优秀短文【西红柿的故事-优秀英文短文阅读(适合大学四六级水平)】

A Good Heart to Lean on

When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was severely crippled and very short, and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare. I would inwardly squirm at the un-wanted attention. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on.

It was difficult to coordinate our steps ——his halting, mine impatient ——and because of that, we didn"t say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, "You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you. "

Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was how he got to work. He went to work sick, and despite nasty weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make it to the office even if others could not. A matter of pride.

When snow or ice was on the ground, it was impossible for him to walk, even with help. At such times my sisters or I would

pull him through the streets of Brooklyn, NY, on a child"s sleigh to the sub-way entrance. Once there, he would cling to the handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice-free. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn" on his way home. When I think of it now, I marvel at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to subject himself to such indignity and stress. And at how he did it ——without bitterness or complaint.

He never talked about himself as an object of pity, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a "good heart", and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.

Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don" t know precisely

what a "good heart" is. But I know the times I don’thave one myself.

Unable to engage in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. When a local sandlot baseball team found itself |withouta manager, he kept it going. He was a knowledgeable baseball fan and often took me to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers play. He liked to go to dances and parties, where he could have a good time just sitting and watching.

On one memorable occasion a fight poke out at a beach party, with everyone punching and shoving. He wasn"t content to sit and watch, but he couldn"t stand unaided on the soft sand. In frustration he began to shout, "I" ll fight anyone who will tit down with me!"

Nobody did. But the next day people kidded him by saying it was the first time any fighter was urged to take a dive even before the bout began.

I now know he participated in some things vicariously through me, his only son. When I played ball （poorly ）, he "played" too. When I joined the Navy he "joined" too. And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that " I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, "This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different." Those words were never said aloud.

He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about trifles, when I am envious of another"s good fortune, when I don"t have a "good heart".

At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain my balance, and say, "You set the pace, I will try to adjust to you."

西红柿的故事

The Tomato Story

A Jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

一个失业的人去微软申请办公室文员的职位，人事经理面试他，并且看着他打扫地板，作为测试。

You are employed" he said. Give me your e-mail address and I"ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.

‘你被录用了’人事经理说：给我你的邮箱地址，我会把申请表发给你填，发给你的同时也意味着你开始上班

The man replied "But I don"t have a computer, neither an email".

这个人回答说：但是我没有电脑，更没有邮箱了

"I"m sorry", said the HR manager. If you don"t have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn"t exist, cannot have the job."

我很抱歉，人事经理说：如果你没有邮箱，那就意味着你不能生存，一个不能生存的人当然不能有工作。

The man left with no hope at all. He didn"t know what to do, with only in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.

这个人不抱希望的离开了，他不知道要做什么，口袋里只有10块钱，他决定去超市买了10公斤西红柿。

He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with .

接着他在附近门挨着门卖西红柿，不到两小时，他成功的将他的资金翻了一倍，他又做了3个小时，到回家时身上已经有60块钱了。

The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.

这个人认识到他可以用这种方式生存，以后他每天起的很早，回家的很晚，因此，他的钱每天都翻两三倍。

Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

很短的时间里，他买了个手推车，然后卡车，接着他有了自己的运输车队。

5years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US

5年以后，他成了美国最大的食品零售商……

He started to plan his family"s future, and decided to have a life insurance.

他开始计划他家庭的未来，就决定买个人身保险

He called an insurance poker, and chose a protection plan.

他打电话给保险经济人，然后选择一个保险

When the conversation was concluded the poker asked him his email.

The man replied,"I don"t have an email."

The poker answered curiously, "You don"t have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e mail?!!" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I"d be an office boy at Microsoft!"

当谈话结束后保险经济人问他的邮箱地址，他说：我没有邮箱

保险经济人很吃惊的说：你没有邮箱都可以成功的建立一个帝国，你能想象如果你有邮箱的话会怎么样吗？

这个人想了一下然后回答：是的，我会成为微软的办公

室文员

Moral of the story 故事寓意

Moral 1

Internet is not the solution to your life.

网络不是你生活的解决办法

Moral 2

If you don"t have Internet, and work hard, you can be a millionaire.

如果你没有网络，但是努力工作，你仍可以成为百万富翁

Moral 3

If you received this message by email, you are closer to being a office boy/girl,thana millionaire ……

如果你收到了这封邮件，表示你离办公室文员很近了，而不是百万富翁……