Question

急求一篇很感人的或者幽默的英文故事，大约3—4分钟

一篇能用于演讲的英语小短文

Answer 1

Treasure Starfish----珍贵的海星
Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean.""I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?""The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die.""But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, andstarfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!"The young manlistened politely, then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said,"It made a difference for that one."There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.从前有一位哲人常到海边去写作。他有个习惯，就是开始前要到海边散步。有一天，他正沿着岸边走顺着海边向远处看时，看到个人，那人的动作看起来像是位舞蹈演员在跳舞。他很高兴，以为今天正好能看到有人跳舞。于是他加快步伐以免错过。当靠近之后，才看清是一个年轻人，他不是在跳舞，而是弯下腰来，从海滩上捡着什么轻轻地扔到海里。他走近了说：“早上好！你在做什么？”这个年轻人停了下来，抬起头回答道：“把海星扔进海里。”“我想我问的是，为什么你要把海星扔进海里？”“太阳升起来了，潮就要退了，如果不把它们扔进海里，它们将会死去。”“但是年轻人，难道你没有看到这长长的海滩上面布满了海星。你起不到什么作用的！”年轻人有礼貌地听着又捡起一只海星扔进了海里，走了过来，他说道：“对于那一只就起作用了。”我们每一个人都有特别的地方，我们都被赋予了发挥某些作用的能力。如果我们能意识到那种天赋，就会通过我们的想象力，获得改变未来的力量。我们必须找到我们的海星，如果我们明智而恰当地把我们的海星扔进了海里，那么这个世界就得到了祝福

Answer 2

GO INTO EXILE
“Ah!"says the mouse,"The world is really small and small.At first,it was so big that I was afraid of it.I kept running and running,when I saw there were walls on my left and right,I was very excited.But I can't think these long walls will merge quickly.And forced me into the lastest house.And fell into the trap you fixed at the corner formed by two walls."
"In fact,you should only change the direction you run in."the cat says,and eats the mouse .
参考译文：“唉！”老鼠说：“这个世界真是越来越小了。刚开始，它大得让我感到可怕，所以我不停地奔跑，当我看到有一堵墙在我的左右向前延伸时，我感到兴奋极了。可我没有想到那堵墙会迅速合拢，并将我带入最里面的那个屋子。而我也陷阱了你设在墙体尽头的笼子里。”
“其实，你只需要改变一下你奔跑的方向罢了”猫说道，然后把它吃了。
PS：译文看似平淡，但这篇文章本事是属于西式black humor（黑色幽默）的一部作品，英文版比较有可读性，作为精短的演说比较合适（比较适合高中）

Answer 3

Youth 青春
Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind, it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees, it is a matter of will ,a qulity of imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep spring of life.
青春不是一段生命流程，而是一种精神状态；不是红润的脸庞、嫣红的双唇和柔韧的膝盖，而是不拔的意志、超凡的想象和澎湃的激情。青春，是从生命之泉深处洋溢出来的鲜活与清凉。
Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exits in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. No body grows old merely by a number of years, We grow old by deserting our ideas.
青春意味着战胜怯懦的豪迈气概和摒弃安逸、崇尚冒险的大无畏精神。（所以）一个60岁的老者往往也可能比一个20岁的小伙儿更富有青春。人们渐长渐老不仅因为岁月的流失，更多的是因为我们对自己理想的背弃。
Years may wrinkle the skin but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.
岁月可以在皮肤上留下痕迹，而激情之火的熄灭则在心灵上刻下烙印。担忧、恐惧、缺乏自信等扭曲了人的心灵，也将青春化为灰烬。
Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being’s heart, the lure of wonders, the unfailing childlike appetite of what’s next and the job of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station: So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the infinite, so long as you are young.
无论是60岁还是16岁，每个人都要保有强烈的好奇心、永不褪色的孩童般的求知欲和用人生赌明天的冒险精神。在你我的心底，都有一座无线电台：只要它能接收人类和万物传递来的美好、希望、欢乐、鼓舞和力量的信息，你就会青春永驻。
When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you’ve grow old, even at 20； but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there’s hope you may die young at 80.
当这根天线倒毁时，你的灵魂就会被玩世不恭和悲观厌世的冰雪覆盖——这时即使你只有20岁，也会未老先衰；而只要你的天线巍然矗立，鼓起自信乐观的风帆，你就可以在80岁去世时依旧青春不逝。