要有选择，有效率的做题。读解最关键是长句子的理解和抓住作者的写作思路，文脉。关于考试的话，建议买那种带翻译和解答说明，分析的练习书。带翻译的你要重点看长句子，这样有助于理解句型（这个可以顺带复习文法，如果文法太薄弱建议花点时间，因为不仅考试有文法题，文法还影响阅读质量和速度），做多了，遇到长句子就能一眼能够分出结构。答案后边的分析能写出作者的心思，思路，可以帮助渐渐理解日本人的思维。另外，时间不够也是一个要要注意的问题，需要掌握技巧，不要一字一句看的特别细，看一段读解的时候，从头到尾浏览一遍，然后看首，尾和关键句。这里说一下，关键句和关键词是很重要的，大部分读解的最后一题都和关键词关键句有关。所以你要找出每段的关键句和全文的关键词（基本上是出现最多的词，或者各种同义词）。从每一段的首，尾和关键句整理出来文章的文脉和作者的思路，就大概能推出作者想表达的东西了，这样最后一题那种作者到底想表达什么或者起标题之类的题就不用浪费时间纠结了。希望有帮助，如果你有考试的话，可以说一下是考什么，我看看有没有可推荐的书。加油吧！
多做做题，会有感觉的。题海战术有时还是挺有用的。
你为什么学日语？
为了追星？为了更好的工作？为了去日本旅游？想学习日语的你，一定在为选什么教材而困惑。市面上这么多日语教材，该选择哪本好呢？
其实，在市面上主流的日语基础教材大致有三套：
1、《新编日语》上外出版社
2、《新版中日交流标准日本语》人民教育出版社
3、《大家的日语》外语教学与研究出版社
那么，下面就带着大家一起看看这三套主流教材的特点吧？
首先，《新编日语》日语专业使用最广泛的教材，这套教材的主编是曾经的上海外国语大学日本文化经济学院日本研究中心主任周平老师，这套教材应该算是国内很经典的一套教材，可以被看做学院派的经典之作，获得过国家教委高校优秀教材一等奖、上海哲学社会科学优秀成果著作类二等奖。0基础入门到高级教学，添加老师威:ryu7762邀您一起听日语直播课，学习日语入门基础教程，讲的基本上通俗易懂，充满风趣教学。
教材排版
小本，竖向排版（文字竖着书写，参照日本书籍的排版形式，刚刚开始用可能有些不习惯）
教材优势
1、一般作为大学日语专业使用的教材，权威专业。
2、内容上分为：前文、会话文、读解文，难度由浅入深循序渐进，其中会话文以前文为背景，整体教材的主题丰富。
2、语法句型知识系统详备，能帮助初学者将知识进行系统串联。
3、配有较多的习题，能够及时巩固知识点，有些出版社甚至专门出过这套教材习题的精讲图书。
有待提升
文章侧重结合词汇、语法、句型等方面，并兼顾各种文章体裁。上个世纪90年代初出版，有些内容已经滞后。比如：里面有一些文章是介绍上海外滩、南京路，现在看里面的内容只能呵呵哒。不过，在当时能编写出来实属不易。语法的讲解有些使用的用语比较专业，如果没有老师指导的情况下，可能略有难度，所以很多自学的学生不太愿意选择这套教材，原因就在这里。
《新版中日交流标准日本语》这套教材其实是中日合作产物，由人民教育出版社和光村图书出版株式会社一起开发的。在国内被视为自学日语使用最广泛的教材，你可以看看各类的辅导班级，大学二外，自学者手里几乎人手一套。到图书馆自习室一看，哇，好多人都有一个“大黄书”。到目前为止，一共有6册（标日初级上下册、标日中级上下册、标日高级上下册）从教学角度学完初级对应日语能力考N4左右水平，学完中级对应日语能力考N2左右水平，高级对应N1左右水平。（PS：不是绝对的，仅供参考）
教材排版
大开本，横向排版。
教材优势
1、课文内容相对《新编日语》生动，采用情境型会话，注重实用性。整套教材课文内容围绕几位主人公展开（比如：小李，佐藤，李秀丽等人），连贯性强，跟看小说似的。
2、教材内容相对新编，更容易理解。适合自学日语的同学。
3、内容难度编排应对日语能力考比较合适。
有待提升
1、语法体系的编排相对零散，需要由老师或自己做一定的整理和汇总，才能达到相对整体的认识。
2、有些课后单词并未出现在课文中，初级学生学习的时候可能会觉得单词量比较大，这里可能是编者希望大家多学一些单词吧？
对，所以本书籍一大特色就是：轻松、“愉快”、”内容少“。
教材排版
大开本
教材优势
1、重视会话和日常交流，一些日本语言学校会采用这套教材，利用日本老师口语的优势，结合教材加强学生日常会话能力的提升。
2、相对轻松，因为这套教材初级两本的难度比前面两套教材初级两本难度低了不少，所以会感觉so easy。
3、成书相比前面两套教材稍晚一些，所以内容较为新颖，符合年轻人。
有待提升
语法的内容略单薄，词汇量相比前面的教材略单薄，应付日常交流会话尚可，如果深入学习希望阅读日语文章或参加日语能力考则显得不足。
总结三套教材到底如何选择
1、《新版标日》在三本教材中，属于综合性较强，介于两者之间的教材，所以在初学的时候可以适当考虑这套教材，为了提升日常交流会话可以适当参考《大家的日语》。最后，可以用《新编日语》做一些语法和词汇的扩充。
2、每本教材的编写都有自身的历史背景和侧重点，所以没有谁是最好的，也没有谁是最不好之分。关键还是看哪本教材更适合你的口味。比如：你希望轻松一点就选大家的日语。
楼主这么着急，连邮箱都没有留，发不了给你哇~最好留个qq邮箱啦，这样下载不受限制~
「邮政民営化は、おれの信念だ。杀されてもいい」「民営化に反対することは、手足を缚って泳げというようなものだ」。今回の众院解散剧で、小泉首相の言叶は、たんかを切るようだ。 たんかを切る:歯切れよく威势のよい调子でまくし立てたり、相手をやりこめたりする。（大声训斥,大声痛斥） “邮政民营化是我的信念。即使牺牲也在所不惜。”“反对（邮政）民营化,就像是捆绑着手脚游泳一般。”在这次众议院的解散闹剧上,小泉首相的话,就像是在大声训斥一般。 それが人の心を高ぶらせるのか、世论の支持率が上がっている。「生死を问わずつかまえろ」「やつらをいぶり出せ」。ブッシュ米大统领も西部剧を思わせるような表现で、同时多発テロ直後の米国人の心をつかんだ。 たかぶる:兴奋する。「神経が―？る」 いぶり出す:いぶして中にいる虫？獣などを外に追い出す。いぶしだす。 或许是因为此言振奋了人心,其支持率在不断上升。“不管死活都要把他们抓住”、“把那些家伙赶出去”。布什总统也以西部剧式的方式,在连环恐怖事件后紧紧地抓住美国人的心。 昨今の政治では、说得の论法よりも、感情に诉える短い言叶が人を动かす。「かつて、政治家の演说は、わざわざ演说会场まで闻きに行くものだった。政治家は论理とレトリックに工夫を凝らした」。故ケネディ大统领のスピーチライターだったソレンセン元补佐官に、そんな话を闻いたことがある。 时下的政治,与其说是以说服的方式,倒不如说是以包含感情的简短言行打动了人们。已故的肯尼迪总统的发言执笔人,原助理官员索任森曾说过这样的话:“过去,政治家的演说（人们是会）特地到会场去听的。政治家在伦理和语言表达的技巧上下了苦功。” テレビ时代の政治家は、视聴者がチャンネルを切り替える前に、刺激的な言叶を投げつけねばならない。首相の解散会见の视聴率は时を追うに従ってうなぎ登りだった。 うなぎ登り:物事が急激に上がっていくこと。「―に物価が上がる」 电视时代的政治家们,必须在观众切换频道之前说一些言行激烈的话语（以吸引观众）。首相就议会解散事件而召开的会见随着时间其收视率不断飙升。 名演说というと、「人民の人民による人民のための政治」というリンカーン大统领のゲティズバーグ演说を思い出す。あれは国有墓地の奉献式で追加的に行われたあいさつだった。メーンの演说は、雄弁で名高いハーバード大元総长が2时间も行った。リンカーンはわずか3分间で、写真班がレンズの焦点を合わせているうちに终わった。 ほうオけん［0］「奉献」―する 神仏？目上の人にさしあげること。 说起的演说不由得令人想起林肯总统盖提兹堡演说中的（名句）“因人民而产生政治服务于人民”。那是在祭拜国家公墓仪式后的发言。当时主要的演讲是由善于雄辩的前哈佛大学校长进行的。但林肯在短短的三分钟内,在照相机还在调焦的时候就已经结束了演讲。 それでもリンカーンの言叶が残ったのは、その崇高な理念にもよるが、何よりも彼が米国の分裂を防ぎ、奴隷を解放したからだろう。小泉首相の言叶を、歴史はどう记忆するだろうか。 尽管如此,林肯的演讲所留下的是因其崇高理念所带来的,比什么都重要的反国家分裂、解放奴隶的（精神）吧？不知小泉首相的话会在历史留下怎样的记忆？
