英語閲讀：IStillChoose＂Mom＂範文
I watched through blurred vision as my husband, Chuck, walked away with his ex-wife.
The heaviness in all our hearts was almost unbearable. Turning back to my stepson"s casket I somehow helped my children pluck a rose from the brother spray to press in their Bibles. With tears streaming down my face, I rested my hand on the son spray. I no longer knew my place.
God, I silently screamed, how did I fit in Conan"s life?
From the moment I"d met my stepson, I was in awe of this angelic little boy whose bright, blond hair seemed to glow with a heavenly radiance. At only a year-and-a-half, he was built like a three-year-old. Solid and stocky, sleeping curled in my lap, his tiny heart beat against mine, and a maternal bonding began stirring inside me.
Within a year I became a stepmother to Conan and his older sister, Lori. Soon after that, a visit to the doctor revealed some disheartening news.
"You have an infertility disease," the doctor had said. "You might not ever have children of your own."
At twenty-two, that news was shattering. I had
always wanted to be a mother. Suddenly, I realized being a stepmother might be as close as I would get, and I became even more involved in their lives.
But thankfully, four years later we joyfully discovered I was pregnant. Chase was born, then two years later we were blessed with our daughter, Chelsea.
I loved being both a mom and a stepmother, but as in any blended family, it had its ups and downs. Chuck"s ex-wife had custody of his kids and gave them more freedom than we gave our children. Needing to be consistent with our rules, I"m certain we appeared overly strict to his kids. On their weekend visitations, I usually felt like an old nag.
As a second wife, I was jealous of my stepchildren"s mother. I complained about her and her husband within earshot of my stepkids, and even grumbled about buying my stepchildren extras on top of paying child support. Somehow I overlooked the important fact that my stepchildren were the innocent ones thrust into a blended family.
Then one day at a gathering of my own family, I watched as my mother went up to my stepmother and gave her a hug. I turned and saw my father and stepfather laughing together. Having always appreciated the cooperative relationship my parents and stepparents had, it occurred to me that Chuck"s children longed for the same. So Chuck and I decided to work hard at bridging gaps instead of creating them.
It wasn"t easy, and changes didn"t come overnight, but they did come. By the time Conan was fifteen, a peace had settled between parents and stepparents. Instead of griping about child-support payments, we voluntarily increased them. And finally Conan"s mom gave us copies of his report cards and football schedules.
I was proud of my kids and stepkids. After graduation, my stepdaughter married, and she and her husband built a house together. At seventeen, Conan had become a sensible, intelligent young man. With rugged good looks and a deep, baritone voice, I wondered what fortunate girl would snatch him up.
英語閲讀：AbundanceisaLifeStyle
Abundance is a life style, a way of living your life. It isn’t something you buy now and then or pull down from the cupboard, dust off and use once or twice, and then return to the cupboard.
Abundance is a philosophy; it appears in your physiology, your value system, and carries its own set of beliefs. You walk with it, sleep with it, bath with it, feel with it, and need to maintain and take care of it as well.
Abundance doesn’t always require money. Many people live with all that money can buy yet live empty inside. Abundance begins inside with some main self-ingredients, like love, care, kindness and gentleness, thoughtfulness and compassion. Abundance is a state of being. It radiates outward. It shines like the sun among the many moons in the world.
Being from the brightness of abundance doesn’t allow the darkness to appear or be in the path unless a choice to allow it to. The true state of abundance doesn’t have room for lies or games normally played. The space is too full of abundance. This may be a challenge because we still need to shine for other to see.
Abundance is seeing people for their gifts and not what they lack or could be. Seeing all things for their gifts and not what they lack.
Start by knowing what your abundances are, fill that space with you, and be fully present from that state of being. Your profession of choice is telling you of knowing and possibilities. That is their gift. Consultants and customer service professionals have the ministrative assistants and virtual assistants have an abundance of coordination and time management. Abundance is all around you, and all within. See what it is; love yourself for what it is, not what you’re missing, or what that can be better, but for what it is at this present moment.
