事要竭尽全力，就算并非能力所及。
——《我和碧小姐》
只有把你的天赋告诉别人，把他们内心的丑陋暴露出来，他们才
会知道你有多美。
—— 《丑女》
结局够多的了，开头总是更有趣。真正的行家懂得品味故事的弹
性部分，这是*奈何不得的部分。
——《圆满的结局》
原来身体*重要的部位不是利己的，而是对别人的痛苦能感同身
受的部位。
——《身体*重要的部位》
本书为中英双语读物。精巧的故事、有趣的翻译、地道的英文，让读者既能体味微型小说里人性的丰富复杂，又能深层次地品读英文语言的特色表达与艺术之美，是文学爱好者和英语学习者的必备读物。《选一种姿态 让自己活得无可替代》选取25篇启迪智慧、发人深省的故事，让你在阅读中思索人生的真谛。
试读部分章节：
丑 女
格洛里亚确实有值得关注的地方。也许是她浓密的金发、漂亮的肤色、娇嫩的皮肤、姣好的身材，或者是她任何时候都知道她的身体的所有部位在哪里。
也许是因为她长得丑。
但是她身上有一种神奇的东西，这种东西超越了鲨鱼渔夫被大白鲨包围时眼里闪烁的光芒，有些东西，超越了天上无穷无尽的繁星。
也许格洛里亚的内在本质会在有露的清晨在一朵白玫瑰上闪亮。
也许这是看不见的。
一天，她被同学嘲笑，回家后哭了。
她母亲坐下来说：“格洛里亚，你真漂亮。我不是指内在，因为每个人的内在都很丑。你前额凸出，两眼的眼距惊人，鼻子曲线玲珑，还是歪的，嘴巴曲线动人。上帝对你很好。好看的人似乎都一样，因为他们五官平平。格洛里亚，你非同寻常，你的容貌与众不同。你很漂亮，你的外表美只是你如此与众不同的一部分。”
“我们死定了吗，妈妈？”
“只要你醒悟过来就可以。像所有有天赋的人一样，你必须付出代价。只有把你的天赋告诉别人，把他们内心的丑陋暴露出来，他们才会知道你有多美。”
几年后，在她十八岁生日的时候，格洛里亚和乔叔叔一起吃午饭。
“格洛里亚，你的嘴真漂亮。”
格洛里亚唠叨着。“哦，天哪。你们这些家伙总是这样信口胡言吗？”
“不。”他厉声说。“你是个漂亮的女孩。当然，像每个人一样，我必须摆脱内心的丑陋，才能看到你的美丽，但是我现在看到了。你今天十八岁了，现在是你去当地酒吧选一个男人的时候了。”
那天晚上，格洛里亚走进当地一家酒吧，大步走向她看到的最漂亮的男人。他看上去很沮丧，但她觉得这激起了自己的挑战心理。
她坐在他旁边说：“嗨，我叫格洛里亚。你叫什么名字？”
“拉尔夫。”他忧郁地说。
“一个大小伙子，干吗这么沮丧？要不要我请你喝一杯？”
他转过身来，眼睛睁得大大的。“好吧，但你不是我喜欢的类型。”
当他们的饮料送过来的时候，她微笑着说：“看着我，拉尔夫。我很漂亮。”
“不行，亲爱的。你是我见过的最丑的女孩。”
格洛里亚并没有畏缩，而是开心地啜饮着饮料，像春天的青蛙一样快乐。“我有一种特别的美，拉尔夫。”如果她那么丑，为什么一个英俊的男人会这样看着她？
“我不是指内在。每个人的内心都很丑陋。我是说外表。但是为了看到我的美丽，你必须摆脱你内心的丑陋。”
拉尔夫叹了口气。“不行，亲爱的。你需要整形手术。”
格洛里亚第一次尝到酒的味道，她把浓密的金发甩了甩。“何必费那个事呢？我像我一样美丽，对我来说够了。你为什么这么沮丧啊？”
他抱怨说：“我昨晚失眠了。”他回头看了一眼穿红裤子的金发女郎，她正笑着抓住一个年轻人的胳膊。“看见那个女孩了吗？昨晚我去她家赴约，却看见她上了另一个男人的车扬长而去。有三个人因为她自杀过。”
格洛里亚扮了个鬼脸。“为什么，拉尔夫？她看起来很普通。”
拉尔夫咳嗽了一声。“普通？她可以得到她想要的任何男人。”
“瞎说吧，拉尔夫？她看起来很漂亮，因为她五官平平。”
金发女郎慢悠悠地走了过来，搂着拉尔夫。“对不起，拉尔夫。
我忘了我已经和另一个人约好了，我们明天晚上再约吧。”
“不用了，谢谢。我已经和这个女孩有约了。”
金发女郎看着格洛里亚，怒气冲冲地说，“你不可能和这样的女孩约会。”
拉尔夫把饮料一饮而尽。“是真的。”
“你真恶心。那就算了吧。只要我想，像你这样的男人我随时一抓一大把。 ”
她离开了，但眼睛却一直没有离开拉尔夫。格洛里亚捂住了嘴，逗得他哈哈大笑。“看见了吗？她是内外都丑陋。我们到你家去吧。”
拉尔夫笑了。“你这么天真啊？”
“我可能是天真，拉尔夫，但我有特殊的能力。我有一种本能。我随时都知道自己身体各个部位所在的位置。”
拉尔夫眨眼。“所以呢？”
“这种本能需要肌肉、神经、骨骼和脑细胞的不可思议的整合，真是太神奇啦！你看。”
金发女郎正和她的新同伴走过来，让拉尔夫心生嫉妒，格洛里亚挥动双臂，拍了拍金发女郎的后背。她东倒西歪地走着，格洛里亚试图扶她起来，却被她打了一巴掌，走开了。
“格洛里亚，”拉尔夫说，“我现在看到你的美了。”
“真的，拉尔夫。与你的价值相比，你的困难似乎更多。”
“但是我需要你，格洛里亚。我现在能看到你的美了。”
格洛里亚双手抱胸。“算了吧，拉尔夫。我刚才撒了谎。我真的很丑。不信你问问这个房间里的任何人。”
“嘿，请问大家，这个女孩丑吗？”
“不丑！”他们异口同声地大叫。
“听，格洛里亚。你很漂亮。幸亏有了你，这里的每个人内心现在都没那么丑陋了。”
格洛里亚凝视着他恳求的目光。“好吧，我们走吧。我希望你有公寓。”
拉尔夫跟哪个幼嫩光滑的美女都没有过这么多的乐趣。早上，他跑到浴室里呕吐，但那是因为喝得太多了，格洛里亚用番茄汁和塔巴斯科调味汁调配起来给他喝。那天晚些时候，他从公寓的窗户向外望去，看见码头上吊着一条鲨鱼。