生活の文化を笑颜であるし、何もない滞纳私たちは、常にする必要があるので苦い。感谢の気持ちでいっぱいの人生への対処、少なくとも、それは私たちの生活を与えている、生き残るために私たちを与えた。笑颜の金持ちと贫しい人々 の生活态度、状况が必ずしも位置ではありません。金持ちは常に心配でした、しかし贫しいを缓和することがあります: 障害楽観の穷状容易になります;、スムーズな难色を示す场合があります、人々 が笑颜... 人の感情的な环境、これはかなり普通ですが、苦い、1 组の kudachoushen 状况に直面し、変更がない、する生活の向上と、笑颜、他のメンバーに、话に前向き场合は逆に、机会の详细になります。Sun の现実を感じるように太阳の光の心臓部のみ] は、しばしば颜、苦しんでいる场合その生活より良いですか？ 人生は我々 のイメージによると、ミラーは泣く、泣く、私たちの生活と笑颜、笑颜で生活。笑颜、心が、どちらも弱いバカも强力にお世辞のであります。あなたの笑颜、お世辞で虚伪スマイル マスクが长く、ないだろうと、机会があるあれば、彼らを明らかに、以下のサイトを対象になります。目的の笑颜、それ、上司はガードのかどうかは、笑颜とは、笑颜他の点である、尊重の生活。笑颜を「复帰」は、関系は物理学力のバランス、何を言うよう他人ためには、他多く笑颜を扱います、他お客様の笑颜详细になります。他のユーザーによって歪められての怒りを选択することができます、笑颜を选択することもできます、笑颜は小さく、感じる开放的な方法で丑いは明らかに、他の心の冲撃されますので通常は笑颜の力をさらに大きなになります。清経、暗い云からであります。时々 あまり说明不要です。故意 vilify 人を知っていたは、人は彼は笑颜を与えたそれの残りの部分がそれを证明する时间だった。その时、どこでも、アインシュタインの理论が间违っていると 100 の科学者を目撃することだったのだ、アインシュタインと言うこのことは、ちょうど、笑颜のヒントを知って、多くに 100 人、私は本当にですか？ だけ间违って男前方に来た。アインシュタインの论者ビートに笑颜を明らかにしなかったが、时间のテストが行われました。笑颜の心、伪装することはできません。人生は良くなると、「笑颜」考え方をしてください。生活の中で挫折失败した误解に暮らすしたい场合は、まずすべての障害物の明确べきこと、全く正常です。笑颜は爱情、爱の本质であり、平凡なことがある必要があります。笑颜は最高のビジネス カードの生活と人は楽観的な人间の友达に话をしたくはないですか？ 笑颜を自信を持って、自分を与えることができますが、また他の人に向上につながる、自信を持って、动机付け潜在的な。笑颜はお友达との间の最高の言语、自発的な笑颜、冲撃は、最初のかどうか互いを知っている、长い时间、お互いの间の距离に笑颜他暖かい感じ。笑颜は达成であり、大きな成果、诚心诚意、笑颜の本质である奨励、暖かいです。本当に、常に简単な他より多くの成功を达成するためには、常に简単に笑颜を知っています。微笑是一种信仰微笑是一种修养 生活并没有拖欠我们任何东西，所以没有必要总苦着脸。应对生活充满感激，至少，它给了我们生命，给了我们生存的空间。 微笑是对生活的一种态度，跟贫富，地位，处境没有必然的联系。一个富翁可能整天忧心忡忡，而一个穷人可能心情舒畅：一位残疾人可能坦然乐观；一位处境顺利的人可能会愁眉不展，一位身处逆境的人可能会面带微笑…… 一个人的情绪受环境的影响，这是很正常的，但你苦着脸，一副苦大仇深的样子，对处境并不会有任何的改变，相反，如果微笑着去生活，那会增加亲和力，别人更乐于跟你交往，得到的机会也会更多。 只有心里有阳光的人，才能感受到现实的阳光，如果连自己都常苦着脸，那生活如何美好？生活始终是一面镜子，照到的是我们的影像，当我们哭泣时，生活在哭泣，当我们微笑时，生活也在微笑。 微笑发自内心，不卑不亢，既不是对弱者的愚弄，也不是对强者的奉承。奉承时的笑容，是一种假笑，而面具是不会长久的，一旦有机会，他们便会除下面具，露出本来的面目。 微笑没有目的，无论是对上司，还是对门卫，那笑容都是一样，微笑是对他人的尊重，同时是对生活的尊重。微笑是有"回报"的，人际关系就像物理学上所说的力的平衡，你怎样对别人，别人就会怎样对你，你对别人的微笑越多，别人对你的微笑也会越多。 在受到别人的曲解后，可以选择暴怒，也可以选择微笑，通常微笑的力量会更大，因为微笑会震撼对方的心灵，显露出来的豁达气度让对方觉得自己渺小，丑陋。 清者自清，浊者自浊。有时候过多的解释、争执是没有必要的。对于那些无理取闹、蓄意诋毁的人，给他一个微笑，剩下的事就让时间去证明好了。 当年，有人处处说爱因斯坦的理论错了，并且说有一百位科学家联合作证，爱因斯坦知道了这件事，只是淡淡的笑了笑，说，一百位？要这么多人？只要证明我真的错了，一个人出面便行了。 爱因斯坦的理论经历了时间的考验，而那些人却让一个微笑打败了。 微笑发自内心，无法伪装。保持“微笑”的心态，人生会更加美好。人生中有挫折有失败，有误解，那是很正常的，要想生活中一片坦途，那么首先就应清除心中的障碍。微笑的实质便是爱，懂得爱的人，一定不会是平庸的。 微笑是人生最好的名片，谁不希望跟一个乐观向上的人交朋友呢？微笑能给自己一种信心，也能给别人一种信心，从而更好地激发潜能。 微笑是朋友间最好的语言，一个自然流露的微笑，胜过千言万语，无论是初次谋面也好，相识已久也好，微笑能拉近人与人之间的距离，另彼此之间倍感温暖。 微笑是一种修养，并且是一种很重要的修养，微笑的实质是亲切，是鼓励，是温馨。真正懂得微笑的人，总是容易获得比别人更多的机会，总是容易取得成功。
日语小白，每天半小时自学日语70天，作文写成这样算及格吗？
《日语阅读精选50篇》（吕寅秋//张云凤//杨吉萍）电子书网盘下载免费在线阅读
链接：
书名：日语阅读精选50篇
作者：吕寅秋//张云凤//杨吉萍
豆瓣评分：8.3
出版社：上海交大
出版年份：2010-2
页数：282
内容简介：
《日语阅读精选50篇》选用了50篇文章，由浅入深，难度相当于日语能力测试2级到1级或J.TEST实用日语测试A-D级的水平。除了正文之外，《日语阅读精选50篇》还编纂了详尽的单词表和语法注释，可以使自学者无师自通，充分理解文章内容。每课的练习题与日语能力测试及J.TEST实用日语测试充分接轨，能起到深化对课文理解之功能。译文部分可以帮助学习者对文章内容的最后确认。我们认为，通过这样的学习过程，可以较快地提高对现代日语文章的理解能力。
1.Nasreddin was cutting a branch off a tree in his garden.While he wassawing,another man passed in the street.He stopped and said,Excuse me, but if you continue to saw that brancd like that, you will fall downwith it.He said this because Nasreddin was sitting on the branch andcutting it at a place between himself and the trunk of the tree. Nasreddin said nothing.He thought,This is some foolish person whohas no work to do and goes about telling other people what to do andwhat not to do. The man continued on his way. Of course, after a few minutes.The branch fell and Nasreddin fellwith it. My God!he cried.That man knows the future !and he ran after himto ask how long he was going to live.But the man had gone. Multiple choice ( )1.One day Nasreddin was cutting a branch_______a tree in his garden. A.on B.in C.at D.off ( )2.While Nasreddin was sawing,another man_______. A.told him to stop working B.told him he would fall down C. would borrow something from him D.would help him saw that branch ( ) 3. After the man went away,Nasreddin thought that________. A. that was a silly fellow B..that was a wise person C.that was a proud person D.that fellow cheated him ( ) 4.What happened to Nasreddin after a few minutes? A.The brancd fell .B.Nasreddin fell down to the ground. C.Nasreddin was hurt himself. D..Both A and B. ( ) 5.This story is about ________. A.a foolish man B. a wise man C.cutting a tree D.the necessity of taking good advice 2.Nasreddin woke up in the middle of the night and saw something whitein his garden.It seemed to be moving towards the house. That is a thief(小偷)! He thought,and he took his gun and shot(开枪) at him. Then he went back to bed,because he was too frightened害怕) to go out of the house in the dark. The next morning Nasreddin went out and saw one of his white shirts hanging on the clothes-line in the garden,his wife had washed it the day before and hung it out to dry. Now it had a bullet- hole right through middle of it. My God,said Nasreddin, I was lucky last night. If I had been wearing that shirt,the bullet would have killed me! And he called his neighbours together and asked them to thank God for saving him. Multiple choice ( )1.At midnight Nasreddin saw_____in his garden. A.something strange B. a thief C.something white D.a ghost ( )2.Nasreddin was so frightened that he ______. A.cried out for help B.dared not go out of the house C.dared not stay in his house D.couldn't say a word ( )3. The next morning Nasreddin found________ . A.his wife in the garden B.the clothes-line C. the thief dead D.a bullet-hole through the white shirt ( )4.Nasreddin said that if he had been wearing taht shirt_______. A.he would be killed B. he would die C.he would have killed D.he would have been killed ( )5.He called his neighbors together in order to_______. A.make a speech B.tell the story C.thank God D.thank them
初中英语阅读短文
适合初中学生阅读的短文有哪些呢?下面我为大家准备了初中的英语阅读短文，希望大家喜欢!
初中英语阅读短文一：The Road To Happiness幸福之道
It is a commonplace among moralists that you cannot get happiness by pursuing it. This is only true if you pursue it unwisely. Gamblers at Monte Carlo are pursuing money, and most of them lose it instead, but there are other ways of pursuing money, which often succeed.
So it is with happiness. If you pursue it by means of drink, you are forgetting the hang-over. Epicurus pursued it by living only in congenial society and eating only dry bread, supplemented by a little cheese on feast days.
His method proved successful in his case, but he was a valetudinarian, and most people would need something more vigorous. For most people, the pursuit of happiness, unless supplemented in various ways, is too abstract and theoretical to be adequate as a personal rule of life. But I think that whatever personal rule of life you may choose it should not, except in rare and heroic cases, be incompatible with happiness.
There are a great many people who have all the material conditions of happiness, i.e. health and a sufficient income, and who, nevertheless, are profoundly unhappy. In such cases it would seem as if the fault must lie with a wrong theory as to how to live. In one sense, we may say that any theory as to how to live is wrong.
We imagine ourselves more different from the animals than we are. Animals live on impulse, and are happy as long as external conditions are favorable. If you have a cat it will enjoy life if it has food and warmth and opportunities for an occasional night on the tiles. Your needs are more complex than those of your cat, but they still have their basis in instinct. In civilized societies, especially in English-speaking societies, this is too apt to be forgotten.
People propose to themselves some one paramount objective, and restrain all impulses that do not minister to it. A businessman may be so anxious to grow rich that to this end he sacrifices health and private affections. When at last he has become rich, no pleasure remains to him except harrying other people by exhortations to imitate his noble example.
Many rich ladies, although nature has not endowed them with any spontaneous pleasure in literature or art, decide to be thought cultured, and spend boring hours learning the right thing to say about fashionable new books that are written to give delight, not to afford opportunities for dusty snobbism.
If you look around at the men and women whom you can call happy, you will see that they all have certain things in common. The most important of these things is an activity which at most gradually builds up something that you are glad to see coming into existence.
Women who take an instinctive pleasure in their children can get this kind of satisfaction out of bringing up a family. Artists and authors and men of science get happiness in this way if their own work seems good to them.
But there are many humbler forms of the same kind of pleasure. Many men who spend their working life in the city devote their weekends to voluntary and unremunerated toil in their gardens, and when the spring comes, they experience all the joys of having created beauty.
The whole subject of happiness has, in my opinion, been treated too solemnly. It had been thought that man cannot be happy without a theory of life or a religion. Perhaps those who have been rendered unhappy by a bad theory may need a better theory to help them to recovery, just as you may need a tonic when you have been ill. But when things are normal a man should be healthy without a tonic and happy without a theory.
It is the simple things that really matter. If a man delights in his wife and children, has success in work, and finds pleasure in the alternation of day and night, spring and autumn, he will be happy whatever his philosophy may be. If, on the other hand, he finds his wife fateful, his children's noise unendurable, and the office a nightmare; if in the daytime he longs for night, and at night sighs for the light of day, then what he needs is not a new philosophy but a new regimen----a different diet, or more exercise, or what not.
Man is an animal, and his happiness depends on his physiology more than he likes to think. This is a humble conclusion, but I cannot make myself disbelieve it. Unhappy businessmen, I am convinced, would increase their happiness more by walking six miles every day than by any conceivable change of philosophy.
道德家们常说：幸福靠追求是得不到的。只有用不明智的方式去追求才是这样。蒙特卡洛城的赌徒们追求金钱，但多数人却把钱输掉了，而另外一些追求金钱的办法却常常成功。追求幸福也是一样。如果你通过畅饮来追求幸福，那你就忘记了酒醉后的不适。埃毕丘鲁斯追求幸福的办法是只和志趣相投的人一起生活，只吃不涂黄油的面包，节日才加一点奶酪。他的办法对他来说是成功的，但他是个体弱多病的人，而多数人需要的是精力充沛。就多数人来说，除非你有别的补充办法，这样追求快乐就过于抽象和脱离实际，不宜作为个人的生活准则。不过，我觉得无论你选择什么样的生活准则，除了那些罕见的和英雄人物的例子外，都应该是和幸福相容的。
很多人拥有获得幸福的全部物质条件，即健康的身体和丰足的收入，可是他们非常不快乐。就这种情况来说，似乎问题处在生活理论的错误上。从某种意义上讲，我们可以说任何关于生活的理论都是不正确的。我们和动物的区别并没有我们想象的那么大。动物是凭冲动生活的，只要客观条件有利，它们就会快乐。如果你有一只猫，它只要有东西吃，感到暖和，偶尔晚上得到机会去寻欢，它就会很快活。你的需要比你的猫要复杂一些，但还是以本能为基础的。在文明社会中，特别是在讲英语的社会中，这一点很容易被忘却。人们给自己定下一个最高的目标，对一切不利于实现这一目标的冲动都加以克制。生意人可能因为切望发财以致不惜牺牲健康和爱情。等他终于发了财，他除了苦苦劝人效法他的好榜样而搅得别人心烦外，并没有得到快乐。很多有钱的贵妇人，尽管自然并未赋予她们任何欣赏文学或艺术的兴趣，却决意要使别人认为她们是有教养的，于是他们花费很多烦人的时间学习怎样谈论那些流行的新书。这些书写出来是要给人以乐趣的，而不是要给人以附庸风雅的机会的。
只要你观察一下周围那些你可称之为幸福的男男女女，就会看出他们都有某些共同之处。在这些共同之处中有一点是最重要的：那就是活动本身，它在大多数情况下本身就很有趣，而且可逐渐的使你的愿望得以实现。生性喜爱孩子的妇女，能够从抚养子女中得到这种满足。艺术家、作家和科学家如果对自己的工作感到满意，也能以同样的方式得到快乐。不过，还有很多是较低层次的快乐。许多在城里工作的人到了周末自愿地在自家的庭院里做无偿的劳动，春天来时，他们就可尽情享受自己创造的美景带来的快乐。
在我看来，整个关于快乐的话题一向都被太严肃的对待过了。过去一直有这样的看法：如果没有一种生活的理论或者宗教信仰，人是不可能幸福的。也许那些由于理论不好才导致不快乐的人需要一种较好的理论帮助他们重新快活起来，就像你生过病需要吃补药一样。但是，正常情况下，一个人不吃补药也应当是健康的;没有理论也应当是幸福的。真正有关系的是一些简单的事情。如果一个男人喜爱他的妻子儿女，事业有成，而且无论白天黑夜，春去秋来，总是感到高兴，那么不管他的理论如何，都会是快乐的。反之，如果他讨厌自己的妻子，受不了孩子们的吵闹，而且害怕上班;如果他白天盼望夜晚，而到了晚上又巴望着天明，那么，他所需要的就不是一种新的理论，而是一种新的生活——改变饮食习惯，多锻炼身体等等。
人是动物，他的幸福更多的时候取决于其生理状况而非思想状况。这是一个很庸俗的结论，然而我无法使自己怀疑它。我确信，不幸福的商人与其找到新的理论来使自己幸福，还不如每天步行六英里更见效。
初中英语阅读短文二：If the Dream is Big Enough如果梦想足够大
I used to watch her from mykitchenwindow, she seemed so small as she muscled her way throughthecrowd of boys on the playground. The school was across thestreetfrom our home and I would often watch the kids as theyplayedduring recess. A sea of children, and yet to me, she stoodout fromthem all.I remr the first day I saw her playing basketball.
I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids.Shemanaged to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into thenet.The boys always tried to stop her but no one could.I begantonotice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone.Shewould practice dribbling and shooting over and overagain,sometimes until dark.
One day I asked her why she practicedsomuch. She looked directly in my eyes and without a momentofhesitation she said, “I want to go to college. The only way Icango is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I decided thatifI were good enough, I would get a scholarship.
I am going toplaycollege basketball.
I want to be the best. My Daddy told me ifthedream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiledandran towards the court to recap the routine I had seen overandover again.
Well, I had to give it to her—she was determined.Iwatched her through those junior high years and into highschool.Every week, she led her varsity team to victory.One day inhersenior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head cradled inherarms.
