When times become difficult (and you know they sometimes will)， remember a moment in your life that was filled with joy and happiness。这次漂亮的小编为您带来了英语美文长篇（优秀9篇），在大家参照的同时，也可以分享一下给您最好的朋友。
I believe honesty is one of the greatest gifts thereis. I know they call it a lot of fancy names these days, like integrity andforthrightness. But it doesn't make any difference what they call it; it'sstill what makes a man a good citizen. This is my code, and I try to live by.
我相信诚实是一件最棒的礼物。我知道如今他们给它取了许多好听的名字，像正直和直率。但是怎么称呼并不重要，关键还在于怎样才算一个好公民。这就是我的准则，我努力按这一准则生活。
I've been in the taxicab business for thirty-fiveyears, and I know there is a lot about it that is not so good. Taxicab drivershave to be rough and tumble fellows to be able to take it in New York. You'vegot to be tough to fight the New York traffic eight hours a day, these days.Because taxi drivers are tough, people get the wrong impression that they arebad. Taxi drivers are just like other people. Most of them will shake down ashonest fellows. You read in the papers almost every week where a taxi driverturns in money or jewels or bonds, stuff like that, people leave in their cabs.If they weren't honest, you wouldn't be reading those stories in the papers.
我入出租车这一行已经三十五个年头，知道这一行有很多不好的地方。的士司机得凶狠粗暴才能在纽约干这一行。这年头你得有副好身板儿才顶得住纽约一天八小时的交通战。由于态度粗暴，人们误认为出租司机不是好人，其实，他们和其他人就没啥区别。他们大多诚实，与人和睦相处。你几乎每个星期都可以从报纸上知道某的士司机归还了乘客掉在车里的钱或珠宝或票据之类的东西。要不是他们诚实，你没法在报纸上读到那些新闻。
One time in Brooklyn, I found an emerald ring in mycab. I remembered helping a lady with a lot of bundles that day, so I went backto where I had dropped her off. It took me almost two days to trace her down inorder to return her ring to her. I didn't get as much as “thankyou.” Still, I felt good because I had done what wasright. I think I felt better than she did.
一次在布鲁克林，我发现车里有一枚祖母绿钻戒，我记得那天帮一位女士拉了很多捆行李，所以我开回到她下车的地方，几乎花了两天时间才找到她，把戒指还给了她。我连个谢字也没得到，还是感到很高兴，因为我做了件好事。我想我比她更高兴。
I was born and raised in Ireland and lived there untilI was nineteen years old. I came to this country in 1913 where I held severaljobs to earn a few dollars before enlisting in World War Number I. After beingdischarged, I bought my own cab and have owned one ever since. It hasn't beentoo easy at times, but my wife takes care of our money and we have a good bitput away for a rainy day.
我生长在爱尔兰，在那儿呆到十九岁。1913年来到这个国家，为了挣几个钱干了不少工作，一战时当了兵，退伍之后自己买了辆出租，从此有了自己的车。有时日子不太容易，可我老婆精打细算，我们还存了些钱，以防有个什么难处。
When I first started driving a cab, Park Avenue wasmostly a bunch of coal yards. Hoofer's Brewery was right next to where theWaldorf-Astoria is now. I did pretty well, even in those days.
刚开始开出租的时候，有钱人待的派克大街几乎全是一片煤场，胡弗啤酒厂正靠近现在的沃尔多夫·阿斯托里亚。就是在那些年头我干得也挺不错。
In all my years of driving a taxicab, I have never hadany trouble with the public, not even with drunks. Even if they get a littleheadstrong once in a while, I just agree with them and then they behavethemselves.
开出租的这些年，我从没和乘客有过纠纷，连给醉鬼开车也没出过麻烦。就是他们偶尔有点转不过弯，我也不和他们争执，他们接下来就规规矩矩了。
People ask me about tips. As far as I know,practically everyone will give you something. Come to think of it, mostAmericans are pretty generous. I always try to be nice to everyone, whetherthey tip or not. I believe in God and try to be a good member of my parish. Itry to act toward others like I think God wants me to act. I have been tryingthis for a long time, and the longer I try, the easier it gets.
有人问我小费的事。据我所知，实际上每个人都会给一点。想想吧，大多数美国人是很大方的。不管给不给小费，我都尽力好好为每位乘客服务。我信仰上帝，努力成为教区的好教民。我想上帝希望我怎么对待别人，我就尽量怎么对待别人。我坚持这样做很长时间了，时间越久，这样做就越容易。
It was a beautiful letter， but there was no way， except for the name Michael， to identify the owner.Maybe if I called information， the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.The operator suggested I speak with her supervisor， who hesitated for a moment， then said， "Well， there is a phone listing at that address， but I can't give you the number." She said as a courtesy， she would call that number， explain my story and ask whoever answered if the person wanted her to connect me.
