经典英文短篇小说400字
⑴ 关于“友谊”的短篇英文小说
Friendship is indispensable to people's life. A man without friends is an angel without wings, whose life will suffer in the long tolerance of loneliness and depression. Friendship is the mother of our psyche, who'll warm her kid when hurt occurs. We have much to share with our friends in life, perplexity, excitement, bitterness etc. Alas, it's magnificent to maintain a genuine friendship.
It takes many special qualities to make a friend. Understanding should come first. Only when we get a better understanding of each other can we gain an authentic and meaningful friendship. We may find our hobbies of common interests. This feeling of affinity gets us closer and closer.
It also takes a special kind of love that seems to know no end. Never hesitate to show your heartfelt care and kindness to your friend when he/she is in trouble. Love is not selfish. Love is endowed by God that we should treasure all our life.
Tolerance is the third essential part in friendship. We are absolutely different persons. This indivial distinction may cause conflict between us in every aspect of our life. Don't immerse ourself in this infliction too long. Try to tolerant his/her in an introspective mood. Saints are not perfect, let alone those ordinary people like us. Afterwards, we should get a good communication. Never shy to confess.
Understanding, love and tolerance are the first three essences that comes to an authentic friendship. Other qualities are also concerned such as thoughtfulness, trust and patience. Remember, friendship is your psyche's guard, treasure it
友谊是不可缺少的人们的生活。没有朋友的人没有翅膀的天使,他的生活将会受到在长期的宽容的孤独和抑郁。友谊是我们的母亲心理,谁来温暖自己孩子什么时候伤害的发生。我们有很多一起分享我们的朋友在生活中,困惑,兴奋,苦等。唉,它却是很伟大的维持一个真正的友谊。
要用许多特殊性质为了结交新朋友。理解能先来。只有当我们更好的了解对方就会给我们带来一个真正的和有意义的友谊。我们可能会发现共同利益的业余爱好。这种感觉的亲和力让我们越来越近。
它也需要一种特别的爱似乎知道没有终点的。不要犹豫,尽管显示你并给你的朋友的关心和体贴。当他/她有麻烦了。爱不是自私。爱是赋予上帝,我们应该珍惜一生。
宽容是第三中最重要的组成部分的友谊。我们完全不同的人。这个人的区别可能会引起冲突,在各方面我们生命中的一个大境界了。不要让自己在这所施加的时间太长了。试着宽容他/她的在一个发人深省的心情。圣徒并不完美,更不用说那些一个像我们这样的普通人。后来,我们应该好好沟通。不害羞的承认。
理解、爱和宽容三个基本要素是第一个是一个真正的友谊。其他的品质也对此表示关注,如体贴、信任和耐心。记住,友谊是心灵的后卫,珍惜它
⑵ 经典短篇小说阅读-毛姆
外刊毫无疑问是学英文的绝佳材料。但各种新闻层出不穷，五花八门的热点稍纵即逝，如果平时只看新闻（无论中文还是英文），整个人难免会变得越来越浮躁。
因此，阅读一些经典文学作品，和读者朋友们一起搭建一块安静的“小型避难所”。
长篇小说的篇幅往往比较长，基础不太好的同学不容易坚持，也很难享受到阅读的快感。于是我决定带大家从短小精悍的短篇小说读起。
第一部作品，我选择了毛姆先生的《患难之交》(A friend in Need)。毛姆是我最钟爱的作者之一，这也是一篇我很喜欢的小说，后劲很大，以至于在看完这篇小说后的好几年，我都经常想起它。
今天我就带大家一起读一读这篇小说。希望大家能找到一块完整的时间，安静地阅读下面这个故事。
A friend in need
患难之交
By William Somerset Maugham
study v. If you study something, you consider it or observe it carefully in order to be able to understand it fully. 研究；调查；仔细观察
engage sb v.to employ sb to do a particular jobfor the most part 雇佣，聘用
draw conclusions from sth 从...得出结论
for the most part used to say that something is generally true but not completely true 就绝大部分而言；基本上，大体上
contour [ˈkɑːntʊr] n.[C]the outer edges of sth; the outline of its shape or form 外形；轮廓
all of a piece 一致，协调；相符合
cannot afford to do sth 承担不起做某事
self-contradictory adj. containing ten ideas or statements that cannot both be true 自相矛盾的
incomprehensible [ɪnˌkɒmprɪˈhensɪbl] adj. impossible to understand 无法理解的；难懂的
haphazard [ˌhæpˈhæzəd] adj.with no particular order or plan; not organized well无秩序的；无计划的；组织混乱的
tubular [ˈtjuːbjʊlər] adj. shaped like a tube 管状的
incongruity [ˌɪn.kəŋˈgruː.əti] n. the fact that something is strange, unusual, or unsuitable in a particular situation 不和谐；不合适；不相称
incongruous adj.不合适的; 不相称的; 不协调的;
eg. Such traditional methods seem incongruous in our technical age. 此类传统方法似乎同我们今天的科技时代格格不入。
cart n.马车
shrug one's shoulders 耸耸肩
vanity [ˈvæn.ɪ.ti] n. [U] too much pride in your own appearance, abilities or achievements 自负；自大；虚荣；虚荣心：
for my / her / their part speaking for myself, etc. 就我(或她、他们等)而言
puzzle v.to make sb feel confused because they do not understand sth 迷惑；使困惑
occur to sb to come into your mind 被想到；出现在头脑中
slender adj. thin in an attractive or elegant way 苗条的；纤细的
wrinkled [ˈrɪŋ.kl ̩d] adj. having wrinkles 有皱纹的
in accordance with sth according to a rule, system etc 按照某事物
dry hunour 冷幽默，十分微妙的幽默
It happened that... 碰巧...
