Life Is Too Short to Be Little
Guidance for Reciting
Perhaps some men we helped have proved ungrateful；some reward we thought we deserved has been denied us. We feel such disappointments so strongly that we can no longer work or sleep. But isn't that absurd？For life is too short to be little.
My favorite quotation is the sentence above，written by Disraeli. It has helped me through many a painful experience. Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget…Here we are on this earth，with only a few more decades to live，and we lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that，in a year's time，will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No，let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings，to great thoughts，real affections and enduring undertakings. For life is too short to be little.
Notes
1.many a许多的（后跟单数可数名词，谓语动词是单数）
2.despise [dis5paiz] vt. 轻视
3.brood （over）[bru：d] vt. 郁闷地沉思（沮丧地苦想）
4.grievance [5gri：vEns] n. 委屈，冤情，苦况
5.worthwhile [5wE：W5hwail] a. 值得花时间的，值得做的，有真实价值的
人生何其短，岂容琐事缠
诵读导言
可能我们有恩于某人，然而他却忘恩负义，我们认为自己应该得到的奖赏却拒不给予我们。对诸如此类令人失望的事情我们大动肝火，弄得工作干不下去，觉也睡不着。但这不是很荒唐吗？人生何其短，岂容琐事缠？
我特别喜欢的一条引语就是上面这句话。出自（英国首相）Disraeli笔下的这句话帮助我度过了许多痛苦的时光。我们经常让自己为了一些琐事而苦恼，而这些琐事我们本该不屑一顾，置诸脑后……我们在这个世界上仅能再活几十年，然而却因斤斤计较自己所受到的一些委屈而丧失了许多无法挽回的时光，而这些委屈在一年之后我们自己和当事人早就会将它忘得一干二净。不，我们不能这么做。让我们把我们的生命都奉献给那些有价值的行为和感情，去追求崇高的思想、纯真的爱和永恒的事业。只因人生何其短，岂容琐事缠？
注：André Maurois （法）安德烈？莫洛亚（1885-1967），文学家、传记家，曾撰写The Art of Writing （1960）及拜伦、雪莱、雨果、乔治桑等作家的传记，是近代法国文化名人，法兰西学院院士，他的大量作品属于法兰西优秀文化之列，颇享盛名。