短篇优秀英语美文：Love is just a thread爱如丝线
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question. Finally my father has a bad temper. When he’s very tired from the hard work, it is easy for him to lose his temper.
有时候，我真的怀疑父母之间是否有真爱。他们天天忙于赚钱，为我和弟弟支付学费。他们从未像我在书中读到，或在电视中看到的那样互诉衷肠。他们认为”我爱你”太奢侈，很难说出口。更不用说在情人节送花这样的事了。我父亲的脾气非常坏。经过一天的劳累之后，他经常会发脾气。
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.
一天，母亲正在缝被子，我静静地坐在她旁边看着她。
“Mom, I have a question to ask you,” I said after a while.
过了一会，我说：”妈妈，我想问你一个问题。”
“What?” she replied, still doing her work.
“什么问题?”她一边继续缝着，一边回答道。
“Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice.
我低声地问道：”你和爸爸之间有没有爱情啊?”
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.
母亲突然停下了手中的活，满眼诧异地抬起头。她没有立即作答。然后低下头，继续缝被子。
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
我担心伤害了她。我非常尴尬，不知道该怎么办。不过，后来我听见母亲说：
“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread.Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there. Love is inside.”
“苏珊，看看这些线。有时候，你能看得见，但是大多数都隐藏在被子里。这些线使被子坚固耐用。如果生活就像一床被子，那么爱是其中的线。你不可能随时随地看到它，但是它却实实在在地存在着。爱就是内在的。
I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.
我仔细地听着，却无法明白她的话，直到来年的春天。那时候，我父亲得了重病。母亲在医院里待了一个月。当他们从医院回来的时候，都显得非常苍白。就像他们都得了一场重病一样。
After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.
他们回来之后，每天的清晨或黄昏，母亲都会搀扶着父亲在乡村的小路上漫步。父亲从未如此温和过。他们就像天作之合。在小路旁边，有许多美丽的野花、绿草和树木。阳光穿过树叶的`缝隙，温柔地照射在地面上。这一切形成了一幅世间最美好的画面。
The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn’t walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.
医生说父亲将在两个月后康复。但是两个月之后，他仍然无法独立行走。我们都很为他担心。
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
有一天，我问他：“爸爸，你感觉怎么样?”
“Susan, don’t worry about me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life.” Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
他温和地说：“苏珊，不用为我担心。跟你说吧，我喜欢与你妈妈一块散步的感觉。我喜欢这种生活。”从他的眼神里，我看得出他对母亲的爱之深刻。
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm..
我曾经认为爱情是鲜花、礼物和甜蜜的亲吻。但是从那一刻起，我明白了，爱情就像生活中被子里的一根线。爱情就在里面，使生活变得坚固而温暖。
短篇优秀英语美文：孩子们看得到之间的差别
Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in Oklahoma City. My friend and proud father Bobby Lewis was taking his two little boys to play miniature golf. He walked up to the fellow at the ticket counter and said, "How much is it to get in?"
The young man replied, "$3.00 for you and $3.00 for any kid who is older than six. We let them in free if they are six or younger. How old are they?"
Bobby replied, "The lawyer's three and the doctor is seven, so I guess I owe you $6.00."
The man at the ticket counter said, "Hey, Mister, did you just win the lottery or something? You could have saved yourself three bucks. You could have told me that the older one was six; I wouldn't have known the difference." Bobby replied, "Yes, that may be true, but the kids would have known the difference".
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying." In challenging times when ethics are more important than ever before, make sure you set a good example for everyone you work and live with.
短篇优秀英语美文：改变世界从改变自己开始
The following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the Crypts of Westminister Abbey:
When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.
But it, too, seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family.
From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.
在学英语的过程中，阅读非常重要，多读，多看，多背一些文章，对于语感的`形成，内容的积累，都非常关键。以下是英语经典美文（精选30篇），欢迎阅读。
Passage 1.Woodpecker
There are many apple trees in a garden. They’re good friends. One day an old tree is ill. There are many pests in the tree. Leaves of the tree turn yellow. The old tree feels very sad and unwell. Another tree sends for a doctor for him. At first, they send for a pigeon, but she has no idea about it. Then they send for an oriole, and she can’t treat the old tree well. Then they send for a woodpecker. She is a good doctor. She pecks a hole in the tree and eats lots of pests. At last the old tree becomes better and better. Leaves turn green and green.
