聪明反被聪明误英语

篇一：别自作聪明(聪明反被聪明误)

别以为自己最聪明

相信每个人都希望自己是最聪明的人，最起码也是个非常聪明的人。 很多人也都希望能够在众人面前展示出自己的聪明才智，并得到大家的认可。可是事实上，真正聪明的人也许不会那么急于表现自己；

阿里巴巴的总裁马云先生说过：“聪明是智慧者的天敌，傻瓜用嘴讲话，聪明的人用脑袋讲话，智慧的人用心讲话。所以永远记住，不要把自己当成最聪明的，最聪明的人相信总有别人比自己更聪明。可能一个人说你不服气，两个人说你不服气，很多人在说的时候，你要反省，一定是自己出了一些问题。” 反倒是自作聪明的人往往都愿意哗众取宠，标榜自己在社会上的重要性。 对于发生在周围的一些问题，他们总是愿意插一手，貌似行家一般，可是实际上往往是根本不能帮助别人处理问题，有时候反而使问题更加复杂。

自作聪明的人总是不能正确地、充分地认识自己，也不能明确地了解自己的能力，面对问题的时候根本不能像真正聪明的人那样冷静判断，量力而行。 他们总是想向别人强调自己的聪明，而且总是想利用一切可能的机会来表现自己。

作为二十几岁的年轻人，正处在创业阶段，他们希望得到大家的认可和器重，所以往往有着强烈的表现欲望，虽然他们的出发点没有错，但是往往小聪明会使自己错失良机，反倒害了自己。

万晨在第二次参加面试的时候，故意比约定时间晚了半个小时，因为在他看来，刚到上班时间，来面试他的领导可能会先喝点水什么的，但是当他到达时，发现面试的领导早已先到，这让他感觉很尴尬。他想，一定要在面试的过程中挽回领导自己对的印象。

面试时，领导让万晨列举一个在工作中不成功的例子。征得领导的同意后，他讲述了自己在上次面试中的失败经历。他说，他在上次的面试中过了两轮，是在最后一轮见公司老板的时候失败的。

他感觉自己最初的问题都回答得很不错，只是当领导看到他的简历上写着英语过了六级后，要求他用英语自我介绍。虽然当时的职位没有要求英文水平，而且他当时也丝毫没有准备，但他还是很冷静地完成了这项测试，老板对此还算满意。只是在后来翻译一封书信的时候，因为内容比较专业，所以他翻译得很不好。 讲述完毕后，万晨强调说，那次失败的面试让他吸取了教训，使他感觉语言还是要学以致用。所以从那以后，他天天练习，已经有了一定的提高。 万晨本来是想通过这个失败的例子证明自己是个很爱学习、很有上进心的人，同时说明他的英语也不是非常不好。但是他万万没有想到的是，面试领导竟然突然以英语问答方式让他再次做自我介绍，结果非常糟糕。这不仅没有达到他

预想的结果，反而让面试领导觉得他不但是个不求上进的人，还是一个不诚实的人。虽然这份工作原本是对英文水平不做限定的，但是万晨自己的小聪明使他再次失去了这次机会。

不要以为自己最聪明，也不要低估别人的智商。小聪明有时候反倒是让你聪明反被聪明误。万晨本来是想掩盖自己的缺点，显示自己的优点，但是面试的人也不是傻子，不仅识破了他的打算，让他自暴缺点，而且还对他留下了不诚实的印象。

万晨就是因为自作聪明，才会低估招聘人员的能力，他没有想到，其实英语的能力在很短的时间里就可以被检测到，所以导致没有被别人发现的缺点却被自己暴露了。所以不能太自作聪明或者心存侥幸。

有时候，聪明反被聪明误。

有个寓言讲述了一头驴自作聪明的故事。寓言中说，有头驴每天驮着货物陪着主人到各地去贩卖。有一天，他们过一座独木桥时，驴一不小心失足掉进了河里。等主人把它救上来之后，它发现自己背上的东西轻了许多。原来它驮的是食盐，掉进水里后，一部分盐就溶解了，所以就变得轻了。因祸得福让驴很高兴。

过了一阵子，等他们再次从这里过桥的时候，驴因为尝到了上次的甜头，所以心存侥幸，自作聪明地认为上次掉进河里后东西轻了，这次也应该是同样的结果。于是它故意掉进河里。

可是意外的是，等主人把他救上来的时候，它发现背上驮的东西不仅没有变轻反而增重了。倍感疑惑的驴问它的主人原因，它的主人拍了拍它的头笑着说：“宝贝呀，你怎么总是自作聪明呢？上次你驮的是盐，盐碰到水就会溶解；可是这次你驮的是棉花，棉花碰到水不但不会溶解，还会吸水，所以才会变重呀。”

自作聪明反倒是搬石头砸自己的脚，自己给自己找罪受。

找工作的时候不应该耍小聪明，在工作中也应该兢兢业业，不能耍小聪明。耍小聪明既是对工作的不负责任，也是对自己的不负责。因为怀有这样的心态，根本无法真正发挥出个人的聪明才智，既浪费公司的资源，也浪费自己的才智。

二十几岁的年轻人只有彻底地摆脱自以为是的小聪明，认真地对待生活、对待工作，怀有大智若愚的精神，才能成就自己。

为人处世，要聪明不能愚笨，但是太过聪明，就容易聪明反被聪明误。一个人，才高八斗也好，学富五车也罢，如果处处要显得自己比他人聪明，无论他的学识如何渊博、经历如何丰富，都显得十分幼稚可笑。