Be in a state of abundance of what you already have. I guarantee they are there; it always is buried but there. Breathe them in as if they are the air you breathe because they are yours. Let go of anything that isn’t abundant for the time being. Name the shoe boxes in your closet with your gifts of abundance; pull from them every morning if needed. Know they are there.
Learning to trust in your own abundance is required. When you begin to be within your own space of abundance, whatever you need will appear whenever you need it. That’s just the way the higher powers set this universe up to work. Trust the universal energy. The knowing of it all will humble you to its power yet let the brightness of you shine everywhere it needs to. Just by being from a state of abundance, it is being you.
英語閲讀：TheRoadtoSuccess
Andrew Carnegie
It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career. They were introduced to the broom, and spent the first hours of their business lives sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors and jamtresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of a business education. But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. The other day a fond fashionable mother in Michigan asked a young man whether he had even seen a young lady sweep in a room so grandly as her Priscilla. He said so, he never had, and the mother was gratified beyond measure, but then said he, after a pause, "What I should like to see her do is sweep out a room." It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.
Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is "aim high". I would not give a fig for the young man who has not already seen himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself, "My place is at the top." Be king in your dreams.
And here is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which your are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most about it.
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here, there, and everywhere. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is all wrong. I tell you "put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket". Look round you and take notice; men who do that do not often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too many baskets, that breaks most eggs in this country. He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.
To summarize what I have said: Aim for the highest, never enter a bar room; do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund; make the firm's interest yours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure always within revenue; lastly be not impatient, for, as Emerson says, "no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves." )
英語閲讀：LoveIsJustaThread
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question. Finally my father has a bad temper. When he’s very tired from the hard work, it is easy for him to lose his temper.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.
“Mom, I have a question to ask you,” I said after a while.
“What?” she replied, still doing her work.
“Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice.
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there. Love is inside.”
I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.
After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.
The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn’t walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan, don’t worry about me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life.” Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm..
英語閲讀：CompanionshipofBooks
Companionship of Books (Samuel Smiles-- The political reformer and moralist was born)
A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company(playmates) he keeps;(Birds of a feather flock together)for there is a companionship (friendship) of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men. --- the author has contrast of books and friends.
A good book may be among the best of friends.(a good book is like our best friend) It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us (abandon) in times of adversity or distress.(in times of misfortunes or poverty) It always receives us with the same kindness，amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.(in old age)
一本好書就像是一個最好的朋友。它始終不渝，過去如此，現在仍然如此，將來也永遠不變。它是最有耐心、最令人愉快的伴侶。在我們窮愁潦倒、臨危遭難的時候，它也不會拋棄我們，對我們總是一往情深。在我們年輕時，好書陶冶我們的性情，增長我們的知識;到我們年老時，它又給我們以安慰和勉勵。
Men often discover their affinity (close relationship) to each other by the love they have each for a book --- just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both have for a third. There is an old proverb, “Love me, and love my dog.” But there is more wisdom in this:” Love me, love my book.” The book is a truer and higher bond of union. (uniting force) Men can think, feel, and sympathize (share the feelings or ideas of another) with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together, and he (lives) in them. ---they can find their opinions from books, in reverse, the ideas of the author influence them too.
人們常常因為同愛一本書而結為知己，就像有時兩個人因為敬慕同一個人而交為朋友一樣。古諺説：“愛屋及烏”。但是，“愛我及書”這句話卻有更深的哲理。書是更為堅實而高尚的情誼紐帶。人們可以通過共同愛好的作家溝通思想感情，彼此息息相通。他們的思想共同在作者的著述裏得到體現，而作者的思想反過來又化為他們的思想。
“Books,” said Hazlitt,“Wind into the heart; the poet's verse slides in the current of our blood. We read them when young, we remember them when old. We feel that it has happened to ourselves. They are to be very cheap and good. We breathe but the air of books.”
