4. If I Were a Boy Again
假如我再回到童年

单词与词组   Words and phrases
perseverance         //         n.        毅力
surmount                 //                 v.    爬上顶端
pyramid                       //                 n.          金字塔
school                         //                         v.          锻炼
cultivation                 //         n.          培养
frown                         //                        v.        皱眉
courtesy                 //                 n.        礼貌

根据朗读标记，听录音跟读，然后背诵。
        If︵ I were︵ a boy again, I would practise perseverance more often, and never give︵ up︵ a thing because it︵ was hard or︵ inconvenient. If we want light,↗ we must conquer darkness. Perseverance can sometimes︵ equal genius in︵ its results. "There︵ are︵ only two creatures," says︵ a proverb, "who can surmount the pyramids-the eagle↗ and the snail."
        If︵ I were︵ a boy again, I would school myself︵ into a habit︵ of attention; I would let nothing come between me↗ and the subject︵ in hand. I would remember that▼ a good skater never tries to skate︵ in two directions︵ at︵ once. The habit ︵of︵ attention becomes part︵ of︵ our life, if we begin early enough. I often hear grown-up people say ,"I could not fix my attention on the lecture↗ or book, although I wished to do so," and the reason︵ is, the habit was not formed︵ in youth.
        If︵ I were to live my life over︵ again, I would pay more attention to the cultivation︵ of the memory. I would strengthen that faculty by every possible means, and, on︵ every possible occasion. It takes︵ a little hard work︵ at first ▼to remember things︵ accurately; but memory soon helps︵ itself, and gives very little trouble. It︵ only needs early cultivation▼ to become︵ a power.
        If︵ I were︵ a boy again, I would look︵ on the cheerful side. Life︵ is very much like︵ a mirror: if you smile︵ upon︵ it, it smiles back︵ upon︵ you; but if you frown︵ and look doubtful︵ on︵ it, you will get︵ a similar look︵ in return. Inner sunshine warms not︵ only the heart︵ of the owner, but ︵of all that come︵ in contact with︵ it. Who shuts love︵ out, in turn shall be shut from love.
        If︵ I were︵ a boy again, I would school myself to say "No" oftener. I might write pages︵ on the importance︵ of learning very early in life▼ to gain that point ▼where a young boy can stand︵ erect, and decline doing an︵ unworthy act▼ because it︵ is︵ unworthy.
        If︵ I were︵ a boy again, I would demand︵ of myself more courtesy▼ towards my companions︵↗ and friends, and︵ indeed towards strangers ︵as well. The smallest courtesies︵ along the rough roads︵ of life▼ are like the little birds that sing to us all winter long, and make that season︵ of︵ ice︵ and snow▼ more endurable.
        Finally, instead︵ of trying hard to be happy, as︵ if that were the sole purpose︵ of life, I would, if︵ I were︵ a boy again, try still harder to make others happy.

背诵小贴士  Recitation tips
记住关键词：
practise perseverance, develop a habit of attention, strengthen memory, look on the cheerful side, say 'no' oftener, show more courtesy to others, to be happy is not the sole purpose of life.
   
参考译文
        这是一篇非常好的文章，作者用平常的话语道出深刻的生活哲理，希望能给您增添勇气和智慧。
假如我再回到童年
        假如我再回到童年，我会更多地培养自己的毅力，决不因为事情艰难或麻烦而放弃不干。如果我们需要光明，我们就得征服黑暗。在产生的结果方面，毅力往往可以与天才相妣美。谚语说：“能登上金字塔的生物只有两种--雄鹰与蜗牛。”
        假如我再回到童年，我会培养自己专心致志的习惯；一旦手头有事，决不让任何东西使我分心。我会牢记：一位优秀的溜冰手从不试图同时滑向两个不同的方向。如果及早养成专心致志的习惯，它就会成为我们生命的一个部分。我常常听到成年人说：“尽管我希望集中注意力听讲课或读书，但往往做不到。”其原因就在于年轻时没有养成这种习惯。
        假如我能重新活过，我会更加注意培养自己的记忆力。我要采取一切可能的办法，在一切可能的场合，增强记忆力。要精确地记住一切事物，起初的确要作出一番小小的努力；但用不了多久，记忆力本身就会起作用，使记忆成为轻而易举的事。只需及早培养，记忆自会成为一种才能。
        假如我再回到童年，我会凡事都看光明的一面。生活就像一面镜子：你朝它微笑，它也会朝你微笑；但如果你朝它皱眉头，它也会朝你皱眉头；如果你用怀疑的目光看待它，它也会以同样怀疑的目光看待你。
内心的阳光不仅温暖了自己的心，同时也温暖了所有跟他接触的人的心。“谁将爱拒之门外，谁就会被爱拒之门外。”
        假如我再回到童年，我就要养成经常说“不”的习惯。我可以写上好几页，谈谈早期培养这一点的重要性。一个少年要能挺得起腰杆，拒绝做不值得做的事--就因为它不值得做。
        假如我再回到童年，我会要求自己对待同伴和朋友更礼貌，而且对陌生人也同样如此。在坎坷的人生道路上，最细小的礼貌犹如在漫长的冬季为我们歌唱的小鸟，使得冰天雪地的严冬变得较易忍受。
        最后，假如我再回到童年，我不会竭力为自己谋幸福--仿佛那是人生的唯一目标；与之相反，我会更加努力--让他人幸福。