永远都认为自己是最聪明的人，其实活得比较累，为了博一浮名，往往身不由己地要做许多事来证明这“聪明”二字，结果许多事，非但做不成，反而招惹很多的是非，甚至连错在哪里都不知道。这样的人心里只有自己的聪明才智，却忘记了他人也有优势，也有独到之处。

二十几岁的年轻人，尤其要记得，永远不要抱有低估他人能力的想法，也不要过度相信自己的聪明无人能及。事实上，世界上没有最聪明的人，只有更聪明的人。真正聪明的人，都明白自己不可能是最聪明的，因为比自己聪明的人，到处都是。哪怕身边各方面都不如自己的人，他的身上，也有许多特质，是你无法比拟的。

做人做事，一定要有臣服之心。对于不懂的事物，非但不能装懂，还要大方地承认自己的无知，只有这样，才能认认真真地去学习和进取，获取更多更大的成就。一个对什么事情都表现出自己完美无缺的人，他的内心往往是脆弱的，因为人不可能事事精通，也不可能永不被超越。

篇二：聪明反被聪明误

聪明被聪明误

——兼评马克斯·舒尔曼的《爱情就是谬误》的幽默迂回手法

摘要：本文围绕美国著名幽默作家马克斯·舒尔曼的短篇小说《爱情就是谬误》的故事情节，点评了其作者采用的幽默迂回手法。以浣熊皮大衣为故事起因，小说作者用幽默迂回手法剖析了故事里的三个主人公的性格特点，尤其是主角吉尔斯，他更是自以为聪明过人，才智超群，能够赢得女孩的欢心。殊不知，到头来却是机关算尽，弄巧成拙，丢了夫人又折兵，应验了这句至理名言：聪明反被聪明误。

关键词：逻辑；聪明；才智；谬误

美国著名幽默作家马克斯·舒尔曼（1919-1988）可以说是一个才华横溢的作家。他一生撰写了许多小说、散文、故事、电影剧本，还有电视脚本。像《无礼的赤脚少年》；《衣冠楚楚的商人》；《睡到正午》和《土豆更便宜》等。其中最能代表他的写作风格活跃奔放、挥洒自如地运用幽默迂回的手法当属短篇小说《爱情就是谬误》。正如作者本人在故事前言所述：“查尔斯·兰姆是一个世所罕见的性情欢快、富有进取心的人。他笔下的散文《古瓷器》和《梦中的孩子》无拘无束、自由奔放，实在令人难忘。下面这篇文章比兰姆的作品更加自由奔放。实际上，用‘自由奔放’的字眼来形容这篇文章并不十分准确，或许用‘柔软’、‘轻松’或‘轻软而富有弹性’更为恰如其分。——这篇文章意在论证逻辑学非但不枯燥乏

【1】味，而且活泼、清新‘富于美感和激情，并给人以启迪。”阅读完此篇故事，读者真的会

顿感赏心悦目，无不会为作者的写作手法拍案叫绝。

故事以第一人称形式描述了一个学法律的大学一年级学生，多比·吉尔斯。他为自己感到非常骄傲，自以为有着超常的判断推理，而且才智过人。为了自己将来毕业后律师的职业有个“贤内助”，他看上了同宿舍一个叫皮蒂·伯奇的女友波利·埃斯皮。为了达到目的，吉尔斯同皮蒂做了一场双方互利的交易，把他父亲保存多年的浣熊皮大衣慷慨的送给了皮蒂以满足他追逐新潮的虚荣，而皮蒂则把自己的女友拱手相让。吉尔斯认为通过他的聪明才智，对波利进行一番逻辑训导，会赢得她的欢心，她会心甘情愿的投入他的怀抱。然而，当他最终提出他俩是“相配的一对”时，却遭到了意想不到的拒绝。究其原因更是出乎意料。

故事一开始，讲述者吉尔斯就向我们展示了他自己寻常的优势，“我这个人头脑冷静，逻辑思维能力强。敏锐、慎重、聪慧、深刻、机智——这些就是我的特点。我的大脑像发电机一样发达，像药剂师的天平一样精确，像手术刀一样锋利。——你知道吗? 我才十八岁呀。”

【2】通过这些描述，一个头脑发达，朝气蓬勃的青年活灵活现地出现在我们面前，虽然他的自夸不免有些令人置疑，但也符合这些青少年的特点：他们都很自信，头脑灵活，也很善于表现自己的。当吉尔斯看到自己的好友在床上辗转反侧，脸上露出痛苦不堪的表情时，立刻意识到他得了阑尾炎，立刻要请医生来。当他弄清楚好友是在为想搞到一件浣熊皮大衣而大伤脑筋时，“我的大脑——这件精密的仪器——即刻运转起来”。因为吉尔斯知道哪里能弄到浣熊皮大衣，而恰好皮蒂那里也有他自己正需要的东西——也就是他垂涎已久的漂亮女孩波利。由此读者会有这样的印象，吉尔斯真的很机智，处处显示出他的聪明所在。

