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经典英语短文美文欣赏【关于挫折的英
语美文欣赏】
有勇气并不表示困难不存在，而是敢面对挫折、克服困难。小编整理了关于挫折的英语美文，欢迎阅读!
关于挫折的英语美文篇一
Thefailureisthemotherofsuccess.buthowmanypeoplearea ctuallyabletograspthemystery?
generalspeaking,peopleareafraidoffailure.whatshould wefailtoface?Thekeyissuesweretofail.weunderstandand transformtheworld,thedefeatwasinevitable.braveinfac eoffailureistheonlycorrectwaytosuccessofourguide.we cansumupthelessonfromfailure.Aftermanymistakes,wesh ouldbeclosetosuccessandbelievethatfailureisonlytemp orary.Thefailureofthepeopletendtobealone,aroundonhi ssupport,evenacomfortingword,canaddtohisgreatpower.
Inaword,failurearenotterrible.horribleisyoudon'thav ethecouragetofacedefeatfeeling!
关于挫折的英语美文篇二
Failureisacommonthinginourdailylife.Therearetimeswh enwefailtodosatisfactorywork.Inshort,failureshappen naturallyandalmosteveryonehassuchexperience.
however,therearedifferentattitudestowardfailure.som epeopleloseconfidenceinfailure.somepeopledon'ttakef ailureseriouslyandtheyjustletitbe,whilesomeothersle arnmuchfromfailure,andthereforeseethelightofhopethr oughfailure.
Inmyopinion,whatreallycountsisnotfailureitself,butw hatwethinkoffailureanddoafterfailure.Aslongaswedon' tgiveupandbelieveinourselves,andinthemeantimelearns omethingfromfailure,we'llcertainlymakeourmarksinthi sworldintheend.
关于挫折的英语美文篇三
Aperson'slifeislikeashiptravelingonthesea,sometimes
intheopenseaworthinessofvesselsrequiredtocontrolthe direction,ifintherightdirection,theshipwasatmostsma llwindxiaolangdisloshingaboutthehull.Ifthedirection iswrong,maybetoswallowthetsunami,inanycase,theshipc annotbeplainsailing.
I'lltellyouastorynow:theinventionoflightbulbbeforee disonhadspentthousandsoffilamentmaterialshavefailed todo,abusinessmanironicallyhim:youarenotmanufacturi ngthelamp,youtestedthousandsofmaterialsdidnotanysuc cess.edisonreplied:No,Iatleasthaveprovedthat1000kin dsofmaterialsarenotsuitabletodofilament.Ireadthisst oryverytouching,Ithinkedisonputitbest.evenifedisonf ailedthousandsoftimes,sowhat?himultimatelysuccessfu l.Asthesayinggoes:Failureisthemotherofsuccess.There isno"failureofthemother,"howhas"successfulson."with thousandsofedison"failedmothers,willbeno"success"to you?eatonegraben,againinyourwit.Andeatingarethousan dsofedisongraben,oneofthousandsoflong-chi.Ifyoudono teatgraben,howlongmoses?edisonwithafewthousandtimes
thathaveexperiencedfailurebeforetheytapthedoortosuc cess,sothatheimmortalizedthegreatinventions.
