书籍 Books

　　佚名/Anonymous

　　Books are a guide in youth and an entertainment for age. They support us under solitude, and keep us from being a burden to ourselves.

　　——Jeremy Collier

　　The only true equalizers in the world are books;the only treasure-house open to all comers is a library.

　　——Dr. Langford

　　Perhaps no other thing has such power to lift the poor out of his poverty, the wretched out of his misery, to make the burden-bearer forget his burden, the sick his suffering, the sorrower his grief, the downtrodden his degradation, as books. They are friends to the lonely, companions to the deserted, joy to the joyless, hope to the hopeless, good cheer to the disheartened, a helper to the helpless. They bring light into darkness, and sunshine into shadow.

　　We may be poor, socially ostracized, shut out from all personal association with the great and the good, and yet be in the best society in the world, in books. We may live in palaces, converse with princes, be familiar with royalty, and associate with the greatest and noblest of all time.

　　The trend of many a life for good or ill, for success or failure, has been determined by a single book. The books which we read early in life are those which influence us most.

　　We form many of our opinions from our favorite books. The author whom we prefer is our most potent teacher;we look at the world through his eyes. If we habitually read books that are elevating in tone, pure in style, sound in reasoning, and keen in insight, our minds develop the same characteristics. If, on the contrary, we read weak or vicious books, our minds contract the faults and vices of the books. We cannot escape the influence of what we read any more than we can escape the influence of the air that we breathe.

　　The best books are those which stir us up most and make us the most determined to do something and be something ourselves. The best books are those which lift us to a higher plane where we breathe a purer atmosphere. As we should associate with people who can inspire us to nobler deeds, so we should only read those books which have an uplifting power, and which stir us to make the most of ourselves and our opportunities.

　　Emerson had three rules for reading:never read a book that is not a year old;never read any but famous books;never read a book you do not like.

　　Libraries are no longer a luxury, but a necessity. A home without books and periodicals and newspapers is like a house without windows. Children learn to read by being in the midst of books;they unconsciously absorb knowledge by handling them, no family can now afford to be without good reading. Furnish your house with books rather than unnecessary furniture, or even pictures if you cannot afford all. Wear threadbare clothes and patched shoes if necessary, but do not pinch or economize on books. If you cannot give your children an academic education you can place within their reach a few good books which will lift them above their surroundings, into respectability and honour.

　　“No entertainment is so cheap as reading,”says Mary Wortley Montagu;“nor any pleasure so lasting.”Good books elevate the character, purify the taste, take the attractiveness out of low pleasures, and lift us upon a higher plane of thinking and living. It is not easy to be mean directly after reading a noble and inspiring book. The conversation of a man who reads for improvement or pleasure will be flavored by his reading;but it will not be about his reading.

　　Whatever you read, read with enthusiasm, with energy, read with the whole mind, if you would increase your mental stature, learn to absorb the mental and the moral life of a book, and assimilate it into your life. He is the best reader who consumes the most knowledge and converts it into character. Mechanical readers remember words, the husks of things, but digest nothing. They cram their brains but starve their minds. If you are getting the most out of a book, you will feel a capacity for doing things which you never felt before.

　　“书籍是年轻人的向导，老年人的消遣。它帮助我们排解孤寂，摆脱精神负担。”

　　——杰里米·柯里尔

　　“世间唯一真正平等待人的是书籍，唯一开放的来者不拒的宝库是图书馆。”

　　——兰格弗博士

　　也许世间再也没有什么比书籍的力量更强大的了：它使穷人摆脱贫困，使悲惨者脱离苦海，使负荷者无视沉重，使病人忘却痛苦，使伤心的人抛开忧愁，使受压迫者忘掉屈辱。书籍是孤独者的朋友，被遗弃者的伴侣，无趣者的欢乐，绝望者的希冀，沮丧者的兴奋剂，无助者的帮手。它们给黑暗带来光明，给阴影带来绚烂。

　　我们可能卑微，被社会遗忘，没有机会与那些大人物和上流人士交往。但是，在书中——这个世界上最美好的社会——我们可以住在宫殿，同王子交谈，熟悉所有王室成员，始终与最伟大、最高尚的人往来。