与吉尔斯相比，他的室友皮蒂则属于那种愚笨，至少跟他不属于同一档次的人。虽然“他跟我年龄相仿，经历一样，可他笨得像头驴。小伙子长得年轻漂亮，可惜脑子里却空空如也。他易于激动，情绪反复无常，容易受别人的影响。最糟的是他爱赶时髦。我认为，赶时髦就是最缺乏理智的表现。见到一种新鲜的东西就跟着学，以为别人都在那么干，自己也

【3】就卷进去傻干——这在我看来，简直愚蠢至极，但皮蒂却不以为然。”由此可见，吉尔斯

的聪明才智比起皮蒂来确实要高出一筹。虽然在吉尔斯提出要以波利作为交换浣熊皮大衣时，起初皮蒂也表现了坚决拒绝的态度，但禁不住吉尔斯的再三诱导，“如果你不想赶时髦的话，那就随你的便”。这真实让他左右为难，踌躇不决。“他神情不安，用面包店窗前的流浪儿那种馋涎欲滴的神情望着那件皮大衣，接着扭过头去，坚定地咬紧牙关。过了一会儿，他又回过头来把目光投向那件皮大衣，脸上露出更加渴望的神情。等他再扭过头去，已经不那么坚决了。他看了又看，越看越爱，慢慢地决心也就减弱了。最后他再也不扭过头去，只

【4】是站在那儿，贪婪地盯着那件皮大衣。”最后皮蒂还是让追求时髦的心理占了上风。吉尔

斯也因此达到了目的，也就得以开始对波利实施那方向已定的训导计划。

故事的女主人公是个活泼开朗的女孩，但多少带有一点野气。从她的言行举止不难看出这些特点。吉尔斯之所以看上了波利，正因为她很漂亮，“她温文尔雅——她婷婷玉立，落落大方，泰然自若，一眼就看得出她很有教养”， 然而，唯一美中不足的是她算不上聪明，而且正朝着愚笨的方向发展。幸亏她要落入吉尔斯之手，他会发挥他的聪明才智，尽显身手，让她弥补不足。所庆幸的是，“使一个漂亮的笨姑娘变得聪明比使一个聪明的丑姑娘

【6】变得漂亮毕竟要容易些”。吉尔斯的聪明算盘始终为自己盘算着。因为他是学法律的，过

不了几年，就要挂牌当律师了。他很清楚，一个合适的妻子对一个律师是非常重要的。“大凡有成就的律师几乎都是和美丽、文雅、聪明的女子结婚的。波利只差一条就完全符合这些条件了”。正是因为后来他对波利进行了一系列的逻辑训导，使波利很快变得聪明起来，以至于最后竟用他所学到的逻辑理论准确无误地回击了她的训导者，使吉尔斯苦不堪言，苦不言衷、真可谓“以其人之道，还治其人之身”。

当吉尔斯同皮蒂做成互利交易以后，便急不可待地同波利进行了第一次约会。他发现波利确实美丽漂亮、优雅大方，同时发现了她的美中不足。她的言谈举止，简直直爽。这种带粗鲁的语气里无不透露着几分野气：“I took her first to dinner. ?Gee，that was a delish dinner,? she said as we left the restaurant. Then I took her first to a movie. ?Gee，that was a marvy movie,? she said as we left the theater. And then I took her home. ?Gee, I had a sensaysh time, ? she said as she bade me good night.”(Max Shulman: 1951)满口的俚语，活生生地展现了这个女孩的天真单纯，豪爽【7】【5】洒脱，但又夹杂着一些不可名状的无知愚笨。通过第一次交往，吉尔斯领教了波利的性情，也醒悟到他的任务的艰巨性。这姑娘的知识少得可怜，多少让人吃惊。只是给她补充增加知识还不够，首先得教会她思考。这可不是一件容易的事。这时吉尔斯真想把她还给皮蒂算了。但一想到她那充满魅力的身材，就还是决定再做一番努力。

吉尔斯决定首先交给她一些逻辑学，让她学会辨别逻辑方面的常见错误。为了帮助她搞清每个谬误，他可谓费了九牛二虎之力。也遭受了感情上的潮起潮落。看着波利时而天真好奇、时而莫名其妙、时而若有所思、时而无动于衷，吉尔斯真是绞尽脑汁，费尽口舌。每每上完课回宿舍的心情总是闷闷不乐。这姑娘对逻辑简直是一点不开窍。他多次想把她还给皮蒂，但爱的力量使他坚持下来。功夫不负有心人，劳动的汗水终于有了结果。“我辛辛苦苦地花了五个晚上，但总算还是没有白费，我使波利变成一个逻辑学家了，我教她学会了思

【8】考。”他的美梦好像就要成真，波利就要成为他贤惠的妻子，他那豪华公馆里的出色的女主人，他那些有着良好教育的孩子们的合格的母亲。

当他们又聚到那棵下，吉尔斯谈起她的进步，并表示“我们相处的很好。显然我们俩是很匹配的”，没想到波利却伶俐地回答到“草率结论”，竟用上了他交给他的逻辑谬误。接着波利反问道“怎么能凭我们仅有五次约会就可以说我们俩很匹配呢？”吉尔斯试图解释说，五次约会就不少了，毕竟不必为了尝尝蛋糕的滋味就把整个蛋糕都吃掉。“错误类比”，波利反驳道，又立竿见影地运用逻辑谬误还击。“我可不是蛋糕，我是个女孩子。”吉尔斯见状，无言以对，只是向她表白自己，阿谀奉承，“对我来说，你就是整个世界，是月亮，是星星，是整个宇宙。??如果你不这样，我的生活就失去意义了。我将会萎靡不振，茶不饮，饭不

