Is It Worth It 是否值得

曲永华

人们常说，战友情是无价的。本文讲述一位战士在昔日的好友从战场上倒下的时候，毅然冲出战壕，奇迹般地找到他的朋友，并冒着枪林弹雨的危险把他背起来并成功带回阵地的故事。这告诉我们，在生活中有很多时候判断一件事是否值得做取决于你怎么看待它。鼓起勇气做一些你的心灵指引你去做的事吧。

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier， as he saw his life-long friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head， the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “No Mans Land” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

“You can go，” said the lieutenant， “①but I dont think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away.”

The lieutenants words didnt matter， and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend， hoist him onto his shoulder， and bring him back to their companys trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench， the officer checked the wounded soldier， then looked kindly at the soldier.

“I told you it wouldnt be worth it，” he said. “Your friend is dead， and you are mortally wounded.”

“It was worth it， though， sir，” the soldier said.

“How do you mean， ‘worth it？” responded the lieutenant. “Your friend is dead！”

“Yes sir，”the private answered.“But it was worth it because when I got to him， he was still alive， and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say， ‘Jim， I knew youd come.”

Many a time in life， whether a thing is worth doing or not really ②depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not ③regret not doing it later in life. May each and everyone of you④ be blessed with the company of true friends.

[精彩译文]

第一次世界大战期间，当一位战士看到他昔日的好友在战场上倒下的时候，恐惧向这位战士的心头袭来。而他只能隐蔽在战壕里，炮火不断地从头上呼啸而过。战士向中尉请示能否去无人阵地把倒下的战友背回来。

“你可以去，”中尉说，“但是我认为这么做不值得。你的朋友或许已经牺牲了，更何况你会白白搭上自己的性命。”

战士不顾中尉的警告，毅然冲出战壕。他奇迹般地找到他的朋友，把他背起来并成功带回他们的战壕。当两个人一起跌入战壕的时候，中尉赶忙查看伤员的伤势，然后和蔼地看着战士。

“我告诉过你，这么做不值得，”他说，“你的朋友已经牺牲了，你也受伤了。”

“可是我认为很值得，长官，”战士说。

“‘值得是什么意思？”中尉很困惑，“你的朋友已经牺牲了。”

“是的，长官，”战士说，“但这的确是值得的，因为当我发现他的时候，他还活着，他对我说，‘吉姆，我知道你一定会来的，我就已经很满足了。”

在生活中，事情是否值得做取决于你怎么看待它。鼓起勇气做一些心灵指引你做的事。这样你才不会在日后因为没做到而感到遗憾。愿每个人都能有真正的朋友相伴。

[新鲜词]

1. horror  [?h?r?（r）] n. 恐怖

2. grip [ɡr?p] vt.紧握;吸引住

3. trench [trent?] n.战壕

4. whiz [w?z] n. 飕飕声

5. lieutenant [lef?ten?nt] n. 陆军中尉

6. hoist [h??st] vt. 升起，提起

7. mortally [?m?：t?li] adv.致命地;非常，很

[难点解读]

1. but I dont think it will be worth it.但是我认为这么做不值得。

worth it 值得花费时间（精力），值得一干，有必要。

例如：Everything in life， if it is worth it， will take time.

生活中的每件事，如果它是有价值的，一定需要时间。

2. depend on 取决于……

例如：Whether we will go for a picnic tomorrow depends on the weather.

我們明天是否去野餐取决于天气。

3. regret not doing it 后悔没做某事。

例如：I regret not taking part in the Olympics.

我后悔没有参加奥运会。

4. be blessed with幸运地享有……

例如：May you be blessed with all things bright and beautiful at Christmas time and always.

祝你在圣诞节和将来都是欢快美丽的。