“诱惑”的故事――“21世纪?联想杯”全国英语征文大赛感言

关于 “21世纪杯”全国英语演讲比赛，相信大多数同学一定不会陌生，它由中国最大的英文报系《中国日报》于1996年创办，21世纪英文报系承办，已经成为国内公认最高档次和规格的英语比赛之一。 但也许鲜有同学听说过与演讲比赛同等重要的“21世纪杯”全国英语征文比赛，其实，这也是一项由中国日报社主办的高规格的英语赛事，它鼓励众多英语爱好者投入到英语学习当中，积极推动了我国英语教育事业的发展。

今年五月，继第十二届“21世纪?联想杯”全国英语演讲比赛在香港取得圆满成功之后，中国日报社与联想集团再次携手共同主办第十二届“21世纪?联想杯”全国英语征文大赛，并由21世纪英文报系承办，此次大赛于2007年5月3日正式开始，面向社会各界所有英语爱好者。评委由在京高校的英语教学专家、《中国日报》及《21世纪英文报》的资深编辑和外国专家组成，审议和评定应征的全部稿件。大赛征文主题是The Values of Life and the Temptations of Society（诱惑面前正视人生价值――你的处世哲学）和Giving is Receiving-Personal Growth in Volunteer Works（请加入志愿者行列吧――奉献即有收获）。参赛者可任选一题，结合自己的体会，自拟题目，写一篇不超过500字的文章。

当我偶然在《21世纪英文报》上看到大赛启事，很受触动。人的一生中，充满了各种各样的诱惑，使人处于一种心旌动摇的状态，有时会难以自持。特别是在当今社会，人们的价值观正日趋多元化，生活中也充满了无尽的诱惑。作为处在求学时期的当代青年，我们应该怎样去面对那些诱惑，具备怎样的处世哲学，追求怎样的人生价值，如何驾驭好自己的生命之舟呢?

抱着尝试的心理，我参加了征文比赛，令我感到高兴的是，参赛作品Crystal Shoes and the Flying Stone得到了专家和评委的肯定，荣获一等奖（全国共五名）。Crystal Shoes and the Flying Stone写的是普通女大学生“我”受到的诱惑。“我”家境普通，羡慕室友满身的名牌服装，渴望自己有朝一日也能拥有漂亮的“水晶鞋”――穿上名牌衣服，赢得周围人的关注。这种诱惑始终困扰着“我”，直到有一天，“我”听到了一位成功的女作家讲述的一则小故事。一位雕塑家用石头雕塑了一只鹰，鹰雕塑得栩栩如生，好像真的在天空中展翅高飞一样。有人问他：“你是怎样把石头雕塑得飞起来的？”雕塑家回答道：“其实，这只高飞的鹰本来就在那里，我只不过把石头中多余的边边角角去掉而已。”一块石头，只要把它多余的边边角角去掉，就能飞起来。人生的诱惑，就像石头多余的边角，如果面对诱惑，不舍得放弃，人生就会成为一块沉重的石头，永远成不了展翅高飞的鹰。要想人生飞起来，就要放弃多余的“边边角角”。“我”逐渐懂得，个人魅力与穿着名牌与否其实并没有直接的关系，自信就是童话中那双漂亮的“水晶鞋”，在人生的旅途上，内心的雕琢往往比外在的掩盖要重要得多。

在此，我十分感谢高级翻译学院各位老师的教诲。在过去一年多的研究生学习中，老师们不断勉励我们要勤于学习、善于学习、勇于创新、不断进取、积极参加各项学术活动。正是他们循循善诱的教诲以及高翻学院良好的学术氛围让我受益匪浅，有信心和勇气参加征文比赛。大赛虽然早已落下帷幕，但是我们跋涉在英语学习征程中的脚步并没有停止。

Crystal Shoes and the Flying Stone

Jessica entered the room with a big bag in her hand. “I bought a new dress. You know what, this brand dress only costs me 268 Yuan.” She uttered a brand I had never heard before. “Oh, Show it to us.” Every girl in the room became excited, eager to look at the “famous brand”.

Jessica is an expert on fashion in our dormitory. She has almost all the famous brands of dresses, handbags and shoes at her fingertips and follows the footsteps of trend. The fashion magazines for her are must-read books, more important than textbooks. She often says: “Brand products show your taste.”

Is there any girl who doesn’t yearn for a pair of Cinderella’ crystal shoes? Wearing it, an ordinary girl immediately turns into a charming girl attracting everyone’s attention in the ball. Ordinary girl as I am, I also long for a pair of crystal shoes. I envy Jessica. As the only daughter of a wealth family, she can buy beautiful dresses she likes. From a worker’s family, it’s lucky enough for me that my parents can afford my university tuition.

Several days later, I went shopping and passed by a fashion shop. I felt an attractive dress in the window was winking at me. A voice inside me urged me to try it on. Two minutes later, standing before the mirror, I saw a girl I had never known. A picture of a girl walking elegantly like a princess flashed into my mind. “You look so beautiful in this dress.” A soft voice woke me up from my reverie. I turned and saw a salesgirl smiling at me. “How much does it cost?” I asked her timidly. “298 Yuan. It is very cheap for a brand dress like this. If you like it, I will pack it for you now.”

At the thought of my empty purse, I waved my hand hurriedly. “Thank you. Err, I will buy it next time.” I fled from the shop for fear that the girl saw my blushing face.

That night, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. That picture in the shop kept flashing. It haunted me for several days until I made up my mind to save all my allowances to buy that dress. The temptation of the “famous brand” is so irresistible, if not for others.

However, I didn’t buy that dress at last.

A famous female writer came to our college and shared her life with us. She was not beautiful, but I was attracted by her special charm. When asked the secrets of her success, she told us a story. Once there was a sculptor who carved an eagle out of a stone. The sculpture is so vivid that it looks like a real eagle flying high under the sky. Others asked the sculptor why he could make such a life-like eagle. He answered: “The eagle is there. I just cut the rest parts of the stone.”

“Temptation in life is just like the rest parts of the stone. If you want to become a flying stone, just cut the rest parts of it.” She said.

At that moment, I realized I was that crude stone with too many burdens of temptation.

But I am longing to fly!

Later, I also knew self-confidence is actually that pair of crystal shoes. With it, all miracles in the fairytale will come true.