学习英语可以是一个枯燥的过程，也可以是一个有趣的过程。小编在此献上经典英语美文，希望对大家喜欢。
美文欣赏：最好的圣诞礼物
I have received many Christmas gifts over the years. The best gift I ever received was presented to me by a stranger. I never even knew his name and I only had contact with him for less than 60 seconds. His Christmas present to me changed the way I think about people and about Christmas.
这些年我收到过很多圣诞礼物，其中最好的礼物来自一个陌生人。我不曾知道他的名字，我俩之间沟通不到60秒。他送我的圣诞礼物改变了我对别人和圣诞节的看法。
I hate Black Friday sales. It's often a gathering of people who are there for many different reasons. Some are looking for a deal on that one item for their loved one, or perhaps themselves. Their intentions are completely unrelated to the festive time of year, and can merely be summed up with one word, "EBay!"
我讨厌黑色星期五的特卖，总有很多人因为很多不同的原因聚在一起。有些人是为所爱的人或者可能为自己买东西。他们的目的都跟一年一度的节日一点关系都没有，只能总结为一个词：“便宜”!
It was several years ago when my wife asked me to meet her at the local department store on Black Friday morning. They had advertised a child's bike that she wanted to purchase for our son. We stood with a very large crowd, waiting for the manager to blow the whistle. After a while the whistle blew. It was like throwing a bucket of chum into a tank of sharks. I told my wife that if we obtained a bike, fine, but if we did not, I was OK with that too.
几年前妻子让我在“黑五”早上和她在当地百货公司门口会和，他们正在特价销售一款儿童自行车，她想买给我们的儿子。还有一大群人站在那儿等着经理吹哨。过了一会，哨声响起，当时的场景就像一桶三文鱼被扔进了鲨鱼水箱里。我跟妻子说如果我们抢到自行车还好，如果没抢到我也无所谓。
As the pallet of bikes began to gradually decrease in size, I saw my polite opportunity to wrap my hands around the corner of one of the boxes. I lifted it off the crate and suddenly felt some mild resistance. I looked up to see one of the largest gentlemen I had ever seen in my life. Intimidating was not the word to describe his presence. He was adorned with numerous straps of metal spiked leather around both arms and even his neck. Tattoos were an obvious passion of his.
货架上的自行车越来越少，我看到了一个“文雅”的机会，把手伸到了一个自行车包装盒的角上，把盒子拎了起来，突然感觉到有人轻轻地阻止我。我抬头看见了平生所见的最高大的人，“吓人”这个词已经不足以形容他了。他胳膊上甚至脖子上满是带有铆钉的皮带子，很明显纹身是他的最爱。
I started to relinquish the box but he gently pushed it back in my direction and back into my hands. He then directed it into my shopping cart. He looked at me, smiled, and said, "Merry Christmas."My wife and I went to the checkout, paid for the bike and went home. All the way home I was thinking that this moment was by far the best Christmas gift I had ever received. The kindness of a stranger that broke all preconceived notions I may have had of stereotypes and prejudices. The tenderness of a human heart in a simple act. I will never forget it.
我想把盒子放回去，但他从他的方向轻轻把自行车推了回来，又推回到我手里，然后直接放进了我的购物车里，他看着我微笑着说：“圣诞节快乐”。妻子和我去了收款处，付完钱就回家了。回家的一路上我都在想那一刻是至今我收到的最好的圣诞礼物。一个陌生人的善良打破了我所有对于成见和偏见原有的看法，人内心的柔软就体现在小小的行为上，我永远不会忘记这次经历。
美文欣赏：坚强，有时是迫不得已
Change is considerably easier when you have a full complement of supporting partners and unlimited resources. But, since very often it is the shock of a death, divorce or some other life tragedy that unceremoniously tosses us out of our comfort zone to fend for ourselves, it can mean being forced to strike out alone which for many of us is the scariest part of all.
当你有很多合作伙伴和无尽的资源时，改变就更容易发生了。但是，由于这种变化往往是来自于身边的人去世的打击、离婚或是其他的一些人生悲剧，而且这些变化又毫无征兆地将我们赶出了自己的舒适圈，使我们不得不自己照顾自己，所以这样的变化也意味着我们要被迫独自面对很多事情，这也是很多人最害怕的事情。
Probably the most difficult thing about pursuing significant change is doing it when you don’t have the knowledge, financial or emotional tools available to make the process go smoothly.
也许，在进行显著改变时遇到的最困难的事情，就是即便对相关知识一无所知，也缺少财务支持或情感工具，却还是要顺利完成。
However, as difficult as it can be, sometimes reaching our full potential means working without a net. Or, as Tony Robbins says, "If you want to take the island, burn the f’ing boats!"
然而，不管有多难，有时想要达到我们潜能的极限，其实只需在工作时摆脱网络的束缚。换言之，正如托尼• 罗宾斯所说，“如果你想去岛上，就烧了这些该死的船!”
For those truly dedicated to their mission, having fewer resources and no backup or fallback plan can be a surprising blessing as it forces you to get creative and forge new paths.
而对于那些真正致力于完成自己使命的人来说，缺少资源、备份或应急计划都会被看作是一个意外之礼，因为这促使你变得更具创造力，懂得另辟蹊径。
I don’t know if it’s possible to leave this world with zero regrets. Because of the natural life cycles and the fact that sometimes it’s the tragedy that causes our awakenings we often have our epiphanies too late to avoid certain painful outcomes.
我不知道是否有可能在离开这个世界时不留任何遗憾。因为自然生命周期有限，也只有悲剧结局，才能让我们清醒，这使我们时常顿悟得太晚，以致于无法避免那些令人痛苦的结局。
However, it is indefensible to can claim ignorance to the possible ramifications of continued inaction. The choice belongs to each and every one of us. We all have the power to change both our thoughts and behavior thereby giving more intentional direction to the remainder of our lives.
然而，把持续的无作为所导致的后果归因为无知是站不住脚的。选择权在我们每一个人手中。我们都可以改变自己的思想和行为，去为之后的生活确立更明确的方向。
美文欣赏：我花了20美元，让世界变得更好了
I Paid For A Young Woman's Groceries
我为一个女孩买了杂货
I was in line at Trader Joe's and the young woman in front of me had her card declined, she embarrassedly handed the cashier another card, which was also declined and then a final card that was approved for just $5.47.
我在乔氏超市连锁店排着队，排在我前面女孩的银行卡因为余额不足被退回了，于是她不好意思地递给收银员另一张卡，但还是因为同样的理由被退回了，最后她又拿出了一张卡，但余额显示只有5.47美元。
She asked the cashier to cancel the transaction. The cashier motions for manager. I smile and offer to pay the balance, which was $20 something dollars.
无奈之下，她只能让收银员取消交易。收银员示意了经理。我微笑了
