经典英语散文阅读精选

千里之行，始于第2页/共2页精品文档推荐经典英语散文阅读精选学习英语，阅读真的很重要，多阅读一些短篇英语文章也是提高英语阅读力量的一种,我整理了一些英文散文，下面我就和大家共享，来观赏一下吧。

英语散文：TheSongoftheRiver(河之歌)

TheSongoftheRiver

河之歌

W.SMaugham

毛姆

Youhearitallalongtheriver.Youhearit,loudandstrong,fromtherowersastheyurgethejunkwithitshighstern,themastlashedalongside,downtheswiftrunningstream.Youhearitfromthetrackers,amorebreathlesschant,astheypulldesperatelyagainstthecurrent,halfadozenofthemperhapsiftheyaretakingupwupan,acoupleofhundrediftheyarehaulingasplendidjunk,itssquaresailset,overarapid.

沿河上下都可以听见那歌声。它洪亮而有力，那是船夫，他们划着木船顺流向下，船尾翘得很高，桅杆系在船边。它也可能是比较急促的号子，那是纤夫，他们拉纤逆流而上。假如拉的是小木船，或许就只五六个人;假如拉的是扬着横帆的大船过急滩，那就要200来人。

Onthejunk,amanstandsamidshipsbeatingadrumincessantlytoguidetheirefforts,andtheypullwithalltheirstrength,likemenpossessed,bentdouble;andsometimesintheextremityoftheirtravailtheycrawontheground,onallfours,likethebeastsofthefield.Theystrain,strainfiercely,againstthepitilessmightofthestream.

船中心站着一个汉子不停地击鼓助威，引导他们加劲。于是他们使出全部力气，像着了魔似的，腰弯成两折，有时力气用到极限就全身趴在地上匍匐前进，像田里的牲口。

Theleadergoesupanddownthelineandwhenheseesonewhoisnotputtingallhiswillintothetaskhebringsdownhissplitbambooonthenakedback.Eachonemustdohisutmostorthelabourofallisvain.Andstilltheysingavehement,eagerchant,thechantoftheturbulentwaters.

领头的在纤绳前后跑来跑去，见到有人没有全力以赴，竹板就打在他光着的背上。每个人都必需竭尽全力，否则就要前功尽弃。就这样他们还是唱着激扬而热切的号子，那汹涌澎湃的河水号子。

Idonotknowwordscandescribewhatthereisinitofeffort.Itservestoexpressthestrainingheart,thebreakingmuscles,andatthesametimetheindomitablespiritofmanwhichovercomesthepitilessforceofnature.Thoughtheropemaypartandthegreatjunkswingback,intheendtherapidwillbepassed;andatthecloseofthewearydaythereistheheartymeal...

我不知道词语怎样能描写出其中所包括的拼搏，它表现的是绷紧的心弦，几乎要断裂的筋肉，同时也表现了人类克服无情的自然力的坚韧精神。他们用劲，舍命用劲，对抗着水流无情的威力。虽然绳子可能扯断，大船可能倒退，但最终险滩必将通过，在筋疲力尽的一天结束时可以痛快地吃上一顿饱饭…..

Butthemostagonizingsongisthesongofthecoolieswhobringthegreatbalesfromthejunkupthesteepstepstothetownwall.Upanddowntheygo,endlessly,andendlessastheirtoilrisestheirrhythmiccry.He,aw--ah,oh.Theyarebarefootandnakedtothewaist.Thesweatpoursdowntheirfacesandtheirsongisagroanofpain.

然而最令人难过的却是苦力的歌，他们背负着船上卸下的大包，沿着陡坡爬上城墙。他们不停地上上下下，随着无尽的劳动响起有节奏的喊声：嗨，呦——嗬，嗨。他们赤着脚，光着背，汗水不断地从脸上流下。

Itisasighofdespair.Itisheart-rending.Itishardlyhuman.Itisthecryofsoulsininfinitedistress,onlyjustmusical,andthatlastnoteistheultimatesobofhumanity.Lifeistoohard,toocruel,andthisisthefinaldespairingprotest.Thatisthesongoftheriver.

他们的歌是苦痛的.绝望的叹息，听来令人心碎，简直不像是人的声音。它是灵魂在无尽悲戚中的呼喊，只不过有着音乐的节奏而已。那终了的一声简直就是人性泯灭的低泣。生活太困难、太残酷，这喊声正是最终无望的.这就是河之歌。

英语散文：TheLivingSeas(富有生命的海洋)

TheLivingSeas

Theoceancoversthreequartersoftheearthssurface,produces90percentofallitslife-supportingoxygen,andisthedrivingforcebehindtheentireweathersystem.Thereareover450millioncubicmilesofseawaterontheearth;andeachcubicmilecontainsover150milliontonsofminerals.

Sovastandsopervasiveistheseathatiftheearthscrustweremadelevel,oceanwaterwouldformablanketover8,000feetdeep.

