Unit3
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As is commonly acknowledged / It is commonly recognized that humans are social animals. Living together in a community, we naturally expect to have friends. As to what friendship is, we have read different definitions given by Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, and Cicero, a Roman statesman. No one will deny that some people make friends simply for mutual utility. Once the ground for such friendship disappears, the friendship also breaks up.
However, a lot more people long for “soul” pals those who possess virtues and with whom we can go through trials and tribulations together. Such friendships keep us away from greed and violence and inspire us to have the courage of our convictions.
Such is what we call “true and perfect friendship”. It is with such friends’ company that we find ourselves surpassing our old selves and becoming better persons / people. ? ?
大家普遍承认人是社会性的动物，生活在同一社会的我们自然指望有朋友。 至于什么是友谊，我们已经学习了古希腊大哲学家亚里士多德、古罗马政治家西塞罗各自不同的定义。不可否认有些人交朋友仅仅是为了彼此有用，一旦失去这个基础，这种友谊也就中止了。 但更多的人渴望“心灵之友(soul pals)”，即那种拥有高尚情操，能共度磨难的朋友。这样的友谊使我们远离贪欲、暴力，鼓励我们敢于按照自己的信念说话和做事。
这样的友谊才是我们说的“真挚的友谊”。正是由于这些朋友的相伴，我们发现自己总在超越原来的自己，成为更好的人。
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Unit2
? After dinner, we all sat around the hearth. Aunt Susan was still in the grief of
losing Uncle Robert. In her soft voice she told us about their past years. Uncle Robert joined the army shortly after they were engaged.
? Given the critical situation at the time when lots of army men didn’t return
alive, you can imagine how much horrified Aunt Susan was every day, and how much overjoyed she was to see Uncle Robert back safe and sound from the European battlefield. Then they got married and brought up five children. ? For all those years, their affection for each other grew stronger in the course of
overcoming difficulties and hardships in life. I was fascinated by Aunt Susan’s story, which was totally different from my ideal of love.
? They practiced, in their daily life, giving and sharing instead of pursuing passion
and romance, or making complaints. Amazingly, such love lasted through their whole life.
? 晚饭后，我们大家围坐在壁炉旁。苏珊姨妈还沉浸在失去罗伯特姨父的悲
伤之中。
? 她轻声讲起了他俩从前的岁月。订婚不久，姨父就去参军了。考虑到当时
的严峻形势，许多军人无法生还，你就可以想象当姨父从欧洲战场平安返回时姨妈甭提有多开心了。之后，他们结婚成家，抚养了五个孩子。 ? 这么多年来，在共同克服生活的艰辛磨难的过程的当中，夫妻间的感情越
来越深。我被姨妈的故事深深迷住了，这完全不同于我理想中的爱情。 ? 在日常生活中，他们并不追求激情浪漫，而是实践着“付出”和“分享”。
令人感慨的是，这样的爱延续了一辈子。
Unit1
? That was a time when life was difficult for everyone. My family could barely get
by on my small income from driving a cab. One late night I responded to a call for a cab ride. To my surprise, when I arrived at the address, I found it was a frail old lay who was awaiting me.
? After she got into the cab, I engaged her in conversation. I learnt that she was
going to the hospice. Her doctor said she didn’t have very long.
? The old lady told me to drive through the downtown area. She pointed at some
old buildings, telling me those were the places where she used to work or live. When the cab finally pulled up in front of the hospice, I didn’t accept her fare. ? In the rest of the day, I was lost in thought. Though I had to make a living, I
lived not for the sole purpose of surviving. When circumstances looked gloomy, the small favour I had done could be a candle light. However faint the light was, it managed to warm up a soul and ennobled me as well. I did take pride in that small favour.
? 当时大家生活都很艰难，我们家靠我开出租车的收入勉强度日。一天深夜
我接到要车电话，令我吃惊的是，到达那个地址时发现是一位柔弱的老太太在等我。
? 她上车后，我便与她攀谈起来。我了解到她要去安养院，医生说她的时间
不多了。
? 老太太叫我开车穿过市中心。她指着一些老房子告诉我那是她曾居住或工
作过的地方。最后当车子停在安养院门口时，我没有接收她的车费。 ? 在那天余下的时间里我陷入了沉思：虽然我得谋生，但是生活的意义不仅
仅是为了生存。当周遭情形一片阴暗时，我的一个小小善举可能就是一束烛光，尽管烛火微弱，却温暖了一颗心灵，也令我高尚。我真的为自己的小小善举感到自豪。