The last few days have found me very restless. This evening as I sat in the yard to enjoy the cool, it struck me how different the lotus pool I pass every day must look under a full moon. The moon was sailing higher and higher up the heavens, the sound of childish laughter had died away from the lane beyond our wall, and my wife was in the house patting Juner and humming a lullaby to him. I quietly slipped on a long gown, and walked out leaving the door on the latch.

这几天心里颇不宁静。今晚在院子里坐着乘凉，忽然想起日日走过的荷塘，在这满月的光里，总该另有一番样子吧。月亮渐渐地升高了，墙外马路上孩子们的欢笑，已经听不见了；妻在屋里拍着闰儿，迷迷糊糊地哼着眠歌。我悄悄地披了大衫，带上门出去。

A cinder - path winds along by the side of the pool. It is off the beaten track and few pass this way even by day, so at night it is still more quiet. Trees grow thick and bosky all around the pool, with willows and other trees I cannot name by the path. On nights when there is no moon the track is almost terrifyingly dark, but tonight it was quite clear, though the moonlight was pale.

沿着荷塘，是一条曲折的小煤屑路。这是一条幽僻的路；白天也少人走，夜晚更加寂寞。荷塘四面，长着许多树，蓊蓊郁郁的。路的一旁，是些杨柳，和一些不知道名字的树。没有月光的晚上，这路上阴森森的，有些怕人。今晚却很好，虽然月光也还是淡淡的。

Strolling alone down the path, hands behind my back, I felt as if the whole earth and sky were mine and I had stepped outside my usual self into another world. I like both excitement and stillness, under the full moon, I could think of whatever I pleased or of nothing at all, and that gave me a sense of freedom. All daytime duties could be disregarded. That was the advantage of solitude: I could savour to the full that expanse of fragrant lotus and the moonlight.

路上只我一个人，背着手踱着。这一片天地好像是我的；我也像超出了平常的自己，到了另一世界里。我爱热闹，也爱冷静；爱群居，也爱独处。像今晚上，一个人在这苍茫的月下，什么都可以想，什么都可以不想，便觉是个自由的人。白天里一定要做的事，一定要说的话，现在都可不理。这是独处的妙处，我且受用这无边的荷香月色好了。

As far as eye could see, the pool with its winding margin was covered with trim leaves, which rose high out of the water like the flared skirts of dancing girls. And starring these tiers of leaves were white lotus flowers, alluringly open or bashfully in bud, like glimmering pearls, stars in an azure sky, or beauties fresh from the bath. The breeze carried past gusts of fragrance, like the strains of a song faintly heard from a far-off tower. And leaves and blossoms trembled slightly, while in a flash the scent was carried away. As the closely serried leaves bent, a tide of opaque emerald could be glimpsed. That was the softly running water beneath, hidden from sight, its colour invisible, though the leaves looked more graceful than ever.

曲曲折折的荷塘上面，弥望的是田田的叶子。叶子出水很高，像亭亭的舞女的裙。层层的叶子中间，零星地点缀着些白花，有袅娜地开着的，有羞涩地打着朵儿的；正如一粒粒的明珠，又如碧天里的星星，又如刚出浴的美人。微风过处，送来缕缕清香，仿佛远处高楼上渺茫的歌声似的。这时候叶子与花也有一丝的颤动，像闪电般，霎时传过荷塘的那边去了。叶子本是肩并肩密密地挨着，这便宛然有了一道凝碧的波痕。叶子底下是脉脉的流水，遮住了，不能见一些颜色；而叶子却更见风致了。

Moonlight cascaded like water over the lotus leaves and flowers, and a light blue mist floating up from the pool made them seem washed in milk or caught in a gauzy dream. Though the moon was full, a film of pale clouds in the sky would not allow its rays to shine through brightly; but I felt this was all to the good - though refreshing sleep is indispensable, short naps have a charm all their own. As the moon shone from behind them, the dense trees on the hills threw checkered shadows, dark forms loomed like devils, and the sparse, graceful shadows of willows seemed painted on the lotus leaves. The moonlight on the pool was not uniform, but light and shadow made up a harmonious rhythm like a beautiful tune played on a violin.

