英语故事是我平常也会去看，相信很多人都会喜欢看英语故事，
I grew up in Jamaica Plain, an urban community located on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1940's it was a wholesome, quaint little community. It was my home and I loved it there; back then I thought I would never leave. My best friend Rose and I used to collectively dream about raising a family of our own someday. We had it all planned out to live next door to one another.
我在牙买加平原长大，那是美国马萨诸塞州波士顿市郊的一个城镇。在20世纪40年代，那是个生气勃勃而又老式别致的小社区。那是我的家乡，我热爱的地方。那时，我以为自己永远不会离开。我最好的朋友罗斯和我常常一起梦想着有一天各自拥有自己的家庭。我们什么都计划好了，还想着以后要挨着住，做邻居。
Our dream remained alive through grade school, high school, and even beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I got married in 1953 to the love of my life, Dick. Even then she joked that she was just one perfect guy short of being married, thus bringing us closer to our dream. Meanwhile, Dick aspired to be an officer in the Marines and I fully supported his ambitions. I realized that he might be stationed far away from Jamaica Plain, but I told him I would relocate and adjust. The idea of experiencing new places together seemed somewhat romantic to me.
我们的这一梦想历经小学、中学，甚至之后的岁月，从未变更。1953年当我嫁给我一生的挚爱——迪克时，罗斯是我的伴娘。那时，她甚至开玩笑说，她就差结婚了，要不就完美了——这样就可以离我们的梦想更近了。就在那时，迪克决心成为一名海军陆战队军官，而我则全力支持他的雄心壮志。我意识到，他可能会在牙买加平原以外很远的地方驻扎，不过我告诉他我可以重新安家并适应下来。和他一起体验新天地的生活，这想法对我来说有些浪漫。
So, in 1955 Dick was stationed in Alaska and we relocated. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. Rose and I remained in touch for a few years via periodic phone call but after awhile we lost track of one another. Back in the 1950's it was a lot more difficult to stay in touch with someone over a long distance, especially if you were relocating every few years. There were no email addresses or transferable phone number and directory lookup services were mediocre at best.
于是，1955年迪克被安排驻扎在阿拉斯加时，我们搬家了。罗斯对我的离开感到很难过，但仍祝我好运。接下来的几年里，我们通过定期打电话来保持联络，但不久我们便失去了彼此的音讯。20世纪50年代那会，要想和远方的人保持联络并不太容易，特别是当你每隔几年就要搬家时。那时还没有电子邮箱或者搬家不换号的服务，姓名地址查询服务也不甚完善。
I thought of her several times over the years. Once in the mid 1960's when I was visiting the Greater Boston area I tried to determine her whereabout but my search turned up empty-handed. Jamaica Plain had changed drastically in the 10 years I was gone. A pretty obvious shift in income demographics was affecting my old neighborhood. My family had moved out of the area, as did many of the people I used to know. Rose was nowhere to be found.
这些年来，我有好几次想起了她。20世纪60年代中期，有一次在我去大波士顿区时，我尝试追寻她的下落，但却搜寻未果。在我离开后的10年里，牙买加平原发生了巨变。外来人口的大量迁入影响了我的旧社区。我家早已搬离了那个地区，从前认识的邻居中有很多也搬走了。罗斯则杳无音讯，无迹可寻。
52 years passed and we never spoke. I've since raised a family of five, all of whom now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Now here I am at the doorstep to my 80th birthday and I receive a random phone call on an idle Wednesday afternoon. "Hello?" I said. "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end replied. "It's been so long. I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kid" she said.
52年过去了，我们再未说过话。后来，我有了一个五口之家，现在孩子们也全都有了自己的家庭，而迪克也在几年前去世了。基本上，我的一生就这么过去了。如今，在我即将迈入八十大寿之际，一个空闲的周三下午我接到了一个陌生来电。“喂？”我打招呼道。“嗨，纳塔利，我是罗斯。”电话那头的声音回应道。“已经过了这么久了。我不知道你还记不记得我，过去还是小孩子的时候，在牙买加平原，我们是最好的朋友。”她说道。
We haven't seen each other yet, but we have spent countless hours on the phone14)catching up on 52 years of our lives. The interesting thing is that even after 52 years of separation our personalities and interests are still extremely similar. We both share a passion for several hobbies that we each picked up independently several years after we lost touch with one another. It almost feels like we are picking up right where we left off, which is really strange considering the circumstances.
我们到现在也还没再见过面，但我们花了很长的时间在电话里互诉了这52年里我们各自的生活。有意思的是，即使是分别了52年，我们的个性和兴趣仍然极其相似。我们都钟情于某些爱好，而那是在我们失去联络几年后各自养成的。这感觉简直就像我们才刚刚分别就又重聚了一样，考虑到现实情况，这确实让人感到有些奇怪。
Her husband passed away a few years ago as well, but she mailed me several photographs of her family that were taken over the years. It's so crazy, just looking at the photos and listening to her describe her family reminds me of my own; a reasonably large, healthy family. Part of me feels like we led fairly similar lives.
