英国新闻听力 对情人节爱的表达的思考

Not long ago I was helping¹ to facilitate a meeting in which some of the most senior directors of a highly influential² global organisation³ were asking how they could help their people to become more human - to interact with colleagues and clients alike in a more natural, open and authentic⁴ way. They were looking for pioneering ideas, and so my colleague wondered bravely, aloud, whether they could explore some work together on the subject of love. There was an awkward pause. Followed, by nervous, and then uproarious, laughter. Followed by a swift change of subject.

That was when I realised how much we struggle to find any kind of public expression beyond the arts for this greatest of human themes. But shouldn’t we, to put it bluntly, be able to capitalise positively⁵ on love, for the good of us all?

Shouldn’t a client love a product? Shouldn’t employees be able to love their work? Shouldn’t communities of people who are working towards a common goal in business or education, health or even politics be able to demonstrate a love as they go - which, as St Paul puts it so beautifully, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonour⁶ others, rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres⁷?

That passage isn’t just for wedding services. Though to be fair, how many of us will struggle even to express to those we love romantically this Valentine’s Day what he or she truly means to us? But there are different kinds of love - and CS Lewis wrote of four: romantic love, love between friends, between family, and then agape, or unconditional⁸ love, which Christians⁹ believe is a gift from God we can pass on to others.

A friend of mine from Ireland, a business man of great experience and wisdom, finished our call the other day for the first time with the words, “Brian, I love you.” That was a risk! Especially because he knows I’m squeamish about such talk. But it’s true that we share a richness and depth of relationship - just as I do with others - that is best described ultimately in terms of love.

And didn’t St Paul go on to say that if we do anything without love, there really is little point. “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Love matters, and we kind of know it, don’t we? It can thaw¹⁰ even the hardest of hearts. Maybe the gossip at the water-coolers on Monday will focus more on who got Valentine’s cards, or who sneaked¹¹ off to see Fifty Shades of Grey this weekend. But there will, if we look with fresh eyes, be many glimpses of a greater love in action - and we shouldn’t be afraid to name it.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

3 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

4 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

5 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

6 dishonour   

n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩

参考例句：

• There's no dishonour in losing.失败并不是耻辱。
• He would rather die than live in dishonour.他宁死不愿忍辱偷生。

7 perseveres   

v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Although he is in poor health, he still perseveres in his studies. 尽管他身体不好，他仍孜孜不倦地学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This astounding cell will continue multiplying, reticulating as long as life perseveres. 只要生命延续，这种令人惊叹的细胞就会继续繁衍、交织变幻。 来自互联网

8 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

9 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

10 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。

11 sneaked   

v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状

参考例句：

• I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。
• She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。