高中英语值得背诵的英语文章（2）

6. A little Girl
Sitting on a grassy grave, beneath one of the windows of the church, was a little girl. With her head bent back she was gazing up at the sky and singing, while one of her little hands was pointing to a tiny cloud that hovered like a golden feather above her head. The sun, which had suddenly become very bright, shining on her glossy hair, gave it a metallic luster, and it was difficult to say what was the color, dark bronze or black. So completely absorbed was she in watching the cloud to which her strange song or incantation seemed addr0ssed, that she did not observe me when I rose and went towards her. Over her head, high up in the blue, a lark that was soaring towards' the same gauzy cloud was singing, as if in rivalry. As I slowly approached the child, I could see by her forehead, which, in the sunshine seemed like a globe of pearl, and especially by her complexion, that she was uncommonly lovely. Her eyes, which at one moment seemed blue-gray, at another violet, were shaded by long black lashes, curving backward in a most peculiar way, and these matched in hue her eyebrows, and the tress- es that were tossed about her tender throat and were quivering in the sunlight. All this I did not take in at once; for at first I could see nothing but those quivering, glittering, changeful eyes turned up into my face. Gradually the other features, especially the sensitive full-lipped mouth, grew upon me as I stood silently gazing. Here seemed to me a more perfect beauty than had ever come to me in my loveliest dreams of beauty. Yet it was not her beauty so much as the look she gave me that fascinated me, melted me.
小女孩： 在教堂的一扇窗下长满绿草的坟堆上，坐着个小女孩。她仰着头，望着天空，唱着歌儿。她的小手指点着一朵飘浮在她头顶的金色羽毛般的小彩云。突然间，阳光显得格外灿烂，照在她光泽的头发上，给它涂上一层金属似的光彩，很难说出它突竟是什么颜色，是深褐色，还是黑色。她是那么全神贯注地望着彩云，她那奇妙的歌声，或可说是喃喃自语，似乎是对着那彩云而发的。因而她没有注意到我站起身来朝她走去。在她上空高高的蓝天里，一只展翅飞向那朵轻盈透明的彩云的云雀也在歌唱，似乎在与她赛e(。我慢步向小女孩走去，她那在阳光下如同珍珠一样圆润的前额，特别是她那肤色，使我感到她真是异常可爱。媳耶黑黑的长睫毛非常别致地朝后弯曲着，掩映着一双一会儿象是蓝灰色的，一会儿又象是紫罗兰色的眼睛。她的长睫毛同她的眉毛和头发色泽调和，披拂在她娇嫩的脖子上的发绺，在阳光里轻轻飘动。我并没有马上领略到这一切，因为我一开始只注意了那双闪闪发光、富于表情、盯着我看的眼睛。我伫立在一边默默地注视着她，才渐渐地看清了她容貌的其他部分，特别是那张灵敏而又丰满的小嘴。呈现在我眼苎的这一美的形象似乎比我在最美好的梦境中所见过的更美。然而，与其说是她的美丽，不如说是她朝我看的那种眼神，更使我着迷，更使我陶醉．
(1)Sitting on a grassy grave…Was a little girl： 这是一句全倒装句，按正常语序可以写成:A little girl was sitting on a grassy grave．．．．
(2)with her head bent back： with+名词或代词宾格十分词(或形容词，介词短语等)作状语，表示伴随情况。
(3)So completely absorbed was she…that．．．： 这是一个so…that…结构的主从复合句，其中主句采用全倒装语序。address…to：对……说话。这里是指对着云彩歌唱或念念有词。that引导的是一个本身带有时间状语从句的结果状语从句。
(4)in rivalry(with)：与……比高低，争雄，斗艳，等等。
(5)at another violet：＝at another moment(seemed) violet：一会儿又象是紫罗兰色的．
(6)take in：接受，领会。
(7) Yet it was not her beauty so much as the look．．．that fascinated me, melted me：not so much．．．as作"与其说……不如说……"解释. It was…that…用作强调结构。melted me： 融化了我，即；使我陶醉。
7. A Summer Day
One day thirty years ago Marseilles lay in the burning sun. A blazing non upon a fierce August day was no greater rarity in southern France then than at any other time before or since. Every-tiring in Marseiiles and about Marseilles had stared at the fervid sun, and been stared at in return, until a staring habit had become universal there. Strangers were stared out of countenance by staring white houses, 8taring white streets, staring tracts of arid road, staring hills from which verdure was burnt away. The only things to be seen not fixedly staring and glaring were the vines drooping under their loads of grapes. These did occasionally wink a little, u the hot air barely moved their faint leaves.