思，到处游荡，成为一个步履蹒跚、双眼凹下的躯壳。”没想到波利冷冷地又抛过来一句“文不对题”。这下吉尔斯可沉不住气了，强装笑脸问是不是跟他学到的这些谬误，“与事实相反的假设”，波利不假思索地说道。这是吉尔斯竭尽全力劝她不要死板地接受这些东西，没有料到波利却嬉戏地向他摇摇手指，“绝对判断。”这下可使吉尔斯暴跳如雷，像公牛一样地吼叫着，问他到底想不想跟他相爱，波利却坦然自若，胸有成竹，“我已经答应了皮蒂，我愿意和他相爱。”听到这些，吉尔斯好像听到了晴天霹雳，顿感头昏目眩，想到皮蒂已和他做了交易，还相互握手同意，竟出尔反尔，便情不自禁地破口大骂皮蒂，“你不能跟他在一起，波利。他是一个说谎的人，一个骗子，一个可耻的家伙!”“井下投毒”，波利的反击真是让他哑口无言。这时，吉尔斯真的被波利彻底击垮了。他以极大地克制力把语气缓和下来，恭维波利“你是一个逻辑学家，一个才华横溢的学生，一个了不起的知识分子，一个前途无量的人；而皮蒂——一个笨蛋，一个反复无常的人，一个吃了上顿不知有没有下顿的家伙。你能给我一个合乎逻辑的理由来说明你为什么要跟皮蒂好吗?”【10】【9】万万没有想到，波利的回答非常肯定，“当然能，他有一件浣熊皮大衣。”

波利的回答是天大的讽刺，荒诞透顶的逻辑。此乃幽默的迂回，迂回的幽默。作者正是借用了这种手法的迂回性，隐蔽性，使其故事结局更具有幽默感，讽刺性。想当初，吉尔斯煞费心机，为了得到波利而把大衣换给了皮蒂，而现在正又是为了皮大衣，他又丢了波利。为了使她变聪明，吉尔斯不遗余力地教给她那些逻辑谬论，而现在这些谬论却变成了，一枚枚的重型炮弹，把他自己轰得体无完肤。这样的结果正是作者用心良苦，运用他那幽默迂回的手法，把人物描写得淋漓尽致之所在。

“聪明反被聪明误”，历史已经给我们留下了这样太多的教训，此篇故事又一次给了我们这样的启迪。世上没有绝对的聪明，也没有绝对的愚蠢。聪明人也会办些愚蠢的事。关键是不要自作聪明，耍小聪明，妄自尊大，目中无人，大愚若智，否则只能成为人们耻笑的“聪明的蠢材”。

参考文献：

【1】 张鑫友等. 高级英语学习指南2【M】. 武汉：湖北人民出版社，2000.

【2】 【3】【4】【5】【6】【7】

【8】 梅仁毅.现代大学英语5【M】.北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2002.

【9】 张汉熙.高级英语2【M】. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2000

【10】 楮孝泉. 外国语言文学论丛【M】. 上海：复旦大学出版社，2002.

篇三：英语翻译复习

UNIT 1

Later this month, we’ll spray the orchard, paint the barn, plant the garden and clean the hen house before the new chicks arrive.

这个月晚些时候，我们要给果树喷洒药水，要油漆谷仓，要给菜园播种，要赶在新的雏鸡运到之前清扫鸡舍。

I’m not making anywhere near as much money as I did when I was employed full time, but now we don’t need as much either.

我挣的钱远比不上全职工作时的收入，可如今我们需要的钱也没有过去多。

During the growing season there is no time for socializing anyway.

在作物生长的季节，根本没有工夫参加社交活动。

Language Exercises

Translation I

We have a problem with the computer system, but I think it’s fairly minor.

My father died when I was too young to live on my own. The people of my hometown took over my upbringing at that point.

The toys have to meet strict safety requirements before they can be sold to children.

Radio and television have supplemented rather than replaced the newspaper as carriers of news and opinion.

When it comes to this magazine, it is a digest of articles from many newspapers and magazines around the world.

Translation II

A decade ago, Nancy did what so many Americans dream about.

She quit an executive position and set up a household device store in her neighborhood.

People like Nancy made the decision primarily for the improvement in the quality of their lives. But, to run a business on a small scale is by no means an easy job.

Without her steady income, Nancy had to cut back on her daily expenses.

Sometimes she did not even have the money to pay the premiums for the various kinds of insurance she needed.

Fortunately, through her own hard work, she has now got through the most difficult time. She is determined to continue pursuing her vision of a better life.

UNIT 2

Carter’s devotion to her ancestor is about more than personal pride: it is about family honor. Many slaves traveled under cover of night, their faces sometimes caked with white powder. I threw myself on the ground, rolled in the sand and danced around, till, in the eyes of several who were present, I passed for a madman.

Language Exercises

Translation I

Though greatly affected by the consequences of the global financial crisis, we are still confident that we can face up to the challenge and overcome the crisis.

Under threat of constant sand storms, we were compelled to leave our cherished village and move to the new settlement.