“我想当一个捕鲨渔民。”他说。
他当上了。格洛里亚成了一名护士。他们一个月后结婚了。
两年后，格洛里亚来到船甲板上照镜子。“我不知道。也许我应该做个整形手术。”
“何必费那个事儿呢？”拉尔夫边说边拉上来一条虎鲨。“你这样就很美。”
故事的经过就是这样。
The Ugly Girl
There was something about Gloria. Maybe it was her thick, blond hair, nice skin tone, nice body, or that she knew where all her body parts were at any moment.
Maybe it was that she was ugly.
But something was magical about her, something beyond the gleam in eyes of a shark fisherman surrounded by great whites, something beyond the infinity of the stars above.
Perhaps Gloria’s essence could be seen glistening on a white rose on a dewy morning.
Perhaps it couldn’t be seen.
One day, she came home crying after being teased by her classmates.
Her mother sat her down and said,“Gloria, you’re beautiful. I don’t mean inside, because everybody is ugly inside. You have a prominent forehead, startling wide-apart eyes, an exquisite curved and twisted nose, and an electrifying crooked mouth. God has been good to you. Good looking people only seem that way because they have average features. And, Gloria, you’re not at all average.You have distinctive looks. You’re gorgeous, and your physical beauty is only part of what makes you so special.”
“Are we done yet, Mom?”
“Not until you come to your senses. Like all gifted people, you must pay a price. Only by telling people of your gifts and bringing out their ugliness inside will they see how beautiful you are.”
Years later, on her eighteenth birthday, Gloria ate lunch with Uncle Joe.
“You have a beautiful mouth, Gloria.”
Gloria gagged.“Oh, god. Don’t you guys ever let up on that crap?”
“No,”he snapped.“You’re a beautiful girl. Sure, like everyone, I had to rid myself of my ugliness inside to see your beauty, but I see it now. You’re eighteen today. It’s time for you to go to a local bar and pick up a man.”
That night, Gloria marched into a local bar and strode up to the best looking guy she saw. He looked depressed, but she felt inspired by the challenge.
She sat beside him and said,“Hi, I’m Gloria. What’s your name?”
“Ralph,” he said in his gloom.
“Why so down big fella? How about I buy you a drink?”
He turned and his eyes blasted open.“All right, but you’re not my type.”
When their drinks arrived, she smiled and said,“Look at me, Ralph. I’m gorgeous.”
