The Best Time of My Life
乔·肯普 / Joe Kemp
It was June 15， and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym.
He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape.
As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day， he noticed I wasn’t full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong.
I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’s age， so I asked him， “What was the best time of your life？”
Without hesitation， Nicholas replied， “Well， Joe， this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question：
“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents， that was the best time of my life.
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today， that was the best time of my life.
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts， that was the best time of my life.
“When I met my wife and fell in love， that was the best time of my life.
“The Second World War came， and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America， that was the best time of my life.
“When we came to Canada and started a family， that was the best time of my life.
“When I was a young father， watching my children grow up， that was the best time of my life.
“And now， Joe， I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health， I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.”
那是6月15日，还有两天我就30岁了。即将迈入我生命中的又一个崭新的十年，我感到有些不安，害怕最美好的时光会离我远去。
我每天都去体育馆锻炼。而且每天早上都会遇见我的朋友尼古拉斯。
他已经79岁了，身材惊人的棒。
在这个特别的日子，我向尼古拉斯打招呼，他注意到我完全没有平时的激情，于是问我怎么了。
我告诉他，自己快到30岁了，很紧张。我想知道当我到了尼古拉斯这个年龄，该怎样回首自己的人生，所以我问他：“您人生中最美好的时光是什么时候？”
尼古拉斯毫不犹豫地回答：“好的，乔，对你这个哲学的问题，我就给你哲学的回答：
“孩提时，我住在奥地利，深受所有人的爱护，接受着父母的言传身教，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“上学时，我学到了许多知识，至今仍然有用，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“第一次找到工作时，我有了责任，通过努力得到了报酬，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“第一次见到我的妻子，我就爱上了她，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“第二次世界大战爆发了，我和妻子为了保护自己，逃离了奥地利。当我们一起安全地在一艘去往北美的船上时，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“我们到达加拿大，开始了新的家庭，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“我成为了一位年轻的父亲，看着自己的孩子慢慢长大，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
“此刻，乔，我已经79岁了。我拥有健康，感觉舒适，我爱我的妻子就像我们第一次见面时一样。这就是我人生中最美好的时光。”
1. As I Nicholas on this particular day， he noticed I wasn’t full of my
_____vitality and asked if there was anything wrong.
2. When I was a in Austria and everything was taken care of____ me and I was nurtured by my parents， that was the time of my life.
3. The Second World War ，and my wife and I had to flee Austria to _
our lives. When we were and safe on a ship bound for North America， that was the best time of my life.
1. 即将迈入我生命中的又一个崭新的十年，我感到有些不安，害怕最美好的时光会离我远去。
2. 上学时，我学到了许多知识，至今仍然有用，那是我人生中最美好的时光。
3. 我拥有健康，感觉舒适，我爱我的妻子就像我们第一次见面时一样。
1. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’s age...
look back：回顾；回头看
2. When I was a young father， watching my children grow up， that was the best time of my life.
grow up：成长，逐渐形成