Lesson 46 Hobbies
Who, according to the author, are ‘Fortune’s favoured children’?
A gifted American psychologist has said, ‘Worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold of something and will not let it go.’ It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition. The stronger the will, the more futile the task. One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins.
The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of the first importance to a public man. But this is not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improvised by a mere command of the will. The growth of alternative mental interests is a long process. The seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on good ground; they must be sedulously tended, if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed.
To be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real. It is no use starting late in life to say: “I will take an interest in this or that.” Such an attempt only aggravates the strain of mental effort. A man may acquire great knowledge of topics unconnected with his daily work, and yet get hardly any benefit or relief. It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do. Broadly speaking, human beings may be divided into three classes: those who are toiled to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death. It is no use offering the manual laborer, tired out with a hard week’s sweat and effort, the chance of playing a game of football or baseball on Saturday afternoon. It is no use inviting the politician or the professional or business man, who has been working or worrying about serious things for six days, to work or worry about trifling things at the weekend.
As for the unfortunate people who can command everything they want, who can gratify every caprice and lay their hands on almost every object of desire—for them a new pleasure, a new excitement is only an additional satiation. In vain they rush frantically round from place to place, trying to escape from avenging boredom by mere clatter and motion. For them discipline in one form or another is the most hopeful path.
It may also be said that rational, industrious, useful human beings are divided into two classes: first, those whose work is work and whose pleasure is pleasure; and secondly, those whose work and pleasure are one. Of these the former are the majority. They have their compensations. The long hours in the office or the factory bring with them as their reward, not only the means of sustenance, but a keen appetite for pleasure even in its simplest and most modest forms. But Fortune’s favoured children belong to the second class. Their life is a natural harmony. For them the working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday, and ordinary holidays, when they come, are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation. Yet to both classes, the need of an alternative outlook, of a change of atmosphere, of a diversion of effort, is essential. Indeed, it may well be that those whose work is their pleasure are those who most need the means of banishing it at intervals from their minds.
📝 文章大意
（本文节选自丘吉尔的《业余爱好》。）一位美国心理学家说，忧虑是情绪的痉挛，头脑抓住某件事就不肯放。此时和头脑讲道理没有用，意志越强，越是徒劳，只能悄悄塞给它另一样东西；如果选对了，原先的紧张就会慢慢松开，身心开始恢复。所以培养爱好对公众人物极为重要，但这不是一天能办成的事，就像播种一样，要精心挑选、细心照料。一个人至少要有两三种真正的爱好，到晚年才临时培养是没有用的：不是做你喜欢的事，而是要喜欢你做的事。人可以分为三类：累死的、愁死的、闲死的；对于那些想要什么就有什么的人，新的乐趣只会让他们更加厌腻，对他们来说，某种形式的约束才是最有希望的出路。勤勉有用的人又可分为两类：工作是工作、娱乐是娱乐的人，以及工作与娱乐合二为一的人。后者才是”命运的宠儿”，但他们恰恰最需要时不时把工作从脑子里赶出去。
标题问题的答案：”命运的宠儿”是那些工作和娱乐合二为一的人。
📚 核心单词
| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 含义 | 文中用法 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| spasm | /ˈspæzəm/ | n. | 痉挛，发作 | a spasm of the emotion |
| futile | /ˈfjuːtaɪl/ | adj. | 徒劳的 | the more futile the task |
| insinuate | /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ | v. | 使潜入，巧妙地塞入 | insinuate something else into |
| convulsive | /kənˈvʌlsɪv/ | adj. | 痉挛性的 | its convulsive grasp |
| illumination | /ɪˌluːmɪˈneɪʃn/ | n. | 启发，光照 | the illumination of another field |
| undue | /ˌʌnˈdjuː/ | adj. | 过度的 | the old undue grip |
| recuperation | /rɪˌkuːpəˈreɪʃn/ | n. | 恢复，复原 | recuperation and repair |
| cultivation | /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃn/ | n. | 培养 | the cultivation of a hobby |
| improvise | /ˈɪmprəvaɪz/ | v. | 临时准备 | swiftly improvised |
| alternative | /ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv/ | adj. | 另外的，可替代的 | alternative mental interests |
| sedulously | /ˈsedjələsli/ | adv. | 勤勉地，精心地 | sedulously tended |
| tend | /tend/ | v. | 照料 | sedulously tended |
| vivifying | /ˈvɪvɪfaɪɪŋ/ | adj. | 给人活力的 | the vivifying fruits |
| aggravate | /ˈæɡrəveɪt/ | v. | 加重 | aggravates the strain |
| toil | /tɔɪl/ | v. | 辛苦劳作 | toiled to death |
| trifling | /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/ | adj. | 微不足道的 | trifling things |
| gratify | /ˈɡrætɪfaɪ/ | v. | 满足 | gratify every caprice |
| caprice | /kəˈpriːs/ | n. | 一时的念头 | every caprice |
| satiation | /ˌseɪʃiˈeɪʃn/ | n. | 饱足，厌腻 | an additional satiation |
| frantically | /ˈfræntɪkli/ | adv. | 疯狂地 | rush frantically round |
| avenging | /əˈvendʒɪŋ/ | adj. | 报复的 | avenging boredom |
| clatter | /ˈklætə(r)/ | n. | 喧闹 | mere clatter and motion |
| compensation | /ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃn/ | n. | 补偿 | They have their compensations |
| sustenance | /ˈsʌstənəns/ | n. | 生计，食物 | the means of sustenance |
| grudge | /ɡrʌdʒ/ | v. | 不情愿 | grudged as enforced interruptions |
| vocation | /vəʊˈkeɪʃn/ | n. | 职业，使命 | an absorbing vocation |
| diversion | /daɪˈvɜːʃn/ | n. | 转移；消遣 | a diversion of effort |
| banish | /ˈbænɪʃ/ | v. | 消除，驱逐 | banishing it from their minds |
📖 难句解析
1. A gifted American psychologist has said, ‘Worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold of something and will not let it go.’
