英语背诵文选
（01） The First Snow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The first snow came. How beautiful it was, falling so silently all day long, all night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs of the liv ing, on the graves of the dead! All white save the river,
that marked its course by a winding black line across
the landscape; and the leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now rev ealed more fully the wonderful beauty and intricacies of their branches. Wh at silence, too, came with the snow, and
what seclusion! Every sound was muffled, every noise changed to somethin g soft and musical. No more tramping hoofs, no more ratting wheels! Only the chiming of sleigh-bells, beating as swift and merrily as the hearts of childr en.
Notes:
1. meadows: 草地、牧场
2. the living: 活着的人 （定冠词 the +形容词，表示某一类人或事物）。下面的 the dead 与此同
3. save:（adj.) 除了...... 以外 ex: All had gone save his mother.
4. leaden:(adj.) 铅灰色的
5. intricacies:(n.) 原指错综复杂，这里指树枝盘结交错
6. seclusion:宁静、远离喧嚣
7. was muffled: 被压抑而低沉
8. tramping:此处形容马蹄踏地发出的的声的样子
9. rattling:此处形容车轮发出格格声的样子
10. chiming: 由动词 chime(和谐的奏鸣、敲打）得来
11. sleigh-bells:雪橇的铃
初雪
亨利. 沃兹沃思. 朗费罗
初雪飘临。多么美啊！它整日整夜那么静静地飘着，落在山岭上，落在草地上， 落在世人的屋顶上，落在死者的坟墓上！在一片白茫茫之中，只有河流在美丽的画面上划出一道曲曲弯弯的黑线；还有那叶儿落净的树木，映衬着铅灰色的天空，此刻更显得枝丫交错，姿态万千。初雪飘落时，是何等的宁，何等的幽静！一切声响都趋沉寂，一切噪音都化作柔和的音乐。再也听不到马蹄得得，再也听不见车轮辚辚！唯有雪橇的铃铛，奏出和谐的乐声，那明快欢乐的节拍犹如孩子们心房的博动。
（02） The Humming-Bird
Of all animated beings this is the most elegant in form and the most brilliant in colors. The stones and metals polished by our arts are not co
mparable to ① this jewel of Nature ②. She ③ has placed it least in size of ④ the order of birds ⑤, "maxime miranda in minimis." ⑥ Her
masterpiece. is this little humming-bird, and upon it she has heaped all the gifts
⑦ which the other birds may only share. Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, g race, and rich apparel ⑧ all belong to this little favorite. The emerald ⑨, the ruby
⑩, and the topaz(11) gleam upon its dress(12). It never soils them with the dust of earth, and in its
aerial life scarcely touches the turfan instant. Always in the air,
flying from flower to flower, it has their freshness as well as their
brightness. It lives upon their nectar, and dwells only in the climates wher e they perennially bloom.
From Natural History
by George Louis Leclerc Buffon
[注释] ①are not comparable to ：比不上……的。
②this jewel of Nature ：这个大自然的珍宝。这里作者把美丽无比的蜂乌比作
大自然中的一颇天然珍宝。
③she ：指 Nature 。
④in size of ：按……大小。
⑤the order of birds: 鸟类。
⑥maxime miranda in minimis: 拉丁语。maxime 解作" 最大" ，miranda 解作" 值得称羡的东西" ，minimis 解作" 最小" 。
⑦upon it she has heaped all the gifts... ：大自然赋予蜂鸟…的一切资
质。
⑧rich apparel ：原义为色彩鲜艳的衣服，这里借喻蜂鸟绚丽的羽毛。
⑨emerald ：原义绿宝石，这里指翠绿色。
⑩ruby ：原义红宝石，这里指艳红色。
11) topaz ：原义黄玉，这里指徽黄色。
12) dress ：这里借喻蜂鸟的羽毛。
[中文译文] 蜂鸟 乔治．路易．勒克默尔．布丰
在一切生物中，要算蜂鸟体型员优美、颜色虽鲜艳。经过工艺加工的各种宝石和金属是无法跟这个大自然的珍宝媲美的。大自然按照鸟类的大小把它列为最小号，真是。最小的绝妙珍品" 。这种小蜂鸟是大自然的杰作。大自然把其他鸟类只能分有其中一部分的种种天赋全 部慷慨地给了它。这个小宠儿具有轻盈、敏捷、灵活、优雅以及羽毛绚丽等一切妙处。那翠绿的、艳红的、嫩黄色的羽毛闪闪发光。蜂鸟从不让它的羽毛沾染尘土，它生活在天空巾，一刻也不碰到草皮。它总是在空中飞翔，从花丛飞向花丛；它象花一样的新鲜，又象花一样的艳丽。蜂鸟靠花蜜为生，它只生活在气候宜人, 适于繁衍的地方.
