英语名人故事简短
名人泛指各行各业中能力崇高而备受景仰的人,你知道的名人有哪些呢?那你知道他们的故事吗?以下是小编为您整理的英语名人故事简短相关资料,欢迎阅读!
【一】David Hume大卫·休谟
Hume attended the University of Edinburgh at the unusually early age of twelve at a time when fourteen was normal. At first he considered a career in law, but came to have, in his words, “an insurmountable aversion to everything but the pursuits of Philosophy and general Learning; and while fancyed I was poring over Voet and Vinnius, Cicero and Virgil were the Authors which I was secretly devouring.” He had little respect for the professors of his time, telling a friend in 1735,“there is nothing to be learnt from a Professor, which is not to be met with in Books.”
休谟在年仅12岁时就进入爱丁堡大学就读,当时正常的入学年龄是14岁。最初休谟打算从事法律这个行业,但不久他发现自己有了 “一种对于学习哲学和知识以外所有事物的极度厌烦感。当我的家人想象我正在阅读屋埃特和维尼阿斯(两位当时著名的法学家)时,我实际上却是在阅读西塞罗和维吉尔的著作。”休谟对于大学里的教授都不抱好感,他曾在1735年告诉一位朋友说:“你根本不能从教授身上学到任何东西,那些东西在书里都有了。”
As Hume’s options lay between a traveling tutorship and a stool in a merchant’s office, he chose the latter. In 1734, after a few months occupied with commerce in Bristol, he went to La Fleche in Anjou, France. There he had frequent discourse with the Jesuits of the College of La Fleche. As he had spent most of his savings during his four years there while writing A Treatise of Human Nature, he resolved “to make a very rigid frugality supply my deficiency of fortune, to maintain unimpaired my independency, and to regard every object as contemptible except the improvements of my talents in literature” . He completed the Treatise at the age of 26.
当休谟面对是成为家庭教师还是成为商人的职员这两个选择时,他最终选择了后者。 1734年,在布里斯托经商数个月之后,休谟前往法国安茹的拉弗莱舍(La FUche)旅游,在那里休谟经常与来自拉弗莱舍学院的耶稣会学生进行哲学讨论。在写《人性论》的四年中,他花掉了大部分储蓄,因此休谟决心要“过极其简朴的生活以应付我那有限的财产,以此确保我的独立自主 性,并且不用考虑任何除了增进我的文学天分以外的事物。”当《人性论》完稿时,他年仅26岁。
Although many scholars today consider the Treatise to be Hume's most important work and one of the most important books in Western philosophy, the critics in Great Britain at the time did not agree, describing it as “abstract and unintelligible” . Despite the disappointment, Hume later wrote, “Being naturally of a cheerful and sanguine temper, I soon recovered from the blow and prosecuted with great ardour my studies in the country.” There, he wrote the Abstract without revealing his authorship, he aimed to make his larger work more intelligible. However, only in about 1770, with the praise by Immanuel Kant, did scholars begin to notice its value.
虽然现代的学者们大多将《人性论》一书视为休谟最重要的一本著作,也是西方哲学历史上最重要的著作之一,但当时英国的批判学者们并没有看好它,认为它 “抽象且缺乏智慧”。尽管有些失望,休谨这样写道:“我本来就养成乐观而开朗的个性,很快就从这样的挫折里站了起来,并继续在乡下努力地进行研究。”他继续写下了《人性论摘要》一书,但没有写出自己的名字,他试图使他更重要的著作——《人性论》一书获得更多重视。然而,直到1770年左右,随着德国哲学家伊曼努尔·康德对休谟的褒奖,休谟的哲学著作才开始获得大众的注意。
【二】Jackie Chan
A hero is being hung down from a helicopter some200 feet above. As the sun bets down, he swingsabout. Suddenly, a top needle of a skyscraper ispressing toward him. He fails to dodge and bumpsheavily on the concrete needle.
在距地面约200英尺的上空,一勇士被绑在一架直升机上倒悬着。烈日当空,他来回摇摆着。突然,一座摩天大厦的'尖型顶柱朝他逼来,他躲避不及,重重地撞在混凝土顶柱上。
This stimulating shot impressed in numerousJackie Chan fans. Now it's the “rush hour” to be repaid for that devotion for him. As an Asia’sfavorite action hero, he has finally conquered Hollywood. Rush Hour, Chan’s new made-in-America blockbuster, rocketed to the top of the charts on its opening weekend in the UnitedStates, winning an unexpected cross-over audience. In three days, the box-office tally was$33 million — the highest weekend gross ever for New Line Cinema. Now in its sixth week inAmerican theatres, the film, directed by Brett Ratner, has so far taken in more than $117million.
