听力原文
Five Balls in the Air

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling1) some five balls in the air.You name them―work,family,health,friends and spirit,and you’re keeping all these balls in the air.

You understand that work is a rubber ball.If you drop it,it will bounce back.But the other four balls are made of glass.If you drop one of these,it will be irrevocably2) scuffed,marked,nicked,damaged or even shattered.They will never be the same.You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.How?

Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself to others.It is because we a re- different that each of us is special.Don’t set your goals by what other people deem3) important.Only you know what is best for you.Don’ t take for granted the things closest to your heart.Cling to4) them as you would to life,for without them,it’s meaningless.Don’t let life slip through your fingers by living in the past or in the future.By living your life one day at a time,you live ALL the days of your life.Don’ t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been,but also where you’ re going.Don’ t use time or words carelessly.Neither can be retrieved5).Life is not a race,but a journey to be savored each step of the way.Yesterday is history,tomorrow is a mystery,and today is a gift.That’ s why we call it―The Present.

□by Bryan Dyson

参考翻译
空中的五只球

想像生命是一场你在往空中抛接五只球的游戏。你把这五只球分别称作---工作、家庭、健康、友谊和精神，而你正在努力使这五只球都腾于空中。

你清楚工作是个橡皮球。如果你失手使其落在地上，它还会弹起。但是其他四只球都是玻璃做的，如果你掉了其中一个，它便无法挽回地受到磨损，落下疤痕，出现裂缝，遭到毁坏，甚至四分五裂。它们再也恢复不到以前的样子。你必须懂得这一点并争取在你的生活中把握住平衡。那应该怎么做呢？不要无谓地将自己与他人比较而低估自己的价值。要知道我们每个人都是与众不同的，每个人都是独一无二的。

不要把他人视为重要的东西当作你的奋斗目标。要知道只有你自己才清楚什么对你是最好的选择。不要将你最亲近的东西视为理所当然。紧紧地抓住它们正如你紧紧地抓住生命一样。因为一旦没有了它们，生命也就毫无意义了。不要沉缅于过去或未来而让生命从指间悄然溜走。过好生命的每一天，你便能过好生命的全部日子。不要活得匆匆忙忙以致你不仅忘记了你的过去，也迷失了你的未来。不要漫不经心地打发你的时间和言语，两者失不再来。生命不是一场赛跑，而是一步一个脚印走过来的一段旅程。昨天是历史，明天是个谜，而今天则是个礼物。这就是为什么我们把今天称为Present 。
注释
NOTE 注释：

1. juggle [5dVQ^l] vi. 用…玩杂耍，边抛边接通过轮流抛接使（两个或两个以上物体）同 时保持于空中

2. irrevocably [i5revEkEbl] adv. 不能取消地, 不能撤回地

3. deem [di:m] v. 认为, 相信

4. cling to 依附, 依靠, 坚持

5. retrieve [ri5tri:v] v. 重新得到