What he had once hoped for the Flock, he now gained for himself alone; he learned to fly, he was not sorry for the price that he had paid. Jonathan Seagull discovered that 16)boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull's life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long and fine life indeed.
海鸥乔纳森●利文斯顿（下）
乔纳森着陆的时候，海鸥们正聚集在一起开会，它们显然已经聚集了好一会儿了。实际上它们正等待着。
“海鸥乔纳森·利文斯顿！站到中间来！”长者的话音仿佛是在举行最高仪式。站在中间只代表两种意思：极度耻辱或极度荣耀。因为荣耀而站在中间是海鸥们宣布重要领导人的方式。
当然了，乔纳森想道，一定是早上出去觅食的鸥群看到我破的记录了！可我不需要荣耀啊。我也不想当什么领导。我只想和大家分享我的新发现，想给大家展示一个新天地。
他走到前面。
“海鸥乔纳森·利文斯顿，”长者说道，“站到中间来，将你的耻辱示以众人！”
犹如当头一棒。乔纳森的膝盖发软，羽毛耷了下来，他的耳朵轰轰地响。因为耻辱？不可能啊！我打破了记录！他们怎么不明白！他们弄错了，他们弄错了！
“……因他不顾后果、不负责任的行为，”严肃的声音说道，“他有辱我们鸥族的尊严和传统……”
因为耻辱站到中间意味着他被驱逐出鸥群，被遗弃到远处的悬崖上孤独地过活。
“……总有一天，海鸥乔纳森·利文斯顿，你将明白到不负责任是不可取的。生活不可知也无从可知，我们来到这世上仅为了吃，以及尽量活下去。”
海鸥是不能驳斥委员会的，可乔纳森的声音响起来：“不负责任？天啊！”他大声地说：“作为志在发现并追随生命更高尚意义的一只海鸥，有什么比这更负责呢？一千年来，我们只是胡乱地抢夺鱼吃，但现在我们有了生存的理由--去学习、去发现、去寻找自由！给我一个机会吧，我会让你们看看我的发现……”
鸥群依然不为所动。
“你不再是我们中的一员了，”海鸥们一齐说道，他们全体木然地合上耳朵，掉过背去对着乔纳森。
从此海鸥乔纳森就孤零零地生活了，他飞开，飞得比远处的悬崖更远。他感到悲伤的不是孤独，而是其他海鸥拒不相信有飞行的荣耀在前方等待着他们；他们不愿睁开眼睛看。
每天他都学到更多飞行技巧。他发现，用一个改良后的高速俯冲姿势能找到潜伏在海底十英尺处珍罕而味美的鱼群：他再也不必为了生存求助于那些渔船的老面包了。他练习在空中睡眠，在夜间逆海风急行，从日落到日出之间跨越一百英里的路程。以同样的内力，他飞过海上弥漫的大雾，飞越到顶上眩目而清澈的天空中……与此同时，别的海鸥还只能站在地面上，只知道雾和雨。乔纳森还学会御风高飞，飞入远远的内陆，吃到古灵精怪的昆虫。
他曾为鸥群所寄予的希望，全都独自实现了；他学会了飞翔，从不为其中付出的代价感到过后悔。海鸥乔纳森发现，厌倦、恐惧与愤怒正是海鸥们短寿的原因所在，而因为乔纳森没有这些体会，他活到了高龄并且生活得很滋润。
注释：
1) flock v. (禽畜的)群集，成群结队
2) foremost a. 最重要的
3) breakthrough n. 突破
4) sag v. 松弛，下垂
5) solemn a. 严肃的，庄严的
6) cast out of 赶出
7) unknowable a. 不能知道的
8) scrabble v. 摸索，扒寻
9) brotherhood n. 兄弟情谊
10) intone v. （以拖长的声音）吟咏
11) solitude n. 孤独
12) streamlined a. 最新型的，改进的
13) stale a. 不新鲜的
14) course n. 急行
15) offshore a. 离岸的
16) boredom n. 厌倦
★★《2003年03月号-第39期-Disc02-04》★★
Instruction for Life
生活的忠告
1. Give people more than they expect and do it 1)cheerfully;
给别人比他们期许的更多，并欣喜地去做；
2. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want;
不要轻信你听到的每件事，不要花光你的所有，不要想睡多久就睡多久；
3. When you say, "I love you", mean it;
无论何时说“我爱你”，请真心实意；
4. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye;
在说“对不起”的时候，请看对方的眼睛；
5. Believe in love at first sight;
相信一见钟情；
6. Never laugh at anyone's dreams;
不要嘲笑他人的梦想；
7. Love deeply and 2)passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely;
深情热烈地爱，也许你会受伤，但这是使人生完整的唯一方法；
8. In disagreements, fight fairly. No 3)name-calling;
用一种公平磊落的方法解决争议，不要冒犯；
9. Talk slowly but think quickly;
慢慢地说，但要迅速地想；
10. When you lose, don't lose the lesson;
如果失败，别忘了汲取教训；
11. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions;
记住三个“尊”：尊重自己；尊重别人；对自己的行为负责；
12. Don't let a little 4)dispute injure a great friendship;
不要让一场小小的争端毁了一段伟大的友谊；
13. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it;
无论何时你发现自己做错了，竭尽所能去弥补，动作要快；
14. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice;
在你打电话的时候微笑，因为对方能感觉到；
15. Spend some time alone;
找点时间，单独呆会儿；
16. Open your arms to change but don't let go of your values;
坦然接受改变，但不要摒弃你的个人理念；
17. Read more books and watch less TV;
多看点书，少看点电视；
18. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time;
过一种高尚而诚实的生活。当你年老时回想起过去，你就能再一次享受人生；
19. Trust in God but lock your car;
相信上帝，但是别忘了锁车；
20. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before;
每年至少去一个你从没去过的地方；
21. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck;
记住，不是最理想的收获有时候也是一种好运；
22. Remember that the best relationship is the one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other；
记住：最好的关系在于对别人的爱多于对别人的索求；
23. Approach love and cooking with 5)reckless 6)abandon.
无论对待爱情还是烹调，都不离不弃。
注释:
1) cheerfully ad. 高高兴兴地
2) passionately ad. 热烈地，热情地
3) name-calling n. 骂人
4) dispute n. 争论，辩论
5) reckless a. 不顾后果的
6) abandon n. 放任，狂热
★★《2003年03月号-第39期-Disc02-05》★★
What Is Happiness?
"Are you happy?" I asked my brother, Ian, one day.
"Yes. No. It depends on what you mean," he said.
"Then tell me," I said, "when was the last time you think you were happy?"
"April 1967," he said.
It served me right for putting a serious question to someone who has joked his way through life. But Ian's answer reminded me that when we think about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, a 1)pinnacle of 2)sheer delight. And those pinnacles seem to get rarer the older we get.
For a child, happiness has a magical quality. I remember making hide-outs in newly cut 3)hay, playing 4)cops and robbers in the woods, getting a speaking part in the school play. Of course, kids also experience lows, but their delight at such peaks of pleasure as winning a race or getting a new bike is 5)unreserved.
In the teenage years, the concept of happiness changes. Suddenly it's conditional on such things as excitement, love, popularity and whether that zit will clear up before a 6)prom night. I can still feel the agony of not being invited to a party that almost everyone else was going to. But I also recall the ecstasy of being plucked from obscurity at another event to dance with a 7)John Travolta look-alike.
In 8)adulthood the things that bring 9)profound joy - birth, love, marriage - also bring responsibility and the risk of loss. Love may not last, loved ones die. For adults, happiness is complicated.
My dictionary defines happy as "lucky" or "fortunate", but I think a better definition of happiness is "the capacity for enjoyment". The more we can enjoy what we have, the happier we are. It's easy to overlook the pleasure we get from loving and being loved, the company of friends, the freedom to live where we please, even good health.
I added up my little moments of pleasure yesterday. First there was sheer bliss when I shut the last lunchbox and had the house to myself. Then I spent an 10)uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids came home, I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.
You never know where happiness will turn up next. When I asked friends what makes them happy, some mentioned 11)seemingly 12)insignificant moments. "I hate shopping," one friend said. "But there's this clerk who always chats and really cheers me up."
Another friend loves the telephone. "Every time it rings, I know someone is thinking about me."
We all experience moments like these. Too few of us register them as happiness.
While happiness may be more complex for us, the solution is the same as ever. Happiness isn't about what happens to us; it's about how we perceive what happens to us. It's the 13)knack of finding a positive for every negative, and viewing a 14)set-back as a challenge. It's not wishing for what we don't have, but enjoying what we do possess.
什么是幸福？
“你幸福吗？”一天我问我的兄弟伊恩。
“又幸福，又不幸福。这要看你指的是什么，”他说。
“那么告诉我，”我说，“你最近一次感到幸福是什么时候？”
“1967年4月，”他说。
向一个游戏人生的人提问这么严肃的问题，我真是自讨苦吃。但是伊恩的话启发了我，当我们考虑幸福的时候，我们通常想到一些不同寻常的事情和愉快无比的时刻，而随着年龄的增长，这种时刻是越来越少。
对于孩子来说，幸福充满了魔力。我记得在新割下的草堆里捉迷藏，在树林里扮演警察和强盗，在校剧中担当有台词的角色。当然孩子也有情绪低落的时候，但是当赢了赛跑或得到一辆新自行车时，他们流露出快乐是无可比拟、没有任何保留的。
到了少年时期，幸福观发生了变化。突然间幸福有了条件，例如：刺激、爱情、名气以及舞会前青春痘是否能消除等。我还能感受到因未被邀请去参加一个几乎人人有份的晚会所体会到的痛苦；我还记得在另一次活动中因与一位酷似约翰·屈沃塔的人跳舞而大出风头的那份激动心情。
成年时，能带来深深欢乐的事情（如出生、爱情和婚姻），同时也带来了责任和失去的危险。爱情也许难以持久；心爱的人也许会离开人世。对于成年人来说，幸福是复杂的。
我的字典把幸福定义为“幸运”或“好运”。但是我想幸福更好的定义是“享受的能力”。我们越能享受所拥有的一切，我们就越幸福。从爱与被爱、友情、随心所欲择地而居、甚至到拥有的健康，其中获得的快乐很容易被我们忽视了。
我总结了一下我昨天的幸福时刻：首先是我合上最后一个午餐饭盒，独自在家时的那种无比幸福；然后过了一个写作不受干扰的上午，令我愉快；等到孩子们回家，我享受安静的一天过后他们吵闹的声音。
你永远无法知道下一次幸福何时来临。我问朋友们什么能使他们感到幸福，一些人举出一些似乎不太重要的时刻。“我不喜欢购物，”一位朋友说，“但那里有一个爱聊天的售货员，让我感到很愉快。”
另一位朋友喜欢接电话。“每次电话铃声响，我就知道有人正想着我呢。”
我们都经历过类似的事，但视之为幸福的人寥寥无几。
虽然幸福对我们来说也许更错综复杂，但是获得幸福的途径永远是一样的。幸福不在于我们的遭遇如何，而在于我们如何看待所遭遇到的事情。这是化消极为积极、将挫折看作挑战的诀窍。幸福不是凭空许愿，而是享受拥有。
[注释]
1) pinnacle n. 顶点
2) sheer a. 全然的，纯粹的
3) hay n. 干草
4) cop n. 警察
5) unreserved a. 无节制的，无保留的
6) prom n. 正式舞会
7) John Travolta是好莱坞70年代的名演员，成名片是在1978年的“Grease”，他在其中演出的舞蹈风格曾一度风靡世界。
8) adulthood n. 成人期
9) profound a. 深刻的
10) uninterrupted a. 不被打断或干扰的
11) seemingly ad. 表面上地
12) insignificant a. 无关紧要的，无意义的
13) knack n. 诀窍
14) set-back n. 挫折，障碍
★★《2003年03月号-第39期-Disc02-06》★★
Speaking Sparkles (1)
妙语连珠
"Sure, time of my life - the last six years, this has been the best. I mean, it's ... I've been like a prince; lived the life of a prince, six years, you know, kind of, formed my own company, made three films with my company. I don't think I could have done that without Bond. So one can only kind of take the high road with something like this and just enjoy it and celebrate it. So would I like to go again? Yes, I'd love to do a fifth."
“当然了，这六年是我最美好的时光。我是说，啊，我就像王子般生活了六年--成立了公司，制作了三部电影。我想如果没演过邦德我不可能做到这一切。所以，谁得到这个通往成功的机会谁都会乐在其中并大肆庆祝一番。那么要问我会不会再次饰演邦德呢？是的，我想我愿意有第五次演出机会。”
--Pierce Brosnan就会否继续饰演邦德答记者问
"It really doesn't matter whether it's an American company, a French company, a Russian company, a Chinese company producing that oil. As long as the oil is being produced with some kind of a 1)reliability and flowing into the world market."
“出产石油的是美国、法国、俄国还是中国的石油公司并不重要。只要石油能稳定地流入世界市场就行了。”
--剑桥能源研究所主席、普立策奖获得者Daniel Jorgen推测在萨达姆下台后伊拉克的石油将会由不同的国际公司联手开采
"Girls 2)outperform boys in 3)elementary school, middle school, high school and college and graduate school. Girls are being told, 'Go for it, you can do it!' 'Go for it, you can do it!' They are getting an 4)immense amount of support. Boys hear that the way to shine is 5)athletically. And they get, boys get a lot of mixed messages about what it means to be 6)masculine and what it means to be a student. Is being a good student make you a real man? I don't think so. It is not cool."
“在小学、初中、高中、大学以及研究生院，女生的成绩都比男生优秀。女生常被鼓励：‘好好学，你一定能拿到好成绩！’‘好好学，你一定能拿到好成绩！’她们得到大量支持。男生则被鼓励去获得体育场上的成功。怎样才是好男儿，与怎样才是好学生--他们听到的说法每每不同。品学兼优的就是男子汉吗？我想不是的，因为这不够酷。”
--Michael Tompson博士谈及美国高等院校中男女比例失衡的原因
注释
1) reliability n. 稳定性
2) outperform v. 做得比……好，胜过
3) elementary a. 初步的，基本的
4) immense a. 无边的，极广大的
5) athletically ad. 运动比赛地，具有运动员风范地
6) masculine a. 男性的，男子气概的
★★《2003年03月号-第39期-Disc02-07》★★
President Bush's Christmas Address
Thank you all. Thank you very much. With the lighting of the National Christmas Tree, we observe one of the great traditions of our nation's capital. And throughout the Christmas season, we recall that God's love is found in 1)humble places, and God's peace is offered to all of us. Laura and I are pleased to be with you at this Christmas Pageant of Peace, and we thank you all for coming as well.
I want to thank Barbara for hosting this event. (Applause) I want to thank all the 2)entertainers for making the night such a special evening, thank you all for coming. (Applause) I want to thank Peter and the board of directors and the production team for organizing this fine event. I appreciate Santa coming. (Laughter) Looks like he needs a belt for Christmas. (Laughter) Finally, I want to thank all the good people of the National Park Service. (Applause) The National Christmas Tree is a living tree and the Park Service looks after it every single day of the year.
For nearly 80 years, in times of calm and in times of challenge, Americans have gathered for this ceremony. The simple story we remember during this season speaks to every generation. It is the story of a quiet birth in a little town, on the margins of an indifferent empire. Yet, that single event set the direction of history and still changes millions of lives. For over two 3)millennia, Christmas has carried the message that God is with us - and, because He's with us, we can always live in hope.
In this season, we celebrate with our families - and deeply miss family members no longer with us. Thousands of families in our nation are still grieving over the terrible losses that came to them last year on September the 11th. We pray for their comfort. We pray for the comfort for everyone who has lost a life this year.
Our entire nation is also thinking at this time of year of the men and women in the military, many of whom will spend this Christmas at posts far from home. They stand between Americans and grave danger. They serve in the cause of peace and freedom. They wear the uniform proudly and we are proud of them. (Applause)
Laura and I wish every American family the blessings of this season, happy holidays, and a merry Christmas. And now we have the honor of lighting the National Christmas Tree. And joining us, we've got two new friends, Samara Banks and Ben Schneller, to help us light this tree.
Now, if everybody - you all step up here - (laughter) - get ready. Please join us in the 4)countdown: Five, four, three, two, one. (Applause)
布什总统圣诞讲话
2002年12月5日
谢谢，非常感谢。随着国家圣诞树上灯火亮起，我们迎来了祖国首都一个重要的传统节日。整个圣诞节让我们感到世间洋溢着上帝的爱，人人都享有上帝恩赐的和平。能在这和平的圣诞庆典中与大家相聚我和劳拉都很高兴，为此我也要感谢诸位的光临。
我要感谢芭芭拉主持这场仪式。（掌声）我要感谢所有的演艺人员，因为有了你们让今晚显得格外特别，谢谢你们的到来。（掌声）我要感谢彼得、整个理事会以及所有的筹备人员，是你们组织了这场盛大的庆典。我感谢圣诞老人的光临。（笑声）看起来他需要一条腰带过圣诞节。（笑声）最后，我要感谢国家公园各部门中所有辛勤的工作人员。（掌声）国家圣诞树是一棵活生生的树，因为有国家公园的工作人员日复一日地照看着它。
近八十年来，时逢安定，时逢挑战，美国人都要聚到一块儿举行庆典。如今，我们记忆中的圣诞节小故事已是老少皆知。那是一个生命在一个冷漠国度的边境小镇上静静降生的故事。然而这件事却划定了历史前进的方向，并且直到现在仍在改写着千百万人的命运。两千多年来，圣诞节一直传递着一个信息--上帝与我们同在。正因为他陪伴着我们，所以我们能永远生活在希望之中。
值此佳节我们与家人一同张灯结彩，并一同深切缅怀那些离我们而去的亲人。我们国家有成千上万的家庭仍在为去年九月十一号降临到他们头上的那场可怕灾难而哀恸不已。我们祈祷他们安心，我们祈祷所有今年丧失生活勇气的人安心。
此时我们举国上下同样也牵挂着那些军营中的男女军人，他们中的许多人将会在远离家乡的岗位上度过这个圣诞节。他们屹立在美国人与危机之间，他们捍卫着和平与自由，他们自豪地穿着军装，而我们为他们自豪。（掌声）
我和劳拉祝愿所有的美国家庭节日好运、假期愉快、圣诞快乐。现在，我们有幸来点亮这棵国家圣诞树。我们也请来两位新朋友--莎玛拉·班克斯和本·施内尔勒--帮助我们一起来点亮这棵树。
请诸位走上前来，（笑声），各就各位。请大家跟着我们一起数：五、四、三、二、一。（掌声）
注释：
1) humble a. 卑下的，简陋的
2) entertainer n. 款待者，演艺人员
3) millennium n. 太平盛世，一千年（millennia 是其复数形式）
4) countdown n. 倒数
★★《2003年03月号-第39期-Disc02-08》★★
Should I Follow My Instincts?
Van de Mark: Now, Lillian, I want to know when does one decide, it's more than a 1)hunch, this is really something I believe in, and I'm going to take action with it?
