读故事

　　When I was a brittle young man without a buck I thought wealth, power, and maturity would bring me happiness. How things change! When you're young you only see the budding of leaves in the spring,hear the whisper of the brook,and marvel as you watch wild buffalos roam across a range. You have no time for brooding over problems or browsing through your memories and disappointments.

　　Now that I am older, I am a little bit more realistic. The wear and tear of life has bruised my soul, and my mind is no longer buffered from idealistic notions. But something changed yet again the other day. I met a Buddhist.

　　I was at yet another endless buffet,working hard to expand my already bulging belly,when I first noticed him. There he stood, somehow at peace in the midst of this brutal world, not even bristling at the mounds of meat being consumed or bugged by the brisk lifestyle around him. He was simply at peace.

　　Yes, he's also only a human being. But his peace impressed me. I decided then that it's time for a change. Now it's time to buckle down, eat less meat, tighten the buckle around my waist,watch out for stepping on bugs, and bow my head before a bronze statue. We'll see if things improve.

　　记单词

　　brisk a.1.轻快的，生气勃勃的2.兴隆的，繁忙活跃的3.寒冷而清新的

　　bristle n.短而硬的毛发，刷子毛

　　vi.1.被激怒，怒发冲冠2.毛发(因惊惧等)直立

　　bristle with密集，充满，被布满

　　brittle a.1.易碎的，易损坏的2.脆弱的，靠不住的3.冷淡的，不友好的4.(声音)尖利的

　　bronze n.1.青铜2.青铜色，古铜色3.青铜(艺术)制品，铜牌

　　brood vi.1.(on,over,about)沉思，考虑2.孵蛋n.1.(雏鸡等)一窝2.(一个家庭)全体孩子

　　brook n.小溪vt.[常用于否定句或疑问句]容忍，忍受

　　browse vi.1.随意翻阅，浏览2.(牛、羊等)吃草

　　bruise n.1.青肿，挫伤2.(水果等的)伤痕，擦痕vt.1.打青，使受淤伤

　　2.挫伤，伤害(感情等)

　　brutal a.1.野兽般的，残忍的2.无情的，冷酷的，难以忍受的

　　buck n.1.(一)美元，(一)澳元2.雄鹿，雄兔vi.(马等)猛然弓背跃起

　　buck up(使)振奋，(使)打起精神

　　buckle v.1.用搭扣扣紧2.(使)变形，弯曲n.搭扣，扣环

　　buckle down倾全力，开始认真从事

　　bud n.叶芽，花蕾vi.发芽，萌芽

　　Buddhist n.佛教徒a.佛教的

　　buffalo n.水牛，(北美)野牛

　　buffer n.1.起缓冲作用的人(或物)2.缓冲器，减震器vt.缓冲，减轻

　　buffet n.1.(火车站的)饮食柜台，(火车内的)餐车2.自助餐

　　vt.反复敲打，连续猛击

　　bug n.1.虫子，昆虫2.小病，(机器等)故障，缺陷3.窃听器vt.1.烦扰，纠缠2.在…装窃听器

　　bulge n.膨胀，肿胀vi.1.膨胀，凸出，鼓起2.塞满，装满

　　当我是个身上没有一元钱的脆弱的年轻人时，我认为财富、权力和成熟会给我带来幸福。世事真是变化无常!年轻的时候当你看到春天树叶发芽、听到小溪流水潺潺、看到水牛在农场里漫游时你会感到好奇。你没有时间考虑种种问题或者随意翻开你的记忆和那些令你失望的事情。

　　随着年龄的增长，我现在变得有点更加现实了。生活中的磨难已经使我的灵魂受到伤害，我的精神不再因为理想主义观念而得到缓冲。但是有一件事使我再次发生了改变。我遇到了一名佛教徒。

　　次注意到他时，我又在吃那没完没了的自助餐，正在拼命大口大口地吃以扩大我那已经鼓起的肚子。他站在那里，不知怎的他却安静平和地置身在这个冷酷无情的世界里，就连成堆的肉被消费掉也没有把他激怒，周围繁忙活跃的生活方式也没有给他增添烦扰。他只是一副心平气和的样子。

　　是的，他也只是一个人。但他的平静给我留下了深刻的印象。我觉得改变自己的时候到了。现在是开始认真做事、少吃一些肉、系紧腰上的扣环、小心别踩着虫子、在铜像面前鞠躬的时候了。我们将会看到事情是否会有所好转。