I walked across the street and sat down in the coolgrassbeside her. Quietly I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,”came asoft reply. “I am just too short.” The coach told her that at5’5”she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team—muchless offered a scholarship—so she should stop dreamingaboutcollege.She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tightenas Isensed her disappointment.
I asked her if she had talked to herdadabout it yet.She lifted her head from her hands and told methather father said those coaches were wrong. They just didnotunderstand the power of a dream. He told her that if shereallywanted to play for a good college, if she truly wantedascholarship, that nothing could stop her except one thing — herownattitude. He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, thefactsdon’t count.”The next year, as she and her team went totheNorthern California Championship game, she was seen by acollege recruiter.
She was indeed offered a scholarship, a fullride, toa Division I, NCAA women’s basketball team. She was goingto getthe college education that she had dreamed of and workedtoward forall those years.It’s true: If the dream is big enough,the factsdon’t count.
我以前常常从厨房的窗户看到她穿梭于操场上的一群男孩子中间，她显得那么矮小。
学校在我家的街对面，我可以经常看到孩子们在下课时间打球。尽管有一大群的孩子，但我觉得她跟其他的孩子截然不同。
我记得第一天看到她打篮球的情景。看着她在其他孩子旁边兜来转去，我感到十分惊奇。她总是尽力地跳起投篮，球恰好越过那些孩子的头顶飞入篮筐。那些男孩总是拼命地阻止她，但没有人可以做得到。
我开始注意到她有时候一个人打球。她一遍遍地练习运球和投篮，有时直到天黑。有一天我问她为什么这么刻苦地练习。她直视着我的'眼睛，不加思索地说:“我想上大学。只有获得奖学金我才能上大学。我喜欢打篮球，我想只要我打得好，我就能获得奖学金。我要到大学去打篮球。我想成为最棒的球员。我爸爸告诉我说，心中有目标，风雨不折腰。”说完她笑了笑，跑向篮球场，又开始我之前见过的一遍又一遍的练习。
嘿，我服了她了——她是下定了决心了。我看着她这些年从初中升到高中。每个星期，她带领的学校篮球代表队都能够获胜。
高中那会儿的某一天，我看见她坐在草地上，头埋在臂弯里。我穿过街道，坐到她旁边的清凉的草地上。我轻轻地问出什么事了。“哦，没什么，”她轻声回答，“只是我太矮了。”原来篮球教练告诉她，以五英尺五英寸的身材，她几乎是没有机会到一流的球队去打球的——更不用说会获得奖学金了——所以她应该放弃想上大学的梦想。
她很伤心，我也觉得自己的喉咙发紧，因为我感觉到了她的失望。我问她是否与她的爸爸谈过这件事。
她从臂弯里抬起头，告诉我，她爸爸说那些教练错了。他们根本不懂得梦想的力量。他告诉她，如果真的想到一个好的大学去打篮球，如果她真的想获得奖学金，任何东西也不能阻止她，除非她自己不愿意。他又一次跟她说：“心中有目标，风雨不折腰。”
第二年，当她和她的球队去参加北加利福尼亚州冠军赛时，她被一位大学的招生人员看中了。她真的获得了奖学金，一个全面资助的奖学金，并且进入美国全国大学体育协会其中一队女子甲组篮球队。她将接受她曾梦想并为之奋斗多年的大学教育。
是的，心中有目标，风雨不折腰。
如果我们能够每日晨读一些励志好 文章 ，这简直是这一天最好的开始。以下是我为大家精心推荐的适合每日晨读的励志美文，希望你会喜欢。每日晨读励志好文章篇一：傻逼样的去坚持 作者：哼哼哈hi 仅以此文，送给那些正在踌躇满志的人，希望能带给你们一点勇气和能量。愿你抛开一切，尝试一次。 岁月中，总得有一次活的像个傻逼一样，为了自己想要的事而努力，体会一次成功究竟有多牛逼。 别总嘲笑身边傻傻付出的人，其实和他们相比，你才是最傻的。别总鄙视别人的成功，其实和他们相比，你才是最low的。别总努力一刻就放弃，成功其实已经在来的路上。 我们都曾见证或身边的人的成功，也许在祝福之后，会不屑的说：傻逼，点儿挺高啊!就这样的人都能行，那好像没有人不行了是啊!你也行，只是你只是 说说 而已。最终你成了自己口中的傻逼来仰望别人牛逼的人生。 我都知道，努力的过程很痛苦，它可能会剥夺你的自由和快乐，让你每天焦头烂额，无所适从。如果你准备 考研 ，那么当你的室友都躺在寝室看电视剧的时候，你一定正坐在图书馆里奋笔疾书;如果你准备减肥，那么当面前飘着米线烧烤的香味的时候，你一定正在坚定的说“不”;如果你想要勤工俭学，那么当别人在周游列国的时候，你一定在某个饭馆端茶送水。 但是当你经历傻傻的努力后，你会收获无法想象的美好。剧情就会反转过来：你考上了研究生，而你的朋友们还在到处投着简历，四处碰壁;你的身材精致了起来，美貌与智慧并存，走到哪里都是风景;你用自己的努力攒够了门票的钱，带着你的父母一起畅游山水间。 所以，既然你已经预见了这样的结果，为什么不能有一次毅然决然的努力，生活不会辜负你。 -01- 因为痛，所以才叫青春呀 一辈子中，最美的年纪就是拥有青春的日子。单凭年纪，你已经赢了太多人，手握着比别人多太多的机会，和改变命运的筹码。谁都会有痛到说不出口的时候，这是青春的代价呀!有些事情，需要无声无息的忘记，经历一次，就长一次的智慧;有些苦痛和烦恼需要默默承受，历练一次，强大一次。别总安于现状，安慰自己，找太多的借口。说的再多，也不如行动一次。 