英语朗诵比赛文章0001

A Greek to Remember

Diogenes was a famous Greek philosopher of the fourth century B. C., who established the philosophy of cynicism. He often walked about in the daytime hold ing a lighted lantern, peeri ng around as if he were look ing for somethi ng. When questioned about his odd behavior, he would reply, "I am searching for an hon est man." Dioge nes held that the good man was self-sufficie nt and did not require material comforts or wealth. He believed that

wealth and possessi ons con stra ined huma nity's n atural state of freedom .In keeping with his philosophy, he was perfectly satisfied with making his home in a large tub discarded from the temple of Cybele, the goddesshof n ature. earthe n tub, called a pithos, and formerly bee n used for hold ing wine or oil for the sacrifices at the tempOne day, Alexa nder the Great, conq ueror of half the civilized world, saw Diogenes sitting in this tub in the sunshine. So the king, surro un ded by his coun tries, approached Dioge nes and said, "I am Alexa nder theGreat.Thephilosophee pliecTatheic on temptuousiyam Dioge nes, the Cyni c." Alexa nder the n asked him if he could help him in any way." Yes, "shotbackDiogenes：don'tstandbetweenne and the sun ."A surprised Alexander then replied quickly, "If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes."

Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again

Very quietly I take my leave

As quietly as I came here;

Quietly I wave good-bye

To the rosy clouds in the western sky.

The golden willows by the riverside

Are young brides in the setting sun;

Their reflecti ons on the shimmeri ng waves

Always lin ger in the depth of my heart.

The floating heart growing in the sludge

Sways leisurely un der the water;

In the gen tle waves of Cambridge

I would be a water pla nt!

That pool un der the shade of elm trees

Holds not water but the rain bow from the sky; Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds

Is the sedime nt of a rai nbow-like dream?

To seek a dream? Just to pole a boat upstream

To where the gree n grass is more verda nt;

Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight

And sing aloud in the sple ndour of starlight.

But I cannot sing aloud

Quiet ness is my farewell music;

Eve n summer in sects keep sile nee for me

Sile nt is Cambridge toni ght!

Very quietly I take my leave

As quietly as I came here;

Gen tly I flick my sleeves

Not eve n a wisp of cloud will I bring away

A Psalm of Life

Tell me not in mour nful nu mbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers

And thi ngs are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is ear nest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust retur nest,

Was not spoke n of the soul.

Not enjo yme nt, and not sorrow,

Is our desti ned and our way;

But to act,

That much to-morrow.

Find us farther tha n to-day.

Art is long, and time is fleeti ng.

And our hearts, though stout and brave.

Still , like muffled drums , are beat ing

Fun eral marches to thecgrave

In theworldsbroad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no futuhow'r pleasa nt!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, act in the living Present!

Let us, the n, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;