《新概念英语》第四册 Lesson 11 How to grow old

Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have cheated of the best things that life has to offer. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome. 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.

BERTRAND RUSSELL How to grow old from Portraits from Memory

New words and expressions

生词和短语

oppress [əˈpres] v. 忧郁，压抑

op 加强 + press 挤压；逼迫 → 拼命压 → 压迫，虐待

The regime is accused of oppressing religious minorities.

人们指控这个政权压迫少数宗教信徒。

justification [ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] n. 正当理由

just + i 连字符 + fic 做 + ation 符合名词后缀

来自justfy，证明合法，引申词义正当理由。

justify [ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] vt.证明正当;证明…正确(或正当、有理);对…作出解释

just 正义的 + ify 动词后缀 → 表明或证明…正当（或有理）的

His justification for the merger was just hot air

他提出的合并理由只是空话连篇。

justifiably adv. 无可非议地

justifiable + ly 副词后缀

justifiable [ˌdʒʌstɪˈfaɪəbl] adj.正当的;情有可原的;有理由的

justify + able 形容词后缀

cheat v. 欺骗

abject [ˈæbdʒekt] adj. 可怜的

ab 去掉 + ject 投掷，扔 → 被扔掉的 → 可怜的

Both of them died in abject poverty...

他们两人都于穷困潦倒中死去。

ignoble [ɪɡˈnoʊbl] adj. 不体面的，可耻的

ig 〔= in=un 不〕+ noble 高贵的 → 不高贵的

ignore [ɪɡˈnɔːr] vt.忽视;对…不予理会;佯装未见;不予理睬

ig〔= in=un 不〕+ nor (=know)知道 + e →不知道 → 不理睬

There's something cowardly and ignoble about such an attitude.

这种态度有点怯懦可鄙。

impersonal [ɪmˈpɜːrsənl] adj. 超脱个人感情影响的

im 〔= in=un 不〕+ personal

personal [ˈpɜːrsənl] adj.个人的;私人的;人际的;个性的;私事的 n.（报刊上的）人事栏;分类人事广告版;人称代名词;关于个人的简讯

person 人 + al 形容词后缀 → 个人的

a vast impersonal organization

庞大而不讲人情的组织

ego [ˈiːɡoʊ] n. 自我

Winning the prize really boosted her ego .

获得这个奖项大大增强了她的自信心。

egoism [ˈiːɡoʊɪzəm] n.利己主义;自高自大;自负;自我主义

ego 我，自己 + ism 表名词 → 利己主义

receded [rɪˈsiːdɪd] v. 退去

recede [rɪˈsiːd] vi.退后;逐渐远离;渐渐远去;逐渐减弱;慢慢变小;(头顶前部)头发停止生长，变秃

re 向后 + ced 行走，前进 + e → 后退

Luke's footsteps receded into the night...

卢克在夜色中渐行渐远。

increasing [ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ] v.(使)增长，增多;增加

increase [ɪnˈkriːs , ˈɪŋkriːs] v.(使)增长，增多;增加 n.增长;增多;增加

in 强调，进入 + creas 增长，产生 + e → 增加，增长

The population continues to increase...

人口继续增长。

passionately [ˈpæʃənɪtlɪ] adv. 激昂地

passionate + ly 副词后缀

passionate [ˈpæʃənət] adj.热情的;拥有(或表现出)强烈性爱的;情意绵绵的;怒不可遏的;热诚的;狂热的

passion + ate 形容词后缀

passion [ˈpæʃn] n.激情;强烈情感;盛怒;激愤;强烈的爱(尤指两性间的)

pass 感情 + ion 表名词 → 激情

The French feel passionately about their native tongue.

法国人对他们的母语非常热爱。

painlessly adv. 毫无痛苦地

painless + ly 副词后缀

painless [ˈpeɪnləs] adj.无痛的;愉快的;轻松的;不难的;不讨厌的

pain + less

Each baby needs enough anesthesia to get through the surgery painlessly.

麻药量足才能确保每个婴儿手术中不发生疼痛。

vitality [vaɪˈtæləti] n. 精力

vital 有活力的；重要的 + ity 名词后缀 → 活力

vital [ˈvaɪtl] adj.至关重要的;必不可少的;生命的;对…极重要的;维持生命所必需的;生气勃勃的;充满生机的;热情洋溢的

比较级：more vital 最高级：most vital

vit 生命 + al 形容词后缀 → 有生命的 → 有活力的；重要的

It was a performance of verve and vitality.

这是一场充满激情与活力的演出。

weariness [ˈwɪrinəs] n. 疲惫感

weary + ness 名词后缀

weary [ˈwɪri] adj.疲倦的;(尤指长时间努力工作后)疲惫的;使人疲劳的;使人厌烦的;(对…)不再感兴趣，不再热心，感到不耐烦 v.使疲劳;使疲倦;(对…)失去兴趣，失去热情

wear（磨损） + y ，引申为疲乏。

My whole body aches with weariness.

我累得周身疼痛。

参考译文

有些老年人因为怕死而感到烦恼。青年人有这种感觉是情有可原的。有理由害怕自己会死在战场上的年轻人，想到自己被剥夺了生活所能给予的最美好的东西时，感到痛苦，这是可以理解的。可是老年人已经饱尝了人间的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有点儿可怜又可鄙。克服怕死的最好办法 -- 至少在我看来是这样 -- 就是逐渐使自己的兴趣更加广泛，逐渐摆脱个人狭小的圈子，直到自我的围墙一点一点地倒塌下来，自己的生活慢慢地和整个宇宙的生活融合在一起。个人的存在应该像一条河流，开始很小，被紧紧地夹在两岸中间，接着热情奔放地冲过巨石，飞下瀑布。然后河面渐渐地变宽，两岸后撤，河水流得平缓起来，最后连绵不断地汇入大海，毫无痛苦地失去了自我的存在。上了年纪的人这样看待生命，就不会有惧怕死亡的心情了，因为自己关心的一切事件都会继续下去。再者，随着精力的衰退，老年人的疲惫会增长，有长眠的愿望未尝不是一件好事情，我希望工作到死为止，明白了有人会继续我的未竟事业，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。

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