别再站在原地仰望别人的成功，迈开步子，痛也要走下去。 -02- 书读多了，容颜自然改变 高考之后，你多少天没有拿起一本书细心的品读?多少天没拿起一支笔写下你的心事与感悟?我们渐渐过上了离不开手机的生活，甚至觉得上课没带手机比没带书还可怕。我们习惯了通过手机来交流想法，代替了语言，代替了书信，省略了感情。 有心无相，相逐心生;有相无心，相随心灭 做一个傻子，即便智商不高，却可以在某一方面达到痴迷。愿你对书也一样。什么书都好，只要看完之后能带给你感悟和改变。我们会在阅读别人的人生的同时审视自己，提升自己。没有天生丽质，无所谓;没有众星捧月，无所谓。只要有书，只要多读书。容颜自然改变，人生注定不同。 -03- 诋毁，本身就是一种仰望 人多嘴杂，这四个字足以让你体会世态炎凉。一百张嘴里有一百个你，或大方，或小气，或勇敢，或胆怯。但你还是你。 活在别人嘴里的人注定是不会有什么大出息的，他们整天为了别人的赞美而欢天喜地，因为别人的诋毁而不知所措，放弃世界。其实这是完全没必要的，你有你自己的生活，有自己的姿态，为什么要根据别人的言语来评判自己。人生在世，多说八九十年，没人能预测到未来是幸运还是不测。若是整日把精神用在分析别人的评价上，那你早晚有一天得淹死在别人的吐沫星子里。 之所以有人诋毁你，是因为你身上一定有他没有的特质，他嫉妒的所拥有的，得到的。其实，他是在换一种角度在向你表达他的羡慕和崇拜。既然这样，为什么不开心呢? 被别人仰望难道不是一种幸福吗? -04- 自信是最好的饰品 我总觉得，自信是一个人气质最好的体现。不在于你的美貌，而是你由内而外散发出来的阳光与无所畏惧。 不必每天带着崇拜的眼神看待别人的成功，觉得自己输的一败涂地。谁都有闪光点，只是你没有而已。化妆品很贵，美容保养也很贵，你急于用这些来填补岁月的痕迹，却忘了自信才是让你返老还童的特效药。 所以，请你在走路的时候抬起头，请你在坚持不下去的时候给自己一个鼓励，再难也要坚持，即使像个傻逼一样。 如果有一天，我希望也能有一次，像个傻逼一样为了想要的东西一往无前的努力。纵使别人百般阻挠，也要活出自己想要的模样。 因为你不努力，真的无法想象自己到底有多牛逼。 每日晨读励志好文章篇二：你可以穿不起香奈尔 你可以穿不起香奈尔，你也可以没有多少衣服供选择，但永远别忘记一件最重要的衣服，这件衣服叫自我。 一个不知道自己是怎么成功的成功的人，远比一个知道自己是怎么失败的失败的人来的更可悲，因为前者只是一个美丽的误会，而后者必将占领成功的高地。 一个养花的人告诉我们，几乎是所有的白花都很香，愈是颜色艳丽的花愈是缺乏芬芳。他的结论是：人也一样，愈朴素单纯的人，愈有内在的芳香。 我看到阳光之下，快跑者未必能赢，力战者未必能胜，智慧者未必得粮食，明智者未必得财富，灵巧者未必得喜悦，他们所得的只是时间和机遇。 叶散的时候，才明白欢聚，花谢的时候，才明白青春。 喜欢这句话：“不开心时，做个深呼吸，不过是糟糕的一天而已，又不是糟糕一辈子。” 迈开脚步，再长的路也不在话下;停滞不前，再短的路也难以到达。 老天在送你一个大礼物时，都会用重重困难做包装。 每日晨读励志好文章篇三：先拥有“坚持”到底的恒心 很多事情尽管我们已经作出了正确和勇敢的决策，但如果没有耐力与恒心是不会成功的。只有具有恒心与耐力，才是成功拥有财富的法宝。 目前现实社会中，你会经常发现，很多十分聪明、智力条件非常好的人，却没能做成什么大事业，而那些条件很一般的人，最后却往往干成了一番成功的事业。这究竟是什么原因呢?也许有人会说，那是因为人家有门路;有人也会说，人家有本事;还有人会说，人家有运气。其实要我说的是——人家有耐力。 乒坛名将邓亚萍在她一开始学习 乒乓球 的时候，因为个头小、手臂非常短，这些客观条件成为限制她练习乒乓球的主要因素。就连她的教练一开始对她也没有多大信心。但是邓亚萍是一个很有耐力的姑娘，她凭借着多年如一日的刻苦磨炼，经过难以计数的挫折和失败，最终成为全世界瞩目的优秀运动员。 著名的发明大王爱迪生曾经说过：“世界上伟大的成功人物的最明显的标志就在于他们那坚忍的意志。无论环境要变换到哪个地步，成功人士的初衷与希望都不会有丝毫的变化，并且能够最终克服重重障碍，达到预期的目的。”一开始读到这句话，很多人会感到十分不理解，不明白为什么不说“伟大人物的标志在于他的聪明脑袋”呢?为什么要把耐力放在第一位呢?随着阅历的逐渐增多，人们才渐渐明白：一时的热情、躁动，一阵风一般的行动，每个人都会产生，但是要“积跬步，至千里”的话，又有几人能有此韧性呢?聪明但却没有耐力的，做点儿小事还行，但却做不成大事;而要踏踏实实地做成一件大事，没有“钻木取火”“滴水石穿”的耐力也是不行的。 有耐力，能学成别人学不出的本事;有耐力，能干成别人干不成的事业;有耐力，能享受到一般人享受不到的成功，积累到别人没有的财富。 “干一番成功的事业一定要具备恒心和决心，当然，更要有信心”，依靠养鹿走出一条致富路，张扬是一名名副其实的成功者，运用自己的智慧和努力有力地证明：坚定毅力和艰苦奋斗的精神是成就事业的基础，“干一行，爱一行”是成就一番事业的根本保证。 如果没有耐心，你无法学到大本领;如果没有耐力，你无法做出一番非凡的业绩;如果没有耐力，你就没有长大的希望，也就不可能拥有人生的辉煌。耐力，拯救了无数落难的人;耐力，创造了多少人间奇迹;耐力，成就了无数伟大的人物。 才智固然重要，但是如果没有耐力再聪明也施展不了，因此说耐力是最为重要的方面。只要有耐力在支撑，先天的缺陷就无法限制你发挥，你可以想方设法去开辟、去创造，在这个过程当中，你的优势也就发挥出来了;只要有耐力在坚持，厄运终将会过去，好运也必将会光临;只要有耐力在维护，艰难、挫折、失败都算不了什么，它使你在前进的道路上永远不会倒下。 耐力，是一种无坚不摧的力量;耐力，是事业人士成功的依靠。也许一个人可以失去财富，但却不能失去耐力，否则，也许就会一无所有了。没有了耐力，取而代之的是懒惰、怯懦、贪图眼前享乐，这些卑俗的性格就会乘虚而入，使人们岁月蹉跎最终人生无果。 想成为一名事业人，靠天不行，靠地也不行，只有靠你的耐力。即使天塌下来，也有耐力顶着!事业艰难，有耐力推着!有耐力相助，没有困难能够阻挡住你的脚步。 猜你喜欢： 1. 每日晨读励志好文章 2. 晨读经典励志短文精选 3. 晨读励志文章精选 4. 深度励志好文章 5. 晨读励志短篇文章
斗鱼每日任务阅读文章5条，完成的方法是：首先打开斗鱼进入首页当中，点击每日任务，进入任务界面，选择阅读文章5条后方的前往按键，然后会自动跳转到文章阅读界面，然后正常的浏览该界面的文章，一共阅读完5条之后，再回到每日任务界面去领取奖励即可完成。
1. 首先，登录您的斗鱼账号，进入斗鱼首页。2. 点击“任务”，找到“每日任务”，点击进入。3. 在“每日任务”页面，点击“阅读文章5条”任务，进入任务页面。4. 在任务页面，点击“开始阅读”，进入文章阅读页面。5. 在文章阅读页面，按要求阅读5篇文章，完成任务。
对于初中生来讲，英语阅读能力是英语学习过程中一种较高的能力水平要求。我整理了7年级下册的课外英语短文，欢迎阅读!
