【內容概述】
我們習慣了子女對長輩的感恩，也習慣了員工對領導的致謝。然而我們有時候卻忽略了對子女、對下級的感謝。在暴風驟雨中歷經周折趕去上班的一位普通員工被領導的幾句簡約而真誠的感謝深深觸動，讓他學到了以前從來沒有從教科書上學到的人生哲理，那就是：感謝的力量是無窮的。
【美文賞讀】
On August 26,1999, New York City was struck[1] by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to flood and the subway system almost came to stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were forced to go home. Some battled to call a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced[2] the storm bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I happened to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most service had stopped[3]. After making my way through crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was operating. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to board the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the platform. So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched[4] back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train reached my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office. I was wet through,[5] exhausted and discouraged.
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off when it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer when I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and eventually reported to work[6]. It is always reassuring (令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their devotion to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that brief message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of appreciation can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic troubles had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately refreshed me and put a smile back on my face[7].
【點撥注釋】
[1] strike的意思是“打擊、襲擊”；漢語中我們經常描述什么地方“發生”了地震、火災或者洪水，但在英文中一般我們不用“happen”，而用具有更好表現力的“be hit with”或“be struck with”等表示“被襲擊、被侵襲”。
[2] face在這里做動詞，意思是“（毅然）應對、面對”，所以如果表達面臨著的意思，應該使用“be faced with”，如：I am faced with a hard choice.我面臨著一個艱難選擇。
[3] 這句話的意思是“我從一條地鐵線走到另一條地鐵線，到頭來卻發現大部分（地鐵線）都停運了”，這里service指的是運輸業務，是不可數名詞。Only to find引導的是一個與預期相反的結果狀語，詳細知識可參見：不定式to do做狀語的用法。
[4] switch的意思是“交換，改變”，例如：Husbands and wives should sometimes switch roles.（夫妻之間有時候應該轉換一下角色）這里switch back指的是“反著坐回來”。與switch相關的常用短語還有switch on （接通電源，開用點燈、機器等），switch off 是其反義。
[5] be wet through的意思是“濕透”，其主語也可以是事物，如“My coat was wet through”。
[6] report to work的意思是“報到上班”，相當于report for duty；eventually的意思是“最后，終于”。
[7] refresh的意思是“給某人活力、讓某人振作”，這句話是說“來自Garth的郵件讓作者頓時振作起來，臉上又重新綻開了微笑”。另外，refreshing常做形容詞使用，如，The breeze here is really refreshing. 這里的微風讓人心曠神怡。