月光如流水一般，静静地泻在这一片叶子和花上。薄薄的青雾浮起在荷塘里。叶子和花仿佛在牛乳中洗过一样；又像笼着轻纱的梦。虽然是满月，天上却有一层淡淡的云，所以不能朗照；但我以为这恰是到了好处——酣眠固不可少，小睡也别有风味的。月光是隔了树照过来的，高处丛生的灌木，落下参差的斑驳的黑影，峭楞楞如鬼一般；弯弯的杨柳的稀疏的倩影，却又像是画在荷叶上。塘中的月色并不均匀；但光与影有着和谐的旋律，如梵婀玲上奏着的名曲。

Far and near, high and low around the pool were trees, most of them willows. These trees had the pool entirely hemmed in, the only small clearings left being those by the path, apparently intended for the moon. All the trees were somber as dense smoke, but among them you could make out the luxuriant willows, while faintly above the tree-tops loomed distant hills - their general outline only. And between the trees appeared one or two street lamps, listless as the eyes of someone drowsy. The liveliest sounds at this hour were the cicadas chirruping on the trees and the frogs croaking in the pool; but this animation was theirs alone, I had no part in it.

荷塘的四面，远远近近，高高低低都是树，而杨柳最多。这些树将一片荷塘重重围住；只在小路一旁，漏着几段空隙，像是特为月光留下的。树色一例是阴阴的，乍看像一团烟雾；但杨柳的丰姿，便在烟雾里也辨得出。树梢上隐隐约约的是一带远山，只有些大意罢了。树缝里也漏着一两点路灯光，没精打采的，是渴睡人的眼。这时候最热闹的，要数树上的蝉声与水里的蛙声；但热闹是它们的，我什么也没有。

Then lotus-gathering flashed into my mind. This was an old custom south of the Yangtse, which apparently originated very early and was most popular in the period of the Six Kingdoms,* as we see from the songs of the time. The lotus were picked by girls in small boats, who sang haunting songs as they padded. They turned out in force, we may be sure, and there were spectators too, for that was a cheerful festival and a romantic one. We have a good account of it in a poem by Emperor Yuan of the Liang dynasty called Lotus Gatherers:

忽然想起采莲的事情来了。采莲是江南的旧俗，似乎很早就有，而六朝时为盛；从诗歌里可以约略知道。采莲的是少年的女子，她们是荡着小船，唱着艳歌去的。采莲人不用说很多，还有看采莲的人。那是一个热闹的季节，也是一个风流的季节。梁元帝《采莲赋》里说得好：

Deft boys and pretty girls
Reach an understanding while boating;
Their prows veer slowly,
But the winecups pass quickly;
Their oars are entangled,
As they cut through the duckweed,
And girls with slender waists
Turn to gaze behind them.
Now spring and summer meet,
Leaves are tender, flowers fresh;
With smiles they protect their silks,
Drawing in their skirts, afraid lest the boat upset.

于是妖童媛女，
荡舟心许；
鷁首徐回，
兼传羽杯；
欋将移而藻挂，
船欲动而萍开。
尔其纤腰束素，
迁延顾步；
夏始春余，
叶嫩花初，
恐沾裳而浅笑，
畏倾船而敛裾。

There we have a picture of these merry excursions. This must have been a delightful event, and it is a great pity we cannot enjoy it today.

可见当时嬉游的光景了。这真是有趣的事，可惜我们现在早已无福消受了。

I also remember some lines from the poem West Islet:

于是又记起《西洲曲》里的句子：

When they gather lotus at Nantang in autumn
The lotus blooms are higher than their heads;
They stoop to pick lotus seeds,
Seeds as translucent as water.

采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头；低头弄莲子，莲子清如水。

If any girls were here now to pick the lotus, the flowers would reach above their heads too -- ah, rippling shadows alone are not enough! I was feeling quite homesick for the south, when I suddenly looked up to discover I had reached my own door. Pushing it softly open and tiptoeing in, I found all quiet inside, and my wife fast asleep.

今晚若有采莲人，这儿的莲花也算得“过人头”了；只不见一些流水的影子，是不行的。这令我到底惦着江南了。——这样想着，猛一抬头，不觉已是自己的门前；轻轻地推门进去，什么声息也没有，妻已睡熟好久了。

Yesterday, I met a net friend on line. I’m sure I never chatted with him before. At first, he chatted with me in English. Well, I think he like English very much and I replied him in English too. After that, he chatted with me in Chinese instead of in English. But I still spoke English. Meantime, I just introduced myself. Then, I asked him, “Could you introduce yourself briefly?” 

 

After several minutes, he replied it. However, I didn’t quite catch on to his meaning. I guessed that he had to an urgent matter to attend to. Then, I said “ so long” to him.

 

Can you guess his replied, my friend?

 

“4 or 5 hours.” He replied.

 

I was all tied in knots. What on earth did he mean? There are a lot of questions in my mind. Quickly, I knew he had misunderstood the words.