Passage 2.A Busy Day
Today is Sunday! On Sundays, I usually play the flute.My father usually reads the newspaper. My motherusuallycleansthe house. Buttoday my mother is in bed. She is ill. My father has to do the housework. Now, he is cleaning the house. “Sam, can you help me?” “Yes, Dad!” Now, we’re washing the car. Where’s my sister, Amy? She is playing my flute. What a lucky girl!
Passage 3.The dog and his reflection
One day a dog with a piece of meat in his mouth was crossing a plank over a stream. As he walked along,helookedintowater,andhesawhis reflection. He thought this was another dog carrying
a piece of meat. And he felt he would like to have two pieces. So he snapped at the reflection in the water, and of course, as he opened his mouth, the piece of meat disappeared quickly.
Passage 4.An honest boy
Tony is seven years old. He is an honest and polite boy. One day, it was Sunday. Tony, his sister and his mother stayed at home. He was watching TV and his sister was reading books. His mother was washing clothes. Just then, his father came back with a bag
of pears. Tony likes pears very much and he wanted
to eat one. His mother gave him four and said, “Let’s sharethem.” “Whichpeardo youwant, Tony?” asked his mother. “The biggest one, mum.” “What?” said his mother, “You should be polite and want the smallest one.” “Should I tell a lie just to be polite, mum?”
Passage 5.A birthday party
Today is Susan’s birthday. She is nine years old. Her friends are in her home now. There is a birthday party in the evening. Look! Mary is listening to the music. And Tom is drinking orange juice. Jack and Sam are playing cards on the floor. Lily and Amy are watching TV. Someone is knocking at the door. It’s Henry. He brings a big teddy bear for Susan. The teddy bear is yellow. Susan is very happy. All the children are happy. They sing a birthday song for Susan.
Passage 6.The Farmer and the Snake
It was a cold winter day.A farmer found a snake on the ground. It was nearly dead by cold. The Farmer was a kind man. Hepicked up thesnake carefully and put it under the coat. Soon the snake Began to move and it raised its mouth and bit the farmer. “Oh, My god!” said the farmer, “I save your life, but you thank me in that way. You must die.” Then he killed the snake with a stick. At last he died, too.
Passage 7.Two Young Trees
Two young trees are standing on the top of the hill. Their names are Tim and Alan.
One day, it’s sunny and warm. Some birds are singing in the trees. The wind blows, and the trees are talking. “What do you want to be when you grow up?’’ asks Tim. “I’m not sure. I think I want to be a chair or a desk.” answers Alan, “Maybe I want to be
a toy box or a baseball bat. I like children.”“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asks Alan. “Me?” says Tim, “I just want to be a tree. I want to be
a house for birds and spiders. I want to have many apples. And when it’s sunny and hot, people and animals can stand under me.”
Passage 8.Hongkong is a nice place
Hong Kong is a nice place, especially in summer. JulyisahotmonthinHongKong.Butit’san excellent time for swimming. There is a beautiful beach at Repulse Bay (浅水湾). To get there, you can take a bus from Central. Lots of people go to the beach on Sundays and Saturdays. But if you go on a weekday, it is will be not so crowded.Visitors to Hongkong need passports. But people from many countries do not need visas. Hongkong is a nice place for holiday. There are many shops.
Passage 9.Water
Water is very important for living things. Without water, there must be no life on the earth. All the plants and animals need water to drink, to cook food and to clean ourselves. Water is needed in farms, factories, offices, schools, families and many other places.
Water is found in seas, rivers and lakes. It can be found everywhere in the world, and it also can be found in the air.
Passage 10.Twins’ Bedroom
This is the twins’ bedroom. It is a nice room. The two beds look the same. This bed is Lily’s and that one is Lucy’s. The twins have one desk and two chairs. Their clock, books and pencil-boxes are on the desk. Their schoolbags are behind the chairs. Some nice flowers are on the desk. Some nice pictures are on the wall. Is there a kite? Yes, it’s under Lily’s bed. The bedroom is very nice.
