Lesson 11 How to grow old如何安度晚年

How to grow old

标题言下之意 ^{如何以积极的态度变老}

• The article discusses How to grow old with a positive attitude^{如何以积极的态度变老}.
• It offers advice on accepting aging and maintaining interest in life, which is the key to How to grow old^如何变老.
• The author's philosophy suggests a mindful approach to the later stages of life in How to grow old^如何变老.

Bertrand Russell ^{伯特兰·罗素（英国哲学家、数学家、诺贝尔文学奖得主）}

• Bertrand Russell^{伯特兰·罗素} developed new ideas connecting mathematics and logic.
• He was known as a pacifist^{和平主义者} and an opponent of nuclear weapons.
• He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1950^{1950年诺贝尔文学奖}.

Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death.

be oppressed by the fear of... ^{因为怕...而烦恼}

• Many people are oppressed by the fear of unemployment^{因害怕失业而烦恼} / inflation^通货膨胀.
• Many girls are oppressed by the fear of getting fat^{因害怕发胖而烦恼}.
• Many Chinese people are oppressed by the fear of being unable to afford^{因害怕负担不起...而烦恼} the medical, educational and housing expenses.

In the young there is a justification for this feeling.

in sb. ^{在某人身上}

• You can feel helpfulness and care even in these small children^{在这些小孩身上}.
• In this tall lean man^{在这个又高又瘦的男人身上}, you can see a leader of great modesty.
• The desire for adventure is strong in the young^{在年轻人身上}.

there is a justification for... ^{做某事是正当合理的}

• In this condition, there is a justification for intervention^{有理由进行干预}.

there is no justification for... ^{做某事是毫无合理的}

• There is no justification for suicide bombing^{自杀式爆炸毫无合理性}.

there be + 无灵主语 ^地道句式

Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.

in battle / in action ^在战斗中

• His father told everybody that Eric had been killed in action^在战斗中.
• ...his brother had been killed in action^在战斗中 during the war.
• Many soldiers were wounded in battle^在战斗中.

bitter ^痛苦的

• She shed bitter tears^{她流下了痛苦的眼泪} when she heard the news.
• It was a bitter^痛苦的 experience that she would never forget.
• The failure left him with a bitter^痛苦的 feeling.

in the belief / thought / discovery that... ^{因为某人相信/认为/发现...（作原因状语）}

at the... of... ^{一...就（作时间状语短语）}

be cheated (out) of sth. ^{被骗走某个东西}

• They have been cheated of the best things^{他们被骗走了最好的东西} that life has to offer.
• He was cheated out of^{他被骗走了} his inheritance.
• The salesman tried to cheat me out of^{试图骗走我} my money.

表达“抢走/剥夺某人某个东西” ^{同义词替换}

But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.

know / see ^经历

• China has known many wars^{中国经历过许多战争}.
• The city must have known prosperity^{这座城市一定经历过繁荣}.
• He has seen better days^{他经历过更好的日子}.

joys and sorrows / ups and downs ^{悲欢离合；起起伏伏}

• They have been through many joys and sorrows^悲欢离合 together.
• Life is full of ups and downs^起起伏伏.
• Despite the joys and sorrows^悲欢离合, they remained optimistic.

whatever work it was in him to do ^{他力所能及的任何工作}

• He achieved whatever work it was in him to do^{他力所能及的任何工作}.
• She contributed whatever support it was in her to give^{她力所能及的任何支持}.
• The team finished whatever tasks it was in them to complete^{他们力所能及的任何任务}.

somewhat / to some extent / degree ^{某种程度上；稍微}

• The fear of death is somewhat abject^{对死亡的恐惧有点可鄙}.
• The results were to some extent^{在某种程度上} disappointing.
• I found the movie somewhat^{我觉得这部电影有点} confusing.

The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.

overcome / conquer ^{克服（某种不良情绪）}

• You must learn to overcome fear^克服恐惧 / shyness^害羞.
• It took her years to conquer her fear^{克服她的恐惧} of flying.
• The best way to overcome it^克服它 is to make your interests wider.

at least / at any rate ^至少

• ...and seriously believe—at any rate^至少 for short periods—that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
• The car is old, but at least^至少 it is reliable.
• I need five dollars, or at least^至少 four.

so it seems ^{看似是这样}

• —‘So he’s not coming with us?’ —‘So it seems^{看来是这样}.’
• The ultimate benchmark of the well-being of any society—so at least it seems to me^{至少在我看来是这样的}—is the general welfare of all its people.
• ‘Did they cancel the meeting?’ ‘So it seems^{看来是这样}.’

gradually / little by little / bit by bit / by degrees ^逐渐地

• Make your interests gradually^逐渐地 wider and more impersonal.
• The walls of the ego recede bit by bit^{一点一点地}.
• The weather is getting colder by degrees^逐渐地.

表达“拓宽” ^{拓宽；拓展}

wall (比喻) ^{障碍；隔阂}

• tariff wall^贸易壁垒
• The years had built a wall^隔阂 between the two families.
• We need to break down the walls^打破障碍 of prejudice.

be merged in / into / be joined in / into ^{被融入/合并到一起}

• Your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life^{你的生命日益融入普遍的生命之中}.
• The three companies were merged / joined into one^{三家公司合并成一家}.
• The remote hills gradually merged into the dark sky^{远处的山丘逐渐融入黑暗的天空}.

universal ^{普遍的；大众的}

• Certain funny situations have a universal appeal^{普遍的吸引力}.
• The belief in justice is a universal^普遍的 concept.
• Respect for elders is a universal^普遍的 value.

An individual human existence should be like a river -- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls.

写作：扩喻 extended simile ^{扩展的明喻，比喻后做详细的解释}

• An individual human existence should be like a river -- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls^{个体生命应像一条河流——最初很小，被河岸紧紧约束，充满激情地冲过巨石和瀑布}.
• Laws are like cobwebs, where the small flies are caught and the great break through^{法律就像蜘蛛网，小苍蝇被困住，大个的破网而出}.
• The city was like an oven, baking everyone^{这座城市就像一个烤箱，烘烤着每一个人}.

(being) small at first ^{（言下之意）when you are a baby/child}

• The river is small at first^最初很小, representing the early years of life.

narrowly contained within its banks ^{（言下之意）carefully protected by your parents；one bank is family, the other society}

• The river is narrowly contained within its banks^{被河岸紧紧约束}, suggesting the protection and limitations of childhood.

rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls ^{（言下之意）when you are in your youth difficulties and obstacles}

• The river rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls^{充满激情地冲过巨石和瀑布} symbolizes the difficulties and passion of youth.

Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

Gradually the river grows wider... ^{（言下之意）when you are in your middle age; You have more mature personality; You have more steady outlook on life; You have a happy family; You've been married and you have kids; And your career goes smoothly.}

• The river grows wider^变得更宽 and the waters flow more quietly^{流淌得更平静}, symbolizing the stability of middle age^中年.
• The expansion suggests a more mature personality^{更成熟的个性} and a steady outlook on life^{稳定的人生观}.
• It represents a time when one often has a happy family^{幸福的家庭} and a smooth career^{顺利的事业}.

in the end ^{（言下之意）when you are in old age}

• In the end^最终, the river merges into the sea, referring to the end of life or old age^老年.

they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being ^{（言下之意）方生方死，方死方生。（庄子）}

• The merging into the sea and painless loss of individual being^{无痛地失去个体存在} metaphorically reflects a philosophical acceptance of death.

visible ^明显的

• ...without any visible break^{没有任何明显的变化}.
• Any ship that crosses the Pacific is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, which may keep company with the vessel for an hour without visible^明显的 or more than occasional movement of wing.
• There was a visible^明显的 improvement in her health.

The man who, in old age can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue.

suffer (from) / be afflicted by / with... ^苦于某事

• The man will not suffer from the fear of death^{不会遭受对死亡的恐惧}.

since ^{因为（连词）}

• ...will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue^{因为他关心的事情会继续下去}.

表示“因为”的介词 ^介词短语

介词 + 名词 + 同位语从句 = 普通从属连词 ^语法替换

care for ^喜欢

• The things he cares for^{他喜欢的事物} will continue.
• I don't really care for^{我不太喜欢} modern art.
• Would you care for^你想要 a cup of tea?

care about ^{关心，在乎，介意}

• He doesn't seem to care about^{他似乎不在乎} his grades.

And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome.

decay ^{腐烂；衰退、衰败}

• Old civilization may fall into decay^衰败.
• The power of the Roman Empire was decaying^正在衰退 at the time of Nero.
• Each civilization is born, it culminates, and it decays^衰败.

unwelcome ^{不想要的；不受欢迎的}

• The thought of rest will be not unwelcome^{不会不受欢迎（即会受欢迎）}.
• The new policy received an unwelcome^{不受欢迎的} response.
• The news was completely unwelcome^{完全不受欢迎}.

I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.

I should... ^{我倒是希望这样（表达一种不太成熟的看法、意见）}

• I should wish to die^{我倒是希望死去} while still at work.
• I should imagine^{我倒是猜想} it will take about 3 hours.
• I should think^{我倒是认为} that's a good idea.

状语从句的省略 (while still at work) ^{省略主语和 be 动词}

knowing that... ^{因为我知道...（非谓语动词作原因状语）}

• knowing that others will carry on^{因为我知道别人会继续下去} what I can no longer do.

content in the thought that... ^{因为...而满意（非谓语动词作原因状语）}

• ...and content in the thought that^{因为...而满意} what was possible has been done.