生活英語聽力文章：Giving Back生命中感恩的回饋
回饋
I am writing this post on my final day here in Africa. It has been a great trip. While much of the trip has been spent providing food, clothing, love and prayer for some of the most desperate people in the world, I feel refreshed and full of life.
在非洲的最后一天我正在寫海報(bào)。這是一段偉大的旅程。旅途的大多時(shí)間是在分發(fā)食物、衣服，播散愛心同時(shí)為世界上那些近乎絕望的人們祈禱，我對(duì)生命的充實(shí)感到煥然一新。
This trip has reinforced my belief that when you help others, you help yourself. Think of the last time you gave of yourself to help someone. It could have been jump-starting someone’s car, a meal you made for a friend who was sick, or serving at the local homeless shelter. How did it make you feel?
這次旅行強(qiáng)化了我的信仰,當(dāng)你幫助了別人,你就是在幫助你自己。想想上次你幫助了什么人。它可能是幫助某人發(fā)動(dòng)熄火的車輛,可能是你為一個(gè)生病的朋友親手做的一頓飯,或在當(dāng)?shù)厥杖菟峁┓?wù)。這些助人為樂的事情讓你感覺如何?
When you take your resources, whether it is your time, talent, or money to help others, there is something about the experience that fills you up and brings greater joy and satisfaction to your life.
當(dāng)你把資源,不管是你的時(shí)間,天賦,或錢拿來幫助別人,你就會(huì)獲得一些經(jīng)歷填充到你的生命中,給你的生活帶來更大的快樂和滿足。
The American Culture
美國(guó)文化
Americans are the most generous people in the world, measured by charitable giving as a percent of GDP. Despite the deep economic recession, charitable giving in 2009 topped $300 Billion.
以慈善捐贈(zèng)占GDP的百分比衡量，美國(guó)人是世界上最慷慨的人。盡管嚴(yán)重的經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退,2009年美國(guó)慈善捐贈(zèng)仍然超過3000億美元。
The instinct to rally around a cause, to serve a greater need has been part of our country dating back to 1630 when John Winthrop led a group of English Puritans to Massachusetts Bay and imparted the “model of Christian charity.” He said, “We must bear one another’s burdens. We must not look only on our own things but also the things of our brethren.”
為一項(xiàng)偉大的事業(yè)團(tuán)結(jié)起來，服務(wù)于更大的需要，一直是我們國(guó)家的一部分，其源頭可以追溯到1630年,當(dāng)時(shí)約翰·溫思羅普領(lǐng)導(dǎo)著馬薩諸塞灣的一群英國(guó)清教徒，他被授予“基督教慈善機(jī)構(gòu)的典范。”他說,“我們必須忍受彼此的負(fù)擔(dān)。我們不但關(guān)注自己的事情，而且還必須關(guān)注我們弟兄們的事。”
In settlements like Jamestown and Plymouth, neighbors depended on each other to survive the drought, blistering heat, lack of food, and harsh winters
在早期的定居點(diǎn)詹姆斯敦和普利茅斯,鄰里之間互相依賴，在經(jīng)歷了干旱,酷熱,食物缺乏,以及嚴(yán)酷的冬天后幸存了下來。
In the mid- to late 18th century, public service became less of a Christian mission and more of a civic duty. The stories of how people gave of themselves to help others are endless, from Harriet Tubman who lead more than 300 slaves to freedom through the underground railroad to volunteers who collected more than 4 billion dimes between 1938-1955 for polio research, we have come together as a country to help others.
在18世紀(jì)中期到后期,公益服務(wù)作為基督徒的使命在減少，而公益服務(wù)更多的成為了公民義務(wù)。從哈麗特塔布曼帶領(lǐng)300多名黑奴穿越地下逃亡線，走向自由，到志愿者在1938 - 1955年之間為小兒麻痹癥研究募集了4百億多美元,人們是如何奉獻(xiàn)自己，幫助別人的故事是無窮無盡的,我們作為一個(gè)國(guó)家整體，已經(jīng)一起努力去幫助別人。
Not only have we been a nation to help our own people, we have also come together to help people around the world. One of the Africans told me if it weren’t for America, half of Africa would be dead. While that’s likely an exaggeration, the fact is people around the world have a great deal of respect for our humanitarian efforts.
我們不僅作為美利堅(jiān)民族幫助我們自己的人民,我們也一起來幫助世界各地的人們。一位非洲人告訴我，如果沒有美國(guó),非洲人就死了一半。雖然這可能有點(diǎn)夸張,事實(shí)上，世界各地的人們?yōu)槲覀兊娜说乐髁x努力表示出了極大的尊重。
Quite frankly I was nervous about how I would be treated here in Africa, I was blown away with the love I felt from the people. Everywhere my wife and I went, people went out of their way to smile, wave and say hello. It was almost as if when they saw a Caucasian, they knew they were here to help them.
