They have been to school and college， but all the time they had their eye on the medal； they have gone about in the world and mixed with clever people， but all the time they were thinking of their own affairs. As if a man’s soul were not too small to begin with， they have dwarfed and narrowed theirs by a life of all work and no play； until here they are at forty， with a listless attention， a mind vacant of all material of amusement， and not one thought to rub against another， while they wait for the train. Before he was breeched， he might have clambered on the boxes， when he was twenty， he would have stared at the girls； but now the pipe is smoked out， the snuff-box empty， and my gentleman sits bolt upright upon a bench， with lamentable eyes. This does not appeal to me as being Success in Life.
無論在中學還是在大學，在教會還是在市場，忙忙碌碌都是欠缺生命力的一個標誌。閑散的本領意味著廣泛的興趣與對個性的強烈意識。這些無精打采、陳腐之人，除了一些常規的工作外，幾乎沒有生存的意識。如果把他們帶到鄉村，或是讓他們乘船到國外去，你們就會看到他們是多麽渴望辦公桌和書房了；他們全無好奇心，也不會任由自己宣泄怒氣；他們不會在展現自己本領的活動上開心或是獨自陶醉；除非緊急情況，例如用棒子打他，他們才會前行。
與這些朋友根本無法交談：他們不會放鬆，天生不懂豪放；他們隻會昏沉地度過那些時間，他們不會傾注全力在碾金廠裏。當他們不想工作時，當他們不感到饑餓、不打算飲酒時，這個生機勃勃的世界對他們來說就是空白的。如果他們必須要等一個小時的火車，他們就會睜著眼睛陷入恍惚之中。看到他們，你就會猜到沒有什麽可看的，也沒有人可以交流；你能夠想象得到他們已經麻痹或是與世隔絕了。然而，他們很可能以自己的方式成為勤奮的工作者，而且眼光銳利，可以看出一張契約上的瑕疵或是市場行情的變化。
他們在中學和大學都讀過書，但是他們的目光始終盯著獎章；他們外出活動，與聰明之人交往，但是他們始終惦記著自己的事情。好像一個人嫌自己的靈魂太大，他們一生中隻有工作，沒有娛樂，致使靈魂萎縮並縮小了；他們直到40歲時，注意力分散，頭腦中缺乏所有有關娛樂的東西，對於其他想法全然不知，他們等候火車時就是這個樣子。他沒穿褲子的時候，也許可以在箱子上爬來爬去，20歲時，可以盯著女孩看；但是煙抽完了，鼻煙壺空了，我的這位閣下，在長椅上正襟危坐，目光哀傷。我認為，這不是成功的人生。
記憶填空
1. They have no curiosity； they cannot give themselves over to random provocations； they do not take _______ in the exercise of their faculties for its own sake； and unless Necessity lays about them with a stick， they will even stand _______ .
2. To see them， you would suppose there was_______ to look at and no one to speak_______； you would imagine they were paralyzed or alienated； and yet very possibly they are hard workers in their own _______ ， and have good _______for a flaw in a deed or a turn of the market.
佳句翻譯
1. 無論在中學還是在大學，在教會還是在市場，忙忙碌碌都是欠缺生命力的一個標誌。
2. 當他們不想工作時，當他們不感到饑餓、不打算飲酒時，這個生機勃勃的世界對他們來說都是空白的。
3. 他們很可能以自己的方式成為勤奮的工作者，而且眼光銳利，可以看出一張契約上的瑕疵或是市場行情的變化。
短語應用
1. There is a sort of dead-alive， hackneyed people about， who are scarcely conscious of living except in the exercise of some conventional occupation...
a sort of：一種；有點兒；所謂的
2. You will see how they pine for their desk or their study.
pine for：渴望
減壓貼士
12 Ways to Minimize Stress
佚名 / Anonymous
It’s holiday again. Most of us look forward to it. But as we immerse ourselves in the holiday season—the parties， the shopping， the cooking， the relatives， the bills—what we were hoping for， fun and warm feelings of togetherness， often turns out to be little more than stress and fatigue.
Although it is nearly impossible not to experience some increase in stress during this hectic time， there are ways to help keep stress levels manageable. Consider the following tips to help make your holidays a little brighter.
—Continue to exercise during the holidays， even if it’s less than your usual regimen.
—Try to eat healthy foods.
Relax between parties and other holiday obligations.
—Be aware of what’s going on inside of you.
Are you missing a special holiday ritual from your childhood？ Can you incorporate it in to your current holiday plans？
—Practise tolerance.
Remember that everyone in those long shopping lines is just as pressed for time as you are. Better yet shop online！
—Prioritize， prioritize， prioritize.
You cannot do it all， and if you try， you surely will not enjoy yourself.
—Budget your holiday spending money ahead of time.
Write down your spending list and stick to it.
—Remember that drinking alcohol only gives the illusion of feeling better and less stressed.
It is important to drink only in moderation—particularly during the holidays when many other stresses are present.
—Avoid bringing up difficult or sensitive subject matter at family gatherings.
—Give to someone less fortunate.
Adopt a needy family. Donate toys for underprivileged children. Remember that giving is the true spirit of the holidays.
—If you are from a displaced family， or for some reason cannot be with your loved ones during the holidays， seek out others in the same situation and plan a special gathering.
—Talk to a friend， or， if needed， a therapist， about your holiday blues and stress.
Often， just verbalizing your thoughts will help alleviate the negative feelings， and the interchange can provide you with some stress-relief solutions.
—Be thankful for all you have.
假期又來臨了，大部分人都很期待它的到來，但是由於我們將自己沉浸在整個假期中——聚會、購物、烹飪、串親戚、清賬—— 一切我們所期盼的，相聚使我們感到快樂和溫暖，但往往也會帶來少許壓力和疲倦。
盡管在這段繁忙的時期不可能不會經曆某些壓力，但是這裏有一些方法可以使這些壓力保持平衡。考慮以下小貼士，會給你的假期增添些許快樂。
——在假期時仍要堅持鍛煉，即使強度比平常稍稍減輕一點兒。
——多吃健康食品。
在聚會和其他假期活動的間隙要多休息。
——留心來自心底的聲音。
你是否錯過了一個兒時的特別假期儀式？你能否把它安排在你現在的假期日程中？
——學會寬容。
記住：每一個排著長隊購物的人都會像你一樣擔心時間。（不過最好選擇網上購物！）
——懂得取舍。
你不能做所有想做的事，如果你嚐試一下，就知道那其實並不開心。
——提前預算假期的開支。
列一個花銷清單，並遵循它。
——記住：飲酒隻會使你有舒服和壓力減輕的幻覺。
飲酒時需要注意的就是適度——特別是當許多壓力同時出現的假期。
——在家庭聚會中，避開艱難或敏感的話題。
——向不如你幸運的人奉獻。
幫助一個貧困的家庭，給生活不優越的孩子送玩具，記住給予是度假的真諦。
如果你的家庭有些變化，或是因為一些原因使你不能與你愛的人共度假期，那麽就去尋找與你處於同樣境地的人們共度一個特別的假期。
——向朋友傾訴，或者，如果需要的話，找一位臨床醫學家，把你假期裏的鬱悶與壓力告訴他。
通常，將自己的心事吐露出來，有助於緩解消極的情緒，而且交流可以給你提供一個緩解壓力的環境。
——感激你所擁有的一切。
記憶填空
1. Although it is nearly_______ not to experience some increase in stress during this hectic _______， there are _______ to help keep stress levels manageable．Consider the following _______to help make your holidays a little brighter．
2. Adopt a needy family．Donate toys for underprivileged _______ ．Remember that giving is the true spirit of the _______ ．