Summer vacation is finally, ah! It's nice! After a semester of hard study life, I began my summer vacation life again.
The first song - learning
In the summer vacation, I think they can relax, but my mother give me called the English cram school, so I can every day to the English cram school, to I tired.
To make up for English school, the teacher want to send us a book, we began to learn the first lesson of Hi, English. When I can't read English words, the teacher just call us a method - take English as Chinese such as: change, this word, the teacher just call we called chang Chang, e called moths, will read just the way they are. Gradually, I fell in love with English for this subject.
The second song - play song
In the summer vacation, also can't light study, also want to go out to play the ah, then, me, mom, dad, just returned to his hometown - and together.
Arrived and, after it was already more than eleven o 'clock, we went in her aunt's house to eat rice, eat after the meal, dad'll go fishing fishing rod back up, I also went to. Dad fishing in the lake, I just beside the lake pond to pick the lotus, lotus leaf, I take out of lotus leaf in the middle of stem, and then I went to, as a result, lotus leaf is my skirt.
The song of the trilogy - the preview
Mother said: "the sixth grade in the days of the borrowed books and have a look, to prepare early to know earlier." To bigger than me friend then, I borrowed the book in the days of the sixth grade, at home I see god, finally understand a little, but some can't, I will go online to check the title...
After more than ten days later, I finally finished a book preview, this is my summer vacation life is almost over.
Now of I, is eager to go to school...
终于放暑假了，啊!真好!结束了一学期的辛苦学习生活后，我又开始了我的暑假生活了。
第一部曲——学习之歌
到了暑假，我以为可以轻松一下，可妈妈却给我报了英语补习班，于是我每天都得上这个英语补习班，都给我烦死了。
到了补英语的学校后，老师给我们发了书后，我们就开始学习第一课Hi,English.当我读不到英语单词时，老师就叫了我们一个方法——把英文当成中文比如：change,这个单词，老师就叫我们把chang叫做嫦，e叫做娥，这样就会读了。渐渐的，我就爱上英语这门功课了。
第二部曲——玩耍之歌
在暑假里，也不能光学习，也要出去玩一下呀，于是，我，妈妈，爸爸，就一起回到了家乡——万和。
到了万和后，已经是十一点多了，我们就在舅母家吃了饭，吃了饭过后，爸爸就把钓鱼竿背起来去钓鱼，我也跟去了。爸爸在湖里钓鱼，我就在湖旁边的池塘里摘莲花，扯荷叶，我把荷叶中间的荷杆拔掉，然后我钻进去，这样一来，荷叶就成了我的裙子了。
第三部曲——预习之歌
妈妈说：“把六年级上册的书借来看看吧，早点预习早点懂。”于是，我就向比我大的朋友借来了六年级上册的书，我在家看呐看呐，终于看懂了一点，但有的还不会，我就上网去查题目......
过了十几天后，我终于把一本书预习完了，这是我的暑假生活也快结束了。
现在的我，渴望上学......
Accompanied by the footsteps of summer girl, my happy summer vacation life started!
Summer is beautiful in the morning, when the eastern sky is not clear, I ran to the balcony, breathe the fresh air, immediately feel find the scenery pleasing to both the eye and the mind -- the air is really good! Wait until the sun beginning, I took out a book and read silently, ear without the hustle and bustle of the noise, there is no car horn the strange cry, only feel the soft morning breeze stroked my ears, no one disturb, do things in themselves. When the car in the distance cries and people happy laughter, day of the summer vacation began.
Unfortunately the happy summer vacation, again bitterness work without a few days. We are born with our work, but this work has become more heavy. Because we are busy one semester, has reached the final exam time, our job is to grasp every minute, at this time, trying to memorize the every problem come up with his usual performance in the exam, don't let work in vain.
After the tension test, we entered the relaxed and happy summer vacation, but now is not very easy, every day we have to have to run around to make up a missed lesson, English through mathematical tonic, section and section, a section after section, home still have to write my homework, summer job is to prepare for the next semester.
After the summer vacation, I'm going to meet the new problems and new test. In the new semester, work is the most bitter and tired, is also one of the most important term in the primary school.
Work is what we must do, we are born to work, school, our work is hard, when resting, our job is to enjoy, play, our work is to relax... Let's have a taste of work suantiankula!!!!
伴随着夏天姑娘的脚步，我的快乐的暑假生活开始了!
暑假的清晨是美丽的，当东方的天际还未清晰时，我跑到阳台，吸一口清新的空气，立刻感到心旷神怡--空气真好!等到太阳初起，我拿出一本书，默默地阅读，耳边没有喧嚣的吵闹声，没有汽车喇叭的怪叫声，只感觉柔柔的晨风在抚摸着我的耳朵，没有人打扰，做什么事都舒心惬意。当远处传来汽车的喊叫声和人们的欢笑声时，暑假的一天就开始了。
不幸的是快乐的暑假，没几天就又变成了苦恼的工作。我们生来就有我们的工作，只是这个工作变得更加沉重。因为我们忙了一个学期，已到了期末考试的时间，我们此时的工作就是把握每一分钟，努力背好每一道题，考试时把自己平时的工作成绩拿出，不让工作白费。
紧张的考试过后，我们进入了轻松快乐的暑假，但现在并不是很轻松，每天我们得得东奔西跑的去补课，英语补完补数学，一节接着一节，一科接着一科，回家还得写作业，暑假的工作是为下学期做准备。
暑假过后，我要去迎接新的难题和新的考验。在新的学期，工作是最苦最累的，也是小学中最重要的一个学期。
工作是我们必须做的，我们生来就必须要做工作，上学时，我们的工作是努力，休息时，我们的工作是享受，游玩时，我们的工作是放松……让我们来尝尽工作的酸甜苦辣吧!
September 9, the double ninth festival. The double ninth festival is a traditional, like to eat dinner together. Several appointment, the feeding end to a table. Darkness fell, lights, people drinking the chrysanthemum wine and spirit erguotou, eating a big meal, chat with friends exchange emotions. Smiling face, waves of laughter rushed out of the narrow room, we bless each other with longevity and health, peace, everything everywhere permeated with and peaceful atmosphere.
Reveals in chongyang day, people have to respect, and the younger generation will give elderly old man a little more considerate. Besides designed to do some delicious food, breaking up the other relatives must condolences to the elders, the married early in the morning to see my parents back, daughter of the to repay her support. Conditional family, accompany with the old man look at the noisy son around
The double ninth festival, in the cool autumn wind, clear sky season. To open a kite, not only easy, is popular is a recreational activity.
