你想自己的英语真正变好吗？想的话，可千万别忽略了文字阅读与理解的能力。试想一下，如果你有一个朋友只会说话，却不会识字，人们会称呼他为……

如果你想让自己的英语突破瓶颈，更上一个台阶，就必须要练好英语阅读能力。这样不仅能让你在生活工作中看懂英语，还能帮助你“写好”英语，让能力更加全面。

不过，一切都要从简单开始。为了避免长篇大论的英语文章让你感到头疼，看得昏昏欲睡，小编特意从网上找来了4篇短小精悍、值得我们深思的英语短文。它们每一篇的字面意思都很简单，就看你能不能掌握它们要表达的核心是什么。



1. Knowledge and wisdom

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit not a vegetable.

Wisdom is knowing not to include it in a fruit salad.

知识是死板的，只有灵活变化和运用才能称得上智慧。其实，我们的生活中不乏教条主义的例子。比如学英语只执着于不停地背诵“语法公式”，学到头来也不能理解老外为什么会这么用，无法训练自己的英语思维逻辑，每次说英语前都要过一遍公式和中文，英语当然就说不流利。

2. In the same boat

Two men were out on the ocean in a boat.

One of them began drilling in the bottom of the boat, and the other was shocked, he said "What are you doing? Stop drilling!"

And the first man replied: "It's all right. I'm only drilling on my side."

如果一个公司是一条船，那么所有的员工就都是这条船上的水手。在现实中难免会有员工会心生不满，因而工作不负责。实际上这样就好像是在凿船，即便只凿“自己的部分”，也会导致他人的利益受损。如果不满意工作，就跳到“另外一条船”上，不要牵扯到他人。



3. The Japanese master

A great Japanese master received a university professor who came to enquire about wisdom.

The master served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself. 'It is overfull. No more will go in!'

'Like this cup,' the master said, 'you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you wisdom unless you first empty your cup?'

试想一下，如果你脑子里装满了自己的想法，又怎么装得下别人的意见？ 没有别人的意见，怎么能避免走弯路？牛顿尚且站在了巨人的肩膀上，说明“虚”心是很重要的。把心里的想法放空，才能听别人好好说。

4. I wanted to change the world

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

我们常会听到这句话：我们改变不了社会，只有让社会改变我们。这是一种典型的错误见解，因为社会就是由人组成的，任何改变都是因人而起，再作细化，就是以某一个人为源头产生改变。

不过，我们不能因此过于理想主义，因为没有一个人有如此大的力量能够一句话、一挥手就改变世界。改变实际上是从小到大，而非从大到小的过程。要改变别人，就必须先改变自己，以言行影响周边的人，才有可能使变化进一步扩散。



简单来说，“Change”就是一个蝴蝶效应——从细小波澜开始的巨大变化。比如说我们痛恨那些公共场所的不文明习惯，就要从自身做起表率，才够说服力去影响别人。如果甘愿当一名只说不做的“键盘侠”，对着全世界“空喊话”，那么结果就如同短文所述的一样，直到老了都不会有任何变化。