21世紀大學英語讀寫教程(四)unit2課文原文及翻譯

1、We Need GratitudeA.J.CroninOnafineafternooninNewYork,Igotintoataxi.Fromthedriversexpression and the way he slammed in his gears, I could tell that he wasupset.Iaskedhimwhatwasthetrouble.Ivegotgoodreasontobesore,hegrowled.Oneofmyfaresleftawalletinmycabthismorning.Nearlythree hundred bucks in it. I sp

2、ent more than an hour trying to trace theguy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a wordand glared at me as though Id meant to steal it.Not a cent. But it wasnt the dough I wanted. he fumbled, thenexploded, If the guy had only said something.Because his helpful, honest act h

3、ad not been appreciated, thatcabdrivers day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice beforerendering a similar service. The need for gratitude is something we allfeel, and denial of it can do much to harm the spirit of kindness andcooperation.DuringWorldWarIIamotherinCincinnatireceivedaletterfr

4、omherson in the armyinwhich hespokeofa womanin a village in Normandy whohad taken him into her home when he was wounded and hungry, and hiddenhim from the Germans. Later on, unhappily, the boy was killed in theArdennesoffensive.Yetthemotherwasmovedbyanirresistibleintention.She saved up fortwoyears,c

5、rossed the Atlantic and located the villagereferredtobyherson.Aftermanyinquiries,shefoundthewomanwhohadsheltered her sonthewife of an impoverished farmerandpressed apackage into her hand. It was the gold wristwatch her son had receivedonhisgraduation,theonlyobjectofrealvaluetheboyhadeverpossessed.Th

6、emothersactofgratitudesotouchedpeoplesheartsthatithasbecomesomething of a legend in and around the village. It has done more thanfine speeches to foster good feeling toward Americans.Gratitudeistheartofreceivinggracefully,ofshowingappreciationfor every kindness, great and small. Most of us do not fa

7、il to show ourpleasurewhenwereceivehospitality,giftsandobviousbenefits,butevenhere we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making it aspersonalandsincereaspossible.Recently,whentouringinsouthernItalywithmywife,IsenttoafriendinConnecticutseveralbottlesofalocalwinewhichhadtakenourfancy.Itwas

8、atriflinggift,yettooursurprise,instead of the conventional letter of thanks, we receive a phonographrecord. When we played it, we heard our friends voice speaking afterdinner,describinghowheandhisguestshadenjoyedthewineandthankingusforourthoughtfulness.Itwaspleasanttohavethisunusualproofthatour gift

9、 had been appreciated.Gratitudeissometimesmorethanapersonalaffair.Myson,studyingmedicineatMcGillUniversity,toldmeofapatientbroughtintohospitalinMontrealwhoselifewassavedbyabloodtransfusion.Whenhewaswellagainheasked:IsntthereanywayIcandiscoverthenameofthedonorand thank him? He was told that names of

10、donors are never revealed. Afewweeksafterhisdischargehecamebacktogiveapintofhisownblood.Since then he has returned again and again for the same purpose. When asurgeon commented on this splendid record of anonymous service, heanswered simply: Someone I never knew did it for me. Im just sayingthanks.I

11、tisacomfortingthoughtthatgratitudecanbenotmerelyapassingsentiment but a renewal which can, in some instances, persist for alifetime.Ahusbandwhorecallsappreciativelysomegenerousorunselfishactonhiswifespart,orawifewhoneverforgetsthegiftsherhusbandhas given her, does much to keep the domestic wheels sp

12、inning smoothly.W.H. Hudson, British author and naturalist, has written: One evening Ibrought home a friendtoshare ourusual evening meal.Afterward he saidto me:youare fortunate to have a wife who, despite ill health andchildrentolookafter,cookssuchexcellentmeals.Thattributeopenedmyeyesandtaughtmetos

13、howgratitudeformywifesday-to-dayheroism,which I had hitherto taken for granted.It is, above all, in the little things that the grace of gratitudeshouldbemostemployed.Theboywhodeliversourpaper,themilkman,themailman,thebarber,thewaitressatarestaurant,theelevatoroperatorall oblige us in one way or anot

14、her. By showing our gratitude we makeroutine relationships human and render monotonous tasks more agreeable.ApatientofmineinLondonwhoworkedasabusconductoronceconfidedto me, I get fed up with my job sometimes. People grumble, bother you,havent got the right change for their tickets. But theres one la

15、dy onmy bus morning and evening, and she always thanks me in a particularlyfriendly way when I take her ticket. I like to think shes speaking forall the passengers. It helps me to keep smiling.Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinaryefficiencyofhissecretary.OnedayBennettsai

16、dtoher,Youremployerclaimsthatyouareextremelyefficient.Whatisyoursecret?Itsnotmy secret, the secretary replied. Its his. Each time she performedaservice,nomatterhowsmall,heneverfailedtoacknowledgeit.Becauseof that she took infinite pains with her work.Some persons refrain from expressing their gratit

17、ude because theyfeel it will not be welcome. A patient of mine, a few weeks after hisdischargefromthehospital,camebacktothankhisnurse.Ididntcomebacksooner,heexplained,becauseIimaginedyoumustbeboredtodeathwith people thanking you.Onthecontrary,shereplied,Iamdelightedyoucame.Fewrealizehow much we need

18、 encouragement and how much we are helped by those whogive it.Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For onthesmiles,thethankswegive,ourlittlegesturesofappreciation,ourneighbors build up their philosophy of life.樣子中，我可以看出他很不高興。我問他是怎么回事。“我完全有理由生氣，”他怒氣沖沖地說。“今天上午一個乘客把錢包忘在我車里了。里面差不多有300他一