According to a recent online survey, a lot of consumers say they may be motivated to consider buying products shown in TV commercials.

Having spotted a truck driver dumping contaminated waste alongside the river, the old man reported to the police at once.

Some scientists hold to the firm conviction that people will come to like genetically modified crops someday since they can increase yields and help combat hunger and disease in the developing world.

Translation II

Shortly after he achieved freedom Henson became intent on assisting fugitive slaves.

He secretly returned to the United States from Canada several times to help others to travel the Underground Railroad to freedom.

Once some slave catchers closed in on the escaping slaves and Henson when they were on the run.

He disguised them and successfully avoided capture.

Later he built a small settlement in Dresden, Canada for escaped slaves, setting up a chapel and a school.

He held to the conviction that slavery would be abolished, and the day was bound to come when racial discrimination no longer existed.

UNIT 3

Suburbs and country areas are, in many ways, even more vulnerable than well-patrolled urban streets.

在许多方面，郊区和农村甚至比巡查严密的城市街道更易受到攻击。

Many suburban families have sliding glass doors on their patios, with steel bars elegantly built in so no one can pry the doors open.

郊区的许多人家在露台上安装了玻璃滑门，内侧有装得很讲究的钢条，这样就没人能把门撬开。

Even a decade ago, most private businesses had a policy of free access. It simply didn’t occur to managers that the proper thing to do was to distrust people.

即使在十年前，大多数私营公司仍采取自由出入的做法。那时管理人员根本没想到过恰当的做法应是对他人持怀疑态度。

With electronic X-ray equipment, we seem finally to have figured out a way to hold the terrorists, real and imagined, at bay.

凭借着电子透视装置，我们似乎终于想出妙计让恐怖分子无法近身，无论是真的恐怖分子还是凭空臆想的。

We have become so smart about self-protection that, in the end, we have all outsmarted ourselves.

我们在自我防卫方面变得如此聪明，最终全都聪明反被聪明误。

Language Exercises

Translation I

The Internet is changing the way people live, no matter whether they are in urban or rural areas. Medium-sized and small companies are more vulnerable to the threat of the global economic crisis than large ones.

With regard to our term papers, the professor asked us to analyze the chart of unemployment first, and then provide critical reflections on the nation’s economic development.

It never occurred to him that their team would win the basketball match by a large margin. Looking back on my twenty years’ teaching in high school, I attributed my success to patience, talent, and the constant pursuit of knowledge.

Translation II

It is almost impossible to keep a determined burglar out.

All you can do is discourage him for a few minutes, thus exposing him to police patrols. Common sense tells us that lighting is a barrier to criminal activity.

A light should be fixed in the doorway and switched on at night.

Make sure that you don’t leave the door on the latch if you happen to be the last to come in. If you decide to buy a sophisticated electronic alarm system, be sure to ask for its signs and put them up on both windows and doors.

In addition, you may have it hooked up to a police station.

UNIT 5

Quite the same as for folk ashore, this Thanksgiving morning had seen us busily preparing a traditional dinner featuring roast turkey. (Paragraph 2)

跟岸上的人一样，那个感恩节上午，我们忙着在准备一道以烤火鸡为主的传统菜肴。 Yet my mind seemed to be in quest of something else - some way that I could personally apply to the close of Thanksgiving. (Paragraph 6)

可我脑子里似乎还在搜索着别的什么 —— 某种我能够赋予整个节日以个人意义的方式。 It must have taken me a half hour to sense that maybe some key to an answer could result from reversing the word “Thanksgiving” – at least that suggested a verbal direction, “Giving thanks.” (Paragraph 6)

大概过了半个小时左右我才意识到，问题的关键也许在于把“感谢表达”这个词前后颠倒一下 —— 那样一来至少字面意义好懂了：“表达感谢”。

The embarrassing truth was I’d always just accepted what they’d done, taken all of it for granted. (Paragraph 9)

令我深感不安的实际情形是，我向来对他们所做的一切受之泰然，认为是理所应当。

Not one time had I ever bothered to express to any of them so much as a simple, sincere “Thank you.” (Paragraph 9)

我一次也没想过要对他们中的任何一位真心诚意地说一句简单的谢谢。

So many times I have felt a sadness when exposed to modern children so immersed in the

electronic media that they have little or no awareness of the marvelous world to be discovered in books. (Paragraph 13)

多少次，当我看到如今的孩子们如此沉迷于电子媒体时，我不由深感悲哀，他们很少，或者根本不了解书中所能发现的神奇世界。

I told him that whatever positive things I had done since had been influenced at least in part by his morning school prayers. (Paragraph 14)

我告诉他，我后来所做的任何有意义的事，都至少部分地是受了他那些学校晨祷的影响。 Finally I thanked her simply for having sprinkled my life with stardust. (Paragraph 15)

最后，我感谢她，因为她在我的生命中撒下美妙的遐想。

My reading of their letters left me not only astonished but more humbled than before. (Paragraph 19)

我读了信，即震惊又深感卑微。

Always the college professor, my dad had carefully avoided anything he considered too

sentimental, so I knew how moved he was to write me that, after having helped educate many young people, he now felt that his best results included his own son. (Paragraph 21)

身为大学教授的爸爸向来特别留意不使用任何过于感情化的文字，因此，当他信中写道，在教了许许多多的年轻人之后，他现在认为自己最优秀的学生当中也包括自己的儿子时，我知道他是多么的感动。

The Reverend Nelson wrote that his decades as a “simple, old-fashioned principal” had ended with schools undergoing such swift changes that he had retired in self-doubt. (Paragraph 22)

篇四：unit 3大学综合英语3翻译

1. In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.

小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说的；“不落锁”的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

R T 2. Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.