 

“You mistook my meaning entirely, my friend. I said “goodbye” to you.” I replied again.

 

“Oh, goodbye!” he answered.  He soon brought the chat to a close.

 

I thought that he was ashamed to chat with me again. Tell the truth, I laughed incredibly hard during that time. I almost died.

Oh, my god, I am starving...

After several minutes, I will get off work. However, I am staving and can't do anything. Also, my head is turning. wwwww...

I was halfway through my breakfast for my gums are swollen. When I got up and looked at myself in the mirror, I found my faces are asymmetrical. I became an ugly girl.

There is so much suffering around me. Think it over, the whole trip of my life was a chapter of accidents. I'm in rather poor health and is subject to colds.

Why? It seems there is no answer. Maybe the god envy me and my happy family. Never mind! It's a little thing. I am a strong girl and I believe I can overcome any trouble which I have to face it.

 1、Growth and change are the law of all life. Yesterday's answers are inadequate for today's problems ----just as the solutions of today will not fill the needs of tomorrow. (Franklin Roosevelt, Averican president)

　　生长与变化是一切生命的法则。昨日的答案不适用于今日的问题——正如今天的方法不能解决明天的需求。(美国总统罗斯福.F.)

　　2、Almost any situation---good or bad ---is affected by the attitude we bring to. (Lucius Annaus Seneca, Ancient Roman philosopher)

　　差不多任何一种处境——无论是好是坏——都受到我们对待处境的态度的影响。(古罗马哲学家西尼加 L A)
  
   3、behavīoral research discloses that human relations at work are just easier, perhaps because they are more regular and predictable and thus simpler to adjust to than the sporadic, the more intense and less regular relationship in the community. (R.Sayles Leonard, British writer)

　　行为科学研究提示，工作中人与人之间较好相处。这或许是因为工作上的人际关系较有规律，而在社会上，人与人之间的关系是断断续续的，比较紧张，而且也较少有规律可循。(英国作家伦纳德.R.S.)

　　4、Don't gild the lily. (William Shakespeare, British dramatist)

　　不要给百合花镀金/画蛇添足。(英国剧作家莎士比亚.W.)

　　5、Every man's work, whether it be literature of music of pictures or architecture of anything else, is always a portrait of himself. (Samuel Brtler, Averican educator)

　　每个人的工作，不管是文学、音乐、美术、建筑还是其他工作，都是自己的一幅画像。(美国教育家勃特勒.S.)

　　6、Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. (Hellen Keller, American writer)

　　虽然世界多苦难，但是苦难总是能战胜的(美国作家海伦·凯勒)

　　7、As fruit needs not only sunshine but cold nights and chilling showers to ripen it, so character needs not only joy but trial and difficulty to mellow it. (Hugh Black, American writer)

　　水果不仅需要阳光，也需要凉夜。寒冷的雨水能使其成熟。人的性格陶冶不仅需要欢乐，也需要考验和困难。(美国作家布莱克 H)

　　8、Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the freedom to choose his attitude in any given set of circumstances. (Leonhard Frand , German novelist)

　　我可以拿走人的任何东西，但有一样东西不行，这就是在特定环境下选择自己的生活态度的自由。(德国小说家弗兰克 L)

　　to suffer for one’s wisdom. 聪明反被聪明误

　　to harp on the same string. 旧调重弹

　　what’s done cannot be undone 覆水难收 .

　　to convert defeat into victory. 转败为胜

　　beyond one’s grasp. 鞭长莫及

　　to be severe with oneself and lenient with others.

　　严以责己宽以待人

　　a heart of steel. 铁石心肠

　　to be guided by destiny.听天由命

　　pride goes before a fall 骄者必败 .

　　the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy

　　without weapon 不战而屈人之兵

　　what is bugging you 什么事使你心烦

　　sworn brother 干兄弟, 盟兄弟

　　it’s dying art 这是已失传的手艺

　　gentlemen agreement 君子协定

　　I'm trying to make ends meet 我尽力要使收支平衡

　　prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them.

　　富贵结朋友, 患难见真情

　　if you wish to be the best man, you must suffer the

　　bitterest of the bitter.

　　吃得苦中苦, 方为人上人

　　it is better to fight for good than to fail at the ill.

　　宁为善而斗, 毋屈服于恶

　　he who has hope has everything.

　　怀有希望者, 便拥有一切

　　self-trust is the first secret of success.

　　自信心是成功的首要关键

　　the secret of success is constancy of purpose.

　　成功的秘绝在于目标坚定有恒

　　success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties.

　　成功源于努力去克服困难

　　experience is the extract of suffering.

