彭蒙惠英语：Giving Praise Where Praise is Due

Giving Praise Where Praise is Due

 

By Ethan White

 

This Father’s Day, consider who your true heroes are

 

“Who do you want to be like when you grow up?” I can remember being asked this question time and time again throughout my childhood. During those years, many of my heroes were sports stars like Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky. I idolized these men, wishing I could be just like them.

 

Years later, I learned of a much better role model — someone who knew me, loved me and could mentor¹ me. He and others like him are the true heroes of this world. Who is this person? He is my father.

 

A good example

 

For years, my father has quietly provided for me and given me guidance, often in ways I didn’t even realize at the time. Through his gentle direction I have made important decisions that define who I am.

 

In the 1st century B.C., Roman playwright² Terence said the role of a father is “to teach and inspire his children to do good of their own free will rather than fear of somebody else.” A true father is one who seeks to be an example for his children in all he does. Film writer Clarence Kelland says of his father, “He didn’t tell me how to live, he lived, and let me watch him.”

 

In a world where praise and honor are often showered on those who don’t deserve it, fathers are overlooked in the search for heroes. Yet fathers are the ones who truly deserve to be honored and revered³ for the examples and wisdom they pass on to future generations.

 

Now whenever I think about who I want to pattern my life after, I look to my dad. His loving example is something I seek to emulate⁴ in my life.

 

Vocabulary Focus

idolize (v) [5aidElaiz] to admire and respect someone very much, often too much

shower (v) [5FauE] to give someone a lot of something

emulate (v) [5emjuleit] to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as he or she did

 

勇于赞美

蔡明颖  译

 

今年父亲节，想想你心目中真正的英雄是谁？

 

“你长大后想成为什么样的人？”我记得童年时被别人反复问及这个问题。那些年里，我心目中的许多英雄都是运动明星，如迈克尔·乔丹和韦恩·葛瑞兹基。我崇拜这些男性，希望能够像他们一样。   

多年后，我才了解谁是更佳的榜样──就是了解我、爱我且能给予我忠告的人。他与其它类似的人是这个世界真正的英雄。他是谁？就是我爸爸。

 

良好的榜样   

多年以来，父亲默默地供应我所需并指引我方向，经常是以我当时并不明白的方式。通过他温和的引导，我做出一些重大决定，而那些决定成就了今日的我。   

公元前1世纪的罗马剧作家泰伦斯曾说过，父亲的角色是“教导并激励他的孩子，让他们乐于行善，而非畏惧被人责骂才行善。”一位真正的父亲，会在所做的一切事上竭力成为孩子的榜样。电影编剧克拉伦斯·基兰这样描述他的父亲：“他用的不是言传，而是身教。”  

 在这个世界中，赞美及荣耀时常倾注在不配得到的人身上，而孩子在寻找心目中的英雄时，父亲也常被忽略。然而，父亲应当得到荣耀与敬重，因为他们将榜样与智能传给未来的世代。   

现在，只要一想起谁是我该仿效的对象，我就会向父亲看齐。他慈爱的身教是我一生追寻的目标。

 

1 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

2 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

3 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

4 emulate   

v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿

参考例句：

• You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作，赶上你姐姐。
• You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影，并尽力模仿他的动作。