名校励志英语演讲 130:珍惜现在 把握将来(6)

 　　A good test of a person is who turns up at their funeral and with what sincerity¹. Try not to sit the test too early, of course.

　　考验一个人是否可靠的方法是看他是否参加你的葬礼，在葬礼上是否虔诚。当然不要太早就考验。

　　Recently, I attended a funeral and the speaker said he would like to begin by reading a list of all those whose funerals he would rather have been attending, but the list was too long. It was a sweet compliment to our friend.

　　最近我参加了一个葬礼，主持人说在葬礼开始前他想先读一个名单，名单上这些人的葬礼他本该去参加的，结果却没去。这个名单很长。这对我的朋友来说也算是一种高度的赞美了。

　　Alternatively there was Spike² Milligan, the quintessential English comic who when he was asked what he would like as the epitaph on his tombstone, replied: "They should write: I told you I was ill."

　　还有一件事，当英国著名的喜剧演员斯派克?密歇根被问及希望在自己的墓碑上刻什么样是碑文时，他答道：他们应该写“我都说过我生病了。”

　　There was a colleague of mine in the British Parliament who once asked another: "Why do people take such an instant dislike to me?" and got the reply: "Because it saves time."

　　我在英国议会上的一个同事问另一个同事：“为什么人们这么快就不喜欢我了？”他得到的回答是：“因为这样节省时间。”

　　So, when others think of you, let them think not with their lips but their hearts of a good friend and a gracious acquaintance.

　　所以你们要做到，当别人想起你的时候，然他们站在一个好朋友和一个亲切的相识的角度上去评价你，而不是随便说说。

　　Above all, however, have a purpose in life. Life is not about living but about striving. When you get up, get up motivated. Live with a perpetual sense of urgency. And make at least part of that purpose about something bigger than you.

　　然而，最重要的是，生活要有目标。生活不仅仅是活着，而是要不断追求。每天早晨起来时都要带着一种动机。生活要时刻有紧迫感。而且在制定个人目标时，至少有一部分要超出个人能力范围。

　　There are great careers. There are also great causes.

　　有伟大的事业，也要有伟大的理想。

　　布莱尔的太太谢丽·布莱尔（Cherie Booth）是著名律师，两人在1976年相遇，当时他们都还在读法律。他们有三个儿子和一个女儿。他们最小的儿子里奥（Leo）出生于2000年5月20日，是20世纪第一位出生在现任英国第一家庭的孩子。虽然布莱尔一家一直希望能够保护自己的孩子隐私不受侵犯，但是还是有很多关于第一家庭的报导。布莱尔的大儿子曾被报导喝酒狂欢以庆祝中学考试结束，而这份报导是在布莱尔所提出对酒醉人士罚款的政策两天以后。

　　他的太太和孩子都是天主教徒。

　　2003年10月19日布莱尔曾因心脏问题接受治疗。

1 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

2 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。