英国新闻听力 从内心开始改变生活和工作

Good morning.

September is a month of new starts and changes. While September doesn’t capture the frenzy¹ of early January and all the potential of those New Years’ resolutions, this time of the year, like January, comes after a period of rest.

This week many of us will see young families on the way to school as the new academic year begins. For some families it might be a milestone², perhaps it will be the first day of school for a first-born. Later in the month, like all other universities we will welcome thousands of young people through our doors as they begin their university studies. And for many others, September may bring a change of job, career or lifestyle.

It is no coincidence that we make changes to what we do, where we work or how we do things, following a period of rest and relaxation³. Such periods can offer a time to reflect and to ask questions that don’t often get heard during the year when many other calls distract us and embed⁴ us in our day-to-day routine. But stepping back from the hustle⁵ and bustle⁶ is an essential prerequisite⁷ for good change. For such change to be worthwhile it has to last. Sadly as we know from those gym memberships we take out in January but which usually wane⁸ by March, the desire for change often doesn’t last beyond the initial weeks or months if we are lucky.

So how we go about change in our lives is all the more important if it is to be meaningful. Is there a better way for us to retain the insights and thoughts that only come to us when we detach? To make the best of them we need to find ways to integrate them into our regular routine. Many faiths can provide a means to do just that.

Metanoia, a Greek word found in the New Testament⁹, which sadly does not easily translate into English, tells us quite a bit about what sort of change we should undertake for it to last. Metanoia speaks of a change that is internal, not external. It calls for nothing less than an inner change, which is about changing the mind, purpose and character. The external – the change of life - flows from that internal shift; not the other way around. It requires reflection and leads to renewal¹⁰.

None of this is easy, as we all know. But this September if you’re in a new job, a new school or just want to change from the day to day routine, then that call to inner change might just provide us with the courage to change, and the strength to persevere¹¹.

早上好。9月是充满新的开始和挑战的月份。尽管九月份并不像一月初那样狂热，各种新年决心满天飞，却像九月一样，也是经历了一段时间的休息之后全新的开始。

本周，新的学年开始，许多人会看到年轻的家庭送孩子走在上学的路上。对一些家庭来说，这或许是一个里程碑，或许是第一胎孩子上学的第一天。本月晚些时候，像所有其他大学一样，我们将迎来成千上万的年轻人，开始大学的学习。对许多其他人来说，九月意味着工作，职业或生活方式的改变。

经过一段时间的休息或放松之后，我们改变所作所为，工作地点或做事方式并不是巧合。这些事件可以给我们反思的时间，问自己一些问题。在那些忙碌的岁月，总有许多人许多事耗费我们的心思，让我们周而复始重复着同样的生活。但是从熙熙攘攘的工作和生活中走出来是做出良好的改变必要的先决条件。要让改变有价值就必须坚持。悲哀的是，根据我们的了解，一月份报名健身馆会员的人到了三月份通常就偃旗息鼓了，做出改变的渴望通常只能持续最初的一周或一个月。

所以，如果想要做出有意义的改变的话，我们如何对待生活中的改变则更为重要。有没有什么办法让我们坚持超脱现实时的想法和观点？为了取得最佳效果，我们需要寻找方法将这些想法融入日常习惯。许多信仰为我们提供了这样做的途径。

Metanoia是在<<新约圣经>>中发现的一个希腊词汇，遗憾的是，很难翻译成英语。这个词告诉我们如何让改变能够持续。Metanoia说的是来自内心，而不是外部的改变。它要求做出内在的改变，改变思想，目的和性格。而外部的改变——生活的改变会跟随内心的改变而来，而不是反过来。这需要反思，带来新生。

据我们所知，这非常不容易。但是这个九月，如果你得到了新的工作，来到新的学校，或者只是想改变日复一日的生活习惯，内心做出改变的要求会给我们改变的勇气和坚持下去的力量。

1 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

2 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

3 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

4 embed   

vt.把…嵌(埋、插)入，扎牢；使深留脑中

参考例句：

• The harpoon struck but did not embed.鱼叉击中了但并没有插入。
• This photo showed us how did the root of plant embed the soil deeply.这张照片显示植物的根是如何深入到土壤里去的。

5 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

6 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

7 prerequisite   

n.先决条件；adj.作为前提的，必备的

参考例句：

• Stability and unity are a prerequisite to the four modernizations.安定团结是实现四个现代化的前提。
• It is a prerequisite of entry to the profession that you pass the exams.做这一行的先决条件是要通过了有关的考试。

8 wane   

n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦

参考例句：

• The moon is on the wane.月亮渐亏。
• Her enthusiasm for him was beginning to wane.她对他的热情在开始减退。

9 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

10 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

11 persevere   

v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。
• It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。