Passage 11.Dogs
One of the animals that help people a lot is the dog. In some countries, dogs pull wagons. In the cold north, dogs pull sleds.
There are other ways that dogs help us, too. Policemen use them to look for missing people. Soldiers use them to carry letters and medicine .On farms, dogs take care of sheep and keep them in the fields. At night, they take the sheep home. Dogs help the blind with work. Some dogs are good and kind. Some dogs are good at another skill.
Passage 12.The Best Job
Betty is a lazy girl. She doesn’t study hard, and she doesn’t help her mother with the housework, either. “What are you going to be when you grow up, Betty?” Mother asks. “You’re too lazy. No job will ever fit you.” “But I know one,” says the girl, “I’m going to be Father Christmas,” “You want to be Father Christmas?” Mother is surprised, “But why?” “Because he works only one day in a whole year.”
Passage 13.A Clever Monkey
A little monkey picks up a pumpkin and wants to takeithome.Butthepumpkinistoobig.The monkey can’t take it home.
Suddenly he sees a panda riding a bike towards him. He watches the bike. “l have a good idea. I can roll the pumpkin. It likes a wheel.”
So he rolls the pumpkin to his home. When his mother sees the big pumpkin, she is surprised and says, “How can you carry it home?” The little monkey answers proudly, “l can’t lift it, but l can roll it.” His mother smiles and says, “ What a clever boy!”
Passage14. What Are Stars Like?
Have you ever wondered about the stars? In some ways, stars are like people. They are born. They grow old. And they die. A star is born from dust and gas. Slowly the dust and gas make a ball. The ball gets very hot. Then it starts to give off light. The young star grows into a giant. Many years go by. The older star begins to get small again. At last its light goes out. The star’s life is over.
Passage 15.Radio and Television
Radio and television are very popular in the world today. Millions of people watch TV. Perhaps more people listen to the radio.
The TV is more useful than the radio. On TV we can see and hear what is happening in the world. However, radio isn’t lost. It is still with us. And listeners are becoming more. That’sbecause a transistor radio isn’t lost. It is still with us. It is very easy to carry. You can put one in your pocket and listen to it on the bus or your bike when you go to work.
Passage 16.It’s cool behind you
It’stwoo’clockintheafternoon.Thesunis shinning and it’s very hot. Nancy has to meet her mother at the train station.
Now she’s walking in the street. There are no trees and she’s fat. So she feels very hot. But she doesn’t find a boy walking just behind her. And she meets a friend and says “hello” to him. “Who’s the boy behind you？” asks the man . Now she sees the boy. She is angry and asks, “Why are you walking behind me, boy?” “There’snoshadeinthestreet, you know.” answers the boy. “It’s cool behind you, I think.”
Passage 17.Father’s Hobby
My dad works from Monday to Friday in a bank. he uses the computer to count money. His job is very important in the bank.
Dad is also busy at home. At weekends he cooks dinner. Usually he cooks Italian food. On Sundays he makesfive pieces of pizza. Sometimes hecooks chicken and makes Chinese food. My mum watches and helps him. I help my dad, too. I wash the dishes.
Many people think it is strange for a man to cook. But my dad enjoys his hobby. Cooking relaxes him. He is a weekend cook.
Passage 18.I don’t think so
Jack is a good boy but he doesn’t like to use his head. He often says something withou thinking.It makes others unhappy.
Mr. Black teaches math in a school. He’s old now and he likes children.On the Friday Mr. Black doesn’t go to work, because he’s ill in a hospital. And Jack’s mother will see him after dinner. “I want to be there with you.” says Jack. “You’re a rude boy. I can’t take you there.’’ says his mother. “Don’t worry, mum. I won’t do that again. Please believe me. ” says Jack. In the hospital, Jack says nothing at first. When they’re leaving , he says to Mr. Black, “You look fine. The doctor says you’re going to die, but I don’t think so. ”
Passage 19.Seven days in a week
There are about fifty-two weeks in a year. And there are seven days in each week. The first day of a week is Sunday. The other days of a week between SundayandSaturdayare Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and Friday. Monday is the second day, Tuesday is the third day, Wednesday is the fourth day, Thursday is the fifth day, and Friday is the sixth day. What’s the last day? Do you know?