a spasm of the emotion是比喻：忧虑就像情绪的一次痉挛catch hold of= 抓住；will not let it go的 will 表示固执的意愿：就是不肯放- 译: 一位才华横溢的美国心理学家说过：”忧虑是情绪的痉挛，头脑抓住某件事就不肯放开。”
2. The stronger the will, the more futile the task. One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp.
the + 比较级 ..., the + 比较级 ...= 越……越……，两部分都省略了 isthe task指上句所说的”和头脑讲道理”insinuate sth into= 把某物悄悄塞进；its指 the mind’s- 译: 意志越坚强，这种做法越是徒劳。人们只能轻轻地把别的东西塞进它痉挛般紧握的手里。
3. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins.
- 两个 if 条件从句并列，第二个是对第一个的补充说明
be attended by= 伴随着；the illumination of another field of interest= 另一个兴趣领域带来的启迪gradually, and often quite swiftly是插入的状语，修饰后面的 relaxes 和 beginsthe old undue grip呼应第 2 句的 convulsive grasp- 译: 如果这样东西选得恰当，如果它真的能带来另一个兴趣领域的启迪，那么原先过度紧握的手就会逐渐地，而且往往是很快地松开，开始恢复元气。
4. But this is not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improvised by a mere command of the will.
business在这里是”事情”，不是”生意”that从句中be undertaken和(be) improvised共用 can bea mere command of the will= 仅仅一道意志的命令- 译: 但这不是一天就能办成的事，也不是只凭意志下一道命令就能马上做到的。
5. The seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on good ground; they must be sedulously tended, if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed.
- 用播种比喻培养爱好，三个
must排比 be to do在 if 从句中表示”想要、打算”：if the fruits are to be at hand = 如果要让果实……at hand= 在手边，随时可用；when needed= when they are needed- 译: 种子必须精心挑选，必须播在肥沃的土地上，必须精心照料，这样才能在需要的时候得到使人充满活力的果实。
6. It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do.
It is no use doing= 做……是没有用的，it 是形式主语- 前后两半是交错对称：doing what you like / like what you do
- 译: 光做喜欢做的事是没有用的，你得喜欢你所做的事。
7. Broadly speaking, human beings may be divided into three classes: those who are toiled to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death.
Broadly speaking= 一般来说- 三个
those who are ... to death排比；to death表示程度极深 - 译: 一般来说，人可以分为三类：劳累而死的人，忧虑而死的人，以及无聊而死的人。
8. It is no use offering the manual laborer, tired out with a hard week’s sweat and effort, the chance of playing a game of football or baseball on Saturday afternoon.
- 主干：
It is no use offering sb sth，offer 带双宾语：the manual laborer 和 the chance tired out with ...是过去分词短语，修饰 the manual laborer，插在两个宾语之间- 译: 对于辛苦劳累了一周的体力劳动者，让他们在星期六下午去踢足球或打棒球是没有用的。
9. As for the unfortunate people who can command everything they want, who can gratify every caprice and lay their hands on almost every object of desire—for them a new pleasure, a new excitement is only an additional satiation.
As for= 至于；两个 who 从句并列修饰 peoplecommand在这里是”可以获得、支配”；lay one's hands on= 得到- 破折号后才是主句：
a new pleasure, a new excitement is only ...，两个名词同位，指同一件事 the unfortunate people是反话：这些人什么都有，作者却称他们”不幸”- 译: 至于那些想要什么就有什么、可以满足一切奇思怪想、几乎能得到一切想要的东西的不幸者，对他们来说，一种新的乐趣、一种新的刺激只是又一次的过度满足而已。
10. In vain they rush frantically round from place to place, trying to escape from avenging boredom by mere clatter and motion.
In vain= 徒劳地，放在句首表强调trying to escape ...是现在分词短语，表伴随或目的avenging boredom= 前来报复的厌倦，把 boredom 拟人化：享乐过度会招来厌倦的报复- 译: 他们疯狂地东奔西跑，想用喧闹和奔波来逃避前来报复的厌倦，结果都是徒劳。
11. The long hours in the office or the factory bring with them as their reward, not only the means of sustenance, but a keen appetite for pleasure even in its simplest and most modest forms.
- 主干：
The long hours ... bring ... not only A but B；with them和as their reward是插入的状语，把宾语推到了后面 the means of sustenance= 谋生的手段a keen appetite for pleasure= 对娱乐的强烈渴望- 译: 在办公室或工厂里长时间工作所得到的回报，不仅是谋生的手段，而且是一种对娱乐的强烈渴望，即使是最简单、最朴素的娱乐。
12. Each day is a holiday, and ordinary holidays, when they come, are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation.
when they come是插入的时间状语be grudged as= 被不情愿地看作；enforced interruptions= 被迫的中断an absorbing vocation= 令人全神贯注的事业- 译: 每天都是假日，而真正的假日到来时，他们反而不情愿，觉得这是对引人入胜的工作的强迫中断。
13. Indeed, it may well be that those whose work is their pleasure are those who most need the means of banishing it at intervals from their minds.
it may well be that ...= 很可能……- 从句主干：
those ... are those ...，前后两个 those 各带一个定语从句 banish sth from one's mind= 把某事从脑子里赶走；at intervals= 不时地；it 指 their work- 译: 的确，那些以工作为乐的人很可能最需要时常把工作从脑子里排除出去。