（03） Pines
The le elements of order and precision. Lowland
trees may lean to this side and that, though it is but a meadow breeze that bends them, or a bank of cowslips from which their trunks lean aslope. But let storm and avalanche do their worst and let the pine
find only a ledge of vertical precipice to cling to, it will nevertheless grow
straight. Thrust a rod from its last shoot down the stem; it shall point to the centre of the earth as long as the tree lives.Also it may be well fo r lowland branches to reach hither and thither
for what they need and to take all kinds of irregular shape and extension. But the pine is trained to need nothing and to endure everything. It is resolvedly whole, self-contained desiring nothing but rightness content with r estricted completion. Tall or short it will be straight .
（04） Trees
I think that I shall never see 我想我从未见过一首
A poem lovely as a tree. 美如玉树的诗章。
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest 一棵张着饥饿嘴巴的树，
against the earth's sweet flowing breast; 紧压在大地甘美而流畅的乳房上 ；
A tree that looks at God all day, 一棵整天望着神的树，
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 举起枝叶繁茂的手臂来祈祷；
A tree that may in summer wear 一棵树在夏日里可能
A nest of robins in her hair; 戴着一窝知更鸟在头发上；
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; 雪花堆积在她的怀抱里；
Who intimately lives with the rain. 雨水也和她亲切地生活在一起。
Poems are made by fools like me, 像我这样愚笨的人可以做诗，
But only God can make a tree. 但唯有神方能造树。
by Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1919
（05） Reading Good Books
Devote some of you leisure, I repeat, to cultivating a love of reading goo d books. Fortunate indeed are those who contrive to make themselves gen uine book-lovers. For book-lovers hve some noteworthy advantages over oth
er people. They need never know lonely hours so long as they have book s around them, and the better the books the more delightful the company . From good books, moreover, they draw much besides entertainment. They gain mental food such as few companions can supply.
Even while resting from their labors they are, through the books they read, equipping themselves to perform those labors more efficiently.
This albeit they may not be deliberately reading to improve their mind. All unconsciously the ideas they derive from the printed pages are stored up, to be worked over by the imagination for their future profit.
From Self-Development
by Henry Addington Bruce
（06） The House-Cricket
Crickets are fond of kitchens and bakers' ovens, on account of their
perpetual warmth. Tender insects that live abroad either enjoy only the sho rt period of one summer, or else doze away the cold uncomfortable month s in profound slumbers; but these, residing as it were in a torrid zone, a re always alert and merry: a good Christmas fire is to them like the heat s of the dog-days. Though they are frequently heard
by day, yet is their natural time of motion only in the night. As soon as
it grows dusk, the chirping increases, and they come running forth, and ar e from the size of a flea to that of their full stature. As
one should suppose, from the burning atmosphere which they inhabit,
they are a thirsty race, and show a great propensity for liquids, being fou nd frequently drowned in pans of water, milk, broth, or the like. Whatever is moist they affect; and therefore often gnaw holes in wet woollen stock ings and aprons that are hung to the fire.
From the natural history of selborne
by Gilbert White
（07） on Etiquette
Etiquette to society is what apparel is to the individual. Without apparel m en would go in shameful nudity which would surely lead to the corruption of morals; and without etiquette society would be in a pitiable s tate and the necessary intercourse between its members would be interfere d with by needless offences and troubles. If society were a train, the etiquette would be the rails along which only the train could rumble forth; if society were a state coach, the etiquette would be the wheels and axis on which only the coach could roll forward.
