中英文本

I do not think that, considered from the point of view of human culture and happiness, there have been more significant inventions in the history of mankind, more vitally important and more directly contributing to our enjoyment of leisure, friendship, sociability and conversation, than the inventions of smoking, drinking and tea.
我以为从人类文化和快乐的观点论起来，人类历史中的杰出新发明，其能直接有力地有助于我们的享受空闲、友谊、社交和谈天者，莫过于吸烟、饮酒、饮茶的发明。
All three have several characteristics in common:
这三件事有几样共同的特质：
first of all, that they contribute toward our sociability；
第一，它们有助于我们的社交；

secondly, that they do not fill our stomach as food does, and therefore can be enjoyed between meals；
第二，这几件 东西不至于一吃就饱，可以在吃饭的中间随时吸饮；
and thirdly, that they are all to be enjoyed through the nostrils by acting on our sense of smell.
第三，都是可以藉嗅觉去享受的东西。
So great are their influences upon culture that we have smoking cars besides dining cars, and we have wine restaurants or taverns and tea houses.
它们对于文化的影响极大，所以餐车之外另有吸烟车，饭店之外另有酒店和茶馆，
In China and England at least, drinking tea has become a social institution.
至少在中国和英国，饮茶已经成为社交上一种不可少的制度。烟酒茶的适当享受，只能在空闲、友谊和乐于招待之中发展出来。
The proper enjoyment of tobacco, drink and tea can only be developed in an atmosphere of leisure，friendship and sociability. For it is only with men gifted with the sense of comradeship, extremely select in the matter of forming friends and endowed with a natural love of the leisurely life, that the full enjoyment of tobacco and drink and tea becomes possible.
因为只有富于交友心，择友极慎，天然喜爱闲适生活的人士，方有圆满享受烟酒茶的机会。
Take away the element of sociability, and these things have no meaning.
如将乐于招待心除去， 这三种东西便成毫无意义。

作者介绍

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。

词语解释

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。