英语美文：自由 选择 责任

 Freedom Choice and Responsibility

自由 选择 责任

I love choices.

我爱选择。

I love to walk around in bookstores-not because I can buy all the books,

我喜欢在书店里徜徉，不是因为我能买下所有的书，

but because I could buy one book, and I have so many to choose from.

而是因为我可以买一本书，我有这么多的选择。

I like buffets¹.

我还喜欢自助餐。

I rarely get to go to them, but when I do,

虽然我很少去，但是当我去的时候，

the first thing I do is to walk around and see what the choices are.

我做的第一件事就是四处逛逛，看看有什么选择。

I also like the Internet.

我还喜欢互联网。

It seems like cyberspace² really doesn't have any limits.

看来网络真的没有任何限制。

There are so many things to discover--- like space.

有这么多的东西等待被发现——比如空间。

Sometimes, I think we don't appreciate the freedom that we have.

有时候，我觉得我们不喜欢我们拥有的自由。

We are free to make many different choices.

我们可以自由地做出许多不同的选择。

From the food we eat--- to the places we visit--- to the people we meet--- to the classes we take and on and on and on.

从我们所吃的食物到我们去的地方，我们见的人，我们所上的课程等等。

But freedom has dangers. If misused³, it can be harmful.

但自由也有危险。如果滥用，将会带来危害。

I could pile a mountain of food on my plate and NOT to eat it.

我可以将山一样的食物堆在我的盘子里，而我则不去吃它。

It would be a waste. But that's a choice I have.

它会是一种浪费。但这是一个选择。

The Internet has dangers, too.

互联网也有危险。

If parents are not careful and don't supervise what their kids can see--- well kids can lose some of their innocence⁴ because of freedom.

如果父母对他们的孩子所看到的不留神也不监督，那么孩子们会因为自由而失去一些他们的天真单纯。

There's a reason for legal age limits when it comes to driving, gambling⁵, drinking,smoking, and voting.

当涉及驾车、赌博、酗酒、吸烟、和投票时法律会有年龄的限制。

Until we reach that age, we aren't free to do those things.

直到我们到了那个年岁，否则我们去做那些事将不会被赋予自由。

1 buffets   

（火车站的）饮食柜台( buffet的名词复数 )； （火车的）餐车； 自助餐

参考例句：

• All life's buffets should be met with dignity and good sense. 所有人生之打击都应以尊严和理智对付之。
• In addition to buffets, American families enjoy picnics and barbeques. 除自助餐外，美国家庭还喜欢野餐和户外烧烤餐。

2 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。

3 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

5 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。