英语励志美文精华 62

You Have to Water the Plant

by Leland Stowe

For the things I believe in, I must give a reporter’s answer. Like everyone else, it’s out of my own experience. For twenty-four years I’ve been up to my neck in the world’s troubles; meeting people in dozens of foreign countries; watching other nations drift into war—and America too. It’s convinced me that one of the most important things in life, for every one of us, is understanding—trying to see the other fellow’s point of view. I’ve often thought: If I could really put myself in the other person’s shoes, see things the way he sees them, feel what he feels, how much more tolerant¹ and fair I’d be.

I remember, back in the twenties, the bitter arguments between Europeans and Americans about reducing the war debts. I had to explain what the Europeans felt, and why. I learned then that there’s almost always some right, and some wrong, on both sides. We didn’t think enough about ours. When lack of understanding becomes pronounced, it leads to hatred² and war. But it’s like that in our daily life, too. If I talk disparagingly³ about any racial group, I promote hatred—dissension in our society. I haven’t thought how I would feel if I belonged to that group.

In Berlin I saw Hitler’s thugs beating up helpless Jews. Then, back home, sometimes I heard people say: “Well, it’s their affair.” They forgot that freedom and fair play belong to all human beings—not to lucky Americans only. They forgot that people are people—of whatever creed⁴, color, or nationality. I remember the poor Spanish and Greek peasants who shared their bread and cheese with me—all they had; the old Russian woman who made me take her bed, while she slept on the floor. So many simple people who couldn’t speak my language but spoke⁵ with their hearts.

One of the happiest things in my life is this: My best friends are like a roster⁶ of the United Nations—Europeans, Asians, Latin Americans, North Americans—just people, from all over the world. The best part is discovering how much we have in common; the constant reminder⁷ that friendship has no national barriers, the knowledge that all kinds of people really can understand each other.

We all have to live in this world, but we are all a mixture of good and bad. But I’ve found more of the good than the bad in most people—in every country. I think you only have to look— Understanding is a flower blossoming⁸. But you have to water the plant. Then, when it blossoms⁹, what a wonderful feeling! You feel that way when you make a new friend. I guess understanding really is charity and love. I know it gives a new meaning to our lives. When I die, I wish people might say: “He helped people to understand each other better.” Of course, I often fail. But just trying makes living seem worthwhile.

1 tolerant   

adj.容忍的，有耐力的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• A tolerant person usually has breadth of mind.有宽容精神的人通常胸襟开阔。

2 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

3 disparagingly   

adv.以贬抑的口吻，以轻视的态度

参考例句：

• These mythological figures are described disparagingly as belonging only to a story. 这些神话人物被轻蔑地描述为“仅在传说中出现”的人物。 来自互联网
• In his memoirs he often speaks disparagingly about the private sector. 在他的回忆录里面他经常轻蔑的谈及私营（商业）部门。 来自互联网

4 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

7 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

8 blossoming   

v.（植物）开花( blossom的现在分词 )；发展；长成；变得更加健康（或自信、成功）

参考例句：

• Our firm is blossoming out. 我们的公司正在成长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The corn is blossoming [ripening]. 玉米正在开花[成熟]。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 blossoms   

n.（尤指果树的）花( blossom的名词复数 )；花丛，花簇v.（植物）开花( blossom的第三人称单数 )；发展；长成；变得更加健康（或自信、成功）

参考例句：

• It was springtime and the slopes were ablaze with almond blossoms. 时当春季，怒放的扁桃花使那片山坡鲜红似火。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The spring comes and peach blossoms [flowers] are all open. 春天了，桃花都开了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》