她的丈夫也在几年前去世了，但她寄了几张那些年里拍的家庭合影给我。令人兴奋不已的是，仅仅是看着这些照片，听她描述着她的家庭就让我想起了我自己的家庭；一个相当健康的大家庭。内心深处，我感到我们有着极其相似的人生。
I don't think the numerous similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think it shows that we didn't just call each other best friend we truly were best friend and even now we can be best friends again. Real friends have two things in common: a compatible personality and a strong-willed character. The compatible personality is what initiates the connection between two people and a strong-willed character at both ends is what maintains the connection. If those two ingredients are present in a friendship, the friendship is for real, and can thus sustain the tests of time and prolonged absence without faltering.
我们两个人的生命中有如此多的相似之处，我并 我认为这表示，我们视彼此为最好的朋友，不只是嘴上说的，而是真真切切地曾经为彼此最好的朋友，即使到了现在，我们还是可 真正的朋友有两个共同点:相容的个性和坚强的品格。相容的个性是最初连接两人的纽带，而这一纽带的维系则有赖于双方所拥有的坚强品格。如果一段友谊里有着这两者的存在，那么这段友谊就是真的，这样一来，它就能经受住时间和长久分离的考验而毫不“褪色”。
Mr. Dawson was an old grouch, and everyone in town knew it. Kids knew not to go into his yard to pick a delicious apple, even off the ground, because old Dawson, they said, would come after you with his ball bullet gun.
道森先生是个坏脾气的老头子，镇上的每个人都知道这个。小孩们知道不能到他的院子里摘美味的苹果，甚至掉在地上的也不能捡，因为据他们说，老道森会端着他的弹丸猎枪跟在你后面追。
One Friday, 12-year-old Janet was going to stay all night with her friend Amy. They had to walk by Dawson's house on the way to Amy's house, but as they got close Janet saw him sitting on his front porch and suggested they cross over to the other side of the street. Like most of the children, she was scared of the old man because of the stories she'd heard about him.
一个周五，12岁的珍妮特要陪她的朋友艾米过夜。她们去艾米家的途中得路过道森先生的房子。当她们离道森家越来越近时，珍妮特看见道森先生坐在前廊，于是她建议她们过马路从街的另一边走。跟大多数孩子一样，珍妮特听过他的故事，对他很是害怕。
Amy said not to worry, Mr. Dawson wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, Janet was growing more nervous with each step closer to the old man's house. When they got close enough, Dawson looked up with his usual frown, but when he saw it was Amy, a broad smile changed his entire face as he said, "Hello Miss Amy. I see you've got a little friend with you today."
艾米说别担心，道森先生不会伤害任何人。但每向前走一步，离老人的房子越近，珍妮特就越紧张。当她们走到房子那儿，道森抬起了头，一如既往地皱着他的眉头。但当他看到是艾米，一个灿烂的笑容让他整个表情都变了，他说：“你好，艾米小姐，我看见今天有位小朋友陪你。”
Amy smiled back and told him Janet was staying overnight and they were going to listen to music and play games. Dawson told them that sounded fun, and offered them each a fresh picked apple off his tree. They gladly accepted. Dawson had the best apples in town.
艾米也对他微笑，告诉他珍妮特会陪她过夜，她们要一起听音乐玩游戏。道森告诉她们这听上去很有趣，给她们每人一个从他的树上刚摘下来的苹果。她们很高兴地接受了，因为道森的苹果是镇上最棒的。
When they got out of Dawson?on earshot, Janet asked Amy, "Everyone says he's the meanest man in town. How come was he so nice to us?"
走到道森听不到的地方，珍妮特问艾米：“每个人都说他是镇上最不好打交道的人，但他为什么对我们这么好呢？”
Amy explained that when she first started walking past his house he wasn't very friendly and she was afraid of him, but she pretended he was wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him. It took a while, but one day he half-smiled back at her.
艾米说当她第一次路过他家时，他不是很友好，这让她害怕。但她假装他有着看不见的微笑，所以她总对他回之以微笑。终于过了一段时间，有一天，他也对她露出了一点笑容。
After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started talking to her. Just a "hello" at first, then more. She said he always offers her an apple now, and is always very kind.
再过了些日子，他开始真正地对她笑了，并开始和艾米说话。开始只是打个招呼，后来越来越多。她说他现在总给她苹果，总是很友善。
"An invisible smile?"questioned Janet.
“看不见的笑容？”珍妮特问。
"Yes,"answered Amy, "my grandma told me that if I pretended I wasn't afraid and pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I smiled back at him, that sooner or later he would really smile. Grandma says smiles are contagious."
“是的，”艾米回答道。“我奶奶告诉我如果我假装不害怕，假装他有着看不见的笑容，我对他微笑，总有一天他会真正微笑起来。奶奶说笑容是可以互相感染的。”
If we remember what Amy's grandma said, that everyone wears an invisible smile, we too will find that most people can't resist our smile after a while.
