有声英文阅读-相约星期二

Tuesdays with Morris
相约星期二

Anyone who has benefited from the advice and experience of an older and wiser person is likely to immediately identify with the author of the American best seller Tuesdays with Morrie. A true story, it recounts the subject matter of a series of meetings the writer, Mitch Albom, had with his college professor of 20 years earlier. The old man taught Albom valuable lessons about life and death while at the same time fighting a losing battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Albom was already a successful sportswriter when he by chance saw a television interview with Morrie Schwartz, his spiritual mentor¹ and advisor² in his college days. The two men quickly resumed the regular discussion sessions they used to have, and with Schwartz's condition visibly worsening from one week to the next, Albom listened enraptured³ as the old man put him straight on what is important in life.

Tuesdays with Morrie has been praised for its accessible style. The writer presents Morrie's uplifting take on depressing topics such as death in a down-to-earth manner while managing to steer⁴ clear of tear-jerking sentimentality. There are no profound new insights to be discovered in this book, but perhaps its best achievement is its propensity⁵ for reminding readers of the basic truths they have always known, but may have forgotten or have simply chosen to ignore, in today's cynical⁶ world.

相信曾从长者和智者的经验和忠告中获益的人们，可能立即会和美国畅销书《相约星期二》的作者感同身受。一个真实故事，它主要详述作家米奇·阿尔博姆与他20年前的大学教授之间一连串的相会的主题。老教授在与鲁葛瑞格氏症（肌萎缩症）做临终搏斗的同时，传授阿尔博姆许多关于生死的有价值的训诫。

阿尔博姆偶然看到电视节目访问莫里·史瓦兹──他大学时代的精神导师和顾问，当时他已是一名成功的体育专栏作家，两人很快恢复了过去例行的讨论活动。眼看史瓦兹的病情一周周恶化，阿尔博姆专注的倾听老教授的教诲：生活中，什么是重要的。

《相约星期二》因其平易的风格获得了广泛的好评。作者笔下的莫里以积极的态度面对诸如死亡等如此沉重的问题，同时避免了惹人掉泪的伤感。书中并没有深刻的新见解，而或许它的成功之处，正是在今日愤世嫉俗思想横流的 世界，提醒读者一些耳熟能详，但可能已经遗忘，或故意视 而不见的基本真理。

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 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

3 enraptured   

v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was enraptured that she had smiled at him. 她对他的微笑使他心荡神驰。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were enraptured to meet the great singer. 他们和大名鼎鼎的歌手见面，欣喜若狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

5 propensity   

n.倾向；习性

参考例句：

• He has a propensity for drinking too much alcohol.他有酗酒的倾向。
• She hasn't reckoned on his propensity for violence.她不曾料到他有暴力倾向。

6 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。