“No way, honey. You’re the ugliest girl I’ve ever met.”
Undeterred, Gloria delightedly sipped her drink, as happy as a frog in springtime.“I have a special kind of beauty, Ralph.”If she was so ugly, why was a handsome man looking her way?
“I don’t mean inside. Everyone is ugly inside. I mean outside.
But to see my beauty, you must rid yourself of the ugliness inside you.”
Ralph sighed.“No way, honey. You need plastic surgery.”
Reeling from her first taste of liquor, Gloria tossed her thick blond hair.“Why bother. I’m beautiful like I am. Enough about me. Why are you so depressed?”
He groaned.“I got stood up last night.” He glanced back at a flashy blond in red slacks, laughing and clutching the arm of a young man.“See that girl? When I got to her house for our date last night, I saw her get in another guy’s car and ride off. Three guys have attempted suicide because of her.”
Gloria grimaced.“Why, Ralph? She’s so average looking.”
Ralph coughed.“Average? She can get any guy she wants.”
“Nonsense, Ralph? She only seems beautiful because of her average features.”
The blond sauntered over and slid her arm around Ralph.
“Sorry, Ralph. I forgot I’d already made a date with another guy. Let’s make it for tomorrow night.”
“No thanks. I already have a date with this girl.”
The blond looked at Gloria and huffed.“There’s no way you’d date a girl like that.”
Ralph swallowed his drink. “Believe it.”
“You’re disgusting. Forget it then. I walk over guys like you anytime I want.”
She left, but kept her eyes on Ralph. Gloria gagged and made him laugh.“See? She’s ugly inside and out. Let’s go to your place.”
Ralph laughed.“You are so naive?”
“I may be naive, Ralph, but I have special abilities. I have proprioception. I know the position of all my body parts at any moment.”
Ralph blinked. “So?”
“Proprioception takes an incredible integration of muscles, nerves, bones, and brain cells. It’s amazing. Look.”
Gloria swung her arms and smacked with her backswing the blonde, who was walking by with her new companion to make
Ralph jealous. She went sprawling, and Gloria tried to help her up, but she slapped her away and marched off.
“Gloria,” said Ralph,“I see your beauty now.”
“Really, Ralph. You seem more trouble than you’re worth.”
“But I want you, Gloria. I can see your beauty now.”
Gloria folded her arms.“Forget it, Ralph. I was lying. I’m really ugly. Ask any guy in this room.”
“Hey, everyone, is this girl ugly?”
“No!” they all yelled.
“See, Gloria. You’re beautiful. Everyone here has less ugliness inside thanks to you.”
Gloria gazed at his pleading eyes. “All right, let’s go. I hope you have condominiums.”
Ralph never had so much fun with any girl as he did with the slipping and sliding beauty. In the morning, he ran to the bathroom to throw up, but it was from drinking too much, and Gloria fixed him with a tomato juice and Tabasco sauce concoction. Later that day, he looked out his condominium window and saw a shark hanging by a dock.
“I want to be a shark fisherman,” he said.
And he did. And Gloria became a nurse. And they got married a month later.
Two years later, Gloria came out on the boat deck looking in a mirror.“I don’t know. Maybe I should have plastic surgery.”
“Why bother,” said Ralph, pulling in a tiger shark. “You’re beautiful the way you are.”
And that was that.
目录：
我和碧小姐 / Me & Miss Bee·1
光盘 / A Clean Plate·8
丑女 / The Ugly Girl·20
勒赎信 / Ransom Note·29
“贫穷是什么？”/ “What Is Poverty?”·36
圆满的结局 / Happy Endings·49
入职介绍 / Orientation·60
2053 年的夜行人 / The Pedestrian ·77
身体最重要的部位 / What Is the Most Important Part of the Body·85
诚实的乞丐 / An Honest Beggar·89
机智的女儿 / Thinking Out of the Box·96
红蚂蚁大战黑蚂蚁 / The Battle of the Red and the Black Ants·100
夏夜 / One Summer Night·105
骆驼为什么有驼峰 / How the Camel Got His Hump·110
房子上的藤蔓 / A Vine on a House·119
最好的朋友 / Best Friends·128
石狮子 / The Stone Lion·134
为什么海水是咸的 / The Magic Mill·141
雪人 / The Snowman·151
有症状的乘客 / The Sympathetic Passenger·160
化敌为友 / Worst Enemy-Best Friends·171
不要告诉我我很漂亮 / Don’t Tell Me I’m Beautiful·185
应急预案 / Contingency Plan·192
活着 / Love of Life·201
死如树脂 / Sap·208
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