H. 马丁/H. Martin

　　It is a common saying that we do not fully value a thing until we lose it. We often value the love and worth of a friend when he has been taken from us by death, more than when he was with us in the flesh; it is only when we have left school or college that we understand the greatness of our opportunity of education, which has gone for ever; and it is the sick and the ailing who realize the value of good health. When we are young and strong, we cannot imagine what it is to be weak and ailing. We are so used to vigorous health that we take it for granted. The organs of our body work so smoothly that we scarcely know we have lungs and liver, heart and stomach. But when any of these get upset and give us pain and sickness, we learn by bitter experience what an unspeakable blessing it is to be well.

　　It is therefore wise and necessary to learn in time, before we have lost our health, that it can be kept only by knowing and observing the laws of health. Nature's laws cannot be ignored with impunity. In the long run they will avenge themselves on us if we forget them, even if they do not do so at once. At first we may not feel the result of excesses and unhealthy habits; but we certainly shall some day. “The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.”Many a man who in middle age finds himself a confirmed invalid has to curse the follies of his youth: but his remorse is vain, for Nature never forgives breaches of the laws of health—“physical sins”, as Huxley called them.

　　Loss of health makes us miserable, and a burden to ourselves and our friends. It cripples our efforts, so that we cannot accomplish many of the good and great things we might have done. It spoils our life. What must we do to keep our health?

　　We must be moderate in eating and drinking, and wise in the choice of plain, wholesome simple food. Gluttony has killed thousands, and strong drink tens of thousands. We must, when young, get plenty of sleep. which is “nature's sweet restorer”, and not try to burn the candle at both ends. We must live as much as possible in the open air and keep our rooms well ventilated. We must get sufficient and regular physical exercise; and keep our bodies clean. And we must avoid bad habits and secret sins as we avoid the devil, and keep our thoughts clean and our bodies pure. Our ideal must be the sound mind in the sound body.

　　俗话说得好：当失去时，我们才会懂得珍惜。我们往往在死神把朋友的生命夺走时，才会珍视他的关爱和优点，而不是在他活着和我们生活在一起的时候；只有在我们从中学或大学毕业后，才会意识到获得受教育机会意义重大，但是它已经远去，不再回来；身患疾病和体弱多病的人才会懂得健康的珍贵。身强力壮时，我们不会想到体弱多病的滋味。我们对身强力壮是如此习以为常，甚至认为这是理所当然的。我们身体的各个器官如此灵活地运转，让我们差点忘记了自己还有肺、肝、心和胃。然而一旦感到哪个器官出了问题，出现疼痛和病症时，我们就会从疼痛的经历中意识到拥有健康的身体真是无以言表的幸福。

　　所以，明智并且必要的做法是，在尚未失去健康时，及早地意识到：要想拥有好的身体，只有通过了解和遵守健康规律才能实现。忽视自然规律会不可避免地受到惩罚。从长远的角度看，假如我们忽视了自然规律，它必然会对我们实施报复，即使不是马上实施。最初，我们也体会不到过度的行为及不健康的习惯的后果，然而终有一天，我们一定会感受得到。“天网恢恢，疏而不漏。”许多中年人发觉自己终年疾病缠身，只能对自己年轻时候的愚蠢行为感到懊恼；但是忏悔是不起任何作用的，因为大自然从不宽恕违背健康规律的行为——就像赫胥黎所言，那些都是“实质性的罪过”。

　　失去健康令我们感到痛苦，而且让我们成了自己和朋友的负担。它还会削弱我们的努力，让我们无力完成或许早已完成的很多极其重要的事情。它毁了我们的生活，我们应该如何来保持身体健康呢？

　　我们必须在吃喝上有所节制，对清淡、有益健康的简单食品有明智的选择。数千人毙命于暴饮暴食，而且数万人死于烈酒。年轻的时候，我们要保证有充足的睡眠，因为睡眠是“精力良好的天然恢复剂”。不要尝试蜡烛两头点，过多地消耗精力。我们要尽量多在室外活动，让室内保持良好的通风。我们需要充足并且规律的体育锻炼，并保持身体洁净。另外，我们必须要像逃避魔鬼一样，躲避恶习和犯罪活动，让我们的思想和身体保持纯洁。我们的目标就是，保持身与心同样健康。

　　心灵小语

　　我们对自己的思想和身体有着比想象中更多的主宰权。淡泊名利、锻炼身体，抛弃生活中愚蠢的包袱，认真地享受生活，这是现代社会中每个人每时每刻都应该做的事。对我们而言，我们活着，四肢健全，这就是世间最幸福的事，不是吗？

　　词汇笔记

　　stomach [?st?m?k] n. 胃；胃口；腹部

　　例 You might also feel sick to your stomach.

　　或者你可能会觉得胃部不适。

　　excess [ik?ses] adj. 额外的；过量的；附加的

　　例 He cut away most of the excess fat.

　　他把大部分多余脂肪切除了。

　　confirmed [k?n?f?:md] adj 确认的；坚定的；惯常的

　　例 I’m a confirmed vegetarian.

　　我是坚定的素食主义者。

　　regular [?regjul?] adj. 有规律的；有规则的；整齐的

　　例 I try to keep a regular schedule every day.

　　我每天努力遵守有规律的作息安排。

　　小试身手

　　俗话说得好：当失去时，我们才会懂得珍惜。

　　译_______________

　　失去健康令我们感到痛苦，而且让我们成了自己和朋友的负担。

　　译_______________

　　我们的目标就是，保持身与心同样健康。

　　译_______________

　　短语家族

　　We must, when young, get plenty of sleep.

　　plenty of：大量的；许多；丰富的

　　造_______________

　　We must live as much as possible in the open air and keep our rooms well ventilated.

　　as much as possible：尽可能；尽量

　　造_______________