Iamstudyingchildhoodbiketoo,Ihavesaidmanytimesfromt hebikefelloff,butthenmyheartjustwantaword:failureis themotherofsuccess.Irodewellmayhaveabadhandgrip,and soonboardunwieldy.Itriedagainandagainavarietyofmeth ods,finallysucceeded
Indeedafterapersonbeforeanythingwillfail,onlyinthef ailureofthecourseoflessons,theexperienceofpilingup, youcansucceed.Failureisalsoagrowingpartof。
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经典英语美文欣赏80篇（适用于成人） 英语美文欣赏80篇 01-The Love of Beauty 英语美文欣赏80篇 02-The Happy Door 英语美文欣赏80篇 03-Born to Win 英语美文欣赏80篇 04-Work and Pleasure 英语美文欣赏80篇 05-Mirror,Mirror-What do I See 英语美文欣赏80篇 06-On Motes and Beams 英语美文欣赏80篇 07-An October Sunrise 英语美文欣赏80篇 08-To be or not to be 英语美文欣赏80篇 09-Gettysburg address 英语美文欣赏80篇10-First Inaugural Address
英语美文欣赏80篇11-American black bears 英语美文欣赏80篇 12-Coal-fired power plants 英语美文欣赏80篇 13-Statistics 英语美文欣赏80篇 14-Obtaining Fresh water from icebergs 英语美文欣赏80篇 15-The source of Energy 英语美文欣赏80篇 16-Vision 英语美文欣赏80篇 17-Folk Cultures 英语美文欣赏80篇 18-Bacteria 英语美文欣赏80篇 19-Sleep 英语美文欣赏80篇 20-Cells and Temperature 英语美文欣赏80篇21-Youth 英语美文欣赏80篇 22-Three Days to See 英语美文欣赏80篇 23-Companionship of Books 英语美文欣赏80篇24-If I Rest,I Rust 英语美文欣赏80篇 25-Ambition 英语美文欣赏80篇 26-What I have Lived for 英语美文欣赏80篇 27-When Love Beckons You 英语美文欣赏80篇 28-The Road to Success
高中优秀英语美文摘抄 试着训练自己的思想朝好的一面看，这样你就会汲取实现目标的动力，而不会因为消极沉沦停滞不前。 一旦变换看问题的角度，你的生活会豁然开朗，幸福快乐会接踵而来。 别交出掌握命运的主动权，也别指望局面会不可思议的好转。 你必须与内心希望与热情步调一致。 建立自信，敢于与困难短兵相接，而非绕道而行。 记住，力量不是驾驭局势的法宝，无坚不摧的能力才是最重要的。 请坚信，美好的降临并非不可能，失误也许是成功的前奏。 将惶恐化作信任，学会超越担忧和疑虑。 让“诚惶诚恐的时光变得“富有成效。 不要挥霍浪费精力，将它投到有意义的事情中去。 当你下意识品尝生命的欢愉时，美好就会出现。 当你积极地看待生活，并以此作为你的日常准则时，你就会找到快乐的真谛。 该研究的主要作者、美国印第安纳州诺特丹大学的心理学家杰西卡?佩恩认为，在学完新东西后打个盹就像把要记住的东西“告诉睡眠中的大脑。 她和同事一起对207名学生进行了研究，这些学生习惯每晚至少睡六个小时。
参与者被随机分配到几个学习小组，学习内容是陈述性知识，包括语义相连或不相连的词组。 学习时间在早上9点或晚上9点。 学完后他们在30分钟、12小时或24小时后回来做测试。 陈述性记忆指的是有意识地记忆事实和事件的能力，可以分为情节记忆(对事件的记忆)和语义记忆(对事实类知识的记忆)。 人们每天都会例行运用这两种记忆——回想今天我们把车停在了哪里或了解一个同事喜欢别人怎么称呼他。 在12小时后再次进行测试时，总体来看睡了一夜的人相比还没睡觉的人记忆效果更好。 在24小时后再度测试时，所有的实验对象都睡了一整夜，也在清醒中度过了一个白天。 这次，那些在学习后不久就入睡的人比那些学习后过了一整个白天才睡觉的人记忆效果更好。 佩恩说：“我们的研究证实，在学习新东西后马上睡觉对记忆有帮助。 这项研究的创新之处在于，我们试图通过对语义相连和不相连的词组的记忆研究来揭示睡眠对于两种陈述性记忆的影响。 “我们发现在学习之后很快就睡觉对两种记忆都有帮助，这意味着在上床睡觉前温习你要记忆的东西将很有好处。 在某种意义上，你可能在‘告诉’睡眠中的大脑需要巩固强化的记忆。
超级经典的英语短文美文赏析 一、 Everyone has that period in which they find those who are close to them start to seem annoying . 每个人都会经历这样的时期：发现身边那些亲近的人开始变得有点烦了。 You suddenly realized that they've always been talking and talking. 你会突然意识到，长久以来他们就一直不停地在说啊说。 They never stopped. 他们从来就没有停过。 Some of us get angry with them, thinking they are trying too hard to intervene in our lives. 我们中的有些人，会开始变得愤怒，觉得他们对我们的生活介入太多。 But don't. 但是，请不要愤怒。 Only those who really care about you will bother saying so much to you. 只有那些真正关心我们的人才会费劲对我们说这么多。 It's just that maybe they don't know the right way to put it. 只是，他们可能并不知道正确的相处办法。 Some of them push too hard because they care too much. 他们中有些人逼得太紧，那是因为他们太在乎。 Some of them speak too much because they worry about you too much. 他们中的有些人说得太多，那是因为他们太担心你。 They do this because they love you. 他们这么做，都是因为爱你。 So don't push them away. 所以，不要将他们拒于千里之外。 Just find a way to let them know what you truly want. 去找一个办法告诉他们你真的想要的是什么吧。 And let them grow with you. 并且去让他们和你一起成长。 That will make both of you happy.