　　经验是受苦的结晶

Time goes by so quickly and a weekly passed in a flash. It’s a day of rest tomorrow. What should I do? Should I go to the dentist’s to have my tooth drawn this Sunday? Is it very painful to have it taken out? However, I must do it just all the same. Well, better put an end to a troublesome business than to be always vexed with it.

 

You know, I have a sweet tooth. As a result, I have to see the dentist again and again. I don’t want any sweet these days. I can say that I have no stomach for sweets in so many words nowadays. Really, I am very afraid of it

 

It is said that sweet is harmful to human’s health as serious as smoking. It can bring a great deal of disease to us. What a terrible thing!

 

The people enjoy better living than before. However, why are more and more people growing ill? (When I went to see the doctor every time, there are a lot of people standing in line waiting for the doctor.) It goes without saying that it’s really a question.

In the middle ages tomatoes were called “Love Apples”, and they were believed to be poisonous.

在中世纪， 番茄被称为“爱之果”，并被认为是有毒的。

The tomato was declared a vegetable by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1893. In reality, the tomato is really a fruit.

1893年，美国最高法院将番茄定位蔬菜。事实上，它是一种水果。

The advantage American consumes approximately 46 slices of pizza a year.

一个美国人平均一年约吃46块馅饼。

Pizza not only delivers lycoypene, it also has calcium, potassium and complex carbohydrates.

馅饼不仅含有番茄红素，还有钙、钾和复合碳水化合物。

Tea was discovered in China 5000 years ago.

茶叶于5000年前发现于中国。

Americans consume nearly 50. billion cups of tea annually（ over 40 billion are iced).

美国人每年喝大约喝500亿杯茶（超过400亿杯是冰茶）。

The Dutch first brought tea to Europe as well as to America around 1650.

荷兰人大约于1650年最早将茶带到美洲和欧洲。

Of all the tea consumed in the U.S., ninety-four percent is black and only four percent is green.

在美国人饮用的茶中，94%为红茶，只有4%是绿茶。

Teabags were invented in 1904.

袋茶发明于1904年。

Throughout the ages people have considered citrus fruit to symbolized love, happiness, holiness and fruitfulness.

长久以来，人们一直认为柑橘果象征着爱、幸福、神圣和富足。

Somehow, I miss my little nephew very much at the moment. I know his examination is impending and he is under a lot of pressure. He constantly received high marks in his studies. Surely, my family and his teachers have high expectations of him. If everything is in working order, I am sure he is going to enter senior high school.

 

He is a small but smart boy and he is 13 years old this year. He is soon study in high school and I only bless him. In fact, I am a little bit worried about his health. I heard that he have to study at school from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00p.m. How tired he is! He only is a child of thirteen.

 

Come on, my great nephew. I am here and here with you. All people who care you are on your side. Please take care of yourself and your aunt believes that you are the greatest. Clear? Please remember: if you work hard today, it’ll be sunny tomorrow.

 

Anyway, good luck in his examination!

What a nice day! However, I was really tired this morning since I have been working hard all morning. Today we have receive many order. What's more, one of my colleagues asked for leave and I have to take over the job. you can image how tired I was!

The long hours of work have wearied me. Moreover, my shoulder is playing up horribly. It's too badly!

I am a little bit worried about my eyes. I placed myself before the computer and do my job from Monday to Saturday. Thus, my eyes are sore sometimes and I have to have a rest. I know my sight is getting dim. What should I do? wwwwww...........

 

 

I never thought that I can wear my high-heel shoes one day. Frankly speaking, I did't like to wear it. However, my friends suggest me to try and change my style. I think it's true. Now that I am growing up and I must learn to dressing up.

Long ago I bought a pair of high-heel shoes. Then, I put it in the loker and never put out .  " If you don't like it, please give me as a gift and don't waste it." one of my roommates joked. Surely, I joyfully consented. But the shoes do not fit well as for her. Today,  I have an impulse to wear it. However, there are a lot of questions in my heart. I am afraid of that whether I will lost my balance. I can't bear I fall to the ground, because It's an awkward situation.

I wonder if it's a special day for me. It's the first time I wear my high-heel shoes. What does this mean? Does it mean I am a big girl? Somehow I must learn to stand on my own two feet.

Suddenly, It's hit me. It seems that the peason who just access to sociey just like one wears her high-shoes for the first time. When you started to wear it, you are a little bit worried that whether you can walk as natural as before. In fact, you are fearful of falling. And then, you have to practise again and again until you can wear it lightly.

My buddy, what do you think?