英语晨读：美国人的价值观
英语课
One of the most basic moral values for Americans is honesty. The well-known legend about George Washington and the cherry tree teaches this value clearly. Little George cut down his father’s favorite cherry tree while trying out his new hatchet 1. When his father asked him about it, George said, “I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my hatchet.” Instead of punishment, George received praise for telling the truth. Sometimes American honesty–being open and direct–can offend people. But Americans still believe that “honesty is the best policy.”
Another virtue 2 Americans respect is perseverance 3. Remember Aesop's fable 4 about the turtle and the rabbit that had a race? The rabbit thought he could win easily, so he took a nap. But the turtle finally won because he did not give up. Another story tells of a little train that had to climb a steep hill. The hill was so steep that the little train had a hard time trying to get over it. But the train just kept pulling, all the while saying, “I think I can, I think I can.” At last, the train was over the top of the hill. “I thought I could, I thought I could,” chugged the happy little train.
Compassion 5 may be the queen of American virtues 6. The story of “The Good Samaritan” from the Bible describes a man who showed compassion. On his way to a certain city, a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road. The traveler had been beaten and robbed. The kind Samaritan, instead of just passing by, stopped to help this person in need.
Compassion can even turn into a positive cycle. In fall 1992, people in Iowa sent truckloads of water to help Floridians hit by a hurricane. The next summer, during the Midwest flooding, Florida returned the favor. In less dramatic ways, millions of Americans are quietly passing along the kindnesses shown to them.
n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀
- I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。
- Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
- He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
- You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠
- It may take some perseverance to find the right people.要找到合适的人也许需要有点锲而不舍的精神。
- Perseverance leads to success.有恒心就能胜利。
n.寓言；童话；神话
- The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
- He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
n.同情，怜悯
- He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
- Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。
标签：
英语晨读