Lesson 11 How to grow old
第十一課論老之將至
by BERTRAND RUSSELL from Portraits from Memory
11-1. Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death.
【譯文】 有些老人因恐懼死亡而苦惱。
【單詞和短語】
oppress：使（心情等）沉重；使煩惱，折磨（to make someone feel unhappy, worried, or uncomfortable），
例如： A sense of trouble ahead oppressed my spirits. 前面的重重困難使我心情沉重。
be oppressed by the unpleasant climate 被討厭的氣候弄得煩惱
a writer oppressed by his shortcomings 對(duì)自己的短處感到苦惱的作家
Somehow, the room oppressed him. 這房間不知怎么使他感到壓抑。
11-2. In the young there is a justification for this feeling.
【譯文】年輕人害怕死亡是可以理解的。
【講解】in the young意為“在年輕人身上”。in sb.即為“在某人身上”。the young指年輕人。
【單詞和短語】
justification：正當(dāng)?shù)睦碛?；借口（a good and acceptable reason for doing something），
例如： believe with amplejustification that someone is guilty 有充分理由相信某人有罪
You have no justification for criticizing his in that way. 你沒有理由那樣批評(píng)他。
11-3. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
【譯文】有些年輕人擔(dān)心他們會(huì)在戰(zhàn)斗中喪生。一想到會(huì)失去生活能給予他們的種種美好事物，他們就感到痛苦。這種擔(dān)心并非無緣無故，也情有可原。
【講解】who have reason…battle為定語從句，修飾young men。that they have cheated…offer為同位語從句，說明thought的內(nèi)容。that life has to offer為定語從句，修飾things。
【單詞和短語】
與cheat someone（out）of something類似的結(jié)構(gòu)還有rob someone of something。 11-4. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
【譯文】但對(duì)于經(jīng)歷了人世悲歡、履行了個(gè)人職責(zé)的老人，害怕死亡就有些可憐且可恥了。
【講解】whatever work it was in him to do作achieved的賓語從句。這里的in表示能力。in him即他有能力。whatever work相當(dāng)于any work，作do的賓語。it是形式主語，to do才是真正的主語。who has known…h(huán)im to do為定語從句，修飾an old man， has known和has achieved為who的并列謂語。
【單詞和短語】
abject：可鄙的，卑鄙的（an abject action or expression shows that your feel very ashamed），
例如： an abject coward 可鄙的懦夫
an abject fear 卑怯
abject另一常見意為“絕望無助的，凄苦可憐的（the state of being extremely poor, unhappy, unsuccessful etc）”，
例如： abject poverty 赤貧 abject failure 慘敗
ignoble：卑鄙的；不光彩的；可恥的（ignoble thoughts, feelings, or actions are ones that you should feel ashamed or embarrassed about），
例如： an ignoble purpose 卑鄙的目的 There’s something cowardly and ignoble about such an attitude. 這樣的態(tài)度有點(diǎn)怯懦可鄙。
11-5. The best way to overcome it—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
【譯文】克服這種恐懼的佳辦法是——至少我這樣看——逐漸擴(kuò)大你的興趣范圍并不為個(gè)人情感所左右，直至像一堵高墻的自我一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)離開你，而你的生活則越來越融合于大眾的生活之中。
【講解】so at least it seems to me系插入語，是倒裝語序，自然語序是at least it seems so to me，這里的it指整個(gè)句子。overcome后的it指fear of death。to make your interests…impersonal作表語。the walls of the ego系暗喻（metaphor）修辭手法，意為“像一堵高墻的自我”。
【單詞和短語】
impersonal：非個(gè)人的；非特指某一個(gè)人的；不受個(gè)人感情（或偏見）影響的，客觀的（not showing any feelings of sympathy, friendliness, etc），
例如： The teacher’s criticism of the class was impersonal. 教師對(duì)班級(jí)的批評(píng)并非針對(duì)某個(gè)同學(xué)。 impersonal assessment 客觀的評(píng)價(jià)
11-6. An individual human existence should be like a river—small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls.
【譯文】每個(gè)人的生活都應(yīng)像河水一樣——開始是涓涓細(xì)流，限制在狹窄的兩岸之間，然后熱烈地沖過巨石，滑下瀑布。
【講解】an individual human…a river是明喻（simile）修辭手法，small at first…over waterfalls構(gòu)成延伸比喻（extended metaphor），延伸比喻是把原比喻加以延伸，對(duì)原比喻作進(jìn)一步說明。這里的破折號(hào)引出說明語。
【單詞和短語】
passionately的形容詞形式為passionate，的名詞形式為passion。 11-7. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
【譯文】其后河面逐漸展寬，兩岸相距愈遠(yuǎn)，水流也愈趨平緩，后則注入大海，與海水渾然一體，了無痕跡，河水自然而然就此消失了。
【講解】本句作者仍然運(yùn)用延伸比喻手法，是對(duì)明喻like a river進(jìn)一步延伸說明。與上句不同之處在于，前句的延伸比喻由一系列短語構(gòu)成，本句的延伸比喻則由一系列短句構(gòu)成。
【單詞和短語】
painless：不難的，不費(fèi)力的（not difficult or unpleasant to do），
例如： the painless way to learn Chinese 學(xué)漢語的簡(jiǎn)易方法
11-8. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue.
