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关于唯美英文美文：愚人节
While popular in the U.S., the April Fool’s Day tradition is even more prevalent in European countries,such as France and Great Britain. Although the roots of the traditional trickings are unclear,the French andthe British both have claims on the origin of the celebration.
One theory holds that the first April Fool’s Day was on April 1 of the year when King of France instituted the new calendar.This new system placed the day that had formerly been the first day of a new year on April 1.Many people were reluctant to adjust to the new calandar and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on what had become the first day of April.Thus, they become the first April fools.Others began to give gaggifts on the day to mock the foolishness of thosewho continued to celebrate the new year on April 1.
An English story about the day, however, holds that it began sometime during the 1200s.At the time, King John of England was in the habit of making a road out of nearly every path he walked regularly.The citizensof one particular farm village were aware of this.To avoid having their green meadows and pastures disturbed with one of the king’s roads,they built a fence that prevented the king from walking through their countryside.The king sent a group of messengers to inform the villagers that they must remove the barrier.Upon hearing that the king was planning to do this, however, the villagers developed a plan of their own.Whenthe messengers arrived, they found what appeared to be a community of lunatics,with people behaving in a bizarre manner, throwing things and running around wildly.The messengers, alarmed at what they had found, reported to king John that these people were so mad as to be beyond punishment.So, the villagers saved their farmland by tricking the King. In Great Britain,tradition only allows April Fool’s tricks from midnightto noon on April 1. Those who try to play tricks in the afternoon become the fools themselves.
愚人节的习俗在美国是很流行的,在欧洲国家如法国和英国就更是如此了。虽然这种愚弄人习俗的起源不甚清楚，但是法国人和英国人却都宣称这种庆祝活动是由他们开始的。
有一种说法认为，第一个愚人节始于法国国王设立新历法那一年的4月1曰。这种新历法将以前新的一年的第一天定在4月1曰。很多人都不愿意按照新的历法行亊，还继续在根据新的历法已经是4月的第一天庆祝新年，于是他们就成了第一批愚人。另有一些人开始在这一天送戏弄人的礼物来取笑那些继续在4月1曰庆祝新年的人。
然而关于愚人节这一天，英国的一则故亊却认为它始于13世纪的某一天。那时，英格兰的约翰国王习惯于将他经常走的几乎每条小道都修成一条路。有一个乡村的居民觉察到了这一点。为了保护他们绿油油的草地和牧场免受国王修路所造成的破坏，他们筑了一道篱笆来阻挡国王在他们的乡间穿行。国王派遗了一队使者去通报村民们必须撤掉障碍。在听到国王正要打算这么做时，村民们也想出了自己的办法。当使者到达的时候，他们看到这里的人像一群疯子似的，举止古怪，乱扔东西，并且四下疯跑。此情此景令使者们惊恐万分，后来赶紧向约翰国王报告说，这些人疯疯癱癲的，根本没办法处置。村民们就这样骗过了国王，保护了自己的农田。在英国，按习俗在4月1曰这—天只允许从子夜到中午的这段时间搞恶作剧，到下午还这么做的人自己就成了愚人了。
关于唯美英文美文：热爱生活
However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not asbad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The faultfinder will find faults even inparadise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorioushours, even in a poor house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouseas brightly as from the rich man's abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring.I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, asin a palace. The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any.Maybe they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving. Most think that they areabove being supported by the town; but it often happens that they are not above supportingthemselves by dishonest means, which should be more disreputable. Cultivate poverty like agarden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes orfriends. Turn the old, return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes andkeep your thoughts.
无论你的生活如何卑微,你都得面对与度过;不要逃避,也莫以恶言相加。生活不像你认为的那般坏。当你富甲天下之时，生活却显得贫瘠乏味。即使在天堂，吹毛求疵之人也能挑出缺点。即使生活贫穷，你也该热爱生活，因为就是在贫济院，你也有自己快乐、激动与光荣的岁月。夕阳照在贫济院窗上的反光与富人宅第上的一样夺目;其门前的积雪同样是在早春融 化。我只是看到，一个心绪宁静的人就算居住在贫济院,生活起来也会心满意足，思想愉悦，如同生活在皇宫中一样。在我看来,城镇中的贫民大凡过着最为无拘无束的生活。或许他们只是超乎寻常，不然岂会毫无疑惧地接受这一切。大多数人认为自己超凡脱俗而无须依赖城镇的资助，然而情况往往是，他们谋生靠的是不正当的手段,这更会让他们声名扫地。如圣人一般，视贫穷如园中的花草去慢慢地耕耘吧。不要自找麻烦地去追求新花样——衣服也好，朋友也好。翻开故往，回归故往。万物未变，我们在变。你的衣装可以卖掉，但要保留你的思想。
关于唯美英文美文：隐私如国境
There are quite a few questions that are supposed never to be asked about. It is impolite or rude even to mention them in a conversation. These topics include one’s age, income, marriage, religious belief and political position as well as any other fields of privacy.
In order to understand the American or western idea of a personal concept of privacy, one may think of theconcept of “territory”. As well known, a nation has borders or boundaries with other countries and everything within the border belongs to the nation alone and no one else.
One’s home - one’s castle
Is one able to enter another country without a passport - a permit from another? Absolutely not. It is thesame for one’s home.
If one enters someone else’s home without asking for permission, he is likely to be charged with trespassing or even burglary. Inside the house everything is within the territory of the owner, no one else. A bedroom is his or her castle. No one may visit it without permission.
Inside the room - confidential
No one has the right to open a closet, desk or drawer in the room - these are something secret in the hostor hostess’ castle. On top of the desk there may be letters, business papers or exercise books, these tooare within the owner’s territory. Never touch them or read them! Similarly never read over one’s shoulder when he or she is reading something!
You don’t want to behave like a spy, do you? Anything one is reading is his or her private property. Don’t invade it!
Income - a top secret
In the United States, one’s income is the top secret. Never even try to ask any questions about it! Avoidasking for dishonor. In the same way, it is impolite to inquire about one’s property or the cost of some articles. You may say how cool something is, but never ask about the price.
Age - taboo for everyone
Age is considered a taboo, especially for the ladies. They hate any topics about age, simply because they hate to get old, because they want to stay young forever! They are very sensitive to questions like: “When were you born?” or “Do you have artificial teeth?”
Never make any comment like “You have grey hair”, otherwise the males and females alike will beat you black and blue.
Religion - sensitive
Religion is what one believes in personally. It is totally a personal matter. Never ask,“Why do you worship as a Christian”, it is none of your business. Everyone has the freedom to believe as they choose in belief.
Politics - big men’s affairs
Politics is a sensitive topic too. It’s completely of personal opinion. There is no argument about taste,anyway. Besides, such questions as “Do you believe Israel will accept the conditions for peace talks?” should be on the agenda of those “big men”, not for a “nobody” like you and me.
有一些话题在谈话中永远不要涉及，提一提都是无礼、甚或粗鲁的行为。这些话题包括一个人的年龄、收入、婚姻状况、宗教信仰、政治立场以及其他个人领域的事物。为了理解美国以及其他西方国家有关个人隐私的观念，我们不妨从“领土”这个概念说起。众所周知，一国总以边境或边界与他国为界，而之内的一切亊物仅属于该国所有，别国不得侵犯。
住宅—个人城堡
假如没有护照(进入一国的许可证)，任何人能够进入他国吗?绝不可能。同理,进入他人住宅也必须得到许可。
如果未经允许就闯进别人家里，轻则告你“撞闯民宅”，重则告你“入室行窃_”。同样，家里的一切都是主人领土上的财产，他人不得擅动。而卧室简直就是他或她的"城堡"——未经允许不得参观。
室内——保密
任何人都无权乱翻他人室内的衣柜、书桌或者抽屉——这些是主人城堡里的秘密!书桌上也许有信件、商务文函或练习本——这些也是他人境内的财产。千万别碰它们，也别拿来读。同样，当别人在阅读什么的时候，千万不要站在别人后面“偷”看!你不想成为一个间谍，是吧?别人正在阅读的一切都是他的私人财产,千万不要侵犯!
收入——最高机密
在美国，个人收入是最高机密。你甚至不要试图去打听有关的问题，不要自讨没趣!同样，询问他人的财产或某件物品的价格也是不礼貌的。你可以说某样东西多么多么酷，但就是别问价格!
年龄-个人禁忌
年龄是一个非常忌讳的问题,对于女士尤其如此。她们讨厌任何与年龄有关的话题，只因为她们害怕衰老，总想永葆青春!她们对和年龄有关的问题十分敏感，诸如“您什么时候出生的?”或者“您戴假牙吗?”。千万不要说"您的头发都白了一类的话,否则人家会把你揍得鼻青脸肿!
宗教——敏感的话题
宗教纯粹厲于个人信仰，其完全是个人的亊情。千万别问“您为什么信仰基督教”之类的话，这不关你的亊。再者说，人人都有信仰自由。
政治——大人物的亊
政治也是一个敏感的话题。它完全属于个人看法，无论如何也没什么好争论的。更何况，诸如“您认为以色列会接受和谈条件吗?”之类的问题是“大人物"们关心的事，不是你我这样的 "无名小卒"该管的。
