美文欣賞:學習是一生的事業

一旦學習停止，單調貧乏的生活就開始了。視學校為汲取知識的惟一場所是種常見的謬誤。相反地，從生到死,學習應該是一種無終止的歷程。

Learning: a Lifelong Career

As food is to the body, so is learning to the mind. Our bodies grow and muscles develop with the intake of adequate nutritious food. Likewise, we should keep learning day by day to maintain our keen mental power and expand our intellectual capacity. Constant learning supplies us with inexhaustible fuel for driving us to sharpen our power of reasoning, analysis, and judgment. Learning incessantly is the surest way to keep pace with the times in the information age, and reliable warrant of success in times of uncertainty.

Once learning stops, vegetation sets in. It is a common fallacy to regard school as the only workshop for the acquisition of knowledge. On the contrary, learning should be a never-ending process, from the cradle to the grave. With the world changing so fast, to cease learning for just a few days will make a person lag behind. What's worse, the animal instinct dormant deep in our subconscious will come to life, weakening our will to pursue our noble ideas, undermining our determination to sweep away obstacles to our success and strangling our desire for the refinement of our character. Lack of learning will inevitably lead to the stagnation of the mind, or even worse, its fossilization. Therefore, to stay mentally young, we have to take learning as a lifelong career.

學習：一生的事業

學習之於心靈，就像食物之於身體一樣。攝取了適量的營養食物，我們的身體得以生長而肌肉得以發達。 同樣地，我們應該日復一日不斷地學習以保持我們心智的敏鋭，並擴充我們的智力容量。不斷的學習提供我們用之不盡的燃料，來驅使我們磨礪我們的推理、分析和判斷的能力。持續的學習是在信息時代中跟時代井駕齊驅的最穩當的方法，也是在變動的時代中成功的可靠保證。

一旦學習停止，單調貧乏的生活就開始了。視學校為汲取知識的惟一場所是種常見的'謬誤。相反地，從生到死,學習應該是一種無終止的歷程。 由於世界變化得如此迅速，只要學習停頓數日就能使人落後。更糟的是，蟄伏在我們潛意識深處的動物本能就會復活，削弱我們追求高尚理想的意志，弱化我們掃除成功障礙的決心，而且扼殺我們淨化我們人格的慾望。缺少學習將不可避免地導致心靈的停滯，甚至更糟，使其僵化。因此，為了保持心態年輕，我們必須將學習當作一生的事業

ke['inteik] n. 引入口，入口，通風口

Our school is gearing up for an increased intake of pupils.

我們學校正在作好準備以接受更多的學生。

itious adj. 有營養的，滋養的

This food is nutritious.

這種食物營養豐富。

llectual n. 知識份子，憑理智做事者 adj. 智力的，聰明的

He's a kind of intellectual superman.

他是智力超常的人。

haustible adj. 用不完的，無窮的，不知疲倦的

He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion, and sacrifice, and endurance.

人類不朽不是因為在萬物中唯有他能永遠發言、而是因為他有靈魂，有同情心、有犧牲和忍耐精神。

ant n. 正當理由，根據，委任狀，准許 vt. 保證，辯解，擔保，授權

The law warrants this procedure.

這一程序是法律批准的。

acy n. 謬論

The fallacy has been exposed in its naked absurdity.

這謬論的荒誕性已被充分揭露。

isition n. 獲得，所獲之物

The library's latest acquisitions were donated by a millionaire.

圖書館最近增添的書籍是一位百萬富翁捐獻的。

le['kreidl] n. 搖籃，發祥地，搖籃時代 vt. 放在搖籃內，撫育，收割

The baby slumbered in his cradle.

嬰兒安睡在搖籃裏。

ant adj. 睡眠狀態的，靜止的

He would try to awake their dormant and sluggish faculties.

這位教授應該試圖喚醒他們沉睡和懶散的天賦。

onscious adj. 潛意識的，下意識的 n. 潛意識

One's conscious motives are often different from one's subconscious ones.

一個人有明顯動機的舉動跟下意識的舉動往往截然不同。

ngle v. 勒死，使窒息，限制

She strangled before she was taken to hospital.

她在被送往醫院之前便窒息而死。

nation n. 停滯

ilization n. 化石化，固定化，陳腐