【譯文】能夠這樣理解自己一生的老人將不會(huì)因害怕死亡而痛苦，因?yàn)樗鋹鄣囊磺卸紝⒗^續(xù)存在。
【講解】who, in old age, can see his life in this way為定語從句，修飾man。he cares for是定語從句，作things的定語。
11-9. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome.
【譯文】而且，如果隨著精力的衰退，疲倦之感與日俱增，長(zhǎng)眠并非是不受歡迎的念頭。
【講解】with the decay of vitality作狀語，修飾increases。提前乃是為了強(qiáng)調(diào)。the thought of rest，這里的rest指death，乃是委婉語（euphemism）。委婉語即是把粗魯或不中聽的話改用溫和順耳的話表達(dá)。will be not unwelcome是雙重否定結(jié)構(gòu)。否定式謂語＋含否定意義的詞構(gòu)成雙重否定，表示委婉語氣。
又如： What’s done cannot be undone. 已經(jīng)做了的事后悔也無用。 I could not disobey him. 我是不得不服從他的。
【單詞和短語】
unwelcome：（自己）不想要的，（令本人）討厭的，尷尬的（something that is unwelcome is not wanted, especially because it might cause embarrassment or problems），
例如： I feared that my arrival might draw the unwelcome attention of officials. 我擔(dān)心我的到達(dá)可能會(huì)引起官員們的注意，而這正是我不希望的。
11-10. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
【譯文】我倒希望死于尚能勞作之時(shí)，因?yàn)橹浪藢⒗^續(xù)我未竟的事業(yè)，我大可因?yàn)橐呀弑M所能而心存安慰。
【講解】I should wish to die中用should表示委婉語氣，意為“我倒希望”。while still at work中while和still之間省略了I am。時(shí)間狀語從句中主語與主句的主語相同或是it時(shí)，這從句里的主語和動(dòng)詞be可省略。knowing that…no longer do作原因狀語，修飾wish to die。content in the thought…done與knowing…do并列作原因狀語，形容詞content前省略了being。what was possible是主語從句。
【單詞和短語】
carry on：繼續(xù)，進(jìn)行；經(jīng)營（if you carry on a particular kind of work or activity, you do it or take part in it），
例如： They carried on the discussion late into the night. 他們一直討論到深夜。 carry on a hardware business 經(jīng)營五金店
by BERTRAND RUSSELL from Portraits from Memory
11-1. Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death.
【譯文】 有些老人因恐懼死亡而苦惱。
【單詞和短語】
oppress：使（心情等）沉重；使煩惱，折磨（to make someone feel unhappy, worried, or uncomfortable），
例如： A sense of trouble ahead oppressed my spirits. 前面的重重困難使我心情沉重。
be oppressed by the unpleasant climate 被討厭的氣候弄得煩惱
a writer oppressed by his shortcomings 對(duì)自己的短處感到苦惱的作家
Somehow, the room oppressed him. 這房間不知怎么使他感到壓抑。
11-2. In the young there is a justification for this feeling.
【譯文】年輕人害怕死亡是可以理解的。
【講解】in the young意為“在年輕人身上”。in sb.即為“在某人身上”。the young指年輕人。
【單詞和短語】
justification：正當(dāng)?shù)睦碛?；借口（a good and acceptable reason for doing something），
例如： believe with amplejustification that someone is guilty 有充分理由相信某人有罪
You have no justification for criticizing his in that way. 你沒有理由那樣批評(píng)他。
11-3. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.
