13. Three Days to See
给我三天光明

单词与词组   Words and phrases
incredulous                  //         a.        怀疑的
note                         //                         n.    注意
symmetry                 //                 n.          对称
birch                        //                         n.          白桦树
bark                         //                         n.          树皮
velvety                        //                        a.        柔软的
texture                        //                 n.    质地
convolution                //         n.          卷绕
lush                         //                         a.          青葱的
pageant                 //                 n.        庆典
panorama                 //           n.        全景
compulsory                 //               a.        必修的
dormant                 //                a.        睡眠的
sluggish                 //                       a.        行动迟缓的

根据朗读标记，听录音跟读，然后背诵。
        I have︵ often thought it would be a blessing▼ if︵ each human being were stricken blind↗︵ and deaf▼ for︵ a few days︵ at some time▼ during his︵ early adult life. Darkness would make him more︵ appreciative︵ of sight, silence would teach︵ him the joys︵ of sound.
        Now︵ and then I have tested my seeing friends▼ to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend▼ who had just returned from︵ a long walk︵ in the woods, and︵ I asked her what she had︵ observed. "Nothing︵ in particular," she replied. I might︵ have been︵ incredulous. Had︵ I not been︵ accustomed to such responses, for so long︵ ago▼ I became convinced that the seeing see little.
        How was︵ it possible, I asked myself, to walk for︵ an︵ hour through the woods▼ and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see▼ find hundreds︵ of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of︵ a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin︵ of ︵a silver birch,↗ of the rough bark︵ of︵ a pine. In spring I touch the branches︵ of trees hopefully▼ in search︵ of︵ a bud,↗ the first sign︵ of awakening Nature▼ after her winter's sleep. I feel the delightful,↗ velvety texture︵ of︵ a flower,↗ and, discover︵ its remarkable convolutions; and something︵ of the miracle︵ of Nature▼ is revealed to me.
       Occasionally, if︵ I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on︵ a small tree▼ and feel the happy quiver︵ of︵ a bird︵ in full song. I am delighted to have the cool waters︵ of ︵a brook▼ rush through my open fingers. To me▼ a lush carpet︵ of pine needles↗ or spongy grass▼ is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me▼ the pageant︵ of seasons is︵ a thrilling↗ and︵ unending drama, the action︵ of which▼ streams through my finger tips.
        At times▼ my heart cries︵ out▼ with longing to see all these things. If︵ I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color↗︵ and action▼ which fills the world▼ is taken for granted. It︵ is human perhaps, to appreciate little that which we have▼ and to long for that which we have not, but︵ it︵ is︵ a great pity▼ that︵ in the world ︵of light the gift︵ of sight is used︵▼ only as︵ a mere convenience▼ rather than︵ as︵ a mean︵ of ︵adding fullness to life.
        If︵ I were the president ︵of︵ a university, I should establish︵ a compulsory course▼ in "How to Use Your Eyes."The professor would try to show his pupils▼ how they could add joy to their lives▼ by really seeing what passes unnoticed▼ before them. He would try to awake their dormant↗︵ and sluggish faculties.

参考译文
给我三天光明
        我时常想，如果每一个人在初成年之时有几天突然失聪失明，该是件幸事。黑暗将使他更加珍惜视力，沉寂将使他领略声音的乐趣。
我曾不时地测试我那些视力正常的朋友，询问他们看到了些什么。最近，有一位刚从森林远足归来的好友来探望我，我问她有何发现。“没什么特别的，”她回答道。若不是对这样的回答习以为常，我会觉得难以置信。很久以前我就确切地知道，看得见的人其实看到的很少。
        这怎么可能？我自问，在林中漫步一个小时却没有看到任何值得注意的东西？看不见的我仅凭触摸就能发现成百上千种让我感兴趣的东西。我感受到一片叶子精致的对称。我用双手爱抚着白桦树光滑、松树粗糙的外皮。在春天，我满怀希望地触摸着树枝，寻找嫩芽，那是大自然从冬眠中苏醒的第一个征兆。我感受着花朵儿惹人喜爱的柔滑和奇妙的卷曲；大自然的部分奇迹就这样展示给我。
    偶尔，假如我非常幸运的话，我将手轻轻地放在一株小树上，我能感受到鸟儿欢唱时快乐的颤动。我喜欢张开手指，让清凉的溪水从指缝间流过。对我来说，地毯般覆盖地面的松针或碧绿松软的草皮远胜过最豪华的波斯地毯。对我来说，绚丽多彩的季节更替是一出激动人心而永不终结的戏剧，一幕幕地在我的指尖上缓缓流过。
        有时候，我从心底里呼唤，希望看到这一切。仅仅靠触摸我就能获取这么多乐趣，要是能看得见，那该发现多少美妙的东西啊！然而，那些看得见的人显然所见甚少。面对五光十色的鲜活的大千世界，他们无动于衷。这或许是人类的天性：对于已经拥有的我们很少心存感念，而对于不曾拥有的，我们孜孜以求。在光明的世界里，天赋的视力仅仅被作为一种便利而非让生活更加充实的手段，这真是莫大的遗憾。
        我若是一所大学的校长，我将设立一门必修课《如何使用你的眼睛》。教授将尽力教会学生怎样才能真正“看见”那些在眼前不经意地掠过的一切，为他们的生活增添乐趣。他将努力唤醒学生们沉睡而迟钝的官能。