阅读理解
Old words are wise words
EDITOR’S note：The works of British essayist(散文家)Sir Francis Bacon(1561－1626)are well－known throughout Chinese high schools．
Nearly 400 years ago in April he breathed his last breath．Today, his essays on friendship, self－love and being young, for example, still remain relevant(相关的)to students throughout the world．
Here, the School Edition presents Sir Bacon’s essay on studying．Some of the words have been simplified．
Studies serve to delight, for ornament(装饰), and for ability．Their chief use for delight, is in private; for ornament, is in conversation; and for ability, is in the judgment of business．．．To spend too much time in studies is not healthy; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation(矫揉造作); to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the characteristic of a scholar(学究)．
Studies perfect nature, and are perfected by experience：for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning(修剪); and studies themselves, give too many general directions in life, they need to be bound(约束)by experiences．．．
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention．．．
Reading makes a full man; discussion a ready man(明辨是非的人); and writing an exact man．
And therefore, if a man writes little, he has need for a great memory; if he discusses little, he has need for a ready wit(睿智); and if he reads little, he has need for much cunning(狡黠)to pretend he has more knowledge than he does．．．
Bowling(球类运动)is good for kidneys(肾); shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like．
So if a man’s wit lacks focus, let him study mathematics．For if his mind starts wandering(走神), even a little, he must go back to the beginning of his problem again．If his wit is not able to find differences, let him study the philosophers; for they are cymini sectores(Latin for “hair－splitters”－ people who examine problems very closely)．If he is not able to use one thing to prove another, let him study the lawyers’ cases．
So every defect(缺陷)of the mind may have a special remedy(治疗法)．
