英美文化的背景知识是英语学习不可缺少的一环杨广育齐志光人们谈起学英语必然要提及打好英语基础，而打好基础则离不开语音、语法、词汇，和训练提高听说读写译的能力。掌握一定的英美文化的背景知识是打好英语基础必不可缺的一环。小编精心收集了经典大学英文美文，供大家欣赏学习!

经典大学英文美文：活一百岁与欧洲渡假的交易

Israel Haimowitz made a deal with his doctor 15 years ago - get me to 100 and I'll buy you a European vacation. On Sept 5, 2002, Haimowitz is celebrating his 100th birthday. And Dr. Robert Drimmer and his wife are looking forward to a trip to London next summer. "I hate to take his money," Drimmer said, but Haimowitz "would be mad if I didn't go." Haimowitz, a retired furniture salesman, said it's the least he can do. The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., is in good health, complaining only occasionally of fatigue. He moved to Florida 16 years ago. "To get a doctor down here that's considerate of his patients is difficult," Haimowitz said. He credits his longevity and health to drinking two ounces of cognac daily, along with eating five Danish butter cookies. Haimowitz, who just renewed his driver's license, said he plans to stick around awhile. "When I don't feel good, I don't want to be here. But when I feel as I do now, I want to live to 120," he said.

伊斯里尔-海莫威茨与他的医生达成了一项交易--让我活到100岁，我就送你去欧洲度假。2002年9月5日，海莫威茨在庆祝他的百岁寿辰，而罗伯特-德雷默医生和他的妻子也在期待着来年夏天的伦敦之旅。“我真的不想花他的钱，”德雷默说，可是海莫威茨“会因我不去而发疯。”退休家具推销员海莫威茨说这是他所能做的最起码的事。海莫威茨是纽约布鲁克林人，他健康状况良好，只是偶尔为疲劳所苦。16年前，海莫威茨搬到了佛罗里达。他说：“在这儿找一个会悉心照料病人的医生可不容易。”海莫威茨把自己的长寿和健康归功于每天的两盎司白兰地和5块丹麦牛油曲奇。刚刚更新了驾驶执照的海莫威茨说，他打算再活上一段时间。“如果感觉不好，我就不想再逗留了。不过，在感觉如现在般良好的时候，我希望活到120岁，”他说。

Remarks：也许这位老先生没有意识到：“感觉良好”才是他长寿的真正秘诀--如果活得没了感觉，想“逗留”也不太容易哩。

经典大学英文美文：12美元出租车费学到的知识

A cab driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Motivational speakers charge thousands of dollars to impart this kind of training to corporate executives and staff. It cost me a $12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas for the sole purpose of calling on a client. Time was of the essence and my plan included a quick turnaround trip from and back to the airport. A spotless cab pulled up. The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As he got in the driver's seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me was for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy. Well! I looked around for a "Candid Camera!" Wouldn't you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, "Obviously you take great pride in your work. You must have a story to tell."

"You bet," he replied, "I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my niche in life where I could feel proud of being the best I could be. I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day's work and done it well. I evaluate my personal assets and… wham! I became a cab driver. One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I could simply just meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be great in my business, I have to exceed the customer's expectations! I like both the sound and the return of being 'great' better than just getting by on 'average'.

Did I tip him big time? You bet! Corporate America's loss is the travelling folk's friend!

怎样令顾客满意，达到他们的期望，一个出租车司机给我上了宝贵的一课。换了是一些给公司行政人员和员工作培训的讲师，可能要收取上万的课酬才会传授这等经验。而我呢，只花了12美元的出租车费就学到了。

之前我为了见一个客户飞了一趟达拉斯，时间就是生命，按照行程计划，我马上又折返回到了机场。一辆一尘不染的出租车停在面前。司机随即替我开车门，确定我稳稳妥妥地坐好后才把门关上。坐进驾驶室时，他不忘提醒我，旁边叠得整整齐齐的《华尔街日报》是给我看的。接着，他拿了几盘带子出来，问我喜欢什么类型的音乐。哇塞!我到处张望，看偷拍镜头究竟藏在哪里。碰到这样的情形，你也会有这个反应吧?我简直不敢相信会享受到这般服务!我趁机和他聊了起来：“看得出你很以自己的工作为豪，这里头一定有什么故事吧。”

“你说中了，”他答道，“我以前也是美国商界一员，但是我已经厌倦了怎么努力也达不到别人定下的目标这种生活。我决定要为我的人生创造属于自己的新天地，在那里我可以为自己的最佳表现而感到自豪。我知道我永远也不会成为一个火箭科学家，但是喜欢开车，喜欢为别人服务，喜欢感觉到完成了一整天的工作而且把事情做好。算了一下手头的资产后，我就当起出租车司机了。我很清楚要干好这一行，需要做的仅仅就是满足乘客的期望。但是我要做出不一般的成绩，我的服务就要超出顾客的期望!我不要以一般服务混日子，我喜欢听到顾客对我优良服务的赞赏和为此得到的回报。”

我有没有爽快给他小费?当然有!奔波各地的我就这样和这个美国商界流失的一大人才成了朋友。

经典大学英文美文：MOTHER“母亲”的含义

"M" is for the million things she gave me,

"M"代表她所给予我的无数,

"O" means only that she's growing old,

"O"的意思是她在日渐老去,

"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,

"T"是她为抚育我洒下的泪,

"H" is for her heart of purest gold,

"H"指她有像金子一般的心灵,

"E" is for her eyes, with the love-light shining,

"E"就是她的眼睛,里面洋溢着爱的光芒,

"R "means right, and right she'll always be,

"R"的意思是正确,因为她永远都是对的。

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER",

将以上字母串在一起就是"母亲(mother )",

A word that means the world to me.

这个是我整个的世界。

A mother's love is like a circle, it has no beginning and ending. It keeps going around and around ever expanding, touching everyone who comes in touch with it. Engulfing them like the morning's mist, warming them like the noontime sun, and covering them like a blanket of evening stars. A mother's love is like a circle, it has no beginning and ending.

母爱就像一个圆环,没有起点也没有终点。它源源不绝,广阔无边,感染着每个接触到它的人。它如晨雾的笼罩,如正午太阳般温暖,又如夜星，照耀着人们。母爱就像一个圆环，没有起点也没有终点。