这是一封精美的信，但是除了迈克尔的名字以外，没有其他办法确定皮夹的主人。或许询问信息台，话务员可以通过信封上的住址查到电话。话务员建议我和她的负责人说，那位负责人犹豫了一会儿，然后说：嗯，“有那个住址的电话号码，但我不能给你。”她说出于礼貌，她可以打那个电话，说明我的情况后，看接电话的人是否愿意让她再与我联系。
Someone once said: "Don't be afraid if you find a crack on your soul, because that'll be where the sunshine comes in."
Before I met you, I thought this was nothing but another bunch of useless beautiful words.
But after I met you, I realized that this is my life.
There're too many wonderful things in this world. But life is so short and fragile.
It was your appearance that made my life full of these warmth and lights.
It was you who wiped away all the fear that dwelled in my heart and made feel that I could overcome all the challenges that life holds for me.
All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to live. Sometimes it was as long as a year, sometimes as short as 24 hours. But always we were interested in discovering just how the doomed hero chose to spend his last days or his last hours. I speak, of course, of free men who have a choice, not condemned criminals whose sphere of activities is strictly delimited.
Such stories set us thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances. What events, what experiences, what associations should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings, what regrets?
Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with gentleness, vigor and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the Epicurean motto of “Eat, drink, and be merry”。 But most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending death.
In stories the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. He becomes more appreciative of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values. It has often been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do.
Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life.
The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
译文翻译：
假如给我三天光明（节选）
我们都读过震撼人心的故事，故事中的主人公只能再活一段很有限的时光，有时长达一年，有时却短至一日。但我们总是想要知道，注定要离世人的会选择如何度过自己最后的时光。当然，我说的是那些有选择权利的自由人，而不是那些活动范围受到严格限定的死囚。
这样的故事让我们思考，在类似的处境下，我们该做些什么？作为终有一死的人，在临终前的几个小时内我们应该做什么事，经历些什么或做哪些联想？回忆往昔，什么使我们开心快乐？什么又使我们悔恨不已？
有时我想，把每天都当作生命中的最后一天来边，也不失为一个极好的美好的生活法则。这种态度会使人格外重视生命的价值。我们每天都应该以优雅的姿态，充沛的精力，抱着感恩之心来美好的生活。但当时间以无休止的日，月和年在我们面前流逝时，我们却常常没有了这种子感觉。当然，也有人奉行“吃，喝，享受”的享乐主义信条，但绝大多数人还是会受到即将到来的死亡的惩罚。
在故事中，将死的主人公通常都在最后一刻因突降的幸运而获救，但他的价值观通常都会改变，他变得更加理解生命的意义及其永恒的精神价值。我们常常注意到，那些美好的生活在或曾经美好的生活在死亡阴影下的人无论做什么都会感到幸福。
然而，我们中的大多数人都把生命看成是理所当然的。我们知道有一天我们必将面对死亡，但总认为那一天还在遥远的将来。当我们身强体健之时，死亡简直不可想象，我们很少考虑到它。日子多得好像没有尽头。因此我们一味忙于琐事，几乎意识不到我们对待美好的生活的冷漠态度。
我担心同样的冷漠也存在于我们对自己官能和意识的运用上。只有聋子才理解听力的重要，只有盲人才明白视觉的可贵，这尤其适用于那些成年后才失去视力或听力之苦的人很少充分利用这些宝贵的能力。他们的眼睛和耳朵模糊地感受着周围的景物与声音，心不在焉，也无所感激。这正好我们只有在失去后才懂得珍惜一样，我们只有在生病后才意识到健康的可贵。
我经常想，如果每个人在年轻的时候都有几天失时失聪，也不失为一件幸事。黑暗将使他更加感激光明，寂静将告诉他声音的美妙。
Gorky said: "Books are the ladder of human progress!" It is obvious howimportant reading is! Reading books allows us to learn a wealth of knowledge,but also make people progress.
Usually we should read more books, and we must read good books, such as:science fiction, composition, fairy tales, fables, myths and other book. However, for books like comics, it is best to read less.
"Reading through thousands of books, writing pens is like a god." I thinkthat reading more is good for writing. When reading, you should accumulate somegood words and good sentences, and then copy them on your notebook. Learn moreabout other peoples writing skills. Content, so that when writing, theaccumulated and learned things can come in handy!
Books are our good friends; books are also our good teachers; none of usleave anyone, book this intimate teacher, this competent teacher!
Spring Festival is very important in China. In Spring Festival, we wear the new clothes. We make the house clean. There are twinkling lights and colorful balloons in the street everywhere. Spring Festival is a good time for family to get together for holiday meals. After dinner, families watch TV together. We eat all kinds of delicious foods, such as biscuits, cakes, jellies, chocolates, fruits and so on. When people meet with each other, we often give our best wishes. We can get lucky money. We can light fireworks as well. All the people are very happy during the Spring Festivals.
I love Spring Festival so much.
