何为中国人最富刺激性的品性？| 「英文观止」
选篇导读
你曾思考过这个问题吗——何为中国人最富刺激性的品性？在语堂先生看来，“老滑俏皮”即是中国人最富刺激性的品性。老滑俏皮渗透于中国思想的整个机构，使中国人渐臻圆熟。
今日，《英文观止》栏目将带大家品读中国人老猾俏皮的刺激性品性。
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An old rogue is a man who has seen a lot of life, and who is materialistic, nonchalant, and skeptical of progress. At its best, this old roguery gives us mellowness and good temper, which in old men make many girls prefer them for husbands. For if life is worth anything, it is that it teaches a lesson of kindliness. The Chinese people have arrived at this point of view, not by having found any religious sanction for it, but from a profound observation and a knowledge of the vicissitudes of life.
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An old rogue is a man who has seen a lot of life, and who is materialistic, nonchalant, and skeptical of progress.
rogue，指“调皮捣蛋的人”，e.g. The little rogue has his grandpa’s glasses on. 这个小淘气鬼戴上了他爷爷的眼镜。
materialistic，指“物质主义的”，e.g. The pursuit of materialistic goals usually hinders the pursuit of happiness. 以追求物质生活为目标往往会阻碍我们对幸福的追求。
nonchalant，指“冷淡的”，e.g. I am amazed that you can be so nonchalant about the coming test when everyone else is so worried. 每个人都担心即将来临的考试时，你却毫不在乎，真令我惊讶。
skeptical，指“怀疑的”，e.g. However, I encourage you to be skeptical about what I tell you. 但是，我鼓励你们怀疑我所告诉你们的东西。
句子分析：此句是对俏皮者的解释，通过who引导的两个并列定语从句，即“who has seen a lot of life”和“who is materialistic, nonchalant, and skeptical of progress”，简明扼要地刻画出俏皮者因经历了人生百味后，变得冷淡而又实利的形象。
本句译为：俏皮者是一个人经历了许多人生的况味，变为实利的、冷淡的、腐败的行为。
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At its best, this old roguery gives us mellowness and good temper, which in old men make many girls prefer them for husbands.
roguery，指“流氓行为”，e.g. It is not good to teach them to admire rogues by concealing their roguery. 要是掩盖流氓的恶行，以教导他们敬佩流氓，可就不妙了。
mellow，指“圆润的”，e.g. I loved the mellow sound of the firm bow drawn across the strings.
我喜欢那绷紧的琴弓拉过琴弦时发出的柔美圆润的声音。
句子分析：此句总体概述了俏皮者的优点 —— mellowness and good temper。由which引导的定语从句更加有力地证明了俏皮者的魅力，这些俏皮者具有和悦的脾气，再加以丰富的人生经验，使他们浑身散发着成熟的魅力。
本句译为：就其长处而言，俏皮人给你圆滑而和悦的脾气，这就是使许多老头儿能诱惑小姑娘的爱苗而嫁给他们的秘密。
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For if life is worth anything, it is that it teaches a lesson of kindliness. The Chinese people have arrived at this point of view, not by having found any religious sanction for it, but from a profound observation and a knowledge of the vicissitudes of life.
sanction，指“认可”，e.g. The government gave its sanction to what the society had done. 协会的工作得到了政府的认可。
profound，指“知识渊博的”，e.g. An experienced teacher with profound knowledge is always welcome to his students. 知识渊博而又富有经验的老师总是受学生欢迎的。
observation，指“观察”，e.g. When experiments are to be made, one can’t rely too much upon the human senses to make accurate observation. 在做实验时，不能过分依靠人类的感觉去做精确的观察。
vicissitude，指“变迁兴衰”，e.g. Its meaning and the content have differently along with time vicissitude. 它的含义和内容随着时代的变迁而有所不同。
句子分析：此段话揭示了一种俏皮的人生观。“For if life...a lesson of kindliness.”是由if引导的条件状语从句，说明了俏皮的人生教会了人们和气慈祥。“The Chinese people..., not by having..., but from...life.”是一个对比，阐明了中国人之所以能体会到俏皮的人生观之奥妙，是因为深奥广博的观察与人生的无限变迁。此等人生态度，渗透了中国思想的整个机构。
本句译为：假使人生值得什么，那就是拿和气慈祥教了人们以一大教训。中国人之思想已体会了此中三昧，并非由于发觉了宗教上的善义，而是得自深奥广博的观察与人生无限之变迁。