Today, times have changed, once the double ninth festival "and see cakes everywhere busy" scene has also see. But when festival day, I again remind of eating cakes in the courtyard, the warmth of drinking green tea chat talking and laughing, childhood laughter together friend. Unconsciously think of chairman MAO's poetry of: life easy to heaven old hard, but each chongyang, this also chongyang, field chrysanthemum is sweet. Annual autumn wind strength, not like spring, spring scenes, boundless jiang wanli frost.
九月九日重阳节到了。重阳节有一种传统，喜欢晚餐凑在一起吃。几家约好，把吃食端到一桌上。夜幕降临，灯光闪耀，人们饮着菊花酒、二锅头，吃着丰盛的饭菜，欢聚畅谈，交流情感。一张张笑脸，一阵阵笑语冲出狭小的房间，大家互相祝福着健康长寿、事事平安，处处洋溢着祥和的气氛。
重阳那天，人们有敬老的风习，各家晚辈都要给上了年纪的老人多一些体贴。除了专给他们做些可口的吃食外，分家另过的亲属须慰问老者，出了嫁的闺女一早要回娘家探望父母，以报答养育之恩。有条件的人家，还要陪老人去看看热闹儿逛逛
重阳节之时，正值秋风送爽，天高云淡的季节。到空旷之处放风筝，不但简便易行，也是很受人喜欢的一种娱乐活动。
如今，时代早已变迁，昔日重阳节“又见花糕处处忙”的景象也已不见。但时逢佳节吉日，不由得又想起在庭院吃着花糕，喝着清茶说笑聊天的温馨，思念童年一起欢笑玩耍的小伙伴。不知不觉当中想起毛主席的诗词：人生易老天难老，岁岁重阳，今又重阳，战地黄花分外香。一年一度秋风劲，不似春光，胜似春光，寥廓江天万里霜。
适合七年级的英语阅读文章
英语现在已经发展成为一个在世界范围内使用最广泛的语言。英语作为英美文化信息的载体和表现形式,一度深深地烙上了英美独有的文化印记。下面我收集了英语的阅读文章，很适合七年级的同学阅读欣赏，希望同学们喜欢!
You went to the butcher's for meat, the pharmacy for aspirin, and the grocery store for food. But when I spent the summer with my Grandmother in Warwick, N.Y., she sent me down to the general store with a list. How could I hope to find anything on the packed, jumbled shelves around me?
I walked up to the counter. Behind it was a lady like no one I'd ever seen. Fake-jewel-encrusted glasses teetered on the tip of her nose, gray hair was piled on her head.
"Excuse me," I said. She looked up.
"You're that Clements kid," she said. "I'm Miss Bee. Come closer and let me get a look at you." She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I want to be able to describe you to the sheriff if something goes missing from the store."
"I'm not a thief!" I was shocked. I was seven year too young to be a thief!
"From what I can see you're not much of anything. But I can tell you've got potential." She went back to reading her newspaper.
"I need to get these." I said, holding up my list.
"So? Go get them." Miss Bee pointed to a sign on the screen door. "There's no one here except you and me and I'm not your servant, so I suggest you get yourself a basket from that pile over there and start filling. If you're lucky you'll be home by sundown."
Sundown was five hours away. I wasn't sure I would make it.
I scanned the nearest shelf for the first item on my list: pork and beans. It took me three wall-to-wall searches before I found a can nestled between boxes of cereal and bread. Next up was toilet paper, found under the daily newspaper. Band-Aids—where had I seen them? Oh, ye next to the face cream. The store was a puzzle, but it held some surprises too. I found a new Superman comic tucked behind the peanut butter.
I visited Miss Bee a couple of times a week that summer. Sometimes she short-changed me. Other times she overcharged. Or sold me an old newspaper instead of one that was current. Going to the store was more like going into battle. I left my Grandma's house armed with my list—memorized to the letter—and marched into Miss Bee's like General Patton marching into North Africa.
"That can of beans is only twenty-nine cents!" I corrected her one afternoon. I had watched the numbers change on the cash register closely, and Miss Bee had added 35 cents. She didn't seem embarrassed that I had caught her overcharging. She just looked at me over her glasses and fixed the price.
Not that she ever let me declare victory. All summer long she found ways to trip me up. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce bicarbonate of soda and memorized its location on the shelf, than Miss Bee rearranged the shelves and made me hunt for it all over again. By summer's end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return to Brooklyn, I stopped in to get a packet of gum.
"All right, Miss Potential," she said. "What did you learn this summer?" That you're a meany! I pressed my lips together. To my amazement, Miss Bee laughed. "I know what you think of me," she said. "Well, here's a news flash: I don't care! Each of us is put on this earth for a reason. I believe my job is to teach every child I meet ten life lessons to help them. Think what you will, Miss Potential, but when you get older you'll be glad our paths crossed!" Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd...
Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles.
"It's too hard," she said. "Could you finish my math problems for me?"
"If I do it for you how will you ever learn to do it yourself?" I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to tally up my bill along with the cashier. Had I ever been overcharged since?
As my daughter went back to her homework, I wondered: Had Miss Bee really taught me something all those years ago? I took out some scrap paper and started writing.
Sure enough, I had learned ten life lessons:
1. Listen well.
2. Never assume—things aren't always the same as they were yesterday.
3. Life is full of surprises.
4. Speak up and ask questions.
5. Don't expect to be bailed out of a predicament.
6. Everyone isn't as honest as I try to be.
7. Don't be so quick to judge other people.
8. Try my best, even when the task seems beyond me.
9. Double-check everything.
10. The best teachers aren't only in school.
The significant inscription found on an old key---“If I rest, I rust”---would be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with the slightest bit of idleness. Even the most industrious person might adopt it with advantage to serve as a reminder that, if one allows his faculties to rest, like the iron in the unused key, they will soon show signs of rust and, ultimately, cannot do the work required of them.
Those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep their faculties polished by constant use, so that they may unlock the doors of knowledge, the gate that guard the entrances to the professions, to science, art, literature, agriculture---every department of human endeavor.
Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement. If Hugh Miller, after toiling all day in a quarry, had devoted his evenings to rest and recreation, he would never have become a famous geologist. The celebrated mathematician, Edmund Stone, would never have published a mathematical dictionary, never have found the key to science of mathematics, if he had given his spare moments to idleness, had the little Scotch lad, Ferguson, allowed the busy brain to go to sleep while he tended sheep on the hillside instead of calculating the position of the stars by a string of beads, he would never have become a famous astronomer.
Labor vanquishes all---not inconstant, spasmodic, or ill-directed labor; but faithful, unremitting, daily effort toward a well-directed purpose. Just as truly as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, so is eternal industry the price of noble and enduring success.
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room‘s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn‘t hear the band - he could see it in his mind‘s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly and painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.
Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words… "PAID IN FULL".
How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? I trust you enjoyed this. Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Sometimes we don't realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect "the packaging" to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened.