爱华网英语美文,即使用地道、优美的英语语言写的文章;英语美文赏析,则是在接触地道英语语言的基础之上,了解和理解英语语言文化背景。下面是小编带来的经典英文四级文章阅读，欢迎阅读!
经典英文四级文章阅读篇一
On Motes and Beams
微小如尘 高大如梁
【中英双语】
It is curious that our own offenses should seem so much lessheinous than the offenses of others. I suppose the reason is thatwe know all the circumstances that have occasioned them andso manage to excuse in ourselves what we cannot excuse inothers. We turn our attention away from our own defects, and when we are forced by untowardevents to consider them, find it easy to condone them. For all I know we are right to do this; theyare part of us and we must accept the good and bad in ourselves together.
令人好奇的是，与他人的过错相比，我们自身的过错往往不是那么的可憎。我想，原因是我们知晓一切导致过错出现的情况，因此能够设法谅解自己犯了一些不容许他人犯的错误。我们对自己的缺点不甚关注，即便是深陷困境而不得不正视它们的时候，我们也会很容易就宽恕自己。而我认为，我们这样做是正确的。缺点是我们自身的一部分，我们必须接纳自己的好和坏。
But when we come to judge others, it is not by ourselves as we really are that we judge them, butby an image that we have formed of ourselves from which we have left out everything thatoffends our unity or would discredit us in the eyes of the world. To take a trivial instance: howscornful we are when we catch someone out telling a lie;but who can say that he has never toldnot one, but a hundred?
但是当我们批评别人的时候，我们不是通过真实的自我来批评别人，而是用一种构想的自我形象来批评，这种自我形象完全摒弃了在任何世人眼中会伤害到自己的虚荣或者体面的东西。举一个小例子来说:当觉察到别人说谎时，我们是多么地不屑啊!但是，谁能够说自己从未说过谎?可能还不止一百次呢。
There is not much to choose between men. They are all a hotchpotch of greatness and littleness,of virtue and vice, of nobility and baseness. Some have more strength of character, or moreopportunity, and so in one direction or another give their instincts freer play, but potentially theyare the same. For my part, I do not think I am any better or any worse than most people, but Iknow that if I set down every action in my life and every thought that has crossed my mind, theworld would consider me a monster of depravity. The knowledge that these reveries are commonto all men should inspire one with tolerance to oneself as well as to others. It is well also if theyenable us to look upon our fellows, even the most eminent and respectable, with humor, and ifthey lead us to take ourselves not too seriously.
人和人之间没什么大的差别。大家皆是伟大与渺小，善良与邪恶，高尚与低俗的混合体。有的人性格比较坚毅，机会也比较多，因而在各个方面，能够更自由地发挥自己的禀赋，但是人类的潜能却都是相同的。至于我自己，我认为自己并不比大多数人更好或者更差，但是我知道，假如我记下我生命中每一次举动和每一个掠过我脑海的想法的话，世界就会将我视为一个邪恶的怪物。每个人都会有这样的怪念头，这样的认识应当能够启发我们宽容自己，也宽容他人。同时，假如因此我们得以用幽默的态度看待他人，即使是天下最优秀最令人尊敬的人，我们也因此不把自己看得过于重要，那是很有裨益的。
经典英文四级文章阅读篇二
Happiness Is a Journey
幸福是一段旅程
【中英双语】
We always convince ourselves that life will be better after we getmarried, have a baby, than another. Then we are frustratedthat the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content whenthey are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers todeal with, we will certainly be happy when they are out of thatstage.
我们总是说服自己，等我们结婚生子后，生活会更美好。等有了孩子，我们又因为他们不够懂事而挫败，想等他们大些时，我们就会开心了。可等他们进入青少年时期，我们还是同样地苦恼，于是又相信等他们过了这个年龄段，幸福就会到来。
We always tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together.When we get a nice car, and are able to go on a nice vocation when we retire. The truth is, there'sno better time than right now. If not now, when? Our life will always be filled with challenges. It'sbest to admit this to ourselves and decide to be happy anyway.
我们总是告诉自己，当我们的另一半有条理地生活时，当我们拥有更好的车时，能在退休后享受一次美妙的假期，我们的生活一定会完美的。而事实的真相是，没有任何时刻比现在更宝贵。倘若不是现在，又会是何时?我们的生活每时每刻都会有挑战。最好是让自己接受这一事实，无论如何使自己保持快乐的心境。
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred Souza.He said, "For a long time it had seemed to methat life was about to begin real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something tobe gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Thenlife would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." This perspective hashelped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure everymoment that you have.
我很欣赏艾尔弗雷德·苏泽的一段名言。他说:“长期以来，我都觉得生活，真正的生活似乎即将开始。可是总会遇到某种障碍，如得先完成一些事情。没做完的工作，要奉献的时间，该付的债，等等。之后生活才会开始。最后我醒悟过来了，这些障碍本身就是我的生活。”这一观点让我意识到没有什么通往幸福的道路。幸福本身就是路。所以，珍惜你拥有的每一刻。
And remember that time waits for no one. So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go backto school; until you get married, until you get divorced; until you have kids; until you retire; untilyou get a new car or home; until spring; until you are born again to decide that there is no bettertime than right now to be happy...
而且记住时不我待，不要再作所谓的等待—等你上完学，等你再回到学校;等你结婚或离婚;等你有了孩子或孩子长大离开家;等你开始工作或等你退休;等你有了新车或新房;等春天来临;等你有幸再来世上走一遭才明白此时此刻最应该快乐...
Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So, work like you don't need money, love like you'venever been hurt,and dance like no one's watching.
寻找幸福的过程本身就是幸福，这条路上没有终点站。那么，你就要像不愁薪水那般去工作;敞开心扉那般去欢爱;旁若无人那般去歌舞。
经典英文四级文章阅读篇三
Life Is A Do-it-yourself Project
生活是一个自己动手的项目
【中英双语】
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employercontractor of his plans to leave the house building business andlive a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extendedfamily.
一位年迈的木匠准备退休了。他告诉他的老板他准备离开建筑业的打算，他说他想和他的妻子过一种更休闲的生活，享受天伦之乐。
He would miss the paycheck,but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorryto see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.
他还说他会怀念这里的薪水的，但他必须退休了，他的离职他们慢慢就会适应的。老板对他的这位优秀员工的离去感到非常遗憾，于是问他是否可以盖最后一栋房子作为私下里的帮忙。
The carpenter said yes,but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resortedto shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.
这位木匠答应了，但显而易见他做事的时候是心不在焉的，他的手工做得毛毛糙糙，用的材料也是次品。
It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the buildercame to inspect the house,the contractor handed the front door key to the carpenter.
这样结束他的事业是不幸的，当木匠最后完工，老板来看房子时，他把前门的钥匙交给木匠说，
"This is your house,"he said,"my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame!
“这是你的房子，是我送给你的礼物。” 震惊!羞愧!
If he had only known he was building his own house,he would have done it all so differently. Nowhe had to live in the home he had built none too well.
如果他早知道他是在盖自己的房子，他肯定会做得截然不同的，现在他不得不住在自己建的糟糕透顶的房子里面。
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way,reacting rather than acting,willing to put upless than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort.
这个道理同样适合我们，在营造生活时，我们的精力被分散到太多的地方，我们只是被动地适应而不会主动行动，而我们自己也不愿意去尽心尽力地营造我们的生活。
Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in thehouse we have built.
在重要的时刻我们也没能尽自己最大的努力做好工作。然后我们吃惊地看到自己所做的一切：发现自己就处在自己营建的房子里。
If we had realized that we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Thinkabout your house.
如果我们早意识到这一点的话，我们的做法就会完全不同。 把你自己当成那个木匠。想想你的房子。
Each day you hammer a nail,place a board or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you willever build.
每天你都会钉个钉子，放块木板或砌一面墙。明智地营造你的房子。这是你唯一可以营造的生活。
Even if you live it for day more that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
即使你只可以再活一天，你也要活得优雅、有尊严。
The plaque on the wall says,"Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly?
墙上的匾写着，“生活就是一个自己动手的项目”。谁能比这个说得更明白?
Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be theresult of your attitudes and choices you make today.
你今天的生活就是你过去的生活态度和所作选择的结果。你明天的生活就是你今天的生活态度和所作选择的结果。