The universal stare made the eyes ache. Towards the distant blue of the Italian coast, indeed, it was a little relieved by light clouds of mist Slowly rising from the evaporation of the sea, but it softened nowhere else. Far away the staring roads, deep in dust, stared from the hillside, stared from the hollow, stared from the interminable plain. Far away the dusty vines overhanging wayside cottages, and the monotonous wayside avenues of parched trees without shade, dropped beneath the stare of earth and sky. So did the horses with drowsy bells, in long files of carts, creeping slowly towards the interior; so did their recumbent drivers, when they were awake, which rarely happened; so did the exhausted laborers in the fields. Every- thing that lived or grew was oppressed by the glare; except the lizard, passing swiftly over rough stone walls, and cicada, chirping its dry hot chirp, like a rattle. The very dust was scorched brown, and something quivered in the atmosphere as if the air itself were panting.
Blinds, shutters, curtains ,awnings, were all closed and drawn to keep out the stare. Grant it but a chink or a keyhole, and it shot in like a white-hot arrow.
夏日：
三十年前的一天，马赛躺在烈日之下。在法国南部，八月炎热的日子里赤日当空，在那时以前或以后都不是什么罕见的事。马赛范围内以及马赛周围的一切都凝视着灼热的太阳，而太阳反过来也凝视着这一切，久而久之，在马赛普遍形成一种耀眼的色彩。白色的房屋，白色的街道，一段段干旱的大路，草木晒得枯死的小山都十分耀眼象在瞪着眼瞧人似的，使初到此地的人们手足无措。能看到的唯一不是老瞪着眼使人眼花缭乱的，只有坠着串串葡萄的葡萄藤，热空气微微吹动着萎缩的藤叶时，葡萄确实也偶而眨眨眼。
这种普遍的耀眼的色彩令人眼睛发痛。说实在的，要远到意大利沿海蔚蓝的天空，由于海水蒸发冉冉升起的缕缕薄雾，这耀眼的色彩才不致那么强烈，但是除此之外别的地方，它一点也不曾柔和下来。远处，耀眼的大路，上面积着很厚的尘土，沿着山坡盯着人看，穿过山谷盯着人看，横过一望无际的平原盯着人看。远处，悬挂在路旁小屋上蒙着尘土的葡萄藤，还有路旁单调的成行的晒焦了不能遮荫的树木，都在大地和天空的凝视下耷拉着脑袋。长长的大车队中，发出催人欲睡的铃铛声的马匹也耷拉着脑袋，慢慢地向内地爬行着，斜靠在车上的车夫们醒来时，也耷拉着脑袋，不过他们也难得醒，田野里精疲力尽的农夫们也耷拉着脑袋。一切动物和植物都受到这耀眼光芒的压抑，例外的只是在那凹凸不平的石墙上敏捷爬行的蜥蜴和拨浪鼓似地发出强烈鸣声的蝉儿。连那尘土都被炙烤成褐色了，大气中似乎也有什么东西在颤抖，仿佛空气本身也在气喘吁吁。
竹帘子、百叶窗，窗帘、遮篷全都拉拢了，把这耀眼的光芒挡在外面。那怕只露出一条小缝或者一个钥匙孔，它就会象一支白热的箭直射进来。
查尔斯·狄更斯
(1) out of countenance：感到难堪或局促不安。
(2)the blue：天空。有时也指海洋
(3) So did ...; so did ...; so did ...：这里 so did 代替 dropped beneath the stare of earth and sky.
(4)Grant it but a chink or a keyhole, and it...：那怕只给它一条小缝或者一个钥匙孔，它就会……… Grant 解作"给予"， it 指 the stares.此句结构为"祈使句+ and +陈述句"，含义相当于"条件从句+主句"。
8. An Important Aspect Of College Life
It is perfectly possible to organize the life of our colleges in such a way that students and teachers alike will take part in it; in such a way that a perfectly natural daily intercourse will be established between them; and it is only by such an organization that they can be given real vitality as places of serious training, be made communities in which youngsters will come fully to realize how interesting intellectual work is, how vital, how important, how closely associated with all modern achievement- only by such an organization that study can be made to seem part of life itself. Lectures often seem very formal and empty things; recitations generally prove very dull and unrewarding.
