英语名篇诵读 悖谬的时代

The Paradox¹ of Our Times

悖谬的时代

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less common sense; more knowledge, but less judgment²; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less well-being³.

We spend too reckless , laugh too little, drive too fast, get angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too  often, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too little and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplished⁴ less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher pay, but lower morals. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies, but have less communication. We are long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion⁵ ; tall men and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships. More leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition; larger incomes, but more divorce; fancier houses, but broken homes.

我们的住房大了，家庭却小了；便利的东西多了，时间却少了；学位多了，常识却少了；知识多了，判断力却下降了；专家多了，问题却多了；药品多了，健康却差了。

我们挥霍无度，很少开怀大笑，车开得飞快，动辄生气，熬夜到很晚，起床时疲倦不堪，书读得太少，电视看得太多，难得做祷告。

我们增加了财富，却减损了自己的价值。我们说得太多，爱得太少，撒谎是家常便饭。我们学会了谋生之道，却没有学会如何生活；我们年岁渐长，却没有活得越来越精彩。

我们的大楼越来越高，但脾气却越来越暴；高速公路越修越宽，但眼光却越来越窄。

我们花的钱越来越多，但拥有的却越来越少；我们买的东西越来越多，但喜爱的却越来越少。

我们一举登上了月球并且顺利返回，但过大街探望新邻居却显得很麻烦。我们征服了外太空，但却没有征服我们的内心世界。我们分裂了原子，但却没有消弭我们的偏见；我们写得越来越多，但学得越来越少；计划的越来越多，但实现的越来越少。

我们学会了急急匆匆，但却没学会等待；我们的收入越来越高，但品行却越来越差；我们制造越来越多的电脑储存更多的信息，制造更多的复制品，但人与人之间的交流沟通却越来越少。我们长于数量，但却短于质量。

这是个吃得快却消化得慢的时代；身材高大但人格渺小；利润剧增但人情淡漠。休闲更多但乐趣更少；食物品种更多但营养更少；收入更高但离婚率更高；住房更豪华，但破裂的家庭更多。

1 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

2 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

3 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

4 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

5 digestion   

n.消化，吸收

参考例句：

• This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
• This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。