allen film. Some men aren't satisfied with just that. I'm not clear why. What's so bad about friendship? Everyone needs buddies. But I've seen men react poorly or simply fall off the face of the earth. I get it -- their feelings are hurt. None of us likes getting rejected. But in my experience, some men find it especially soul-crushing. I am only bringing all of this up because I recently had to go through this scenario again. I had spent some time cultivating a friendship with a man who, in my defense, I thought was gay. So I didn't see the harm in him buying me the occasional falafel, or accepting an invitation to see a film with him. Isn't that what friends are for? But a mutual friend shed light on his sexual orientation (straight) and suggested that his intentions -- and attentions -- weren't platonic. He had never "made the moves" but now it was all crystal clear -- that explains the way he had looked at me that time the tahini sauce dribbled down my chin! Since he had clearly been too timid to express his feelings, I thought I would be clever this time and subtly mention the dates I had been going on, focusing on the one guy I was kind of keen on, so that he would know that I was "unavailable" for heavy petting and those sorts of activities, but that I was available for things like roller skating, falafel-eating and shooting the breeze. Doesn't that sound nice? That way, he would known not to try to lean in for a kiss, and I wouldn't have to pull the Stevie Wonder dance and dodge him went he went for it. It was like pre-rejection, yet I was sparing his feelings because he didn't even have to put himself out there! I really thought I was being brilliant. It backfired, of course. Said man ended up sending me an email rant accusing me of being insensitive by talking about other men when he had "feelings for me." As if I am psychic, by the way, just because I am a woman! How was I supposed to know that? I think in his mind we were dating. In my mind, he was my new gay BFF. In the end, I got mad at him for getting mad at me, and now the friendship has ended. And I have created yet another "menemy." Look, I have also tried the direct thing: "I really like you, but only as a friend, " but you can only do that when the guy has made his intentions clear, and in my experience, they either cope okay (though rarely do I feel much enthusiasm for friendship after that), or they really don't cope well. I also tried the thing where you make them think they are rejecting you, but it gets quite confusing and only works if the guy isn't very sharp, and why would I -- or you -- be hanging out with someone not that sharp in the first place? As we all remember, Billy Crystal's character says men and women can't be friends in When Harry Met Sally because the sex stuff gets in the way. I do have single, male, heterosexual friends with whom I have an easy, non-romantic rapport, but I honestly don't know if they would walk away if I was sprawled naked on a bed calling out to them. I may not be everybody's cup of tea, but sometimes, I wonder if they wonder. And they may wonder if I wonder. If so, I hope they'll keep it to