那样的日子已经一去不复返了。在乡下，在城里，门不再关着不锁上，哪怕是傍晚一段时间也不例外。

R T 3. Suburbs and country areas are, in many ways, even more vulnerable than well-patroled urban streets. Statistics show the crime rate rising more dramatically in those allegedly tranquil areas than in cities. At any rate, the era of leaving the front door on the latch is over.

在许多方面，郊区和农村甚至比巡查严密的城市街道更易受到攻击。统计显示，那些据称是安宁的地区的犯罪率上升得比城镇更为显著。不管怎么说，前门虚掩不落锁的时代是一去不复返了。

R T 4. It has been replaced by dead-bolt locks, security chains, electronic alarm systems and trip wires hooked up to a police station or private guard firm. Many suburban families have sliding glass doors on their patios, with steel bars elegantly built in so no one can pry the doors open. 取而代之的是防盗锁、防护链、电子报警系统，以及连接警署或私人保安公司的报警装置。郊区的许多人家在露台上安装了玻璃滑门，内侧有装得很讲究的钢条，这样就没人能把门撬开。

R T 5. It is not uncommon, in the most pleasant of homes, to see pasted on the windows small notices announcing that the premises are under surveillance by this security force or that guard company.

在最温馨的居家，也常常看得到窗上贴着小小的告示，称本宅由某家安全保卫机构或某个保安公司负责监管。

R T 6. The lock is the new symbol of America. Indeed, a recent public-service advertisement by a large insurance company featured not charts showing how much at risk we are, but a picture of a child's bicycle with the now-usual padlock attached to it.

锁成了美国的新的象征。的确如此，一家大保险公司最近的一则公益广告没有用图表表明我们所处的危险有多大，而是用了一幅童车的图片，车身上悬着如今随处可见的挂锁。

R T 7. The ad pointed out that, yes, it is the insurance companies that pay for stolen goods, but who is going to pay for what the new atmosphere of distrust and fear is doing to our way of life? Who is going to make the psychic payment for the transformation of America from the Land of the Free to the Land of the Lock?

广告指出，没错，确是保险公司理赔失窃物品，但谁来赔偿互不信任、担心害怕这种新氛围

对我们的生活方式所造成的影响呢？谁来对美国从自由之国到锁之国这一蜕变作出精神赔偿呢？

R T 8. For that is what has happened. We have become so used to defending ourselves against the new atmosphere of American life, so used to putting up barriers, that we have not had time to think about what it may mean.

因为那就是现状。我们已经变得如此习惯于保护自己不受美国生活新氛围的影响，如此习惯于设置障碍，以致无暇考虑这一切意味着什么。

R T 9. For some reason we are satisfied when we think we are well-protected; it does not occur to us to ask ourselves: Why has this happened? Why are we having to barricade ourselves against our neighbors and fellow citizens, and when, exactly, did this start to take over our lives?

出于某种原因，当我们觉得防范周密时才安心；我们没有想到问问自己：为什么会出现这种情况？为什么非得把自己与邻居和同住一城的居民隔绝开来，这一切究竟是从什么时候开始主宰我们生活的？

R T 10. And it has taken over. If you work for a medium- to large-size company, chances are that you don't just wander in and out of work. You probably carry some kind of access card, electronic or otherwise, that allows you in and out of your place of work. Maybe the security guard at the front desk knows your face and will wave you in most days, but the fact remains that the business you work for feels threatened enough to keep outsiders away via these "keys."

这一切确实主宰了我们的生活。如果你在一家大中型公司上班，你上下班很可能不可随意进出。你可能随身带着某种出入卡，电子的或别的什么的，因为这卡能让你进出工作场所。也许前台的保安认识你这张脸，平日一挥手让你进去，但事实明摆着，你所任职的公司深感威胁，因此要借助这些“钥匙”不让外人进入。

R T 11. It wasn't always like this. Even a decade ago, most private businesses had a policy of free access. It simply didn't occur to managers that the proper thing to do was to distrust people. 这种现象并非向来有之。即使在十年前，大多数私营公司仍采取自由出入的做法。那时管理人员根本没想到过恰当的手段是不信任他人。

R T 12. Look at the airports. Parents used to take children out to departure gates to watch planes land and take off. That's all gone. Airports are no longer a place of education and fun; they are the most sophisticated of security sites.

且看各地机场。过去家长常常带孩子去登机口看飞机起飞降落。这种事再也没有了。机场不再是一个有趣的学习场所；它们成了拥有最精密的安全检查系统的场所。

R T 13. With electronic X-ray equipment, we seem finally to have figured out a way to hold the terrorists, real and imagined, at bay; it was such a relief to solve this problem that we did not think much about what such a state of affairs says about the quality of our lives. We now pass through these electronic friskers without so much as a sideways glance; the machines, and what they stand for, have won.