关于经典英语美文摘抄 【篇一】关于经典英语美文：美国革命的历史意义 The Historical Significance of American Revolution The ways of history are so intricate and the motivations of human actions so complex that it is always hazardous to attempt to represent events covering a number of years, a multiplicity of persons, and distant localities as the expression of one intellectual or social movement; yet the historical process which culminated in the ascent of Thomas Jefferson to the presidency can be regarded as the outstanding example not only of the birth of a new way of life but of nationalism as a new way of life. The American Revolution represents the link between the seventeenth century, in which modern England became conscious of itself, and the awakening of modern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. It may seem strange that the march of history should have had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, but only in the North American colonies could a struggle for civic liberty lead also to the foundation of a new nation. Here, in the popular rising against a "tyrannical" government, the fruits were more than the securing of a freer constitution. They included the growth of a nation born in liberty by the will of the people, not from the roots of common descent, a geographic entity, or the ambitions of king or dynasty. With the American nation, for the first time, a nation was born, not in the dim past of history but before the eyes of the whole world. 美国革命的历史意义
Sun smile 阳光般的微笑 The sun shone brightly on the ground in front of her feet as she pondered the reality of light. 太阳光芒四射地照耀这她脚前这片大地。她在沉思，思考着阳光是怎么一回事: How did light get here? Who made it and why? 它是怎么来到这儿的?谁让它来的?来做什么? She instinctively stepped into the sun spot and instantly felt warmer, brighter, and fuller of life and energy. 她下意识地踏进阳光里，整个人立刻觉得暖和，清醒起来，浑身充满了生机和活力。 The sun wrapped her in comfort and stability for, if nothing else,she could always count on the sun waking her up most mornings. 阳光笼罩着她，她感到很舒服很踏实，如果没有其他事情，大多数早晨，她都会让阳光叫她起床。
Its predictable radiance felt like the mother she never had as her childhood was characterized more so by pain and heartache than comfort and love. 太阳那如期而至的光芒就像妈妈一样，虽然她从来就没有感受过母爱，她的童年记忆里满是痛苦和伤心，而不是关怀和爱。 She stepped out of the sunlight and felt that all-too-familiar anxious pang in the pit of her stomach as she remembered how horrible it was to live in her childhood home. 她从阳光里走出来，一阵再熟悉不过的恼人的悲痛袭击了她的胸口，让她回忆起童年时的可怕生活。 Memories flooded her mind as she unsuccessfully tried to block them out by thinking good thoughts. 她努力朝好的方面想，希望能抵挡住如洪水般泛滥的痛苦回忆，但是无济于事。 Oh how she wished she could curl up in the middle of the sun and allow its love to encase her for all eternity. 她是多么希望可以蜷缩在温暖的阳光里，让太阳的爱包裹着她直到永远。 But, no, she was stuck here on earth with those who didn't feel the sun's rays the same way she did,who didn't feel deeply connected to this amazing source of life. 然而，这是不可能的。她只能在这儿，和其他人一起。其他人不像她一样渴望阳光，也不曾觉得自己与这神奇的生命之源有什么紧密联系。 All she could do was stand in the sun on occasion and shut out the rest of the world for a little while. 她唯一能做的就是偶尔站在阳光里，和阳光以外的世界短暂地隔离。 Maybe if she stood here long enough they would cease to exist. 她想也许只要一直站在阳光里，外面的世界也就不复存在了。
高中英语美文欣赏_0 精品文档 高中英语美文欣赏 美文,是文质兼美的文章。引导学生读好读美,诵读悟情 积累。学生对美的体验和领悟,来自感觉的整体性,一定要从 语言材料的氛围中去获得。学习啦小编整理了高中英语美 文，欢迎阅读! 高中英语美文篇一 The Source of Energy A summary of the physical and chemical nature of life must begin, not on the Earth, but in theSun; in fact, at the Sun's very center. It is here that is to be found the source of the energythat the Sun constantly pours out into space as light and heat. This energy is liberated at thecenter of the Sun as billions upon billions of nuclei of hydrogen atoms collide with each otherand fuse together to form nuclei of helium, and in doing so, release some of the energy that isstored in the nuclei of atoms. The output of light and heat of the Sun requires that some00million tons of hydrogen be converted into helium in the Sun every second. This the Sun hasbeen doing for several thousands of millions of nuclear energy is released at theSun's center as high-energy gamma radiation, a form of electromagnetic 1 / 8 精品文档
