常春藤生活英语【17】世界尽头的光明

The Light at the Edge of the World　世界尽头的光明

Each day, humans are faced with terrible news about war, poverty, and crime from every direction including TV, radio, and the Internet. To settle themselves, many people take some time out of their busy lives to meditate¹. It helps people quiet their minds and become more mentally focused. In Nepal, meditating² is a huge part of daily life. One Buddhist³ nun⁴ has taken meditating to extremes. For the past 45 years, she has lived alone in a small hut at the base of Mount Everest and rarely left her home.

National Geographic⁵ Channel is showing a new series, The Light at the Edge of the World, which introduces viewers to this woman in Science of the Mind. Wade⁶ Davis, host of this interesting show and one of the great explorers of our time, is in search of what it means to be human. When he meets the nun, she helps him understand a few secrets of Buddhism⁷. Also, Wade discovers some of the inner workings of his own brain when he spends time with this holy woman.

每天，人类经由电视、广播、网络等各种管道，面对着关于战争、贫穷、犯罪等负面的新闻。为了沉淀心情，很多人在百忙之中抽空来打坐冥想。这能帮助人们静下心来，在精神上更加专注。在尼泊尔，冥想占了日常生活中很大的一部分。一位尼姑将冥想发挥到极致。过去四十五年来，她都独居在圣母峰山脚的小屋内，而且很少离家。

国家地理频道将播出一个全新系列──《世界尽头的光明》，并在《心灵科学》中为观众介绍这位女士。这个精采节目的主持人，同时也是当代伟大探险家之一的维德?戴维斯，在寻找生为人类的意义。当他遇见这位尼姑时，她帮助他了解一些佛教的秘密。同时，在和这位修道女士的相处过程中，维德发现一些自己大脑内部的运作方式。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.settle　vt. 使安定，使平静
Irene took a deep breath to settle her nerves.
艾琳深吸了一口气，好让自己情绪安定下来。

2.quiet　vt. 使安静
The soft music quieted the crying baby.
轻柔的乐声让哭闹的婴儿静了下来。

3.inner　a. 内部的；内心的
Do you get the inner meaning of that movie?
你了解那部电影的内在涵义吗？

Phrases for Learning

1.be faced with...　　面临……
Howard is faced with a decision that may change his whole life.
霍华德正面临可能改变他一生的决定。

2.take...to extremes　　在……上走极端
Tina likes taking shopping to extremes. She once spent $100,000 on a present for her cat.
蒂娜喜欢极度挥霍。她曾经花十万块买东西送给她的猫咪。

3.of our time　　当代
Who is the greatest inventor of our time?
谁是当代最伟大的发明家？

参考字词

1.poverty　n. 贫穷

2.meditate　vi. 冥想，打坐

3.nun　n. 尼姑；修女

4.hut　n.（简陋的）小屋

5.workings　n. 运作方式（恒为复数）

6.holy　a. 修道的

Tips In Use

For the past 45 years, she has lived alone...and rarely left her home.
（过去四十五年来，她都独居……而且很少离家。)

"for/over/during/in + the past/last +（数字∕few）+ ear(s)/month(s)..."表『过去……年∕月……以来（到现在）』。

注意：上述词组通常与现在完成（进行）式并用。

Daniel has been to many cities over the last 10 months.
（过去十个月来，丹尼尔去过了很多城市。)

1 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

2 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

3 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

4 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

5 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

7 Buddhism   

n.佛教（教义）

参考例句：

• Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
• Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。