凭借着电子透视装置，我们似乎终于想出妙计让恐怖分子无法近身，无论是真的恐怖分子还是凭空臆想的。能解决这一问题真是如释重负，于是我们就不去多想这种状况对我们的生活

质量意味着什么。如今我们走过这些电子搜查器时已经看都不看一眼了；这些装置，还有它们所代表的一切已经获胜。

R T 14. Our neighborhoods are bathed in high-intensity light; we do not want to afford ourselves even so much a luxury as a shadow.

我们的居住区处在强光源的照射之下；我们连哪怕像阴影这样小小的享受也不想给自己。

R T 15. Businessmen, in increasing numbers, are purchasing new machines that hook up to the telephone and analyze a caller's voice. The machines are supposed to tell the businessman, with a small margin of error, whether his friend or client is telling lies.

越来越多的商人正购置连接在电话机上、能剖析来电者声音的新机器。据说那种机器能让商人知道他的朋友或客户是否在撒谎，其出错概率很小。

R T 16. All this is being done in the name of "security"; that is what we tell ourselves. We are fearful, and so we devise ways to lock the fear out, and that, we decide, is what security means. 所有这一切都是以“安全”的名义实施的；我们是这么跟自己说的。我们害怕，于是我们设法把害怕锁在外面，我们认定，那就是安全的意义。

R T 17. But no; with all this "security," we are perhaps the most insecure nation in the history of civilized man. What better word to describe the way in which we have been forced to live? What sadder reflection on all that we have become in this new and puzzling time?

其实不然；有了这一切安全措施，我们或许成为人类文明史上最不安全的国家。还有什么更好的字眼能用来描述我们被迫选择的生活方式呢？还有什么更为可悲地表明我们在这个令人困惑的新时代所感受到的惶恐之情呢？

R T 18. We trust no one. Suburban housewives wear rape whistles on their station wagon key chains. We have become so smart about self-protection that, in the end, we have all outsmarted ourselves. We may have locked the evils out, but in so doing we have locked ourselves in.

我们不信任何人。郊区的家庭主妇在家庭旅行用车钥匙链上挂着防强暴口哨。我们在自我防卫方面变得如此聪明，最终全都聪明反被聪明误。我们或许是把邪恶锁在了门外，但在这么做的同时我们把自己锁在里边了。

R T 19. That may be the legacy we remember best when we look back on this age: In dealing with the unseen horrors among us, we became prisoners of ourselves. All of us prisoners, in this time of our troubles.

那也许是我们将来回顾这一时代时记忆最深的精神遗产：在对付我们中间无形的恐惧之时，我们成了自己的囚徒。在我们这个问题重重的时代，所有的人都是囚徒。

篇五：全新版大学英语第二版 Unit 3 Language Points

Unit 3 Language Points:

Text A

1. on the latch: e.g. Let yourself in; the door is on the latch.

Don’t forget to leave the front door on the latch if you go to bed before I come back.

2. universal: e.g. Food is a subject of almost ~ interest.

The Law of Gravity is a ~ truth.

3. close up: e.g. I wanted so much to close up my store and go traveling.

On New Year’s Eve all the stores were closed up in my hometown.

4. rural: e.g. In ~ areas the distance between buildings makes infrastructure development costly.

Crime is a concern in both ~ and urban areas.

5. suburb: e.g. Tom used to live in a ~ of Chicago.

suburban: (a.) Rich people nowadays like to live in the houses built in ~ areas.

6. urban: e.g. The problem of air pollution is especially serious in ~ areas.

Motor vehicle emissions, to a large extent, are responsible for ~ air pollution.

7. vulnerable (to): e.g. She looked so young and ~.

Tourists are more ~ to attack, because they do not know which areas of the city to avoid.

8. statistics: e.g. Have you seen the latest ~ for injuries at work?

Statistics show/suggest that women live longer than men.

9. era: a long period of time in history that is different from other periods

e.g. We are living in the computer ~ . His death marked the end of an ~ .

In the Victorian ~ such behavior was socially unacceptable.

cf. epoch: a long period of history, especially one in which important events take place

e.g. the beginning of a new ~ in the history of mankind

times: a particular period in history e.g. Indians since ancient ~ have ground their corn by hand. My dad doesn’t seem to understand that ~ have changed since he was a kid.

10. electronic: e.g. ~ banking, ~ music

Use of the Internet is replacing other forms of ~ communication.

11. system: e.g. a central-heating ~, the public transport ~

12. hook up to: e.g. The alarm systems in the banks are hooked up to the local police station.

13. build in/into: e.g. The cupboards in the kitchen are all built in.

We are having shelves built into the wall over the bed.

14. paste: e.g. The protesters had ~d slogans all over the walls.

The young man ~d several pictures of his favorite singer on the wall.

15. feature: e.g. The exhibition ~s paintings by contemporary artists.

They had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner featuring roast turkey.

16. chart: e.g. The nurse gave the doctor a ~ showing the patient’s temperature and blood pressure. Students are required to write an essay according to the ~ showing changes in people’s diet.

17. atmosphere: e.g. a hotel with a relaxed, friendly ~

We’re trying to create an ~ of trust between management and staff.

18. put up: e.g. He put up a new fence around his house.

Most of the old buildings around here were pulled down so that blocks of apartments could be put up.

19. barrier: e.g. The driver slowed down as he approached the police ~ .

The program serves as a ~ that stops children viewing unhealthy programs on the Internet.