春节在中国是一个非常重要的节日。
在春节，我们穿新衣服，把房子打扫得干干净净。街上到处都是闪烁的灯和彩色的气球。春节是家人团聚享受节日大餐的好日子。晚餐之后，家人们一起看电视。我们吃各种各样的美味食物。比如饼干、蛋糕、果冻、巧克力、水果等等。当人们互相见面时，我们经常会送上我们最好的祝福。我们能得红包，也能放烟花。在春节期间所有的人都很开心。
我非常的喜欢春节。
People usually say father is quiet and strict, but my father is totally not. He is easygoing. I have a good relationship with my father and we are good friends to each other. We have many topics to talk about because we have much in common. For example, we like playing football. After dinner, we often go to the downstairs to play. I learn many football skills from him. Besides, we like playing video games or computer games. Sometimes, we compete to each other, while sometimes we make a team to compete to others. Of course, he puts study as my priority, so he cares much about my study as well. He once said that he hoped me to study happily. I am really grateful to have such a good father.
Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it."
Of course not!
You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your destiny depends on you, not on any other external factors.
I know someone who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it.
Guess what her lifestyle is?
She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routinary cycle ensues.
Huh?！？ Is this what she calls "doing her best?"
She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that God has intended for her to live; that her luck can only change if God wills it.
Of course God wants us to be happy and live our life to the fullest, but we have to do our share of exerting the effort to live the life of our dreams.
You reap what you sow.
You just don't sit around and wait for a million dollars to fall from the sky. You have to get off the couch, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone (unless it contributes to your success)， and get your mind and body to work!
If your life is not meant the way you want it to be, don't just say: "Our time will come." or "Things will get better some day."
Don't expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; but use it as feedback. Learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to resolve the problem.
It's not enough to think positive; you also have to act positive.
If someone's life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You got to do anything you can to save the person.
So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to DO your best.
In other words, don't just stand (or sit) there, do something to improve your life!
It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career. They were introduced to the broom, and spent the first hours of their business lives sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors and janitresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of business education. But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.
Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aim high”。 I would not give a fig for the young man who does not already see himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself, “My place is at the top.” Be king in your dreams.
And here is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most about it.
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here there, and everywhere. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” is all wrong. I tell you to “put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.” Look round you and take notice, men who do that not often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too many baskets that breaks most eggs in this country. He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.
To summarize what I have said: aim for the highest; never enter a bar room; do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund; make the firm’s interest yours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure always within revenue; lastly, be not impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.”
译文翻译：
成功之道
年轻人创业之初，应该从最底层干起，这是件好事。匹兹保有很多商业巨头，在他们创业之初，都肩负过“重任”：他们以扫帚相伴，以打扫办公室的方式度过了他们商业生涯中最初的时光。我注意到我们现在办公室里都有工友，于是年轻人就不幸错过了商业教育中这个有益的环节。如果碰巧哪天上午专职扫地的工友没有来，某个具有未来合伙人气质的年轻人会毫不犹豫地试着拿起扫帚。在必要时新来的员工扫扫地也无妨，不会因为而有什么损失。我自己就曾经扫过地。
假如你已经被录用，并且有了一个良好的开端，我对你的建议是：要志存高远。一个年轻人，如果不把自己想象成一家大公司未来的老板或者是合伙人，那我会对他不屑一顾。不论职位有多高，你的内心都不要满足于做一个总管，领班或者总经理。要对自己说：我要迈向顶尖！要做就做你梦想中的国王！
成功的首要条件和最大秘诀就是：把你的精力，思想和资本全都集中在你正从事的事业上。一旦开始从事某种职业，就要下定决心在那一领域闯出一片天地来；做这一行的领导人物，采纳每一点改进之心，采用最优良的设备，对专业知识熟稔于心。
一些公司的失败就在于他们分散了资金，因为这就意味着分散了他们的精力。他们向这方面投资，又向那方面投资；在这里投资，在那里投资，到处都投资。“不要把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子里”的说法大错特错。我要对你说：“把所有的鸡蛋都放在一个篮子里，然后小心地看好那个篮子。”看看你周围，你会注意到：这么做的人其实很少失败。看管和携带一个篮子并不太难。人们总是试图提很多篮子，所以才打破这个国家的大部分鸡蛋。提三个篮子的人，必须把一个顶在头上，而这个篮子很可能倒下来，把他自己绊倒。美国商人的一个缺点就是不够专注。
把我的话归纳一下：要志存高远；不要出入酒吧；要滴酒不沾，或要喝也只在用餐时喝少许；不要做投机买卖；不要寅吃卯粮；要把公司的利益当作自己的利益；取消订货的目的永远是为了挽救货主；要专注；要把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子里，然后小心地看好它；要量入为出；最后，要有耐心，正如关爱默生所言，“谁都无法阻止你最终成功，除非你自己承认自己失败。”