雅思阅读真题：Little Sparks of Gratitude

When we are not engaged in thinking about some definite problem, we usually spend about 95 percent of our time thinking about ourselves. Now, if we stop thinking about ourselves for a while and begin to think of the other person’s good points, we won’t have to resort to flattery so cheap and false that it can be spotted almost before it is out of the mouth. 当我们没有具体的问题可想时，我们通常会把 95% 的时间花在自己身上。现在，我们暂且不去想我们自己，而是开始想别人的优点。我们根本不用诉诸廉价而虚假的奉承，因为这种奉承几乎还没说出口就会被别人察觉到。
One of the most neglected virtues of our daily existence is appreciation. Somehow, we neglect to praise our son or daughter when he or she brings home a good report card, and we fail to encourage our children when they first succeed in baking a cake or building a birdhouse. Nothing pleases children more than this kind of parental interest and approval. 我们在日常生活中最容易忽略的一种美德就是欣赏。不知为何，我们对儿子或者女儿拿回家的不错的成绩单疏于表扬。孩子烤出块蛋糕或者做好只鸟笼，我们也没有鼓励。要说让孩子高兴，没有什么能比得上家长的兴趣和赞许了。
The next time you enjoy filet mignon at the club, send word to the chef that it was excellently prepared, and when a tired salesperson shows you unusual courtesy, please mention it. 下次到俱乐部吃煎里脊小牛排时，记得传话夸一下厨师的手艺;当一位疲惫的推销员对你礼貌有加时，别忘了说一声谢谢。
Every minister, lecturer and public speaker knows the discouragement of pouring himself or herself out to an audience and not receiving a single ripple of appreciative comment. What applies to professionals applies doubly to workers in offices, shops and factories and our families and friends. In our interpersonal relations we should never forget that all our associatesare human beings and hunger for appreciation. It is the legal tender that all souls enjoy. 所有牧师、讲师、演说家都知道向听众倾吐心声却没有得到一句赞赏是多么令人泄气的事。既然专业人员都有这种感受，那么办公室、商店、工厂里的工人以及我们的家人和朋友，他们的感觉还会强烈一倍。在我们的人际交往中，我们永远也不能忘记我们所有的伙伴都是人，他们渴望得到别人的欣赏。这是所有人都喜欢的“法定货币”。
Try leaving a friendly trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily trips. You will be surprised how they will set small flames of friendship that will be rose beacons on your next visit. 在你的人生旅途中，尽量做到善待他人，留下一串感激的火花。你会惊奇地发现，这些火花会使友谊变成玫瑰灯塔，照亮你的下一次来访。
 
Vocabulary
spark n. 火花
gratitude n. 感激之情
definite a. 明确的
resort v. 诉诸
flattery n. 奉承
virtue n. 美德
appreciation n. 欣赏
report card 成绩单
bake v. 烘， 烤
birdhouse n. 鸟舍
parental a. 父母的
filet mignon n. 煎里脊小牛排
chef n. 主厨
courtesy n. 礼貌
minister n. 牧师
public speaker 演说家
discouragement n. 泄气
pour out 倾吐
ripple n. 涟漪
appreciative a. 有欣赏力的
comment n. 评论
professional n. 专业人员
doubly ad. 加倍地
interpersonal a. 人际的
associate n. 伙伴
hunger for 渴望
legal tender 法定货币
trail n. 一系列
set flames on 照亮
beacon n. 灯塔

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