Theoceanscontributeimmeasurablytotheearthslifesupportsystemaswellasprovideanuntappedstorehouseoffood,minerals,energy,andar-chaeologicaltreasureAdvancedatmosphericdivingsuitspermitresearcherstodescendtodepthsofl,500feet.Yettheoceansaveragedepthisgreaterthan12,000feet.Itisatthesedepthsthatremarkablediscoveriesarebeingmade,discoverieswhichonlyashorttimeagowouldhavebeenimpossible.

Inthatdepth,wheredarknessisabsoluteandpressureexceedseighttonspersquareinch,roboticsubmersibleshavediscoveredenormousgorges,fourtimesdeeperthantheGrandCanyonHere,too,arevolcanoesthatvastlyoutnumberthoseonland.LandslidesthesizeofRhodeIslandhavebeenrecorded,aswellasragingunderseastormsthatgocompletelyunnoticedoitthesurfacewhiledramaticallyrearrangingtheunderwaterlandscapes.

Andundertheseseasthelargestsinglegeologicalfeatureonearthhasbeenfound-amountainrangethatdwarfstheHimalayas.Itsarangethatcoversnearlyonequarteroftheearthssurface.

Allthesediscoverieshavecomefromtheexplorationoflessthanone-tenthofthisunderseamountainrange.

Theearthistheonlyplanetweknowthathasanocean.Theoceanistlielargestfeatureonearth.Yetitstheonefeatureweknowtheleastabout.Weknowmoreaboutthemoon240,000milesawaythanweknowaboutthethree-fourthsoftheearthcoveredwithwater.Manhassetfootonthemoon,butnotonthemostremotepartoftheearth,35,000feetunderthesea.

Technologyischangingallthat.Itsliterallypartingthewavesfortodaysunderseaexplorers.Anditsbringingabouttheopportunitytotransformvision,curiosityandwonderintopracticalknowledge.

Properlymanagedasatooltoservesociety,technologyisthebesthopeforovercomingeconomicandsocialproblemsfacingpeopleeverywhere.Italwayshasbeen.Theearliestrelicsofhumanlifearetools.Andourancientancestorsusedthesetoolstounderstandandchangetheworldaroundthemandmakeitbetter.Thesameistruetoday.

Thedeepseaisthelastfrontierlefttoexplore.

富有生命的海洋

海洋占地球表面四分之三。地球上维持生命的氧气，90%产生于海洋，整个天气体系变化的动力也是海洋。地球上的海水超过4亿5千万立方英里，每立方英里含有的矿物超过1亿5千万吨。

海洋如此广阔浩翰，如此分布宽阔，地球表层假如使之平整起来，那么海水可以形成深8，000多英尺的掩盖层。

海洋对地球上的维持生命系统做出了不行估量的贡献，同时又是一座尚未打开的宝库，储有食物、矿物、能源和具有很大考古价值的东西。

先进的常压潜水衣可以使讨论人员下沉到1，500英尺的深度。但海洋的平均深度超过12，000英尺。现在正是在这个深度才发觉了惊人的状况，这些发觉在不久以前是不行能办到的。

这个深度的海中完全是漆黑一片，每平方英寸的压力超过8吨，潜水机器人在这里发觉了巨大的峡谷，比美国科罗拉多大峡谷深3倍。这里火山之多，大大超过陆地上的火山，也曾有过规模大到和罗得岛一样的山崩，还有猛烈的海底风暴，这种风暴在海面上一点也觉察不到，却猛烈地转变着水下的景观。，就在这些海洋中发觉了地球上惟一的地质构成——一条使喜马拉雅相形见绌的大山脉，这条山脉掩盖了地球表面几乎四分之一。

上述那些发觉都是来自探究这条水下山脉不到非常之一的地区所见到的。

地球是我们所知有海洋存在的行星。海洋是地球构成的部分，而正是这部分我们知道得最少，这一掩盖地球四分之三的水域我们所知的状况还不如我们对远离地球24万英里的月球所知道的多。

人类已涉足月球，但对海面以下3万5千英尺地球最深邃的地方却从未涉足过。

技术正在转变这一切，它正在劈波斩浪为今日的水下探究者开路。它正在制造机会使幻想、求知欲和高深莫测的事情转化成实实在在的学问。

把技术当作服务于社会的工具适当地加以把握，它就是克服各地人民所面临的经济与社会问题的盼望所在。技术历来都是如此。

人类生活的最早遗物就是工具。我们远古的祖先使用那些工具来熟悉世界改造、世界使之日趋完善。今日的状况也还是如此。

深海是尚待探究的最终一个领域。

英语散文：TheDateFatherDidntKeep(父亲失约)

IthappenedinoneofthosepicturesqueDanishtavernsthatcatertotouristsandwhereEnglishisspoken.Iwaswithmyfatheronabusiness-and-pleasuretrip,andinourleisurehourswewerehavingawonderfultime.

