精美英文欣赏:Making changes做出改变

Making changes—getting rid of bad habits

做出改变--摆脱坏习惯

I was cleaning up my computer yesterday, organizing files, deleting¹ some unused things to make more space, and improving what I already have.

我是昨天整理我的电脑,整理文件,删除一些闲置的东西以便腾出更多的空间,提高我已经有的文件。

Even though my computer was almost five years old, pretty old in computer years, I don't plan on buying a new computer any time soon, because I just use it for some simple things.

虽然我的电脑已经用了几乎五年,这在计算机的寿命中已经算老当益壮了,但我并不打算买一台新电脑,因为我仅仅使用它处理一些简单的东西。

Anyway, so I got to thinking about, well, if I could delete² different things from "Me", what would I delete?

无论如何,我开始思考,如果我可以从自己身上删除不同的东西,我会删除吗?

If I would add certain things, what would I add.

如果我能增加某些东西,我肯定会这么做。

I guess it's possible to add or subtract³ certain physical traits⁴.

我猜可能增加或减去特定的物理特性。

Many people plastic surgery⁵ or get liposuction, or whatever, but I was thinking more about habit.

许多人通过整形手术或抽脂,或者任何东西让自己改变,但我想的更多的是习惯问题。

If I were able to delete one bad habit, and add one good habit, what would it be?

要是我能删除一个坏习惯,并添加一个好习惯,那将会是什么?

I started running through my list of bad habits, after a number of three thousand four hundred and seventy-one, I thought, "OK, Asaac, choose one!"

我就开始想自己的一些坏习惯,在数到三千四百七十一这个数字后,我自言自语道:"好吧,艾萨克,选择一个吧!"

So, I decided⁶ on knuckle⁷ cracking.

所以,我决定以扳指关节开始。

That's the one habit I want to get rid of.

那是一个我想除掉的习惯。

If I could magically add habit, I guess it would be "exercise every morning before I go to work".

如果我能神奇地增加习惯,我想这会是"每天早上锻炼后才去工作"。

All of us had bad habits, some of them aren't so bad, these could be things like: not turning off the lights when leaving the room, or watching too much television.

我们所有的人都有不好的习惯,它们中的一些也不是那么坏,这可能是诸如:不关灯离开房间,或看电视看得太多。

But, some of these bad habits are more serious, like: drinking too much, or smoking.

但是,其中的一些坏习惯更为严重,如:酗酒太多,或吸烟。

I am glad I don't have those habits.

我很高兴我没有这些习惯。

There are lots of good habits we can pick up.

我们也可以养成很多好习惯。

A person might try being nicer to people, or stop eating junk food, or try to be more punctual, not be later all the time.

一个人可能试着对人友善,或者停止吃垃圾食物,或尽量更守时,一直不吃到。

Everyone probably wants to lose bad habits, or pick up good habit, how about you?

大概每个人都希望丢掉坏习惯,或者养成良好的习惯,你呢?

What would you like to add or subtract from you life?

你想要在生命中加加减减吗?

Talk about it:

谈论下面的话题:

What are your good habits?

你有什么好习惯吗?

What are your bad habits?

你有什么坏习惯吗?

What's one bad habit you would like to get rid of?

你会想摆脱什么坏习惯?

What's one good habit you would like to add?

你会想给自己增加什么好习惯?

What would you like to change about your life?

你想要改变你的生活什么?

Is there a habit that you have that is different or unique?

你有不同或特别的一种习惯吗?

When breaking bad habits like smoking, people often say that they are cooking cold chocolate, do you know what this experience means?

当改掉像吸烟这样的坏习惯时,人们常说这好像非常难,你知道这种经验的意思吗?

What do you think the best method for breaking about a habit is?

你认为最好的改掉一个习惯的方法是什么?

1 deleting   

v.删除( delete的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Counterintelligence achieved by banning or deleting any information of value to the enemy. 通过取缔或删除任何有价值的情报来完成的反间谍活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The term configuration describes moving, adding, or deleting persistent objects. 术语“配置”概括了移动、添加或者删除持久对象。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 delete   

vt.删除文字，擦去(字迹)

参考例句：

• If you delete 50 words,we can put the whole story on one page.如果你删掉50个字，我们可以把整篇报道安排在一个版面上。
• I selected a file and pressed the Delete key.我选定了一个文件，按下了删除键。

3 subtract   

v.减去，扣除

参考例句：

• Subtract four from nine and you have five.九减四得五。
• In their first year at school,most children learn to add and subtract.入学第一年，多数孩子都学加减法。

4 traits   

n.人的个性，显著的特点，特征( trait的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We do not know which behavioural traits are inherited and which acquired. 我们不知道哪些行为特征是遗传的，哪些是后天养成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His generosity is one of his good traits. 慷慨大方是他的好品质之一。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 surgery   

n.外科，外科手术；手术室

参考例句：

• What time does surgery finish?门诊什么时间结束？
• Your condition is serious and requires surgery.你的情况很严重，需要动外科手术。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 knuckle   

n.指节；vi.开始努力工作；屈服，认输

参考例句：

• They refused to knuckle under to any pressure.他们拒不屈从任何压力。
• You'll really have to knuckle down if you want to pass the examination.如果想通过考试，你确实应专心学习。