# 第四册 Lesson 11 How to grow old 如何安度晚年

## 一、课文原文

Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble. The best way to overcome it--so at least it seems to me--is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.

An individual human existence should be like a river--small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

The man who, in old age can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| oppress | /əˈpres/ | v. | 压迫，使烦恼 | oppressed by the fear 被恐惧所困扰 |
| justification | /ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ | n. | 正当理由 | with/without justification 有/无正当理由 |
| justifiably | /ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪəbli/ | adv. | 有正当理由地 | justifiably feel bitter 有理由感到苦涩 |
| cheat | /tʃiːt/ | v. | 欺骗，剥夺 | cheated of 被剥夺了 |
| abject | /ˈæbdʒekt/ | adj. | 卑劣的，可怜的 | abject fear 可怜的恐惧 |
| ignoble | /ɪɡˈnəʊbl/ | adj. | 不光彩的，卑鄙的 | noble的反义词 |
| impersonal | /ɪmˈpɜːsənl/ | adj. | 非个人的，超然的 | wider and more impersonal 更广更超然 |
| ego | /ˈiːɡəʊ/ | n. | 自我，自我意识 | the walls of the ego 自我的围墙 |
| recede | /rɪˈsiːd/ | v. | 后退，减退 | the walls recede 围墙后退 |
| merge | /mɜːdʒ/ | v. | 融合，合并 | merged in 融入 |
| boulder | /ˈbəʊldə/ | n. | 巨石 | rushing past boulders 冲过巨石 |
| vitality | /vaɪˈtælɪti/ | n. | 活力，生命力 | decay of vitality 生命力衰退 |
| weariness | /ˈwɪərinəs/ | n. | 疲倦，厌倦 | weariness increases 疲倦增加 |
| content | /kənˈtent/ | adj. | 满足的 | content in the thought 想到...便满足 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. whatever 引导的名词性从句

> ...and has achieved **whatever work it was in him to do**

- whatever = no matter what，引导宾语从句
- it was in him to do = 他天生有能力做的事
- 仿写：Take whatever you need.

### 2. so...at least it seems to me... 插入语

> The best way to overcome it--**so at least it seems to me**--is to...

- 破折号中的插入语，表示个人观点的谦逊表达
- = at least so it seems to me

### 3. 双重否定

> ...the thought of rest will be **not unwelcome**.

- not unwelcome = welcome（双重否定表肯定）
- 语气比直接说welcome更委婉

### 4. 分词结构作伴随状语

> ...**knowing** that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and **content** in the thought...

- knowing：现在分词，表主动
- content：形容词/过去分词，表状态

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. cheat sb. of sth. 剥夺某人的...

> ...they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.

- = deprive sb. of sth., rob sb. of sth.
- 仿写：He was cheated of his inheritance.

### 2. bit by bit 一点一点地

> ...until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede...

- = gradually, little by little, step by step
- 仿写：Bit by bit, she recovered her confidence.

### 3. it was in him to do 他内在能做的

> ...whatever work it was in him to do.

- in sb. = within sb.'s nature/capability
- 仿写：It was in her to become a great musician.

### 4. without any visible break 没有任何明显的断裂

> ...without any visible break, they become merged in the sea...

- visible break = 明显的分界/断裂
- 比喻：个体生命融入宇宙生命，如河流入海般自然

## 五、课文翻译

有些老年人被对死亡的恐惧所困扰。在年轻人身上，这种情感是情有可原的。年轻人如果有理由害怕自己会在战场上阵亡，想到自己被剥夺了生活所能提供的最美好的东西，感到苦涩是有道理的。但对于一个经历了人间欢乐与忧愁、完成了他力所能及的一切工作的老人来说，对死亡的恐惧就有些可鄙和不光彩了。克服这种恐惧的最好办法——至少在我看来是如此——是让你的兴趣逐渐变得更广泛、更超脱个人，直到自我的围墙一点一点地后退，你的生命越来越融入到宇宙的生命之中。

一个人的生命应该像一条河——起初很小，被狭窄地限制在两岸之间，激情澎湃地冲过巨石、越过瀑布。渐渐地河流变宽了，河岸后退了，水流得更平静了，最后，没有任何明显的断裂，河流融入了大海，毫无痛苦地失去了自己的个体存在。

在晚年能这样看待自己一生的人，不会遭受对死亡的恐惧，因为他所关心的事物将会继续。如果随着生命力的衰退，疲倦感增加了，那么想到安息也不会是令人不快的。我希望自己在工作时死去，知道别人会继续我做不了的事，想到该做的都已经做了，便感到满足。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：比喻论证

- 核心比喻：**人生如河**——从狭窄到宽阔，从激越到平静，最终融入大海
- 这个比喻贯穿后半部分，将抽象的哲学思想形象化
- 属于英语散文的经典比喻传统

### 2. 文化背景

- 本文作者**伯特兰·罗素（Bertrand Russell）**：英国哲学家、数学家、社会评论家
- 罗素的哲学思想强调理性、人本主义和对死亡的超越
- "How to Grow Old"是其散文代表作之一

### 3. 修辞分析

- **比喻（extended metaphor）**：河流比喻贯穿全文后半段
- **双重否定**：not unwelcome——委婉表达
- **破折号插入**：so at least it seems to me——谦逊表达个人观点
- **递进**：gradually → bit by bit → increasingly——渐进过程

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **理解题**：According to the author, what is the best way to overcome the fear of death?（让兴趣更广泛更超然）
2. **语法题**：whatever引导的名词性从句与让步状语从句的区别
3. **词汇题**：区分 abject/ignoble/base 的程度差异
4. **写作练习**：用扩展比喻写一段议论文

## 八、本课小结

本课是罗素关于**如何面对衰老和死亡**的哲学散文，核心观点：克服死亡恐惧的最好方法是让兴趣更广泛更超然，如河流入海般自然融入宇宙生命。语法重点包括whatever名词性从句、双重否定、分词伴随状语、插入语表达个人观点。修辞手法上以河流比喻为核心，配合递进和委婉表达，是哲学散文的巅峰之作。