Two Sorts of People in the World
世界上的两种人

面对同样的事情，不同的人会有不同的感受。就像，阳光普照大地，有人觉得温暖舒适，有人却觉得燥热难耐。出现这样的差异，和财富无关，和身体健康与否无关，而在于人的心态。有的人能够看到积极的一面，因此快乐常在；有的人只能看到消极的一面，所以总是沮丧。让我们用积极的心态去感知这个世界。

Benjamin Franklin
本杰明·富兰克林

There are two sorts of people in the world, who with equal degrees of health, and wealth, and the other comforts of life, become, the one happy, and the other miserable. This arises very much from the different views in which they consider things, persons, and events; and the effect of those different views upon their own minds.

In whatever situation men can be placed, they may find conveniences and inconveniencies; in whatever company, they may find persons and conversation more or less pleasing; at whatever table, they may meet with meats or drinks of better and worse taste, dishes better or worse dressed; in whatever climate they will find good and bad weather; in every poem or work of genius they may see faults and beauties; in almost every face and every person, they may discover fine features and effects, good and bad qualities.

Under these circumstances, the two kinds of people above mentioned fix their attention, those who are to be happy, on the conveniences of things, the pleasant parts of conversation, the well-dressed dishes, the goodness of the wines, the fine weather, and enjoy all with cheerfulness. Those who are to be unhappy, think and speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves, and by their remarks sour the pleasures of society, offend personally many people, and make themselves everywhere disagreeable. If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. But as the disposition to critics, or be disgusted, is perhaps taken up originally by imitation, and is unawares grown into a habit, which those at present strong may nevertheless be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their felicity.

世界上有两种人，他们的身体同样健康，拥有同等的财富和生活舒适度，但是一种人感觉幸福快乐，而另一种人则感觉痛苦万分。这主要是源于他们在各种事情、人和事件等方面的观点不同，这些不同的观点对他们的思想所产生的影响也不一样。

一个人无论处于什么样的情形之下，都会遇到顺境和逆境；无论在什么场合，所接触到的人和进行的交谈，多少总会有让人高兴或者烦心的；无论在什么餐桌上，都会遇到可口或者不可口的酒肉，也有精美的和难看的菜肴；无论在哪种气候地带，都会有好天气和坏天气；在天才的诗歌或作品中，也总有写得糟糕和精彩的地方；几乎在每个人的脸上和身上，也都能找到长处和缺憾。

在这些情景之中，上述两种人各自的关注点不同，那些快乐的人看到的是事物好的一面、交谈中令人愉快的内容、精美的菜肴、美酒、好天气，并享受这一切令人高兴的事物。而那些不开心的人则只能看到相反的一面。于是他们总是让自己感到不满意，他们的言论在社交场合会大煞风景，冒犯很多人，使他们自己无论走到哪里都不受欢迎。如果这种性情是与生俱来的，那么这些不开心的人可能会更加值得同情。但是如果那种爱评论、令人反感的性情起初只是源自模仿他人，后来不知不觉地养成了习惯，那么，只要有这种坏习惯的人能够意识到它会有损他们的快乐心情，就还是可以得到矫正的，即便是这种性情已经根深蒂固。

巧记词汇

miserable [ˈmɪzrəbl] a. 痛苦的

【拓】unhappy [ʌnˈhæpi] a. 不快乐的

convenience [kənˈviːniəns] n. 自在；舒适；便利

【拓】convenient [kənˈviːniənt] a. 方便的

cheerfulness [ˈtʃɪəfəlnəs] n. 高兴；愉快

【拓】cheerful [ˈtʃɪəfl] a. 高兴的

discontent [ˌdɪskənˈtent] v. 使不满

【拓】discontented [ˌdɪskənˈtentɪd] a. 不满的

sour [ˈsaʊə(r)] v.（使）变糟

【拓】worsen [ˈwɜːsn] v. 使恶化

disagreeable [ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəbl] a. 难相处的

【拓】agreeable [əˈɡriːəbl] a. 怡人的

disposition [ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃn] n. 性情，性格

【拓】character [ˈkærəktə(r)] n. 性格

disgust [dɪsˈɡʌst] v. 使反感

【拓】disgusting [dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ] a. 令人厌恶的

felicity [fəˈlɪsəti] n. 幸福，快乐

【拓】happiness [ˈhæpinəs] n. 幸福，快乐

趣学短语

be convinced of 使确信；使认识到

【例】After seeing the doctor, he was convinced of the harmful impact of staying up late and decided to get rid of the bad habit. 去医院看过大夫之后，他认识到了熬夜的不良影响，并决定改掉这个坏习惯。