人生中的几套必修"法则" -新概念英语

　　What do I believe? What laws do I live by? There are so many answers - work, beauty, truth, love - and I hope I do live by them.

　　什么是我所信仰的?什么是我生活的准则?答案很多，比如工作、美丽、真理、爱心，但愿我能以它们为准则。

　　But in everyday things I live by the light of a supplementary set of laws. I'd better call them rules of thumb. Rules of thumb aren't very grand, but they do make the wheels go round.

　　然而，生活中的我还履行着另外一套附加的法则，即经验法则。这一法则虽然简单，但却能使事情顺利地进行下去。

　　My father and mother sent me to good schools, but the finest thing they did for my education was to have seven children. I was the oldest, and my brothers and sisters were my best teachers.

　　父母把我送到一所很好的学校学习，但养育了7个孩子，才是他们为我的教育做的最好的事。我是家中长女，而弟弟妹妹就是我最好的老师。

　　I learned first to pull my own weight in the boat. Kids making a bob-sled have no use for the loafer who wants a free ride. Neither has the world. I learned to make the bed I slept in, and wash the glass I used, and mend what I broke, and mop up where I spilled. And if I was too lazy or too dainty or too busy, and left it for someone else, somebody else soon taught me different.

　　我最先学会了身为长女的责任。对一个想搭顺风车的流浪者来说，会做雪橇的孩子毫无用处。对这些孩子而言，世界也是如此。我学会了睡觉前自己铺床，洗自己用过的杯子，修补自己弄坏的东西，用拖布拖干自己溅到地上的水。如果我过于懒惰、挑剔或忙碌，而让别人来做这些事，马上就会有人教我不能这么做。