The lack of proprieties would make the most intimate friends turn to be the most decided enemies and the friendly or allied countries declare w ar against each other . We can find many examples in the history of mankind. Therefore I advise you to stand on ceremony before auyone else and to take pains not to do anything against etiquette lest you give offences or make enemies.
论礼仪
威廉．黑兹利特
礼仪对于社会犹如衣着之于个人。人若不穿衣服，就会一丝不挂，令人耻笑，必然导致道德败坏；社会要是没有礼仪，就会陷入可悲的境地，而社会成员之间所必需的交往就会被无谓的冲突和纠纷所干扰。假定社会是一列火车，礼仪就好比轨道，火车只能沿着它隆隆前进。假定社会是一辆贵宾车，礼仪就好比轮子与轴，马车只有靠它们才能滚滚前进。缺了礼节，最亲密的朋友会变成死敌，友好或结盟的国家会兵戎相见。我们可以从人类历史上找到许多这种例子。因此我劝你对于任何人都要讲究礼仪，并且尽力不做违背礼仪的事，以免冒犯他人或者树敌.
（08） an Hour Before Sunrise
an Hour Before Sunrise
An hour before sunrise in the city there in an air of cold, solitary
desolation about the noiseless streets, which we are accustomed to see thr onged at other times by a busy, eager crowd, and over the quiet,
closely shut buildings which throughout the day are swarming with life. The drunken, the dissipated, and the criminal have disappeared; the more sob er and orderly part of the population have not yet awakened to the labor s of the day, and the stillness of death is over the streets; its very hue
seems to be imparted to them, cold and lifeless as they look in the gray, somber light of daybreak. A partially opened
bedroom window here and there bespeaks the hcat of the weather and th e uneasy slumbers of its occupant; and the dim scanty flicker of a light t hrough the blinds of yonder windows denotes the chamber of watching and si ckness. Save for that sad light, the streets present no signs of life, nor t he houses of habitation.
日出前的一小时
查尔斯．狄更斯
日出前的一小时，城里一片冷清和孤寂，我们惯于看到的在一日中其他时刻挤满匆忙人群的大街变得空荡荡、静悄悄。整天人来人往、活动频繁的房屋，此刻门户紧闭、寂静无声。醉鬼、放荡者、犯罪分子都不见了；居民中比较循规蹈矩、持重沉着的人们还没有醒来开始他们一天的工作；大街死一般地寂静，似乎也染上了死一般的色彩。在拂晓阴沉、灰暗的光线里显得冷清而毫无生气。到处都有一扇扇半开半淹的卧室窗户，表明天气炎热，屋主人睡眠不宁；那边百叶窗里透露出摇曳的微光，表明那房间里有人卧病或守夜。除了那忧郁的灯光，街上一片死寂，住房里也没有人活动的迹象。
（09） The flight of youth The Flight of Youth
by Richard Henry Stoddard
There are gains for all our losses. There are balms for all our pain: But when youth, the dream, departs It takes something from our hearts, And it never comes again.
We are stronger, and are better, Under manhood's sterner reign: Still we feel that something sweet Followed youth, with flying feet, And will never come again.
Something beautiful is vanished, And we sigh for it in vain; We behold it everywhere,
On the earth, and in the air, But it never comes again!
青春的飞逝
理查德 . 亨利斯托达德
我们失去的一切都能得到补偿，
我们所有的痛苦都能得到安慰；
可是梦境似的青春一旦消逝，
它带走了我们心中某种美好的事物， 从此一去不复返回。
严峻的成年生活将我们驱使，
我们变得日益刚强、更臻完美；
可是依然感到某种甜美的东西，
已随着青春飞逝，
永不再返回。
美好的东西已经消失，
我们枉自为此叹息；
虽然在天地之间，
我们到处能看见青春的魅力，
可是它永不再返回！
英语背诵文选
（01） The First Snow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The first snow came. How beautiful it was, falling so silently all day long, all night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs of the liv ing, on the graves of the dead! All white save the river,
that marked its course by a winding black line across
the landscape; and the leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now rev ealed more fully the wonderful beauty and intricacies of their branches. Wh at silence, too, came with the snow, and
what seclusion! Every sound was muffled, every noise changed to somethin g soft and musical. No more tramping hoofs, no more ratting wheels! Only the chiming of sleigh-bells, beating as swift and merrily as the hearts of childr en.