“It’sapityyourmothercouldn’tcome,”saidFather.“Itwouldbewonderfultoshowheraround.”

HehadvisitedDenmarkwhenhewasayoungman.Iaskedhim,“Howlongisitsinceyouwerehere?”

“Oh,about30years.Irememberbeinginthisveryinn,bytheway.”Helookedaround,remembering.“Thoseweregraciousdays—”Hestoppedsuddenly,andIsawthathisfacewaspale.Ifollowedhiseyesandlookedacrosstheroomtoawomanwhowassettingatrayofdrinksbeforesomecustomers.Shemighthavebeenprettyonce,butnowshewasstoutandherhairwasuntidy.“Doyouknowher?”Iasked..

“Ididonce,”hesaid.

Thewomancametoourtable.“Drinks?”sheinquired.

“We’llhavebeer,”Isaid.Shenoddedandwentaway.

“Howshehaschanged!Thankheavenshedidn’trecognizeme,”mutteredFathermoppinghisfacewithahandkerchief.“IknewherbeforeIevermetyourmother,“hewenton.“Iwasastudent,onatour.Shewasalovelyyoungthing,verygraceful.Ifellmadlyinlivewithher,andshewithme.”

“DoesMotherknowabouther?”Iblurtedout,resentfully.

“Ofcourse,”Fathersaidgently.Helookedatmealittleanxiously.Ifeltembarrassedforhim.

Isaid,“Dad,youdon’thaveto-“

“Oh,yes,Iwanttotellyou.Idon’twantyouwonderingaboutthis.Herfatherobjectedtoourromance.Iwasaforeigner.Ihadnoprospects,andwasdependentonmyfather.WhenIwroteFatherthatIwantedtogetmarriedhecutoffmyallowance.AndIhadtogohome.ButImetthegirloncemore,andtoldherIwouldreturntoAmerica,borrowenoughmoneytogetmarriedon,andcomebackforherinafewmonths.”

“Weknow,”hecontinued,“thatherfathermightinterceptaletter,soweagreedthatIwouldsimplymailheraslipofpaperwithadateonit,thetimeshewastomeetmeatacertainplace;thenwe’dmarried.Well,Iwenthome,gottheloanandsentherthedate.Shereceivedthenote.Shewroteme:”I’llbethere.”Butshewasn’t.ThenIfoundthatshehadbeenmarriedabouttwoweeksbefore,toalocalinnkeeper.Shehadn’twaited.”

Thenmyfathersaid,”ThankGodshedidn’t.Iwenthome,metyourmother,andwe’vebeencompletelyhappy.Weoftenjokeaboutthatyouthfulloveromance.”

Thewomanappearedwithourbeer.

“YouarefromAmerica?”sheaskedme.

“Yes,”Isaid.

Shebeamed.“Awonderfulcountry,America.”

“Yes,alotofyourcountrymenhavegonethere.Didyoueverthinkofit?”

“Notme.Notnow,”shesaid.“Ithinksoonetime,alingtimeago.ButIstayhere.Itmuchbetterhere.”

Wedrankourbeerandleft.OutsideIsaid,”Father,justhowdidyouwritethatdateonwhichshewastomeetyou?”

Hestopped,tookoutanenvelopeandwroteonit.“Likethis,”hesaid.“12/11/73,whichwas,ofcourse,December11,1973.”

“No!”Iexclaimed.“Itisn’tinDenmarkoranyEuropeancountry.Overheretheywritethedayfirst,thenthemonth.Sothatdatewouldn’tbeDecember11butthe12thofNovember!”

Fatherpassedhishandoverhisface.“Soshewasthere!”heexclaimed.“AnditwasbecauseIdidn’tshowupthatshegotmarried.”Hewassilentawhile.“Well,”hesaid.,“Ihopeshe’shappy.Sheseemsbe.”

AsweresumedwalkingIblurtedout,“Itisaluckythingithappenedthatway.Youwouldn’thavemetMother.”

Heputhisarmaroundmyshoulders,lookedatmewithaheart-warmingsmile,andsaid,“Iwasdoublylucky,youngfellow,forotherwiseIwouldn’thavemetyou,either!”

【参考译文】

事情发生在丹麦的一个富有画意的客栈里。这种客栈专逢迎游客，通用英语。我和父亲这次旅行也是办事，也游乐，空闲的时候，玩得很痛快。

父亲说：“惋惜你妈不能来。假如能带她来逛逛，多好。”

父亲年轻时到过丹麦。我问他，“从你上次来，有多久了?”

“哦，差不多三十年了。我记得那时就住在这家小客栈里。”

父亲四下望望，回忆道：“那些日子真美……”他突然住口不言，脸色转白。我顺着他的眼光看去，只见房间那边有个女人正端着