It is in conversation and natural intercourse with scholars chiefly that you find how lively knowledge is, how it ties into everything that is interesting and important, how intimate a part it is of everything that is interesting and important, how intimate a part it is of everything that is "practical'' and connected with the world. Men are not always made thoughtful by books; but they are generally made thoughtful by association with men who think.
大学生活的一个重要方面：
完全有可能把我们大学的生活组织得使学生和教师都参加在其中，使师生之间产生完全自然的日常交流；只有通过这样的组织，才能使大学这种严格地培养人的地方真正充满朝气，才能使它们成为共同生活的团体，年轻人在其中会充分认识到脑力劳动是多么有趣味，多么充满活力，多么重要，并且与一切现代成就有着多么紧密的联系--只有通过这样的组织，才能使学习似乎成为生活本身的组成部分。课堂讲授常常显得很一本正经而空洞无物，背诵往往非常枯燥而收效甚微。
主要是在与学者们的谈话和自然的交往中，你才能懂得知识是多么生气蓬勃，知识与一切有趣和重要的事物是多么紧密相连，它是这些事物的不可分割的一部分，是一切'实用的"以及与当今世界有关的事物密切相连的一部分。读书并不一定能使人变得善于思考，但是，一般说来，与善于思考的人们交往，就能使人好学善思。
(1)as places Of serious training：进行严格训练的地方。用as引出的这个词组用来进一步说明前面的主语they(指colleges)。
(2)come fully tO realize；(逐渐)充分认识到。
(3)how closely associated with…：与……多么紧密联系。此处associated为过去分词，how closely associated with all modern achievement与how vital， how important并列，用来补充说明前面的how interesting intellectual work is, 它们后面可以看作都各自省略了不起intellectual work is.
9. The Angler
How comforting it is to see a cheerful and contented old age; and to behold a poor fellow, like this, after being tempest-tost through life, safely moored in a snug and quiet harbour in the evening of his days ! His happiness, how- ever, sprung from within himself, and was independent of external circumstances; for he had that inexhaustible good-nature, which is the most precious gift of Heaven, spreading itself like oil over the troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the roughest weather.
On inquiring further about him I learned that he was a universal favorite in the village, and the oracle of the tap- room; where he delighted the rustics with his songs, and, like Sindbad, astonished them with his stories of strange lands, and shipwrecks, and sea-fights. He was much noticed too by gentlemen sportsmen of the neighborhood; had taught several of them the art of angling; and was a privileged visitor to their kitchens. The whole tenor of his life was quiet and inoffensive, being principally passed about the neighboring streams, when the weather and season were favorable; and at other times he employed himself at home, preparing his fishing tackle for the next campaign, or manufacturing rods, nets, and flies, for his patrons and pupils among the gentry.
钓鱼翁：见到一位欢乐愉快，心满意足的老人，特别是看到这样一位贫穷的人，一生饱经风暴的颠簸，最终却在一个平静安宁的港湾里停泊下来，安度晚年，这是多么令人欣慰啊1然而，他的欢愉乃出自深心，不受外界环境的影响，因为他有永不厌烦的好脾气--这是最珍贵的天赋，能象油那样在汹涌的思想海洋上延展开来，使心潮在狂风暴雨袭击下也能保持平静安宁。
过进一步打听，我了解到他在村子里深受众人喜爱。他在酒店里是一位博古通今，未卜先知的智者。在那里，他的歌声使得乡里们笑逐颜开，他象《天方夜谭》里的辛巴德，用那些异乡仙境，沉船和海战的故事使他们听得目瞪口呆。他也颇受当地爱好运动的绅士们的青睐。他曾经给几位绅士传授过钓鱼的窍门，从而被特许进入他们的厨房。他生活淡泊清静，与世无争。风和日丽季节宜人时，他主要是在附近的溪流消磨时光，其他时间，则在家中忙碌，或是为下次捕鱼准备渔具，或是为乡绅中的主顾和弟子制作鱼杆，鱼网和鱼饵。
(1)where he delighted…with his songs：在那里他以歌声使……高兴。where是关系副词，指在tap-room里。
(2)Sindbad：辛巴德，《天方夜谭》中的人物，曾作过七次冒险航行而成为巴格达的富翁。
(3)a privileged visitor to their kitchens：含'备受恩宠，得以赏饭'之意。十九世纪之前英美乡村的大户人家常在厨房赏饭给宠爱的农夫。
(4)he employed himself at home：他在家中忙碌。 employ oneself后一般接介词in所构成的词组，解作"从事于．．．．"。
(5)the next campaign：下次战役。这里把钓鱼比作一次战役，表示他郑重其事。
(6)flies：fly的复数，作钓饵用的假蝇。
10.An October Sunrise
I was up the next morning before the October sunrise, and away through the wild and the woodland. The rising of the sun was noble in the cold and warmth of it; peeping down the spread of light, be raised his shoulder heavily over the edge of gray mountain and wavering length of upland. Beneath his gaze the dew-fogs dipped and crept to the hollow places, then stole away in line and column, holding skirts and clinging subtly at the sheltering comers where rock hung over grass-land, while the brave lines of the hills came forth, one beyond other gliding.
The woods arose in folds, like drapery of awakened mountains, stately with a depth of awe, and memory of the tempests. Autumn's mellow hand was upon them, as they owned already, touched with gold and red and olive, and their joy towards the sun was less to a bridegroom than a father.
Yet before the floating impress of the woods could clear itself, suddenly the gladsome light leaped over hill and valley, casting amber, blue, and purple, and a tint of rich red rose, according to the scene they lit on, and the curtain flung around; yet all alike dispelling fear and the cloven hoof of darkness, all on the wings of hope advancing, and proclaiming, "God is here !" Then life and joy sprang reassured from every crouching hollow; every flower and bud and bird had a fluttering sense of them, and all the flashing of God's gaze merged into soft beneficence.
So, perhaps, shall break upon us that eternal morning, when crag and chasm shall be no more, neither hill and valley, nor great unvintaged ocean; when glory shall not scare happiness, neither happiness envy glory; but all things shall arise, and shine in the light of the Father's countenance, because itself is risen.
十月的日出：
第二天凌晨，在十月的太阳升起之前，我已经起身，并穿过旷野和丛林。十月的清晨乍寒还暖，日出的景象是很壮观的。透过一片晨曦，朝日从朦胧的山岗和起伏连绵的高地边际，沉重地抬起肩头。在它的逼视下，漾漾的雾气向下沉降，落到洼地里去，接着化成一丝丝一缕缕，悄悄地飘去了，而在草地之上悬岩之下的那些隐蔽角落里，雾气却还在引裾徘徊，而群山的雄姿却在接二连三地涌现。
树木层层叠叠，宛若披在刚被唤醒的山峦上的斗篷，端庄威严，唤起狂风暴雨的回忆。秋季的成熟的手已经在抚摸它们了，它们顺从秋季的到来，染上了金黄，丹红和榄榄绿。它们对朝日所怀的一片喜悦，象是奉献给一个新郎的，但更象是奉献给一位尊长的。
然而，在树林的缥渺的印象逝去之前，突然那欢悦的晨光跃过峰峦和山谷，光线所及，把照到的景致和撒开的帷幕分别染成青色；紫色、琥珀色和富丽的红玫瑰色。而所有的一切都同样在驱散恐惧和黑暗的魔影，所有的一切都展开希望的翅膀，向前飞翔，并大声宣告"上帝来到这里"于是生命和欢乐从每一个蜷伏的洞穴里信心十足地欣然跃出，一切花朵、蓓蕾和鸟雀都感到了生命和欢乐而抖动起来，上帝炯炯的目光全部融入温柔的恩泽。
也许，那永恒的晨光就会这样降临人间，那时不再有魄岩沟壑，不再有峰峦山谷，也不再有浩瀚而无益的海洋，那时荣耀不会吓走幸福，幸福也不会忌妒荣耀，万物都将涌跃升腾，在造物主慈爱的光芒中生辉，因为太阳已经升起。
(1)one beyond other gliding：形容雾气散开时，一座座山峦相继浮现出来时的情景。
(2)…stately with a depth of awe，and memory of the tempests：端庄威严，唤起狂风暴雨的回忆。全句的涵义是群山上的树木的层叠形状，会使人想起风云骤起的情景。
(3) cloven hoof原指魔鬼的蹄子。这里把darkness比喻作如恶魔一般的不祥之物。
(4)a fluttering sense of them：them指life和joy,意为花朵抖动花瓣，蓓蕾含苞欲放，鸟雀振羽展翅，充满了一派生机和喜悦。