Passage 20.My special Friend
I have a friend in the U.S. His name is Don Adams. I know him very well, but I have never met him. We write to each other all the time. My letters are very short. It is still hard for me to write in English. I received a letter from Don yesterday. It makes me very happy. He is coming to my country for a visit next summer. We are going to see each other for the first time.
Passage 21.A Day in My Life
My family lives on this street. In the morning, my father goes to work and all the children go to school. My mother takes us to school everyday. She does the housework. She always has her lunch at home, and sees her friends in the afternoon. In the evening all the children come home from school. They always get home early. My father goes home from work and he is often late. After supper my two brothers and I do our homework. We go to bed at ten.
Passage 22. The Sea
What do know about the sea? Some people have seen it but others haven’t. The sea looks beautiful on a fine sunny day and it can be very tough when there is a strong wind. What other things do you know about it? Of course, the sea is very large. In the world there is more sea than land. If you have swum in the sea, you know that the sea is salty. Rivers carry salt from the land into the sea. Some places of the sea are saltier than the other places. Do you know the Dead Sea? It is so salty that you can’t sink when you are in the water! And fish cannot live in it!
Passage 23.A Good Young Pioneer
Li Hua is a Yong Pioneer. He is going to the park. Now he is waiting for a bus. Suddenly he finds a watchon theground.He askssome people, “Whose watch is it?” But the watch isn’t theirs. So he gives the watch to a policeman.
Now Li Hua gets on the bus. He is sitting near the window. An old woman gets on the bus. She has no seat. So he stands up and says, “Here is a seat for you, Granny. Please sit here”
Passage 24.Sea horse
There are all kinds of horses in the world. But one of them you can’t ride. It doesn’t live on land, but in the sea. It looks like the head of horse. So the people call it sea horse. In fact, the sea horse is a small fish. It likes to live in warm water. A sea horse stands up in the water when it swims.
Father horse carries the eggs to keep them safe in its pouch. Whenthe eggsare hatched, the baby horses swim away.
Passage 25.A Cat and a Bird
There are three trees near the house. There is a big tree, and two small trees.
In the big tree there is a bird. Can the bird sing? Yes, it can. What’s under the big tree? It’s a cat.
“I want some food,” thinks the cat. “Bird, my good friend, Come here! It’s time to play games” says the cat.
“No today, thank you!” says the bird, “You can’t catch me! Goodbye!” Look! The bird is flying!
Passage 26.A Flying Fox
A flying fox is not a fox at all. It is a bat. But this bat looks like a fox. A flying fox is very big. It likes to eat fruit. Sometimes the flying fox is called fruit bat.
The flying fox flies into fruit trees. Then the bat eats all the fruit. So fruit farmers do not like the flying fox.
Passage 27.Flying Birds
Birds don’t fly high up in the sky. The air is too thin.
It is hard for birds to breathe in thin air. Thin air doesn’t hold them up.
Birds fly near the ground so that they can see where they are. The birds look for places they know. Then they do not get lost. Some birds fly so low over the ocean that the waves often hide them. Many birds fly a long distance in the spring and autumn.
Passage 28.Air
Air is all around us. It is around us as we walk and play. From the time we were born air is around us on every side. When we sit down, it is around us. When we go to bed, air is also around us. We live in air. We can live without food or water for a few days, but we cannot live for more than a few minutes without air. We take in air. When we are working or running we need more air. When we are asleep, we need less air. We live in air, but we cannot see it. We can only feel it when it is moving. Moving air is called wind. How can we make air move? Here is one way. Hold an open book in front of your face, close it quickly. What can you feel? What you feel is air.
Passage 29.Clocks
There are many clocks in the Brown’s house. They are in different rooms.A big clock stands in a corner of the sitting room. It is a very, very old clock, but it still keeps good time. Mr. Brown winds it once a week.