坦率地說,我為在非洲的禮遇而感到不安，我為人們之間的愛而深深震撼，我和妻子無論到哪，這里的人們到會(huì)特地過來，對(duì)我們微笑，揮手，打招呼。就好像當(dāng)他們看到一個(gè)白種人,他們知道他們是來幫助他們的。
When disaster struck Haiti earlier this year, Americans rallied to donate their time and money. There were so many doctors and nurses from America who volunteered to help, a waiting list had to be created. Millions of other Americans helped by donating money or jumping on planes to serve the people of Haiti.
當(dāng)今年早些時(shí)候,災(zāi)難襲擊海地，美國(guó)人團(tuán)結(jié)起來，貢獻(xiàn)他們的時(shí)間和金錢。很多來自美國(guó)的醫(yī)生和護(hù)士,他們自愿提供幫助,以至于不得不創(chuàng)建一個(gè)候補(bǔ)名單。數(shù)以百萬計(jì)的其他美國(guó)人，通過捐款或直接跳上去海地的飛機(jī)，幫助海地，為海地人民服務(wù)。
Find the Right Fit for You
發(fā)現(xiàn)正確的，合適你做的事
Helping others can look 1001 different ways. It can be shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor, filling up a friend’s car with gas that is suffering from a financial hardship or being one of the 63 million Americans who is part of an organized volunteer effort.
你可以看到1001種不同的幫助別人的方式。它可以是，為一位上了年紀(jì)的鄰居鏟雪,為一位正遭受經(jīng)濟(jì)困難的朋友的汽車加氣，或是加入一個(gè)志愿者組織，成為6300萬的美國(guó)志愿者中的一員。
I want to challenge you to look at how blessed you really are and consider how you can help others. To open your mind to the possibilities, ask yourself these questions:
我想向你提出挑戰(zhàn)，看看你真是多么的幸福，考慮一下如何幫助別人。敞開你的心扉，試試幫助他人的可能性,問自己如下這些問題:
How can I best use my skills, talents and abilities to help others?
Where does my greatest interest and passion lie and how can that best be used to serve others?
When I look at the needs in my community, what can I do to help?
As I watch the news and see the desperate conditions in some of the third world nations, what can I offer those people?
Is my church putting together a mission trip? If so, would I be willing to use my vacation time to go and serve?
Regardless of your interests, temperament or availability, a wide range of opportunities can be found, each offering its own benefits.
如何充分利用我的技能、天賦和能力幫助別人? 我最大的興趣和熱情在哪里?怎么充分運(yùn)用這些，更好地為他人服務(wù)? 當(dāng)我看到社區(qū)的需要,我能做些什么來提供幫助嗎? 當(dāng)我看新聞,看到一些第三世界國(guó)家險(xiǎn)惡的生活條件,我能提供什么幫助? 我的教會(huì)組織了任務(wù)旅行嗎?如果是這樣,我是否愿意用我的假期時(shí)間去提供服務(wù)? 無關(guān)你的興趣、氣質(zhì)或是否有空,你都可以找到廣泛的機(jī)會(huì)可以幫助他人,每個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)都會(huì)提供益處。
Let me encourage you to stop focusing exclusively on your own needs and desires and start looking at what you can do to help others. I bet you will find more joy and fulfillment when you change your focus from your selfish desires to using your gifts and resources to help others.
我鼓勵(lì)你不要只關(guān)注自己的需求和欲望,開始看看你能做什么去幫助別人。當(dāng)你從自私的欲望中解脫出來，改變你的注意力,利用你的天賦和資源來幫助別人，我打賭，你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)更多的快樂和成就感。
Parents, I want to once again remind you that what you do sets the example for your children. As you give of yourself to help others, not only will you be setting the right example for your children, but also their respect for you will grow. According to Carole Weisman, author of Raising Charitable Children, “Teaching your child to be charitable means he will grow up thinking of others.”
父母?jìng)?我想再次提醒你們,你的所作所為為孩子們樹立榜樣。當(dāng)你奉獻(xiàn)自己，幫助別人,你不僅會(huì)為孩子樹立正確的榜樣,而且他們對(duì)你的尊重也會(huì)日益增長(zhǎng)。根據(jù)卡羅爾韋斯曼，《養(yǎng)育慈善的孩子》一書的作者,“教育你的孩子做慈善的事，意味著，你的孩子長(zhǎng)大后會(huì)考慮別人。”
Please take five minutes of quiet time right now and consider how you can help.
現(xiàn)在請(qǐng)你安靜，花五分鐘的時(shí)間,考慮一下如何幫助他人。
When you help others, you not only make their world better, but you make yours better too.
當(dāng)你幫助他人時(shí),不僅使他們的世界變得更美好,而且也讓你的世界更美好。
