生活英语听力文章 第191期:生活因简单而美好(1)
时间:2018-12-02 作者:英语课 分类:生活英语听力文章
英语课
A Simple Life Is a Better Life 生活因简单而美好
What are some of the things you enjoy most in life? What do you value most? 生活中你最喜欢的事情是什么?你最看重什么?
What kinds of activities are on your list of the most favorite things you do? 你最喜欢做的事情又是什么?
I’m guessing that making repairs, paying bills, managing investments, shopping for insurance, filing paperwork, or dealing 1 with problems aren’t anywhere near the top of your list. 我想保养维修、支付账单、管理投资、购买保险、填写表格、解决麻烦一定远不在你的回答之列吧。
If you’re like me, they don’t even make the cut. 如果你和我一样,这些根本都不会想到。
For me it's spending my time with my wife and children. Going for long walks on the beautiful beaches of the Gulf 2 of Mexico. 对我来说重要的是和我的妻子和孩子在一起。在美丽的墨西哥沙滩散步;
Relaxing in the majestic 3, serene 4 Smoky Mountains where there’s no phone or Internet service. 在广袤、静谧的大烟雾山中放松身心,远离电话和网络。
Today’s lesson is about recognizing the advantages that a simple life has to offer. 今天的课程要让大家认识到简单生活能够带来的好处。
And I truly believe that a simple life is about making decisions that result in your ability to spend more time doing the things you enjoy—the activities that bring you happiness and fulfillment. 我深信,简单的生活就是,你做出的决定能够让你有更多的时间做你喜欢做的事,能给你带来幸福感和满足感的事。
Over the years, I have learned that it is the accumulation of things that prevents us from doing what we enjoy. 这些年来,我发现,我们无法做自己喜欢事情的一个原因是我们总是想积累一些东西。
I know this having lived both kinds of lifestyles—one of material affluence 5 and a simpler, unencumbered life. 这是我对这两种生活方式——物质富足的生活和简单无负担的生活——都有所经历之后得出的结论。
I can tell you with certainty that a simple life is a better life. 我可以肯定地告诉你简单的生活更好。
From the earliest days, my goal was to make enough money so that I could invest wisely, retire early, and have plenty of time to devote to the things that bring me the most joy. 最开始,我的目标是赚足够的钱,这样我就可以明智地做一些投资、早点退休、然后就有足够的时间做我最喜欢做的事。
Ironically, I ended up getting trapped (temporarily) by the very things I purchased to make me happy. 但是讽刺的是,正是我心心念念想要买到的东西最后让我陷入了窘境。
As most people do when they achieve a certain level of financial success, I made a list of things to purchase, including a dream home, new cars and a boat. 和大部分人一样,当我在经济上获得一定的成功之后,我把自己想要买的东西列了一个心愿单,包括梦想之家、新的车子甚至一艘船。
I succumbed 6 to the false notion that having bigger and better things—jet skis, properties, and yes, even a Harley Davidson motorcycle—would lead to more happiness. 我陷入了一个误区,认为拥有更大更好的东西,比如:摩托艇、房产,对还有哈雷摩托车,就会更幸福。
What I quickly discovered was that when you accumulate more than you need, you pay a much higher price for these things in terms of your time, worry, frustration 7, and emotional energy. 当我收敛的东西逐渐超出我的需要之时我很快发现我为这些东西付出的代价,包括时间、心力,过于昂贵了。
1 dealing
n.经商方法,待人态度
- This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
- His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
2 gulf
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂
- The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
- There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
3 majestic
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的
- In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
- He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。
4 serene
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的
- He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
- He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多,只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。
5 affluence
n.充裕,富足
- Their affluence is more apparent than real.他们的富有是虚有其表。
- There is a lot of affluence in this part of the state because it has many businesses.这个州的这一部分相当富有,因为它有很多商行。
6 succumbed
不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的过去式和过去分词 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死
- The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。
- After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后,该城终于屈服了。
7 frustration
n.挫折,失败,失效,落空
- He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
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