英语美文,即使用地道、优美的英语语言写的文章;英语美文赏析,则是在接触地道英语语言的基础之上,了解和理解英语语言文化背景,欣赏语言确切应用所表达的真实情景。小编分享最新优秀英语美文，希望可以帮助大家!

最新优秀英语美文：The Zen of Cat

The man was very sad. He knew that the Cat’s days were numbered(屈指可数，有限) . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, that he should take the cat home and make him as comfortable as possible.

The man stroked the Cat on his lap and sighed. The Cat opened his eyes, purred and looked up at the Man. A tear rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed look.

"Why do you cry, Man?" the Cat asded. "Because you can’t bear the thought of losing me? Because you think you can never replace me?" The Man nodded "yes."

"And where do you think I’ll be when I leave you?" the Cat asked. The Man shrugged(耸肩) helplessly. "Close your eyes, Man," the Cat said. The Man gave him a questioning look, but did as he was told.

"What color are my eyes and fur?" the Cat asked. "Your eyes are gold and your fur is a rich, warm brown," the Man replied.

"And where is it that you most often see me?"asked the Cat. "I see you…on the kitchen windowsill watching the birds…on my favorite chair…on my desk lying on the papers I need…on the pillow next to my head at night." "Then, whenever you wish to see me, all you must do is close your eyes," said the Cat.

"Pick up that piece of string from the floor -- there, my ‘toy’. " The Man opened his eyes, then reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to entertain himself for hours with it. "Now take each end of the string in one hand," the Cat ordered. The Man did so.

"The end in your left hand is my birth and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together," the Cat said. The Man complied(遵照，依从) .

"You have made a continuous circle," said the cat." Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?" The Man inspected the string and then shook his head "no".

"Close your eyes again," the Cat said."Now lick your hand." The Man widened his eyes in surprise.

"Just do it," the Cat said. "Lick your hand, think of me in all my familiar places, think about all the pieces of string."

The Man felt foolish, licking his hand, but he did as he was told. He discovered what a cat must know, that licking a paw(爪子，手) is very calming and allows one to think more clearly. He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned upward into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to stop, and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed.The Man stroked the warm, brown fur, but the Cat was gone.

The Man shut his eyes hard as the tears poured down his face. He saw the Cat on the windowsill(窗台，窗沿) , then in his bed, then lying across his important papers. He saw him on the pillow next to his head, saw his bright gold eyes and darkest brown on his nose and ears. He opened his eyes and through his tears looked over at the circle of string he still held clutched in his hand.

One day, not long after, there was a new Cat on his lap. She was a lovely calico(白棉布) and white…very different from his earlier beloved Cat and very much the same.

最新优秀英语美文：Methods of Economy

The methods of practicing economy(实行节俭) are very simple. Spend less than you earn. That is the first rule. A portion should always be set apart for the future. The person who spends more than he earns, is a fool.

The next rule is to pay ready money, and never, on any account(无论如何) , to run into debt.

The person who runs into debt is apt to(倾向于) get cheated; and if he runs into debt to any extent, he will himself be apt to get dishonest. "Who pays what he owes, enriches himself."

The next is, never to anticipate uncertain profits by expending them before they are secured. The profits may never come, and in that case you will have taken upon yourself a load of debt which you may never get rid of.

Another method of economy is, to keep a regular account of all that you earn, and of all that you expend. An orderly man will know beforehand what he requires, and will be provided with the necessary means for obtaining it. Thus his domestic budget will be balanced; and his expenditure kept within his income.

It is difficult to fix the precise limits of economy. Bacon says that if a man would live well within his income, he ought not to expend more than one half, and save the rest. This is perhaps too exacting; and Bacon himself did not follow his own advice. What proportion of one’s income should be expended on rent? That depends upon circumstances.

Wherever there is a large family, the more money that is put to one side and saved, the better. Economy is necessary to the moderately(适度地) rich, as well as to the comparatively poor man. Without economy, a man cannot be generous. He cannot take part in the charitable(慷慨的，仁慈的) work of the world.

If he spends all that he earns, he can help nobody. He cannot properly educate his children, nor put them in the way of starting fairly in the business of life. Thousands of witnesses daily testify, that men even of the most moderate intelligence, can practice the virtue with success.

Men of all classes are, as yet, too little influenced by these considerations. They are apt to live beyond their incomes. To save money for avaricious(贪婪的) purposes is altogether different from saving it for economical purposes. The saving may be accomplished in the same manner-by wasting nothing, and saving everything. But here the comparison ends. The miser’s only pleasure is in saving. The prudent economist spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment, and saves a surplus for some future time. The avaricious person makes gold his idol, whereas the thrifty(节约的) person regards it as a useful instrument, and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who are dependent upon him. The miser(守财奴，吝啬鬼) is never satisfied. He amasses(积聚，积累) wealth that he can never consume, but leaves it to be squandered by others, probably by spendthrifts(挥霍无度的人) ; whereas the economist aims at securing a fair share of the world’s wealth and comfort, without any thought of amassing a fortune.

There is a dignity in the very effort to save with a worthy purpose, even though the attempt should not be crowned with eventual success. It produces a well regulated mind; it gives prudence(审慎) a triumph over extravagance3; it gives virtue the mastery over vice; it puts the passions under control; it drives away care; it secures comfort. Saved money, however little, will serve to dry up many a tear;will ward off many sorrows and heart burnings, which otherwise might prey upon us. Possessed of a little store of capital, a man walks with a lighter step-his heart beats more cheerily.

When interruption of work or adversity happens, he can meet them; he can recline on(依赖，信赖) his capital, which will either break his fall, or prevent it altogether. By prudential(谨慎的) economy, we can realize the dignity of man; life will be a blessing.

最新优秀英语美文：The Missed Blessings

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased(购买) the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped(有包装的) gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed(饰以浮饰) in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away(逝世) , and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words... "PAID IN FULL".

How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil(糟蹋，掠夺) what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

Sometimes we don't realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect "the packaging" to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened.