英语美文500字10篇

means of mum`s loveTime is running out for my friend. While we are sitting at lunch she casually mentions she and her husband are thinking of starting a family. "We're taking a survey,"she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know,"she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous holidays..." But that's not what I mean at all. I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be vulnerable forever. I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without thinking: "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for child care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting, and she will think her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her child is all right.I want my friend to know that every decision will no longer be routine. That a five-year-old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at a restaurant will become a major dilemma. The issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in the lavatory. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the added weight of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her own life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. She would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years—not to accomplish her own dreams—but to watch her children accomplish theirs. I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a ball. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it hurts.My friend's look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I say finally. Then, squeezing my friend's hand, I offer a prayer for her and me and all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this holiest of callings.时光任苒，朋友已经老大不小了。我们坐在一起吃饭的时候，她漫不经心地提到她和她的丈夫正考虑要小孩。“我们正在做一项调查，”她半开玩笑地说。“你觉得我应该要个小孩吗？”“他将改变你的生活。”我小心翼翼地说道，尽量使语气保持客观。“这我知道。”她答道，“周末睡不成懒觉，再也不能随心所欲休假了……”但我说的绝非这些。我注视着朋友，试图整理一下自己的思绪。我想让她知道她永远不可能在分娩课上学到的东西。我想让她知道：分娩的有形伤疤可以愈合，但是做母亲的情感伤痕却永远如新，她会因此变得十分脆弱。我想告诫她：做了母亲后，每当她看报纸时就会情不自禁地联想：“如果那件事情发生在我的孩子身上将会怎样啊！”每一次飞机失事、每一场住宅火灾都会让她提心吊胆。看到那些忍饥挨饿的孩子们的照片时，她会思索：世界上还有什么比眼睁睁地看着自己的孩子饿死更惨的事情呢？我打量着她精修细剪的指甲和时尚前卫的衣服，心里想到：不管她打扮多么考究，做了母亲后，她会变得像护崽的母熊那样原始而不修边幅。我觉得自己应该提醒她，不管她在工作上投入了多少年，一旦做了母亲，工作就会脱离常规。她自然可以安排他人照顾孩子，但说不定哪天她要去参加一个非常重要的商务会议，却忍不住想起宝宝身上散发的甜甜乳香。她不得不拼命克制自己，才不致于为了看看孩子是否安然无羔而中途回家。我想告诉朋友，有了孩子后，她将再也不能按照惯例做出决定。在餐馆，5岁的儿子想进男厕而不愿进女厕将成为摆在她眼前的一大难题：她将在两个选择之间权衡一番：尊重孩子的独立和性别意识，还是让他进男厕所冒险被潜在的儿童性骚扰者侵害？任凭她在办公室多么果断，作为母亲，她仍经常事后后悔自己当时的决定。注视着我的这位漂亮的朋友，我想让她明确地知道，她最终会恢复到怀孕前的体重，但是她对自己的感觉已然不同。她现在视为如此重要的生命将随着孩子的诞生而变得不那么宝贵。为了救自己的孩子，她时刻愿意献出自己的生命。但她也开始希望多活一些年头，不是为了实现自己的梦想，而是为了看着孩子们美梦成真。我想向朋友形容自己看到孩子学会击球时的喜悦之情。我想让她留意宝宝第一次触摸狗的绒毛时的捧腹大笑。我想让她品尝快乐，尽管这快乐真实得令人心痛。朋友的表情让我意识到自己已经是热泪盈眶。“你永远不会后悔，”我最后说。然后紧紧地握住朋友的手，为她、为自己、也为每一位艰难跋涉、准备响应母亲职业神圣的召唤的平凡女性献上自己的祈祷A Box Full Of Kisses Once upon a time, a man punished his 5-year-old daughter for using up the family's only roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became even more upset when on Christmas Eve, he saw that the child had pasted the gold paper so as to decorate a shoebox to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the next morning the little girl, filled with excitement, brought the gift box to her father and said, "This is for you, Daddy!" As he opened the box, the father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction. But when he opened it, he found it was empty and again his anger flared. "Don't you know, young lady,” he said harshly, “when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package!" The little girl looked up at him with tears rolling from her eyes and said: "Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was all full." The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his precious little girl. He begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger. An accident took the life of the child only a short time later. It is told that the father kept that little gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. Whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems he would open the box, take out an imaginary kiss, and remember the love of this beautiful child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as human beings have been given an invisible golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.从前,一位父亲惩罚了自己5岁的女儿,因为她用光了家里仅有的一卷昂贵的金色包装纸。家中余钱无多，在圣诞前夜来临时，父亲变得更加心烦意乱，他看到了圣诞树下的一个鞋盒，女儿原来把金纸贴在了这个鞋盒上做装饰。然而，圣诞日的早上，小女孩满是兴奋得把这个圣诞礼盒呈到了父亲面前，说到：“爸爸，这个送给你！”当父亲打开礼盒时，他为自己先前的过度反应而局促不安着。但是当他打开盒子后，发现里面是空的，他的怒火再次爆发了。“你不知道吗，小丫头，”他严厉地说，“当你送人礼物时，盒子里面应该是有东西的！”小女孩抬头看着气头上的父亲，泪水在她的眼眶中打圈：“爸爸，它不是空的。这里面装满了我的吻。”男人顿时被击垮了。他跪下双膝，双手环抱着自己珍爱的小女孩，祈求她的原谅。之后不久，一场事故夺走了小女孩的生命。据说，父亲便将那个小金盒子放在床头，一直陪伴着他的余生。无论何时他感到气馁或者遇到难办的事情，他就会打开礼盒，取出一个假想的吻，记起漂亮女儿给予了自己特殊的爱。从一个非常真实的意义上说，我们每个人都被赠与过一个无形的金色礼盒，那里面装满了来自子女，家人，朋友及上帝无条件的爱与吻。人们所能拥有的最珍贵的礼物莫过于此了。Love and Time Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,"Richness, can you take me with you?"Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!""I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you.""Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her. Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?""It was Time," Knowledge answered."Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."从前有一个岛，所有的情感都住在那里：幸福、悲伤、知识和所有其它的，爱也不例外。一天，所有的情感听说小岛即将沉没，因此建造小船，纷纷离开，除了爱。爱是唯一留下来的，因为它希望能坚持到最后一刻。小岛即将沉没了，爱决定请求帮助。富有驾着一艘大船从爱身边经过，爱说，“富有，你能带上我么？”富有回答说：“不行，我的船上载满金银财宝，没有你的地方。”虚荣坐在漂亮的小船中从爱身边驶过，爱问：“虚荣，你能帮助我么？”虚荣说：“不行，你全身湿透，会弄脏我的船。”悲伤的船靠近了，爱问：“悲伤，请带我走吧。”“哦... 爱，我太难过了，想一个人呆着。”幸福经过爱的身边，它太开心了，根本没听见爱在呼唤。突然，一个声音喊道：“来，爱，我带你走。” 声音来自“年老”。爱太高兴了，甚至忘了问他们即将去何方。当他们来到岸上，年老自己离开了。爱突然意识到“年老”给了它多大的帮助。于是，爱问另一位老者--知识：“谁帮助了我？”知识说：“是时间。”“时间？”爱问：“但是时间为什么帮助我？”知识睿智地微笑道：“因为只有时间了解爱的价值。”The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more but enjoy less. 我们这个时代在历史上的说法就是我们拥有更高的建筑，但是有更暴的脾气；我们拥有更宽阔的高速公路，却有更狭隘的观点；我们花费得更多，拥有得却更少；我们购买得更多却享受得更少。 We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. 我们的房子越来越大，家庭却越来越小；便利越来越多，时间却越来越少；学位越来越多，感觉却越来越少；知识越来越多，观点却越来越少；专家越来越多，问题也越来越多；药物越来越多，健康却越来越少。 We drink too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 我们喝得太多，花钱大手大脚，笑得太少，开车太快，易怒，熬夜，赖床，书读得越来越少，电视看得越来越多，却很少向上帝祈祷。 We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years. 我们常常夸夸其谈，却很少付出爱心，且常常心中充满了仇恨。我们学会了如何谋生，而不知如何生活。我们延长了生命的期限，而不是生活的期限。 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 done larger things, but not better things. 我们登上了月球，并成功返回，却不能穿过街道去拜访新邻居。我们已经征服了太空，却征服不了自己的内心；我们的事业越做越大，但质量却没有提高。 We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less. 我们清洁了空气，却污染了灵魂；我们分离了原子，却无法驱除我们的偏见；我们写得更多，学到的却更少；我们的计划更多，完成的却更少。 We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but, lower morals. 我们学会了奔跑，却忘记了如何等待；我们的收入越来越高，道德水平却越来越低。 We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality. 我们制造了更多的计算机来存储更多的信息，制造了最多的副本，却减少了交流；我们开始渴望数量，但忽视了质量。 These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but more broken homes. 这个时代有双收入，但也有了更高的离婚率；有更华丽的房屋，却有更多破碎的家庭。 These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. Where are we heading...? 这个时代有了快速旅游，免洗尿布，却抛弃了道德、一夜情、超重的身体，以及可以从快乐中走向静止和自杀的药物。我们将走向何方……？ If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. 如果我们明天就死掉，我们为之工作的公司可能会在一天内很轻易地找人代替我们的位置。但是当我们离开家人后，他们的余生将会在失落中度过。 And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family an unwise investment indeed. 考虑一下吧，我们将自己的时间更多地投入到工作中，而放弃与家人在一起的时光，实在并非明智之举。 So what is the morale of the story?那么这则故事的主旨是什么呢?Don’t work too hard... and you know what’s the full word of family? 不要工作得太辛苦，你知道家的全称吗？ FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU.

The Farthest Distance in The World The farthest distance in the world is not the space between life and death,but that you don't know I love you while I am standing in front of you. The farthest distance in the world is not that you don't know I love you while I am standing in front of you, but that we can't be together though we both love each other.The farthest distance in the world is not that we can't be together while we both love each other, but that I have to pretend that I don't care about you at all while I can't help missing you.The farthest distance in the world is not that I have to pretend that I don't care about you at all while I can't help missing you, but that you build an unsurpassable gap between you and your lover unmercifully.很棒的！

经典美文,或是立意高远,或是思想健康;或是语言精美,或是构思巧妙……经典美文不仅是文学史中最具文学鉴赏价值、最富文化精髓的艺术作品,同时还是我们借鉴并用以指导学生写作的不可多得的范本。我精心收集了500字左右英语美文摘抄，供大家欣赏学习!

If you are feeling that life just cannot be any worse for you, it can be challenging to think positive thoughts. When we are stressed, depressed, upset, or otherwise in a negative state of mind because we perceive that "bad things" keep happening to us, it is important to shift those negative thoughts to something positive. If we don't, we will only attract more "bad things."

如果你感觉生活对你来说实在是糟糕之极，你可以挑战着想些积极的东西。当我们不堪重负、沮丧、失落，抑或因为我们认为倒霉的事总是光临我们而处于消极状态时，将这些消极的思想转变为积极的至关重要。如果我们不这么做，只会招致更多的霉运。

It is often very hard to think positive when so many things are negative, but I can assure you that someone, somewhere is worse off than you. We can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.

有如此之多消极因素还要想些积极的东西，通常情况下这很难，但我可以保证，在某个地方有人比你情况还糟。我们可以换种方式，一步一步细细思考那些消极的东西。

If you start with one small, positive thing and repeat it during the course of your day, you will begin to move into a more positive situation: positive thoughts, feelings, opportunities and people will start showing up in your life. With practice, you will find that over time, you will change your outlook and choose to be happy, irregardless of the events around you.

从一件积极的小事情开始，并且一整天就一直重复想着，你将进入一个更加积极的状态：积极的思想、情感、机遇、人们开始装扮你的人生。这样练下去，很快你会发现你将改变你的观点，选择快乐的生活，而不在意周围那些琐事。

Here are a few examples for you to practice. Say them out loud and with feeling!

下面有一些方法供你选择练习。要有感情的把它们大声说出来。

1. Begin and end each day with a "Thank you for this wonderful, glorious day!"

在每一天开始和结束的时候，说一句“感谢这么一个愉快的一天”。

2. When you see the gas prices hiking, say "I am so glad that I am blessed to have a vehicle in which to get around."

燃气价格高涨的时候，说“我很高兴我至少还有着这辆车可以到处兜风。”

3. When you are late for work, say "I am so happy and grateful for my job as I know that many don't have one."

上班迟到时，说“我很幸福并感激我的工作，因为我知道很多人还没有工作。”

4. If you are having health problems, be grateful for what does work: "I really do appreciate my eyes that see, my ears that hear, my mouth that tastes, my legs that walk, my arms that lift, my hands that write, my mind that thinks, my knees that bend and my tongue that talks." The possibilities here are endless: insert what does work for you and feel good about it!

如果你的健康出了问题，对目前所拥有的要心存感激：“我真的感激我的眼睛还能看，我的耳朵还能听，我的嘴还能品味，我的双腿还能行走，我的双臂还能抬起，我的双手还能写字，我还能思考，我的双膝还能弯曲，我还能说话”。这儿有无穷尽的种种可能：珍惜你所拥有的，并善待它们!

5. Write down what you're grateful for each day. In moments when you're feeling really down, read what you wrote previously. This will help uplift your spirits. If you practice this regularly, you will find that your list will get longer and longer.

记下每天让你感激的事，每当你失落的时候，读一读你曾经写下的心情，这会让你从新振作起来。经常这样练习去，你会发现你所感激的东西越来越多。

The key is to move yourself into a positive thought and keep it there long enough to make it a moment of blissful peace. The more you practice, the happier you'll be.

转为积极情绪并长久保持着这种状态的关键在于为自己创造幸福、宁静的一刻。练的越多，你就越幸福。

Home on the Way

旅人的家

People need homes: children assume their parents' place as home; boarders call school "home" on weekdays; married couples work together to build new homes; and travelers … have no place to call "home", at least for a few nights.

人人都需要家：小孩子把父母的住所当做自己的家;寄宿生在平日把学校称为“家”;结了婚的夫妻要共同营造自己的新家;至于旅者呢……至少有几晚他们要住在不能称为“家”的地方!

So how about people who have to travel for extended periods of time? Don’t they have the right to a home? Of course they do.

那么那些不得不长期出门在外的人怎么办?难道他们无权拥有一个家吗?他们当然有!

Some regular travelers take their own belongings: like bed sheets, pillowcases and family photos to make them feel like home no matter where they are; some stay for long periods in the same hotel and as a result become very familiar with service and attendants; others may simply put some flowers by the hotel window to make things more homely. Furthermore, driving a camping car during one’s travels and sleeping in the vehicle at night is just like home -- only mobile!

有些经常出门的旅者会随身携带些属于自己的日用品，像床单、枕套或全家福相片等，无论走到哪里，这些东西都能带给他们家的感觉;有些人在长驻时会待在同一家旅馆里，使他们对店里的服务和人员都非常熟稔;再有的就可能只是在旅馆的窗边摆些花，使房间更像个家。此外，一路开着露营车旅行，晚上就住在车里，这就更像是真正的家了――只不过能移动而已!

And how about maintaining relationships while in transit? Some keep contact with their friends via internet; some send letters and postcards, or even photos; others may just call and say hi, just to let their friends know that they're still alive and well. People find ways to keep in touch. Making friends on the way helps travelers feel more or less at home. Backpackers in youth hostels may become very good friends, even closer than siblings.

那人们在旅程穿梭时，又是如何维系关系的呢?有些人通过互联网跟朋友联络;有些人寄信、明信片，甚至照片;还有些人可能只是打个电话问声好，目的仅是让朋友们知道他们还活着，而且活得不错。人们发现了各种各样的联络方式。在旅途中交朋友能帮旅者或多或少地找到一点家的感觉。青年旅店里的背包客也许会成为非常要好的朋友，甚至比手足还要亲!

Nowadays, fewer people are working in their local towns, so how do they develop a sense of belonging? Whenever we step out of our local boundaries, there is always another "home" waiting to be found. Wherever we are, with just a little bit of effort and imagination, we can make the place we stay "home".

如今，大多数人都是离乡在外工作，那么人们又如何能有归属感呢?一旦我们走出家门，就总有另一个“家”在等着我们去寻找。不论身处何处，只要稍加努力和想像，我们就能把栖身之地营造成一个“家”!

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet, he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher.

据传说，一个年轻的男子在漫游沙漠途中看到一泉如水晶般清澈而可口的水。水的味道非常甜美，于是他灌满了他的皮水壶，这样就可以带一些回去，送给曾经是他老师的部落长老。

After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

经过四天的旅程，他把水呈献给老人。老人深饮一口，和蔼地笑了笑，并深切感激学生赠予他甜美的水。年轻人怀着愉快的心情回到了村庄。

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container.

后来，老师让他的另一个学生品尝水。学生吐了出来，说水太难喝了。它显然已经因为陈旧的皮革容器而变得不再新鲜。

The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

学生质疑他的老师：“师父，水是臭的，你为什么要假装喜欢它?”

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."

老师回答说，“你只品尝了水的味道，我却是在品尝礼物的味道。水仅仅是装载善与爱之行为的容器，而没有什么东西比善与爱更甜美了。”

I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.

我认为当我们从天真的孩子们那里收到爱的礼物时，能够最透彻地明白这个道理。无论它是一个陶瓷托盘或通心粉手镯，我们自然而恰当的反应是欣赏，并表示感激，因为我们喜欢礼物所包含的心意。

Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

感恩并不总是自然而来的。不幸的是，大多数儿童和成人只看重被赠予的东西本身，而不是它体现的情谊。我们应该提醒自己，并教导我们的孩子，感情和对感激之情的表达是美丽而纯洁的。毕竟，发自内心给与的礼物才是真正的礼物。