英语晨读资料17：给予比获得更让人幸福

英语晨读资料17：给予比获得更让人幸福 【 www.beibeiyingyu.com 贝贝英语网与您分享！】
Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street boy was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. 
   "Is this your car, Mister?" he asked. 
   Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astonished. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything? Boy, I wish...." He hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad1 said made Paul quite surprised. 
   "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that." 
   Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively2 he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?" 
   "Oh, yes, I'd love that." 
   After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again. 
   "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled3 brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of4 squeezed up5 against him and pointed to the car. "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna6 give you one just like it... then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about." 
   Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. 
   That Christmas Eve, Paul learned that it was more blessed to give.... 
     
   保罗收到一辆汽车，那是他哥哥送的圣诞礼物。圣诞节前夜，保罗从办公室出来时，一个街头少年绕着那辆闪闪发亮的新车，十分羡慕。 
   “先生，这是你的车？”少年问道。 
   保罗点点头：“这是我哥哥送我的圣诞礼物。”男孩十分惊讶：“你是说这是你哥送你的，你一分钱也没花？好家伙，我希望……”他停住了。保罗当然知道男孩他希望什么。他希望能有一个那样的哥哥。但那少年接下来说的话却让保罗大吃一惊。 
   “我希望，”男孩继续说：“我能成为那样的哥哥。” 
   保罗惊愕地看着那男孩，他冲口而出：“你要不要坐我的车去兜一兜风？” 
    “哦，当然，我愿意！” 
   车开出一小段路后，男孩转过头来，眼睛闪闪发亮地说：“先生，你是否介意把车子开到我家门前？”保罗微笑。他想他知道男孩想干什么。那男孩肯定是要向邻居炫耀他能坐一部大轿车回家。但是这次保罗又猜错了。 
   “你能不能把车子停在那两个台阶前？”男孩要求。男孩跑上台阶，过了一会儿保罗听到他回来了，但动作有些缓慢。他背来了他跛脚的弟弟。他让弟弟坐在最下面的台阶上，略有些挤靠着自己，然后指着那辆车。“这就是那车，巴迪，就是我刚才在楼上对你说的。他哥哥送他的圣诞礼物，他一分钱也没花。将来某一天我也会送给你一辆像这样的车，到那时候，你就能自己去看我一直努力给你描绘的那些圣诞节陈列窗里的漂亮东西了。” 
   保罗走下车子，把跛脚的男孩抱到车子前座。兴奋得满眼放光的哥哥也爬上车子，坐在弟弟身旁。三个人开始了一次令人难忘的假日兜风。 
   那个圣诞节前夜，保罗体会到“施与比获得更让人幸福……”