whatisrealbeauty?
yanglingyuan
本篇是96年湖南省第二届非英语专业大学生英语演讲比赛团体二等奖获奖者之一的演讲辞。其中引用正、反两方面的事例来论述“真正的美不在外表，而在内心”这一观点的方法值得学习与借鉴。
itishumannaturethatallofusshouldbefondofbeauty.everybodywasbornwithaheartforbeauty.
todayinchina,withtherisingofourlivingstandard,people'srequirementofbeautyhasbeenheightenedaccordingly.somepeoplesparenomoneyorenergyonbeautifulclothes,fashionablehairstyles,thedecorationoftheirhousesandeventheimprovementoftheirlooks.butitseemstome,all
thesearemoreorlessconfinedtothebeautyinappearance,orrather,theoutwardbeauty.
inmyopinion,weshouldn'tonlypayattentiontobeautifulappearanceandneglectthebeautificationofthemindandwhatweareaftershouldbetheperfectunityoftheoutwardbeautyandtheinnerbeauty.asweallknow,sofarasobjectsandanimalsareconcerned,thereisonlybeautifulappearancetobementioned,buttoushumanbeings,althoughtheoutwardbeautyreallymatters,theinnerbeautyismuchmoreimportant.thiswasconfirmedbyafamousrussianwriterinwordsmuchlikethis:"apersonis
notlovelyforbeingbeautifulbutbeautifulforbeinglovely."
here,i'dliketoquotetwotypicalinstancesandi'msure,mydearfriends,fromthemyou'llfindoutwhatrealbeautyis.
recentlyilearnedfromtheradioanunpleasantincidentaboutawellknownsinger.sheisverycharmingwithasweetbeautifulvoiceandveryfamousforsingingthesong."devotionoflove".notlongago,shewasinvitedtozhejiangprovincetogiveperformance.themomentshewastoappearonthestage,shesuddenlyaskedformorereward.worsestill,afterherrequestwassatisfied,shedidn'tbegintosingatonce.instead,shetookhertimetocountallthemoneypiecebypiece.thusshekepttheaudiencewaitingforhalfanhour.sowhensheatlastshowedupandstartedtosing"devotionoflove",amanroseupfromhisseatandshoutedather,"youdon'thaveanydevotionoflove.youarenotqualifiedtosingthissong!"hearingthis,thesingerstoppedsingingandbegantoshoutabuseswithherfingerpointedattheman.atthistimethewholeaudienceburstintoanuproar.
howdisappointedherkeenlistenerswerewhentheylearnedthis!itisthesingerherselfwhospoiledherbeautifulimageintheeyesofothers.
now,i'mcomingtoanothertruestory.it'saboutapoor,ordinarylookingoldwoman.shewasawidowwithoutanychildren,livingbarelyfromhandtomouthbypickingoddsandendsfromrubbishheaps.however,shetookinmorethantenhomelessorphanssuccessivelyandmanagedtobringthemup.everydayshelaboredfrommorningtillnight.inordertoearnasmuchmoneyaspossibletoraisethechildrenandtokeeptheminschool,sheevenwenttoahospitalregularlytosellherblood.shegotsoweakforthelossofbloodthatshesometimesfellinafaintonherwayhome.
whenaskedwhyshechosetoburdenherselfwithsomanychildren,shesmiledandsimplyanswered,"oh,ilovechildrenandiliketohavetheircompany."
thoughtheoldwomanwaspoormaterially,shewasfullofaffectionandrichinspirit.shewasloveddearlybyherchildren.shewasalsohighlyappreciatedbythelocalgovernment,andtrulyrespectedbypeopleinhercommunity.
maybeyoucan'thelpwondering,"whatmakesthatordinarywomansoextraordinary?"itisnothingelsebutherinnerbeauty,hertruedevotionoflovewithoutanythoughtofrewarding.whatasharpcontrastthereisbetweenthegreatwomanandtheselfishsinger]
so,toanswerthequestion"whatisrealbeauty?",ideclaredefinitely,itisthebeautylyinginone'sheartofheartsandembodiedinhisactionsanddeeds,thatis,theinnerheauty!