【譯文】有些年輕人擔(dān)心他們會(huì)在戰(zhàn)斗中喪生。一想到會(huì)失去生活能給予他們的種種美好事物，他們就感到痛苦。這種擔(dān)心并非無緣無故，也情有可原。
【講解】who have reason…battle為定語從句，修飾young men。that they have cheated…offer為同位語從句，說明thought的內(nèi)容。that life has to offer為定語從句，修飾things。
【單詞和短語】
與cheat someone（out）of something類似的結(jié)構(gòu)還有rob someone of something。 11-4. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
【譯文】但對(duì)于經(jīng)歷了人世悲歡、履行了個(gè)人職責(zé)的老人，害怕死亡就有些可憐且可恥了。
【講解】whatever work it was in him to do作achieved的賓語從句。這里的in表示能力。in him即他有能力。whatever work相當(dāng)于any work，作do的賓語。it是形式主語，to do才是真正的主語。who has known…h(huán)im to do為定語從句，修飾an old man， has known和has achieved為who的并列謂語。
【單詞和短語】
abject：可鄙的，卑鄙的（an abject action or expression shows that your feel very ashamed），
例如： an abject coward 可鄙的懦夫
an abject fear 卑怯
abject另一常見意為“絕望無助的，凄苦可憐的（the state of being extremely poor, unhappy, unsuccessful etc）”，
例如： abject poverty 赤貧 abject failure 慘敗
ignoble：卑鄙的；不光彩的；可恥的（ignoble thoughts, feelings, or actions are ones that you should feel ashamed or embarrassed about），
例如： an ignoble purpose 卑鄙的目的 There’s something cowardly and ignoble about such an attitude. 這樣的態(tài)度有點(diǎn)怯懦可鄙。
11-5. The best way to overcome it—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
【譯文】克服這種恐懼的佳辦法是——至少我這樣看——逐漸擴(kuò)大你的興趣范圍并不為個(gè)人情感所左右，直至像一堵高墻的自我一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)離開你，而你的生活則越來越融合于大眾的生活之中。
【講解】so at least it seems to me系插入語，是倒裝語序，自然語序是at least it seems so to me，這里的it指整個(gè)句子。overcome后的it指fear of death。to make your interests…impersonal作表語。the walls of the ego系暗喻（metaphor）修辭手法，意為“像一堵高墻的自我”。
【單詞和短語】
impersonal：非個(gè)人的；非特指某一個(gè)人的；不受個(gè)人感情（或偏見）影響的，客觀的（not showing any feelings of sympathy, friendliness, etc），
例如： The teacher’s criticism of the class was impersonal. 教師對(duì)班級(jí)的批評(píng)并非針對(duì)某個(gè)同學(xué)。 impersonal assessment 客觀的評(píng)價(jià)
11-6. An individual human existence should be like a river—small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls.
【譯文】每個(gè)人的生活都應(yīng)像河水一樣——開始是涓涓細(xì)流，限制在狹窄的兩岸之間，然后熱烈地沖過巨石，滑下瀑布。
【講解】an individual human…a river是明喻（simile）修辭手法，small at first…over waterfalls構(gòu)成延伸比喻（extended metaphor），延伸比喻是把原比喻加以延伸，對(duì)原比喻作進(jìn)一步說明。這里的破折號(hào)引出說明語。
【單詞和短語】
passionately的形容詞形式為passionate，的名詞形式為passion。 11-7. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
【譯文】其后河面逐漸展寬，兩岸相距愈遠(yuǎn)，水流也愈趨平緩，后則注入大海，與海水渾然一體，了無痕跡，河水自然而然就此消失了。
【講解】本句作者仍然運(yùn)用延伸比喻手法，是對(duì)明喻like a river進(jìn)一步延伸說明。與上句不同之處在于，前句的延伸比喻由一系列短語構(gòu)成，本句的延伸比喻則由一系列短句構(gòu)成。
【單詞和短語】
painless：不難的，不費(fèi)力的（not difficult or unpleasant to do），
例如： the painless way to learn Chinese 學(xué)漢語的簡(jiǎn)易方法
11-8. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue.
【譯文】能夠這樣理解自己一生的老人將不會(huì)因害怕死亡而痛苦，因?yàn)樗鋹鄣囊磺卸紝⒗^續(xù)存在。
【講解】who, in old age, can see his life in this way為定語從句，修飾man。he cares for是定語從句，作things的定語。
11-9. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome.
【譯文】而且，如果隨著精力的衰退，疲倦之感與日俱增，長(zhǎng)眠并非是不受歡迎的念頭。
【講解】with the decay of vitality作狀語，修飾increases。提前乃是為了強(qiáng)調(diào)。the thought of rest，這里的rest指death，乃是委婉語（euphemism）。委婉語即是把粗魯或不中聽的話改用溫和順耳的話表達(dá)。will be not unwelcome是雙重否定結(jié)構(gòu)。否定式謂語＋含否定意義的詞構(gòu)成雙重否定，表示委婉語氣。
又如： What’s done cannot be undone. 已經(jīng)做了的事后悔也無用。 I could not disobey him. 我是不得不服從他的。
【單詞和短語】
unwelcome：（自己）不想要的，（令本人）討厭的，尷尬的（something that is unwelcome is not wanted, especially because it might cause embarrassment or problems），
例如： I feared that my arrival might draw the unwelcome attention of officials. 我擔(dān)心我的到達(dá)可能會(huì)引起官員們的注意，而這正是我不希望的。
11-10. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
【譯文】我倒希望死于尚能勞作之時(shí)，因?yàn)橹浪藢⒗^續(xù)我未竟的事業(yè)，我大可因?yàn)橐呀弑M所能而心存安慰。
【講解】I should wish to die中用should表示委婉語氣，意為“我倒希望”。while still at work中while和still之間省略了I am。時(shí)間狀語從句中主語與主句的主語相同或是it時(shí)，這從句里的主語和動(dòng)詞be可省略。knowing that…no longer do作原因狀語，修飾wish to die。content in the thought…done與knowing…do并列作原因狀語，形容詞content前省略了being。what was possible是主語從句。
【單詞和短語】
carry on：繼續(xù)，進(jìn)行；經(jīng)營（if you carry on a particular kind of work or activity, you do it or take part in it），
例如： They carried on the discussion late into the night. 他們一直討論到深夜。 carry on a hardware business 經(jīng)營五金店