2024年06月四级第1套仔细阅读 Passage 1 原文翻译及答案解析

Lao Zi once said, "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."

老子曾说过：“在意别人的看法，你将永远是他们的囚徒。”

People-pleasing, or seeking self-worth through others' approval, is unproductive and an exhausting way to go through life. Why do we allow what others think of us to have so much power over how we feel about ourselves? If it's true that you can't please all people all of the time, wouldn't it make sense to stop trying?

讨好他人，或通过他人的认可来寻求自我价值，是一种徒劳且令人疲惫的生活方式。为什么我们要让别人对我们的看法如此影响我们对自己的感受呢？如果你确实无法一直取悦所有人，那么停止尝试难道不是合理的吗？

Unfortunately, sense often isn't driving our behavior. For social beings who desire love and belonging, wanting to be liked, and caring about the effect we have on others, is healthy and allows us to make connections. However, where we get into trouble is when our self-worth is dependent upon whether we win someone's approval or not.

不幸的是，理智往往无法驱动我们的行为。对于渴望爱和归属感的社会性生物来说，希望被喜欢和关心我们对他人的影响是健康的，并有助于建立联系。然而，当我们陷入困境时，往往是因为我们的自我价值取决于是否赢得某人的认可。

This need to be liked can be traced back to when we were children and were completely dependent on others to take care of us: Small children are not just learning how to walk and communicate, they are also trying to learn how the world works. We learn about who we are and what is expected of us based on interactions with others, so, to a four-year-old, if Mommy or Daddy doesn't like him or her, there is the danger that they will abandon them. We need to understand that when we desperately want someone to approve of us, it's being driven by that little kid part of us that is still terrified of abandonment.

这种被喜欢的需求可以追溯到我们完全依赖他人照顾的童年时期：小孩子不仅在学习如何走路和交流，还在努力了解世界的运作方式。我们通过与他人的互动来了解自己是谁以及对我们有什么期望，所以，对于一个四岁的孩子来说，如果妈妈或爸爸不喜欢他或她，就会有被抛弃的危险。我们需要理解，当我们迫切希望得到某人的认可时，这源于我们内心那个仍然害怕被抛弃的小孩部分。

As you become more capable of providing yourself with the approval you seek, your need for external validation will start to vanish, leaving you stronger, more confident, and yes, happier in your life. Imagine how much time we lose each moment we restrain our authentic selves in an effort to be liked.

当你更能够为自己提供所寻求的认可时，对外部验证的需求就会开始消失，让你更强大、更自信，并且确实更快乐地生活。想象一下，每当我们为了被喜欢而压抑真实的自我时，我们失去了多少时间。

If we base our worth on the opinions of others, we cheat ourselves of the power to shape our experiences and embrace life not only for others but also for ourselves, because ultimately, there is no difference. So embrace the cliché (老话) and love yourself as it's highly doubtful that you'll regret it.

如果我们把价值建立在他人的意见上，我们就剥夺了自己塑造经验和拥抱生活的力量，不仅是为了他人，也是为了我们自己，因为最终，这两者没有区别。所以，接受这句老话，爱自己吧，因为你很可能会后悔不这样做。