如果我们记住艾米奶奶说的，每个人都有着看不见的笑容，我们会发现大多数人在一段时间后是无法抗拒我们的微笑的。
We're always on the go trying to accomplish so much, aren's we? Getting groceries, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn - there's always something. It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life that we forget how simple it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving a smile away takes so little effort and time, let's make sure that we've not the one that others have to pretend is wearing an invisible smile.
我们总是忙着去尽量完成更多的事，不是吗？买东西，打扫屋子，割院子里的草——总有些什么事。这就使我们很容易在日常生活中忘记：给自己和别人带来快乐是多么简单的事情。绽放微笑花费的精力与时间很少，让我们确保自己不
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with her parents in a cottage on the edge of the forest. Her father was a woodcutter. He worked all day long in the forest, chopping down trees with his huge axe.
Right in the middle of the forest was another cottage. It belonged to the little girl's grandmother.
The kind old lady loved her granddaughter very much, and one day decided to make her a present. It was a red cloak with a red hood to match.
The cloak looked so nice that the little girl wore it all the time. And that is why everybody called her Red Riding Hood.
One day Grandmother fell ill, so Red Riding Hood's mother baked her a cake and made her some fresh butter, just to make her feel better.
"Red Riding Hood," called her mother. "Take this cake and butter to Grandmother's cottage, a visit from you will cheer her up!"
So Red Riding Hood picked up the basket, waved goodbye to her mother and went off down the path.
She hadn't gone very far when she met a wolf. He trotted up, pretending to be friendly. "Good morning, Red Riding Hood. What have you got in your basket today?"
"I have some fresh butter and a cake," replied the little girl. "They are for my grandmother, who lives in the middle of the forest. She is ill and needs cheering up."
The wolf licked his lips. "How I would love to gobble up this little girl. But is I am clever, I can eat her grandmother as well," he sniggered.
"Red Riding Hood," said the wolf slyly. "We will both go to visit your grandmother and cheer her up. I'll race you there!"
Then the clever wolf said to Red Riding Hood, "You follow this path and I will find another one. Then we'll see who reaches Grandmother's cottage first."
No sooner was Red Riding Hood out of sight, than the wolf ran off at top speed.
As for Red Riding Hood, she wandered slowly along the path picking flowers and wild strawberries for her grandmother. She had forgotten all about the race.
The wicked wolf knew every secret path and short cut in the forest. He ran so fast, the animals and birds didn't even notice him.
Quietly he crept round a clearing in the trees where the woodcutter was chopping wood. On and on he raced until he came to the middle of the forest.
The wolf reached Grandmother's cottage in next to no time. He ran up the path and knocked on the door.
"Who is that?" cried Grandmother from her bed.
"It is Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf, in his softest voice.
"Lift the latch and come right in," the old lady called, "the door isn't locked, my dear."
The wolf bounded in and gobbled poor Grandmother whole!
"That was delicious," sighed the wicked wolf, smacking his lips. "Now for Red Riding Hood!"
The wolf looked around the bedroom. He found one of Grandmother's spare nightdresses and her nightcap, so he put them on as fast as he could.
Then the wolf jumped into bed and waited for Red Riding Hood.
At last the little girl reached the cottage door and tapped very gently. "Who it it?" asked the wolf, trying to sound like Grandmother.
"It's Red Riding Hood and I've bought you some cake and fresh butter."
The wolf grinned. "Lift the latch and walk right in," he croaked. So Red Riding Hood opened the door and came inside.
"You sound very strange," called Red Riding Hood.
"I have a cold my dear!" the wolf replied. "Come here so that I can see you."
Little Red Riding Hood was shocked when she saw her grandmother. "Why Grandmother, what strong arms you have!" she said.
"All the better to hug you with!" replied the wolf.
"Why Grandmother, what big eyes you have!" said Red Riding Hood staring at him.
"All the better to see you with!" the wolf grinned.
"Why Grandmother, what big teeth you have!"
"All the better to EAT you with!" snarled the wolf.
And with that, he threw back the bedclothes and leapt out of bed. Poor Red Riding Hood screamed at the top of her voice as the wolf tried to grab her and gobble her up. She escaped from the bedroom and dashed out of the house, the hungry wolf close behind!
Now Red Riding Hood's father was chopping wood nearby and he heard the little girl's screams.
He grabbed his huge axe and ran towards the cottage. He saw the wolf chasing Red Riding Hood and guessed what had happened. The brave woodcutter raised his axe and chopped the wolf in two with one blow. The wolf fell dead and Red Riding Hood was saved.
The frightened little girl ran to her father and kissed and hugged him.
But what a surprise they got when they turned round 。.。 there stood Grandmother safe and sound! Because the woodcutter had chopped the wolf in two, Grandmother was able to climb out quite unharmed.
So all three went back inside the cottage. They unpacked the basket Red Riding Hood had brought and ate the delicious cake.
Little Red Riding Hood never again went walking in Th. forest alone, and Grandmother took great care to lock her cottage door.