sentimental [ˌsentɪˈmentəl] adj.Someone or something that is sentimental feels or shows pity or love, sometimes to an extent that is considered exaggerated and foolish. 感伤的；多情的；多愁善感的
something of a 在某种程度上是
frail [freɪl] adj.physically weak and thin 瘦弱的
lounge [laʊndʒ] n.a public room in a hotel, club, etc. for waiting or relaxing in 休息室
restful [ˈrestfəl] adj.that makes you feel relaxed and peaceful 闲适宁静的；使人感到悠闲的
presently adv. in a short time 马上，一会儿，不久，很快
catch sight of sb / sth to suddenly see someone or something that you have been looking for or have been hoping to see 忽然看到某人/某物
seat v.向…提供座位；(使)就座；坐；落座
seat oneself 某人坐下，某人落座
"What do you say to a little drink?"
“我们来点小酒怎么样?
nod a greeting 点头问候
remittance [rɪˈmɪtəns] n.[U]the act of sending money to sb in order to pay for sth 汇付；汇款
sb's namesake 同名的人
uncanny adj. strange and difficult to explain 异常的；难以解释的
sip v.to drink sth, taking a very small amount each time 小口喝；抿
think a lot of sb have a very good opinion of sb/sth 对…感兴趣；敬慕…；对…高度评价
credit n.[U] an arrangement that you make, with a shop / store for example, to pay later for sth you buy 赊购；赊欠
down and out without money, a home or a job, and living on the streets 穷愁潦倒；一无所有
give credit 允许赊购
on the account of sth because of sb / sth 由于；因为：
current n.[C] the movement of water in the sea or a river; the movement of air in a particular direction 水流，潮流；气流：
be taken aback (by sb / sth) to be shocked or surprised by sb / sth （被…）吓了一跳；大吃一惊；震惊
- The End -
思考题：
1. 你认为这篇文章的结尾有什么样的特点，能说出它的风格和另外哪位作家比较接近吗？
2.你如何理解这篇小说的标题：A Friend in Need
3.文中的Edward Burton的“表象”是什么？“本性”是什么？
⑶ 睡谷的传说这部小说的简介
睡谷的传说
《睡谷的传说》（The legend of the Sleepy Hollow）是美国作家华盛顿·欧文(Washington Irving，1783—1859)创作的著名短篇小说，包含在他的著名散文集《见闻札记》中。它与华盛顿·欧文的另外两篇短篇小说《瑞普·凡·温克尔》、《鬼新郎》被称为“最早的现代短篇小说”。
《睡谷的传说》讲述的是发生在哈得逊河畔的一个名叫“睡谷”的地方的故事。这个地方鬼气森森，流传着许多恐怖故事，其中无头骑士的故事最为可怕。传说在美国独立战争时期的一次战役中一个赫塞骑兵的头被炮弹打飞了。死后，他的阴魂常在夜里骑马飞奔，到战场上去寻找自己的头颅。故事的主人公是一个名叫伊卡伯德·克莱恩的小学教师。他是一个贪婪、迷信、自负、懦弱而又愚蠢的家伙。他看上了当地一户富裕的荷兰人家的女儿卡特琳娜·凡·塔塞尔，对她的美貌，尤其是她家的财产，垂涎不已……
在《睡谷的传说》中克莱恩看着地里的牲畜家禽，想像着它们在饭桌上让人美餐的情景等等，读来令人忍俊不禁。欧文的文风模仿中有创新，形成了自己独特的风格。著名女作家张爱玲曾翻译过《睡谷的传说》。
《睡谷的传说》自1912年首次搬上银幕以来，曾有多个电影版本相继面世，其中迪斯尼的卡通版《无头骑士传奇》最为深入人心。1999年，好莱坞著名导演、悬念大师蒂姆·伯顿（Tim Burton）将《睡谷的传说》改编后重拍（片名为《Sleepy Hollow》），在戏剧化与幽默感兼顾的情况下将欧文的小说原著提升到一个新高度。同时，曾为《星球大战》系列影片以及《终结者》等片制作数码特效的工业光魔公司，成功为影片营造出的令人毛骨悚然的恐怖场面将使该片毫无争议地跻身经典恐怖片之列。
2004年，由乔尼。德普主演的是最近的英文版，可以一看。