Passage 30. Swimming
Swimming is a good sport. It’s popular. People like swimming because the water makes people feel cool. But if they swim in a wrong place, it is very dangerous. These years, some people died when they were enjoying themselves in water and most of them were students. Summer holiday will be there again. I want to give you some advice. First, don’t get into the water when you are alone. Second, don’t get into the water if there is a No swimming sign. Third, you should be careful in the water. If you remember these, swimming will be safe and it’s good for your health.
励志短篇的英语美文（1）
The thermometer had dropped to 18 degrees below zero, but still chose to sleep in the porch as usual. In the evening, the most familiar sight to me would be stars in the sky. Though they were a mere sprinkle of twinkling dots, yet I had become so accustomed to them that their occasional absence would bring me loneliness and ennui.
It had been snowing all night, not a single star in sight. My roommate and I, each wrapped in a quilt, were seated far apart in a different corner of the porch, facing each other and chatting away.
She exclaimed pointing to something afar, “Look, Venus in rising!” I looked up and saw nothing but a lamp round the bend in a mountain path. I beamed and said pointing to a tiny lamplight on the opposite mountain, “It’s Jupiter over there!”
More and more lights came into sight as we kept pointing here and there. Lights from hurricane lamps flickering about in the pine forest created the scene of a star-studded sky. With the distinction between sky and forest obscured by snowflakes, the numerous lamp-lights now easily passed for as many stars.
Completely lost in a make-believe world, I seemed to see all the lamplights drifting from the ground. With the illusory stars hanging still overhead, I was spared the effort of tracing their positions when I woke up from my dreams in the dead of night.
Thus I found consolation even on a lonely snowy night !
温度计已经降到零下18度，但还是像往常一样睡在门廊里。到了晚上，对我来说最熟悉的景象就是天上的星星。他们虽然只是一闪一闪，但我已经习惯他们，偶然的情况下会给我带来的寂寞和无聊。
整个晚上都在下雪，看不见一颗星星。我和我的室友都裹在被子里，远远地坐在门廊的另一个角落里，面对面地聊天。
她指着远处的一个东西喊道：“看，维纳斯女神在上升！我抬头一看，除了一条路灯，在山路拐弯处什么也没有看见。我微笑着指着对面山上的一个微弱的灯光说：“那边是木星！“
越来越多的灯光进入我们的视线，我们不停地指指点点。松林中摇曳的飓风灯发出的.灯光，照亮了一片布满星星的天空。随着天空和森林被雪花所掩盖，无数的灯很容易被许多星星所通过。
完全沉浸在虚幻的世界里，我似乎看到所有lamplights从地面漂浮。当头顶上悬挂着虚幻的星星时，当我从梦中醒来时，我已不想在黑夜中醒来。
这样，即使在一个孤独的下雪的夜晚，我也感到安慰！
励志短篇的英语美文（2）
You must study to be frank with the world:frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do, on every occasion. If a friend asks a favor, you should grant it, if it is reasonable; if not, tell him plainly why you cannot. You would wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.
Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one. The man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice. Deal kindly but firmly with all your classmates. You will find it the policy which wears best. Above all, do not appear to others what you are not.
If you have any fault to find with any one, tell him, not others, of what you complain. There is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to do one thing before a man's face and another behind his back. We should say and do nothing to the injury of any one. It is not only a matter of principle, but also the path of peace and hornor.
你必须学会坦率地面对这个世界：坦率是诚实和勇敢的孩子。在任何场合都要说出你的意思。如果一个朋友请求帮助，你应该给予它，如果它是合理的；如果没有，告诉他清楚你为什么不能。你错了他和你自己用含糊的任何一种。
永远不要做错误的事来交朋友或留住朋友。要求你这样做的人是以牺牲的代价买来的。与同学们友好但坚决地对待。你会发现这是最好的政策。最重要的是，不要对别人显得你不是什么。
如果你有任何缺点，请告诉他，而不是其他人，告诉他你所抱怨的。在男人面前做一件事，而在背后做一件事，再没有比这更危险的实验了。我们应该对任何人的伤害说不做。它不仅是一个原则问题，也是和平和荣誉的道路。