Notes:
1. meadows: 草地、牧场
2. the living: 活着的人 （定冠词 the +形容词，表示某一类人或事物）。下面的 the dead 与此同
3. save:（adj.) 除了...... 以外 ex: All had gone save his mother.
4. leaden:(adj.) 铅灰色的
5. intricacies:(n.) 原指错综复杂，这里指树枝盘结交错
6. seclusion:宁静、远离喧嚣
7. was muffled: 被压抑而低沉
8. tramping:此处形容马蹄踏地发出的的声的样子
9. rattling:此处形容车轮发出格格声的样子
10. chiming: 由动词 chime(和谐的奏鸣、敲打）得来
11. sleigh-bells:雪橇的铃
初雪
亨利. 沃兹沃思. 朗费罗
初雪飘临。多么美啊！它整日整夜那么静静地飘着，落在山岭上，落在草地上， 落在世人的屋顶上，落在死者的坟墓上！在一片白茫茫之中，只有河流在美丽的画面上划出一道曲曲弯弯的黑线；还有那叶儿落净的树木，映衬着铅灰色的天空，此刻更显得枝丫交错，姿态万千。初雪飘落时，是何等的宁，何等的幽静！一切声响都趋沉寂，一切噪音都化作柔和的音乐。再也听不到马蹄得得，再也听不见车轮辚辚！唯有雪橇的铃铛，奏出和谐的乐声，那明快欢乐的节拍犹如孩子们心房的博动。
（02） The Humming-Bird
Of all animated beings this is the most elegant in form and the most brilliant in colors. The stones and metals polished by our arts are not co
mparable to ① this jewel of Nature ②. She ③ has placed it least in size of ④ the order of birds ⑤, "maxime miranda in minimis." ⑥ Her
masterpiece. is this little humming-bird, and upon it she has heaped all the gifts
⑦ which the other birds may only share. Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, g race, and rich apparel ⑧ all belong to this little favorite. The emerald ⑨, the ruby
⑩, and the topaz(11) gleam upon its dress(12). It never soils them with the dust of earth, and in its
aerial life scarcely touches the turfan instant. Always in the air,
flying from flower to flower, it has their freshness as well as their
brightness. It lives upon their nectar, and dwells only in the climates wher e they perennially bloom.
From Natural History
by George Louis Leclerc Buffon
[注释] ①are not comparable to ：比不上……的。
②this jewel of Nature ：这个大自然的珍宝。这里作者把美丽无比的蜂乌比作
大自然中的一颇天然珍宝。
③she ：指 Nature 。
④in size of ：按……大小。
⑤the order of birds: 鸟类。
⑥maxime miranda in minimis: 拉丁语。maxime 解作" 最大" ，miranda 解作" 值得称羡的东西" ，minimis 解作" 最小" 。
⑦upon it she has heaped all the gifts... ：大自然赋予蜂鸟…的一切资
质。
⑧rich apparel ：原义为色彩鲜艳的衣服，这里借喻蜂鸟绚丽的羽毛。
⑨emerald ：原义绿宝石，这里指翠绿色。
⑩ruby ：原义红宝石，这里指艳红色。
11) topaz ：原义黄玉，这里指徽黄色。
12) dress ：这里借喻蜂鸟的羽毛。
[中文译文] 蜂鸟 乔治．路易．勒克默尔．布丰
在一切生物中，要算蜂鸟体型员优美、颜色虽鲜艳。经过工艺加工的各种宝石和金属是无法跟这个大自然的珍宝媲美的。大自然按照鸟类的大小把它列为最小号，真是。最小的绝妙珍品" 。这种小蜂鸟是大自然的杰作。大自然把其他鸟类只能分有其中一部分的种种天赋全 部慷慨地给了它。这个小宠儿具有轻盈、敏捷、灵活、优雅以及羽毛绚丽等一切妙处。那翠绿的、艳红的、嫩黄色的羽毛闪闪发光。蜂鸟从不让它的羽毛沾染尘土，它生活在天空巾，一刻也不碰到草皮。它总是在空中飞翔，从花丛飞向花丛；它象花一样的新鲜，又象花一样的艳丽。蜂鸟靠花蜜为生，它只生活在气候宜人, 适于繁衍的地方.
