第522期:英语美文-Attending to Little Things

 　　Attending to the Little Things

　　人性化的本质其实就是kindness,善意，善良。这些善意体现在产品中，就叫人性化。而我们在人际交往中，小小的善意，也会让你和他人的关系瞬间变得温暖，和谐。但若是忽视了一些小节，有时，也会在不经意间伤害到他人的感情。今天就来分享一篇关于注重小节的美文。这个故事选择《高效能人士的七个习惯》。

　　New Words:

　　courtesy¹ n.谦恭有礼，礼貌;

　　trampoline n.蹦床

　　somersault n. 翻筋斗

　　sensitive adj. 敏感的;

　　calloused² adj. 铁石心肠的，无情的

　　The little kindnesses and courtesies³ are so important. Small discourtesies, little unkindnesses, little forms of disrespect make large withdrawals⁴. In relationships, the little things are the big things.

　　一些看似无关紧要的小事，如忽视礼貌，不经意的失言，最能消耗情感账户的存款。在人际关系中，最重要的正是这些小事。

　　I remember an evening I spent with two of my sons some years ago. It was an organized father-and-son outing, complete with gymnastics, wrestling matches, hot dogs, orangeade, and a movie-- the works.

　　我记得几年前的一个傍晚，正是我同两个儿子一起外出活动的时间，一般就是做运动、看摔跤比赛、吃热狗、喝果汁和看电影这些事情。

　　In the middle of the movie, Sean, who was then four years old, fell asleep in his seat. His older brother, Stephen, who was six, stayed awake, and we watched the rest of the movie together. When it was over, I picked Sean up in my arms, carried him out to the car and laid him in the back seat. It was very cold that night, so I took off my coat and gently arranged it over and around him. When we arrived home, I quickly carried Sean in and tucked⁵ him into bed. After Stephen put on his "jammies" and brushed his teeth, I lay down next to him to talk about the night out together.

　　电影看到一半，4岁的儿子肖恩在座位上睡着了，6岁的史蒂芬还醒着，我们两个人一起看完了那部电影。电影结束后，我抱起肖恩，走到我们的车前，打开车门，把他放在后座上。那天晚上很冷，于是我脱下外套，轻轻地盖在他的身上。回到家，把肖恩送上床，我又照顾6岁的史蒂芬准备睡觉。他上床以后，我躺在他身边，父子俩聊着当晚的趣事。

　　There wasn't much response on his part. I found myself making conversation. I wondered why Stephen wouldn't open up more. He usually did when exciting things happened. I was a little disappointed. I sensed something was wrong; he had been so quiet on the way home and getting

　　ready for bed. Suddenly Stephen turned over on his side, facing the wall. I wondered why and lifted myself up just enough to see his eyes welling up with tears.

　　他不怎么说话。我发现我一个人在尬聊。史蒂芬不太愿意说更多了。要知道平常他总是兴高采烈地忙着发表意见，我有些小失望。觉得有点不对劲。从回家到准备睡觉，他一直都异常的安静。突然史蒂芬偏过头去，对着墙。我和很好奇翻身一看，才发现他眼中噙着泪水。

　　"What's wrong, honey? What is it?"

　　“怎么啦?孩子，有什么不对吗?”

　　He turned back, and I could sense he was feeling some embarrassment⁶ for the tears and his quivering⁷ lips and chin.

　　他转过头来，我能感到嘴唇和下巴微微的颤着，流着泪，他有点不好意思地问:

　　"Daddy, if I were cold, would you put your coat around me too?"

　　“爸，如果我也觉得冷，你会不会也脱下外套披在我身上?”

　　Of all the events of that special night out together, the most important was a little act of kindness – a momentary⁸, unconscious showing of love to his little brother.

　　那天晚上我们一起做了那么多事，可是在他看来，最重要的却是我不经意间对他弟弟流露出的父爱。

　　What a powerful, personal lesson that experience was to me then and is even now. People are very tender, very sensitive inside. I don't believe age or experience makes much difference. Inside, even within the most toughened and calloused exteriors⁹, are the tender feelings and emotions of the heart.

　　这件事无论在当时还是现在，对我来说都是深刻的教训。人的内心都是极其柔弱和敏感的，不分年龄和资历。哪怕是在最坚强和冷漠的外表下，也往往隐藏着一颗脆弱的心。

1 courtesy   

n.谦恭有礼，礼貌的举止，好意，恩惠

参考例句：

• She called on us merely for the sake of courtesy.她来访只是为了礼貌。
• After a few words of courtesy,they got down to business.双方客气了一番，就开始谈正事。

2 calloused   

adj.粗糙的，粗硬的，起老茧的v.（使）硬结，（使）起茧( callous的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）冷酷无情

参考例句：

• A most practical and emotionally calloused Youth interrupted. 一个非常讲究实际而心肠很硬的年轻人插了一嘴。 来自辞典例句
• McTeague exhibited his hard, calloused palms. 麦克梯格摊开那双生满老茧坚硬的手掌。 来自辞典例句

3 courtesies   

谦恭有礼，礼貌，请安( courtesy的名词复数 )； 有礼貌的举止[言词]； 承蒙

参考例句：

• I speak very freely; the time is not for courtesies. 我话说得非常放肆；现在不是讲究礼貌的时候。
• He may freely receive courtesies that knows how to requite them. 知道如何还礼的人才可随意收礼。

4 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

5 tucked   

塞进( tuck的过去式和过去分词 )； 翻折； 盖住； 卷起

参考例句：

• She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. 她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。

6 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

7 quivering   

adj.颤抖的v.微颤，抖动( quiver的现在分词 )；使震动

参考例句：

• He is quivering with anger. 他气得全身发抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pine needles were still quivering. 松针还在抖动着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

9 exteriors   

n.外面( exterior的名词复数 )；外貌；户外景色图

参考例句：

• You mustn't judge people by their exteriors. 你不能以貌取人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some artists only paint exteriors. 有些艺术家只画户外景色。 来自《简明英汉词典》