这惊心动魄的镜头深深地印在无数成龙迷的脑海里。而今他的奋不顾身得到了 “尖峰时刻”的回报。作为亚裔颇受欢迎的动作片巨星,他终于征服了好莱坞。成龙新近在美国摄制的巨片《尖峰时刻》首映周内即飚升至排行榜首,出人意料地赢得了大批非亚裔观众。仅仅三天,票房就达到三千三百万美元——这是新干线影院最高的周收入。这部由布雷特·兰特纳执导的影片,目前在美国本土影院的第六周收入已超过一亿一千七百万美元。
Chan had already scored when such films as Rumble in the Bronx and First Strike were releasedin mainstream theatres in the U. S., and not just in Chinatown and specialty video stores. NowRush Hour has turned Jackie Chan into a household name the way Enter the Dragon made alegend of Bruce Lee.
早在美国主流影院放映的如《布朗克斯区的喧嚣》和《第一次的罢工》时成龙就已获得了成功,而不仅仅是在唐人街和特色录影带商店。而今《尖峰时刻》就如同当李小龙的《猛龙过江》所创造的神话那样,成龙已成为家喻户晓的名字。
The bi-racial pairing and good cop/bad cop storyline are predictably formulaic 一 Chan isChinese and co-star Chris Tucker is black 一 similar to such films as the Lethal Weapon seriesstarring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Yet the producers have wisely focused on the strengthsof the two stars: Tucker’s hilarious, rapid-fire jive-talk, and Chan’s nimble derring-do in tightspaces and high places.
两个种族的角色搭档以及红白脸式的故事情节不免有些俗套——成龙是中国人而联袂明星克里斯·塔克是黑人一这就像是《致命武器》中的影星梅·吉布森和丹尼·格洛弗。然而制片商明智地看中了这两个影星的长处:塔克滑稽搞笑,妙语连珠,而成龙无论高空狭隙都身手敏捷,艺胆过人。
Long-time Jackie Chan fans may find his antics too familiar and the film’s slick editing relyingmore on camera tricks than real stunts. After all, Chan is almost 58 years old and Hollywoodinsurance codes prohibit actors from performing some of the outrageous stunts for whichHong Kong films are famous. Still, Chan has always been considered one of the most popularand respected stars in the Chinese film world. Given the typical typecasting of Asians ashookers or triads, Jackie Chan’s relaunch as an action hero in the West is a resoundingtriumph.
成龙迷们会发现,他的滑稽噱头多已较为眼熟,且很多抢眼镜头多是靠摄影技巧而非真实的绝技。毕竟,成龙快58岁了,在香港电影中一些引以为荣的危险绝技在好莱坞的保险条例中是不允许做的。尽管如此,成龙一直被认为是中国电影界最受欢迎和尊重的明星之 一。与亚洲人常一成不变的扮演小偷或“天地会”会众的角色相比,成龙在西方影坛重树了动作片的英雄形象的确是一大成功。
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【三】Socrates苏格拉底
Socrates is talking to Hippias of Elis, a travelling “sophist” who sets up as a professional “wise man”,taking money for lessons in private and public rhetoric, and managing public business himself. How, Socrates asks, does Hippias explain the fact that wise men in the old days were not rich public figures?
苏格拉底正在和埃里斯的希比阿聊天。希比阿是云游四方的“智术大师”,将自己称为职业的“智者”,主讲修辞术,收费授课,还亲自负责公众事务。苏格拉底问希比阿:为何历史上的智者都不富有呢?
Hippias: What do you think it could be, Socrates, other than that they were incompetent and not capable of using their wisdom to achieve in both areas, public and private?
希比阿:你怎么想呢,苏格拉底?还不是因为他们无能,不会把智慧运用于个人和国家,并在这两方面有所作为。
Socrates: Well, other skills have certainly improved, and by comparison with modern craftsmen the older ones are worthless. Are we to say that your skill — sophistry — has improved in the same way, and that the ancients who practiced wisdom were worthless compared to you?
苏格拉底:对呀,其他的技艺都有进步,例如与现代工匠相比,古代工匠简直一钱不值。我们是否可以说:你这门技艺——诡辩术,也同样进步了?与你相比,那些以智慧为业的古人也同样一文不值呢?
Hippias: Yes, you’re completely right!
希比阿:是的,你说得没错!
Socrates: None of those early thinkers thought it right to demand money as payment, or to make displays of their own wisdom before all sorts of people. That’s how simple-minded they were; they didn’t notice how valuable money is. But each of the modern people you mention has made more money from his wisdom than any other craftsman from any skill. And Protagoras did it even before they did.