20. medium: e.g. a girl of ~ height

What size shirt does he wear – small, ~ , or large?

21. wander (about/around/through etc.): e.g. Tom was seemingly ~ing about aimlessly.

We ~ed through the old part of the town, totally lost.

22. threaten: e.g. ~ to do sth., ~ sb. with sth.

Robert was ~ed with jail if he published the story.

They ~ed to kill him unless he did as he was told to.

23. sophisticated: e.g. Everyone at the party was ~ and well-educated.

Eye operations often involve the use of highly ~ equipment, such as lasers.

24. with not/without so much as: e.g. They left without so much as saying goodbye.

Without so much as a word of thanks, Ben turned and went back into the office.

25. sideways: e.g. Alfred shot him a ~ glance.

If you would move a little ~ to the left, I can get everyone in the picture.

26. stand for: e.g. He hates us and everything we stand for.

“GMT” stands for Greenwich Mean Time.

27. be bathed in: e.g. The fields and woods were bathed in a golden light at sunrise.

He was interviewed in a room bathed in soft red light.

She bathed her feet in warm water to relieve the pain.

28. analyze: e.g. We will ~ results of the poll and report on our finding tomorrow.

Television stations and networks ~ their audiences for the guidance of advertisers.

29. with/by a small/large margin: e.g. Governor Bush won the election, but only by a small margin.

With the improvement of living conditions, demand for air-conditioners has increased by a large margin.

30. error: e.g. I was guilty of making an ~ of judgment.

The plane was shot down in ~ by a NATO missile.

31. civilize: e.g. The Romans set out to ~ the Ancient Britons.

The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center had shocked the whole ~d world.

32. reflection (on): 1) a thing bringing discredit or criticism

e.g. The fact that we all failed the test was a ~ on the teacher’s ability.

When children are criticized by their teachers, mothers often see it as a ~ on themselves.

2) thought; idea arising from thinking

After thirty years as a teacher, his ~s on life were worth listening to.

After much ~, I’ve come to a decision.

3) a thing reflecting the nature of sb./sth.

His unhappiness is a ~ of his loveless marriage.

33. look back on: e.g. When I look back on those days I realize I was desperately unhappy.

When you look back on your life, what moments do you cherish the most?

Text B

1. aim at: point (a gun, etc.) towards; have … as a target or intention

e.g. He picked up his shotgun, aimed at the target, then fired.

The textile mills (纺织厂) in our city are aiming at a higher production level.

2. take the plunge

e.g. We took the plunge and set up our own business.

Last night I finally took the plunge and had my hair dyed red. My husband felt like he’d got a new wife!

3. belief: feeling of certainty that sth. exists or is true

e.g. a strong belief in God

It is my belief that we will find a cure for cancer in the next ten years.

4. trap v. e.g. Twenty miners were trapped underground.

She felt trapped in a loveless marriage.

n. a device or hole for catching animals or people and preventing their escape

e.g. The fox got its foot caught in a trap.

5. pull in: move to the side of the road and stop; (train) arrive at a station

e.g. She pulled in to let the ambulance pass.

Just as the train was pulling in, there was a shout and someone fell onto the track.

6. aggressive e.g. Man tend to be more aggressive than women.

Although aggressive behavior is normal for dogs, it is generally unacceptable to human.

7. in sb.’s favor: to the advantage of sb.

e.g. The conditions are in our favor.

The vote was 51-49 in her favor.

8. depart e.g. Joe departed this life last night.

The train for Edinburgh departs at 7.00 a.m.

9. confirm e.g. I’ll call the hotel and confirm our reservations.

The local government confirmed on Wednesday a bird flu outbreak at two chicken farms.

10. break in/into: enter by force

e.g. Her house was broken into last week.

My car’s been broken into twice this month.

11. in/under the /no circumstances: in this kind of situation; not (do sth) in any situation

e.g. At no time and in no circumstances will China be the first to use nuclear weapons.

When asked how they are doing, it’s not unusual for people to reply, “Pretty good, under

the circumstances.”

12. advocate e.g. They advocate tougher trade policies.

She advocates taking a more long-term view on the issue.

13. insure e.g. The house is insured for two million pounds.

Please insure that the lights are switched off before leaving the building.

14. count on: (used in the pattern: count on sb. /sth. /doing sth.)

e.g. You can always count on Kent to be punctual.

Carol was counting upon getting a raise in spring.

15. recommend: (usu. Used in the patterns: recommend that; recommend doing sth.; recommend sb. to do sth.; recommend sth. to sb.)

e.g. The doctor strongly recommended (that) he take more exercise.

I recommend writing your feelings down on paper.

I’d recommend you to take the train.

I recommended this book to anyone with and interest in chemistry.

16. draw the line at sth./doing sth.

e.g. I swear quite a lot but even I draw the lint at saying certain words.

She drew the line at miniskirts: “only people with bad taste wear them.”

17. on the line: at risk

e.g. The ocean ecosystem is on the line whenever and wherever an oil spill takes place.

Almost 3000 jobs have been lost recently, and a further 3000 are on the line.

18. wrap e.g. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

19. squeeze e.g. Alice squeezed the wet sponge.

Squeeze some lemon juice onto the salad.

20 but then (again): but when you think about the matter more

e.g. You feel really sorry for him. But then again, it’s hard to like him.

I agree she types accurately, but then again, she’s very slow.

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