双语美文之似水流年 （74）茶和交友(7)
Thus chastened in spirit, quiet in mind and surrounded by proper company, one is fit to enjoy tea. For tea is invented for quiet company as wine is invented for a noisy party. There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life. It would be as disastrous to drink tea with babies crying around, or with loud—voiced women or politics-talking men, as to pick tea on a rainy or a cloudy day. Picked at early dawn on a clear day, when the morning air on mountain top was clear and thin, and the fragrance of dews was still upon the leaves, tea is still associated with the fragrance and refinement of the magic dew in its enjoyment. With the Taoist insistence upon return to nature, and with its conception that the universe is kept alive by the interplay of the male and female forces, the dew actually stands for the “juice of heaven and earth” when the two principles are united at night, and the idea is current that the dew is a magic food, fine and clear and ethereal, and any man or beast who drinks enough of it stands a good chance of being immortal. De Quincey says quite correctly that tea “will always be the favorite beverage of the intellectual，” but the Chinese seem to go further and associate it with the high-minded recluse.
一个人在这种神清气爽、心气平静、知己满前的境地中， 方真能领略到茶的滋味。因为茶须静品，而酒则须热闹。茶之为物，性能引导我们进入一个默想人生的世界。饮茶之时而有儿童在旁哭闹，或粗蠢妇人在旁大声说话，或命通人者在旁高谈国是，即十分败兴，也正如在雨天或阴天去采茶一般的糟糕。因为采茶必须天气清明的清早，当山上的空气极为清新， 露水的芬芳尚留于叶上时，所采的茶叶方称上品。照中国人说起来，露水实在具有芬芳和神秘的功用，和茶的优劣很有关系。 照道家的返然和宇宙之能生存全恃阴阳二气交融的说法，露水实在是天地在夜间和融后的精英。至今尚有人相信露水为清 鲜神秘的琼浆，多饮即能致人兽长生。特昆雪所说的话很对，他说：”茶永远是聪慧的人们的饮料。”但中国人则更进一步，而视它为风雅隐士的珍品。
林语堂
中国现代著名作家、学者、翻译家、语言学家。1895年生于福建漳州平和县坂仔镇一个基督教牧师家庭。原名和乐，后改玉堂，又改语堂。早年留学美国、德国，获哈佛大学文学硕士，莱比锡大学语言学博士。回国后在清华大学、北京大学、厦门大学任教。曾任联合国教科文组织美术与文学主任、国际笔会副会长等职。林语堂于1940年和1950年先后两度获得诺贝尔文学奖提名。曾创办《论语》《人世间》《宇宙风》等刊物，作品包括小说《京华烟云》《啼笑皆非》。散文和杂文文集《人生的盛宴》《生活的艺术》以及译著《东坡诗文选》《浮生六记》等。1966年定居台湾。1976年在香港逝世，享年80岁。
1.secure a.安全的；牢固的
Theon grabs headlines but can’t secure market share.
席恩虽然吸引了媒体的关注，但却无法获得市场份额。
Lark’s position is even more secure.
Lark的地位比其它开发商更加稳固。
2.stretch v.伸展；张开
Seek out tough “stretch” assignments.
尝试有难度的“延伸性”任务。
Would stretch deep into the future.
将会深远地延伸到将来。
3.routine n.常规；例行程序
For certain routine exchanges, the answer is a resounding yes.
对于某些日常的信息交换来说，答案绝对是肯定的。
Currently, the u.s. and other well-heeled military powers use their high-end fighter jets to fly these routine missions.
目前，美国及其他家底殷实的军事大国都是用自己的高端战机来完成这些日常任务。
4.quantity n.数量；定量
But old habits emphasising quantity over quality die hard.
但重视数量甚于质量的旧习惯并不容易改变。
But as the quantity increased, the benefit decreased.
但是随着喝咖啡量的增加，益处反而会减少。