（03） Pines
The le elements of order and precision. Lowland
trees may lean to this side and that, though it is but a meadow breeze that bends them, or a bank of cowslips from which their trunks lean aslope. But let storm and avalanche do their worst and let the pine
find only a ledge of vertical precipice to cling to, it will nevertheless grow
straight. Thrust a rod from its last shoot down the stem; it shall point to the centre of the earth as long as the tree lives.Also it may be well fo r lowland branches to reach hither and thither
for what they need and to take all kinds of irregular shape and extension. But the pine is trained to need nothing and to endure everything. It is resolvedly whole, self-contained desiring nothing but rightness content with r estricted completion. Tall or short it will be straight .
（04） Trees
I think that I shall never see 我想我从未见过一首
A poem lovely as a tree. 美如玉树的诗章。
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest 一棵张着饥饿嘴巴的树，
against the earth's sweet flowing breast; 紧压在大地甘美而流畅的乳房上 ；
A tree that looks at God all day, 一棵整天望着神的树，
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 举起枝叶繁茂的手臂来祈祷；
A tree that may in summer wear 一棵树在夏日里可能
A nest of robins in her hair; 戴着一窝知更鸟在头发上；
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; 雪花堆积在她的怀抱里；
Who intimately lives with the rain. 雨水也和她亲切地生活在一起。
Poems are made by fools like me, 像我这样愚笨的人可以做诗，
But only God can make a tree. 但唯有神方能造树。
by Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1919
（05） Reading Good Books
Devote some of you leisure, I repeat, to cultivating a love of reading goo d books. Fortunate indeed are those who contrive to make themselves gen uine book-lovers. For book-lovers hve some noteworthy advantages over oth
er people. They need never know lonely hours so long as they have book s around them, and the better the books the more delightful the company . From good books, moreover, they draw much besides entertainment. They gain mental food such as few companions can supply.
Even while resting from their labors they are, through the books they read, equipping themselves to perform those labors more efficiently.
This albeit they may not be deliberately reading to improve their mind. All unconsciously the ideas they derive from the printed pages are stored up, to be worked over by the imagination for their future profit.
From Self-Development
by Henry Addington Bruce
（06） The House-Cricket
Crickets are fond of kitchens and bakers' ovens, on account of their
perpetual warmth. Tender insects that live abroad either enjoy only the sho rt period of one summer, or else doze away the cold uncomfortable month s in profound slumbers; but these, residing as it were in a torrid zone, a re always alert and merry: a good Christmas fire is to them like the heat s of the dog-days. Though they are frequently heard
by day, yet is their natural time of motion only in the night. As soon as
it grows dusk, the chirping increases, and they come running forth, and ar e from the size of a flea to that of their full stature. As
one should suppose, from the burning atmosphere which they inhabit,
they are a thirsty race, and show a great propensity for liquids, being fou nd frequently drowned in pans of water, milk, broth, or the like. Whatever is moist they affect; and therefore often gnaw holes in wet woollen stock ings and aprons that are hung to the fire.
From the natural history of selborne
by Gilbert White
（07） on Etiquette
Etiquette to society is what apparel is to the individual. Without apparel m en would go in shameful nudity which would surely lead to the corruption of morals; and without etiquette society would be in a pitiable s tate and the necessary intercourse between its members would be interfere d with by needless offences and troubles. If society were a train, the etiquette would be the rails along which only the train could rumble forth; if society were a state coach, the etiquette would be the wheels and axis on which only the coach could roll forward.