苏格拉底:早先的思想家以为,在各种各样的人面前公开展露自己的智慧是不对的,收费更是错的。他们的头脑真简单,居然不知道钱是多么重要。但你提到的现代人,每个人靠自己的智慧挣了大钱,超过任何一个工匠。在他们之前,还有普罗泰弋拉,早就这样做了。
Hippias: Socrates, you have no idea just how fine this is. If you knew how much money I've made, you'd be amazed! I'm pretty sure that I’ve made more money than any two sophists you like put together!
希比阿:苏格拉底,你根本不知道这样做有多棒。如果你知道我挣了多少钱,你肯定要吓坏了!我敢肯定,你随便举两个智术师,我一个人挣的钱绝对超过他们的总和!
Socrates: What a fine thing to say, Hippias! It’s very indicative of your own wisdom, and of what a difference there is between people nowadays and the ancients.
苏格拉底:希比阿,你说得真好!这恰恰体现了你的智慧,也显示出今人和古人的确不一样啊。
Hippias thinks Socrates is complimenting him. The reader, however, sees clearly that Socrates despises the use of intellect to make money, rather than to search for the truth, and hence has complete contempt for Hippias. This is the “Socratic irony”.
希比阿以为苏格拉底在夸奖他。然而,读者却能清楚地看出苏格拉底认为智术应当求真理,他蔑视以智术牟利的做法,因此他对希比阿嗤之以鼻。这就是所谓的“苏格拉底的伪装”。
【四】Plato柏拉图
One day, Plato asked his teacher, “What is love? How can I find it?”
柏拉图有一天问老师苏格拉底:“什么是爱情?我如何找到它?”
His teacher answered, “There is a vast wheat field in front. Walk forward without turning back, and pick only one stalk. If you find the most magnificent stalk, then you have found love.”
老师回答说:“前面有一片广袤的麦田。你一直往前走,不要回头,摘一棵麦穗。如果你摘到最大最好的麦穗,你就找到爱情了。”
Plato thought it was easy, so he walked forward confidently. But it was a long time before he returned with empty hands, having picked nothing. His teacher asked,“Why did you not pick any stalk?” Plato answered, “Because I could only pick once, and yet I could not turn back. I did find the most magnificent stalk, but did not know if there were any better ones ahead, so I did not pick it. As I walked further, the stalks that I saw were not as good as the earlier one, so I did not pick any in the end.”
柏拉图觉得很容易,充满信心地出去。可是过了许久他才回来,空着手,什么都没拣回来。老师问:“你为什么一棵麦穗都没有拾回? ”柏拉图解释道:“因为我只能拣一棵麦穗,而且我不能回头。我确实发现一棵看似很不错的麦穗,可不知道前面有没有更好的,所以就没拣它。当我继续往前走时,我所看到的麦穗还不如先前的那棵好,所以最后什么都没拣到。”
His teacher then said, “And that is love.”
这时,苏格拉底告诉他:“那就是爱情”。
On another day, Plato asked his teacher, “What is marriage? How can I find it?”
柏拉图有一天又问老师苏格拉底:“什么是婚姻?我如何才能找到它呢? ”
His teacher answered, “There is a thriving forest in front. Walk forward without turning back, and chop down only one tree. If you find the tallest tree, then you have found marriage.” Learning from the last failure, Plato walked forward in confidence this time, and before long, he returned exhausted with a straight, green tree. The tree was not thriving, and it was not tall either. It was an ordinary tree. His teacher asked, “Why did you chop down such an ordinary tree?”
老师回答说:“前面有一片茂密的树林。一直向前走,不要回头,然后砍一棵树回来。如果你找到最高的树,那么你就找到了婚姻。”柏拉图有了上回的教训,这次充满信心地出去。不久,他一身疲惫地拖了一棵看起来直挺、翠绿,却有点稀疏也并不高大的树。这只是一棵普通的树。老师问他:“你为什么砍了这么一棵普通的树? ”
Plato answered, “Because of my previous experience, I walked halfway through the field, but returned with empty hands. This time, I saw this tree, and I felt that it was not bad, so I chopped it down and brought it back. I did not want to miss the opportunity.”
柏拉图回答老师:“上一次,我走了半个麦田,却空手而归。这次,我看到了这棵树,觉得它还不错,就砍下带了回来,我不想错过这个机会。”
His teacher then said, “And that is marriage.”
这时,苏格拉底告诉他:“这就是婚姻”。
【英语名人故事简短】