英语名篇诵读 快乐是一种责任

Being Happy Is a Duty

快乐是一种责任

Happiness is like a pebble¹ dropped into a pool to set in motion an ever-widening circle

of ripples² . A wise man has said: being happy is a duty.

There is no exact definition of the word “happiness”. Happy people are happy for all sorts of

reasons. The key is not wealth or physical well-being³ , since we find beggars, invalids⁴ and so-

called failures who are extremely happy.

Being happy is a sort of unexpected dividend⁵ . But staying happy is an accomplishment⁶, a

triumph of soul and character. It is not selfish to strive for it. It is, indeed, a duty to ourselves

and others.

Being unhappy is like an infectious disease; it causes people to shrink away from the

sufferer. He soon finds himself alone, miserable⁷ and embittered⁸ . There is, however, a cure so

simple as to seem, at first glance, ridiculous : If you don't feel happy, pretend to be!

It works. Before long you will find that instead of repelling⁹ people, you attract them. You

discover how deeply rewarding it is to be the center of wider and wider circles of good will.

Then the make-believe becomes a reality. You possess the secret of peace of mind, and can

forget yourself in being of service to others.

Being happy, once it is realized as a duty and established as a habit, opens doors into

unimaginable gardens thronged¹⁰ with grateful friends.

快乐像一块掷入池塘的鹅卵石，能激起扩散开来的一圈圈涟漪。一位智者曾经说：快

乐是一种责任。

“快乐”这个词，没有准确的定义。快乐的人各有各的理由。使人快乐的关键因素不是

财富或身体健康，因为我们发现有非常快乐的叫花子、残疾人和所谓的失败者。

快乐是一种意想不到的收益。而保持快乐则是一种成就，也是心灵和品格的胜利。努

力得到快乐不是自私。其实，它是对自己、对别人的一种责任。

闷闷不乐像一种传染病，人人避之如蛇蝎。不快乐的人很快就会发现自己形单影只，

痛苦而心怀怨愤。不过倒有一剂药，乍看起来简单而荒唐可笑：如果感觉不愉快，假装快

乐！

此药很有疗效。不久你就会发现你非但不疏远他人，反而吸引人家。你会发现，能够

成为广结善缘的中心人物是多么值得做的事。

这样，假装快乐变成了真实的快乐。你获取了心灵平静的秘密，在为他人的服务中忘

却自己。

快乐之门一旦用责任和习惯的钥匙开启，我们就能进入美不胜收的花园，里面朋友云

集，心怀感激。

1 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

2 ripples   

逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
• The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。

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 invalids   

病人，残疾者( invalid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The invention will confer a benefit on all invalids. 这项发明将有助于所有的残疾人。
• H?tel National Des Invalids is a majestic building with a golden hemispherical housetop. 荣军院是有着半球形镀金屋顶的宏伟建筑。

5 dividend   

n.红利，股息；回报，效益

参考例句：

• The company was forced to pass its dividend.该公司被迫到期不分红。
• The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 per cent.第一季度的股息增长了近 4%。

6 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

7 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

8 embittered   

v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• These injustices embittered her even more. 不公平使她更加受苦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The artist was embittered by public neglect. 大众的忽视于那位艺术家更加难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 repelling   

v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• He saw himself standing up and repelling a charge. 他仿佛看见自己挺身而起，打退了敌人的进攻。 来自辞典例句
• Promote the healthy entertainment styles. Repelling the superstition, gambling, drugs and obscenity. 提倡健康娱乐。抵制封建迷信活动，拒绝黄、赌、毒。 来自互联网

10 thronged   

v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mourners thronged to the funeral. 吊唁者蜂拥着前来参加葬礼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The department store was thronged with people. 百货商店挤满了人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》