哈茲利特曾經説過：“書潛移默化人們的內心，詩歌薰陶人們的氣質品性。少小所習，老大不忘，恍如身歷其事。書籍價廉物美，不啻我們呼吸的空氣。”
A good book is often the best urn (a vase with foot and round body, especially as anciently for storing ashes of the dead. 有腳之圓形缸，古時以此缸盛人屍體之骨殖。) of a life enshrining (inclosing or preserving as in shrine. 保而藏之(如帝王駕崩，高僧圓寂之後，藏其遺骸於神龕中).) the best that life could think out; for the world of a man's life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries (a place where valuable things are kept. ) of good words, the golden (precious, excellent) thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters (a thing that gives comfort). “They are never alone,” said Sir Philip Sidney, “that are accompanied by noble thoughts.”
七夕教你“親愛的”不同説法
Dear
Dear可以用來稱呼朋友，也可以用來稱呼親密愛人，也有可能是長輩稱呼小輩。
Dear使用的`範圍比較廣。可以用來稱呼朋友，也可以用來稱呼親密愛人，也有可能是長輩稱呼小輩。另外英語日記通常會用dear 開頭。寫信時通常的稱呼也是Dear XX。
經典美劇老友記第一季第8集中，Ross和Monica的奶奶去世後，Ross在家裏收拾東西，他和他媽媽有這麼一段對話，Ross就被媽媽叫做dear：
Ross: Oh my God...
Mrs. Geller: Is everything all right, dear?
Ross: Yeah, just... just Nana stuff.
Honey, Darling和Baby都是“親愛的”比較常見的表達。
例句：
I love you, honey.
Darling, would you please wait a second.
When my girlfriend started calling my best friend "baby", I knew it was over.
Honey也會寫成hunny或者hunnie，表示的都是“親愛的”。
説到這裏就想到去年的《海角七號》的插曲《愛你愛到不怕死》：“Honey darling baby，或是叫我的小親親，只要哄我高興，冥王星都陪你去。”
Sweetheart
親愛的可愛的喜歡的都可以成為sweetheart，另外口語上表示友善的稱呼也可以用sweetheart。就像現在很多女生之間喜歡互稱“親愛的”。
例句：
"I like Joaquin, he's a real sweetheart."“我喜歡傑昆，他真是個甜心。”
"What can I get you, sweetheart?"“甜心，我能為你拿點什麼?”
《老友記》第一季感恩節篇：
Terry: Rachel, Rachel, sweetheart. You're a terrible, terrible waitress. Really, really awful.
Sweetie
sweetie可以稱呼親密愛人也可以稱呼親密友人，也可用於長輩稱呼晚輩的情況。
例句：
Goodnight now sweetie, I'll miss you so much but I'll see you next week!
親愛的，晚安了，我會非常想你的不過要到下週才能見到你!
美劇《識骨尋蹤》中，Angela經常叫女主角Brennan Sweetie。
Sweetums
I love talking to my sweetums. He rocks my face off.
我喜歡和親愛的他聊天，他讓我開心極了。
《哈利波特與密室》：
"I want more bacon."
"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.
Pumpkin
老外好像對南瓜有種特別的感情，這個詞也可以表示親愛的，寶貝兒這樣的含義。
《成長的煩惱》第三季第10集：
Maggie: Pumpkin, you just had your tonsils out!
New Ben: But...
Maggie: For me?
Pumpkin在口語裏也可以説成Pumkin。
Me and my Pumkin are heading to a movie, wanna come?
我和我男(女)朋友要去看電影，一起來嗎?
Boo
據説是黑人圈的俚語用法，可以用做男朋友或者女朋友的稱呼，也可以表示親愛的。
Can you handle me? If you can't you ain't gonna be my boo.
你能搞定我嗎?如果你行你可當不了我男朋友。
除了這些稱呼之外，看過《緋聞女孩》的朋友們一定知道，寫信的時候表示親密，可以在後面加個“XOXO”，表示抱抱親親。你還知道其它表示親密的詞嗎?
