英语名篇诵读 健康（在线收听）

Health

健康

H. Martin(H. 马丁)

It is a common saying that we do not fully value a thing until we lose it. We often value the

love and worth of a friend when he has been taken from us by death, more than when he was with

us in the flesh ; it is only when we have left school or college that we understand the greatness

of our opportunity of education, which has gone for ever; and it is the sick and the ailing who

realize the value of good health. When we are young and strong, we cannot imagine what it is to

be weak and ailing. We are so used to vigorous health that we take it for granted. The organs of

our body work so smoothly that we scarcely know we have lungs and liver, heart and stomach.

But when any of these gets upset and gives us pain and sickness, we learn by bitter experience

what an unspeakable blessing it is to be well.

It is therefore wise and necessary to learn in time, before we have lost our health, that it can

be kept only by knowing and observing the laws of health. Nature's laws cannot be ignored with

impunity . In the long run they will avenge themselves on us if we forget them, even if they do

not do so at once. At first we may not feel the result of excesses and unhealthy habits; but we

certainly shall some day. “The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.”

Many a man who in middle age finds himself a confirmed invalid has to curse the follies of his

youth; but his remorse is vain, for Nature never forgives breaches of the laws of health.

Loss of health makes us miserable, and a burden to ourselves and our friends. It cripples

our efforts, so that we cannot accomplish many of the good and great things we might have

done. It spoils our life. What must we do to keep our health?

We must be moderate in eating and drinking, and wise in the choice of plain, wholesome

simple food. Gluttony has killed thousands, and strong drink tens of thousands. We must, when

young, get plenty of sleep, which is “nature's sweet restorer ”, and not try to burn the candle at

both ends. We must live as much as possible in the open air and keep our rooms well ventilated

. We must get sufficient and regular physical exercise, and keep our bodies clean. And we must

avoid bad habits and secret sins as we avoid the devil, and keep our thoughts pure. Our ideal must

be the sound mind in the sound body.

常言道，我们总是在失去了一样东西的时候，才意识到它的珍贵。我们常常珍惜一位

被死亡攫走的朋友的爱和价值，而他在世时我们都不以为然；只有当我们离开校门时，才

会理解我们接受教育的机会多么重要，而这种机会不会再有了；只有被病痛折磨的人才意

识到健康的价值。年富力强时，想象不到体弱多病是什么滋味，认为身强体壮是理所当然

的。我们身体的各个器官良好地运转，我们简直不知道自己有肺有肝，有心有胃。但是当

这些之中有一个出了问题，使我们感到痛苦时，我们通过痛苦的体验才知道身体健康是无

法言表的福分。

所以，在我们失去健康之前，要及时明白，只有懂得并遵守健康的规律才能保持良好

的健康，这很明智，也很必要。无视自然规律必将受到惩罚。从长远看，如果我们忘了自

然规律，自然规律就会向我们报复，即使不是立刻就报复。起初，我们也许感觉不到饮食

无度和不健康习惯的不良后果，但终有一天我们必将感觉到。“天网恢恢，疏而不漏。”许

多长期徜徉病榻的中年人只能诅咒自己年轻时的愚蠢，但他的悔恨是徒劳的，因为大自然

从不宽恕违背健康规律的人。

失去健康使我们痛苦，使我们成为家人和朋友的负担。失去健康使我们做事心有余而

力不足，难以完成我们本可以完成的许多非常伟大的事情。失去健康使我们的生活质量降

低。那么，我们该怎么做来保持健康呢？

我们必须饮食有度，明智地选择平常而有益健康的食物。暴饮暴食夺去了成千上万人

的生命，酗酒致使几十万人丧命。年轻时，我们应该保证充足的睡眠，它是“甜美的天然恢

复剂”，而不要迟睡熬夜。我们要多到户外去，呼吸新鲜空气，并使我们的房间通风良好。

我们要有足够而有规律的体育锻炼，使身体保持清洁。我们要像回避恶魔般避免坏习惯和

内心的邪恶，保持心灵和思想的纯洁。我们的理想必须是身强体壮，心理健康。