　　一本书会决定一个人的人生是美好还是糟糕，成功还是失败。生命早期读过的一些书，会对我们产生深远的影响。

　　我们从自己喜爱的书本中，形成了许多自己的观点。最喜欢的作者往往是影响我们最深的老师，我们通过他的眼睛看世界。如果我们习惯阅读一些振奋人心、文风纯正、逻辑分明、敏感睿智的书，这些品质也会根植于我们的思想中。相反，如果我们阅读消极、不健康的书，则会沾染书中的缺陷和恶习。我们无法避免书本的影响，如同无法避免呼吸对我们的影响一样。

　　最好的书最能激励、鞭策我们持之以恒地去做事，成为与众不同的人。它们把我们提升到更高的境界，让我们呼吸更清新的空气。如同应该结交鼓舞我们从事崇高事业的人一样，我们也应该只读那些鼓舞人心、帮助我们创造更大价值和机会的书。

　　爱默生有三条读书准则：从不读出版不到一年的书，从不读不出名的书，从不读不喜欢的书。

　　藏书不再是一种奢华，而是一种必需。一个家没有书籍、杂志和报纸，就像一间屋子没有窗户。儿童会在群书中学会阅读，经常翻阅会让他们不知不觉地吸取知识。任何一个家庭都不能没有好的读物。如果你无力承担，那么用书籍或者图画来装饰你的家，而不要用一些不必要的家具；宁愿穿破旧的衣服鞋袜，也不要吝啬书本；如果不能把孩子送去学院，你可以给他们一些好书，那会让他们摆脱环境的束缚，享有尊敬和荣耀。

　　玛丽·沃特利·蒙塔古说：“没有比读书更便宜的娱乐，也没有比读书之乐更持久的愉悦。”好书可以陶冶情操，净化心灵，抵制低级趣味的**，使我们的生活品位和思想境界达到更高水平。读过一本卓越、激励人心的书，我们的思想就不会轻易低劣。为进步或愉悦而读书的人，谈吐会更加风趣，但这并不涉及所读之书。

　　不论你读什么书，如果你想提升精神境界，就要饱含**、精力充沛、全心全意地去读。学会吸收书中的精神和生活道德，并融合到你自己的生活中。能将最多的知识消化并转化成品质的人，是最会读书的人。死读书的人只会背诵字词和一些皮毛，没有丝毫领悟。他们的大脑拥塞，精神却饥渴。如果你从某一本书中受益颇深，就会感受到一种前所未有的力量。

　　词汇笔记

　　degradation[,degr?'dei??n]n.降格，堕落，退化

　　He lives in utter degradation.

　　他的生活十分潦倒。

　　ostracize['?str?saiz]v.流放，放逐，排斥

　　He was ostracized by his colleagues for refusing to support the strike.

　　他因不支持罢工而受到同事排斥。

　　associate[?'s?u?ieit]n.同伴，伙伴

　　You will receive news of a friend or associate in distress.

　　您将收到朋友或烦恼中的同事的消息。

　　luxury['l?k??ri]n.奢侈，豪华

　　If he can afford a luxury yacht, then a fortiori he can afford to pay his debts.

　　他若能买得起豪华的快艇，就更能匀出钱来还债了。

　　小试身手

　　书籍是孤独者的朋友，被遗弃者的伴侣，无趣者的欢乐，绝望者的希冀，沮丧者的兴奋剂，无助者的帮手。

　　译______________________________

　　一个家没有书籍、杂志和报纸，就像一间屋子没有窗户。

　　译______________________________

　　好书可以陶冶情操，净化心灵，抵制低级趣味的**，使我们的生活品位和思想境界达到更高水平。

　　译______________________________

　　短语家族

　　Children learn to read by being in the midst of books.

　　in the midst of：在……当中

　　造______________________________

　　Furnish your house with books rather than unnecessary furniture, or even pictures if you cannot afford all.

　　furnish with：供给（装备）

　　造______________________________