The lack of proprieties would make the most intimate friends turn to be the most decided enemies and the friendly or allied countries declare w ar against each other . We can find many examples in the history of mankind. Therefore I advise you to stand on ceremony before auyone else and to take pains not to do anything against etiquette lest you give offences or make enemies.
论礼仪
威廉．黑兹利特
礼仪对于社会犹如衣着之于个人。人若不穿衣服，就会一丝不挂，令人耻笑，必然导致道德败坏；社会要是没有礼仪，就会陷入可悲的境地，而社会成员之间所必需的交往就会被无谓的冲突和纠纷所干扰。假定社会是一列火车，礼仪就好比轨道，火车只能沿着它隆隆前进。假定社会是一辆贵宾车，礼仪就好比轮子与轴，马车只有靠它们才能滚滚前进。缺了礼节，最亲密的朋友会变成死敌，友好或结盟的国家会兵戎相见。我们可以从人类历史上找到许多这种例子。因此我劝你对于任何人都要讲究礼仪，并且尽力不做违背礼仪的事，以免冒犯他人或者树敌.
（08） an Hour Before Sunrise
an Hour Before Sunrise
An hour before sunrise in the city there in an air of cold, solitary
desolation about the noiseless streets, which we are accustomed to see thr onged at other times by a busy, eager crowd, and over the quiet,
closely shut buildings which throughout the day are swarming with life. The drunken, the dissipated, and the criminal have disappeared; the more sob er and orderly part of the population have not yet awakened to the labor s of the day, and the stillness of death is over the streets; its very hue
seems to be imparted to them, cold and lifeless as they look in the gray, somber light of daybreak. A partially opened
bedroom window here and there bespeaks the hcat of the weather and th e uneasy slumbers of its occupant; and the dim scanty flicker of a light t hrough the blinds of yonder windows denotes the chamber of watching and si ckness. Save for that sad light, the streets present no signs of life, nor t he houses of habitation.
日出前的一小时
查尔斯．狄更斯
日出前的一小时，城里一片冷清和孤寂，我们惯于看到的在一日中其他时刻挤满匆忙人群的大街变得空荡荡、静悄悄。整天人来人往、活动频繁的房屋，此刻门户紧闭、寂静无声。醉鬼、放荡者、犯罪分子都不见了；居民中比较循规蹈矩、持重沉着的人们还没有醒来开始他们一天的工作；大街死一般地寂静，似乎也染上了死一般的色彩。在拂晓阴沉、灰暗的光线里显得冷清而毫无生气。到处都有一扇扇半开半淹的卧室窗户，表明天气炎热，屋主人睡眠不宁；那边百叶窗里透露出摇曳的微光，表明那房间里有人卧病或守夜。除了那忧郁的灯光，街上一片死寂，住房里也没有人活动的迹象。
（09） The flight of youth The Flight of Youth
by Richard Henry Stoddard
There are gains for all our losses. There are balms for all our pain: But when youth, the dream, departs It takes something from our hearts, And it never comes again.
We are stronger, and are better, Under manhood's sterner reign: Still we feel that something sweet Followed youth, with flying feet, And will never come again.
Something beautiful is vanished, And we sigh for it in vain; We behold it everywhere,
On the earth, and in the air, But it never comes again!
青春的飞逝
理查德 . 亨利斯托达德
我们失去的一切都能得到补偿，
我们所有的痛苦都能得到安慰；
可是梦境似的青春一旦消逝，
它带走了我们心中某种美好的事物， 从此一去不复返回。
严峻的成年生活将我们驱使，
我们变得日益刚强、更臻完美；
可是依然感到某种甜美的东西，
已随着青春飞逝，
永不再返回。
美好的东西已经消失，
我们枉自为此叹息；
虽然在天地之间，
我们到处能看见青春的魅力，
可是它永不再返回！