美文赏析（四十八）
Call For Peace
Winston Churchill 1874-1965
Since Alfred Nobel died in 1896 we have entered an age of storm and tragedy. The power of man has grown in every sphere except over himself. Never in the field of action have events seemed so harshly to dwarf personalities. Rarely in history have brutal facts so dominated thought or has such a widespread, individual virtue found so dim a collective focus. The fearful question confronts us: have our problems got beyond our control? Undoubtedly we are passing through a phase where this may be so. Well may we humble ourselves, and seek for guidance and mercy.
We in Europe and the Western world, who have planned for health and social security, who have marveled at the triumphs of medicine and science, and who have aimed at justice and freedom for all, have nevertheless been witnesses of famine, misery, cruelty and destructio
n before which pale the deeds of Attila and Genghis Khan. And we who, first in the League of Nations, and now in the United Nations, have attempted to give an abiding foundation to the peace of which men have dreamed so long, have lived to see a world marred by cleavages and threatened by discords eyen graver and more violent than those which convulsed Europe after the fall of the Roman Empires.
It is upon this dark background that we can appreciate the majesty and hope which inspired the conception of Alfred Nobel. He has left behind him a bright and enduring beam of culture, of purpose and of inspiration to generation which stands in sore need. This world-famous institution points a true path for us to follow. Let us therefore confront the clatter and rigidity we see around us with tolerance, variety and calm.
New words and expressions生词和短语
sphere [sfiə] n.领域，方面
dwarf [dwɔ:f] n.矮子，侏儒；v.(使)变矮小，阻碍发展
美文赏析humble ['hʌmbl] adj.谦逊的； vt.使……谦卑
witness ['witnis] n.目击者，见证人；vt.目击，见证
famine ['fæmin] n.饥荒
abiding [ə'baidiŋ](v.容忍；)adj.持久的
mar [ma:] v.弄坏，毁坏，损害
cleavage ['kli:vidʒ] n.劈开，分裂
convulse [kən'vʌls] vt.震动，震撼，使抽筋
clatter ['klætə] n.哗啦声，嘈杂的谈笑声
rigidity [ri'dʒiditi] n.坚硬，僵化，刻板
参考译文
呼唤和平
自1896年阿尔弗雷德·诺贝尔去世以来，我们已经进入了一个暴风雨般的、悲剧的年代，人类在其他各方面的力量都有所加强，惟独他的控制自我的力量没有增强。人的活动领域似乎从来没有发生如此严重的阻碍人格发展的事情。历史上很少有野蛮事情能像这样主宰人的思想，而普遍的个人优点只能非常模糊地在一个聚焦点上到。我们面对着可怕的问题：难道我们不能控制自己了吗？我们这个时代确实有此可能。我们只能谦卑自抑，寻求指引和宽恕。
我们欧洲和西方世界曾计划建立健康保险和社会保险制度，惊叹医学和科学的成就，志在追求全人类的正义和自由，却也目睹了令阿提拉和成吉思汗的行为都黯然失的饥荒、战祸、暴行和毁灭。我们以前在“国际联盟”，如今又在“联合国”企图建立人类梦想已久的永久和平基础，却活生生地看到世界裂痕丛生，相互倾轧的程度比罗马帝国衰亡时的欧洲更为惨重、剧烈。
在这种黑暗的背景下，我们不由得赞赏阿尔弗雷德诺贝尔当初形成的这一概念时所怀的尊严和希望。他身后留下了明亮而持久的文化、意志和灵感之光，传给急迫需要它们的后代。这个世界闻名的机构指出了一条要我们跟着走的真正道路。因此，让我们以宽容、多样性和沉着的心情直面周围的机械噪音和严酷气氛吧