经典英语美文短篇：爱母亲甚于爱自己 说明和注解：丁克威 这是一篇动情之作，读完后掩卷而思：母亲的胸怀是博大的，母亲的心灵是至纯的，母亲的爱是无私的。然而我们对于母亲的报答又有多少？ 文章语言朴素简单，相信作为中学生的你能轻松地读下来。读到佳句妙语处，真希望你能把它记下来、背下来。 Those Childhood Days When you came into the world, she held you in her arms. ?hold somebody in one’s arms: 把某人抱在怀中 You thanked her by weeping your eyes out. ?weep one’s eyes out: 痛 哭；大哭 When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you. ?注意bathe在此处用作及物动词，意为“给……洗澡”。 You thanked her by crying all night long. ?all night long：整夜；如 说“整天”则是all day long。 When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk. ?可说teach somebody to do something（教某人做 某事） You thanked her by running away when she called. When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love. ?do something with love: 带着爱意/心做某事。 You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor. ?toss: 抛投。When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons. ? crayon: 蜡笔。 You thanked her by coloring the dining room table. ?color在此句中用作动 词，表示“着色”。When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays. ? dress: 给……穿衣。 You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud. ?plop: 扑通一声地掉下去。 When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school. ?注意walk在此处用作及物动词，意为“陪……一起走”。
关于经典英语美文摘抄 【导语】在英语教学中,开展经典美文教学不仅能提高学生的文学水平,而且能提高学生的语文素养,对培养学生的语言素养和人文素养具有极大益处,更能丰富学生的精神世界,磨炼学生的意志。本文是由小编整理的关于经典英语美文，希望对大家有帮助! 【篇一】关于经典英语美文：美国革命的历史意义 The Historical Significance of American Revolution The ways of history are so intricate and the motivations of human actions so complex that it is always hazardous to attempt to represent events covering a number of years, a multiplicity of persons, and distant localities as the expression of one intellectual or social movement; yet the historical process which culminated in the ascent of Thomas Jefferson to the presidency can be regarded as the outstanding example not only of the birth of a new way of life but of nationalism as a new way of life. The American Revolution represents the link between the seventeenth century, in which modern England became conscious of itself, and the awakening of modern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. It may seem strange that the march of history should have had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, but only in the North American colonies could a struggle for civic liberty lead also to the foundation of a new nation. Here, in the popular rising against a "tyrannical" government, the fruits were more than the securing of a freer constitution. They included the growth of a nation born in liberty by the will of the people, not from the roots of common descent, a geographic entity, or the ambitions of king or dynasty. With the American nation, for the first time, a nation was born, not in the dim past of history but before the eyes of the whole world.
精选英语美文赏析 优美的文字于细微处传达出美感，并浸润着人们的心灵。通过英语美文,不仅能够感受语言之美,领悟语言之用，还能产生学习语言的兴趣。度过一段美好的时光，即感悟生活，触动心灵。下面是为大家带来精选英语美文赏析，希望大家喜欢! 精选英语美文：无需苦苦寻找诚实的人 I BELIEVE in people. However much of a mess we seem to make of the world, it is people who have brought about all the progress we know, and I don't mean just material progress. All have been for-mulated and expressed by men and women. Even when people make mistakes it seems to me they usually make them from right motives. Most of us want to do good. I believe in people because I have seen a great many of them in different parts of the world. I would rather trust my own experience and observation than the cynical remarks of unhappy men. My belief not only has given me a happy life but has made possible any really useful work I have done. Of course I like people, too. As a newspaperman for twenty years in this country, Europe and Australia, I met all
Fall in Love with English 爱上英语 Hiding behind the loose dusty curtain, a teenager packed up his overcoat into the suitcase. He planned to leave home at dusk though there was thunder and lightning outdoors. He had got to do this because he was tired of his parents’ nagging about his English study and did not want to go through it any longer. He couldn’t get along well with English and disliked joining in English classes because he thought his teacher ignored him on purpose. As a result, his score in each exam never added up to over 60. His partner was concerned about him very much. She understood exactly what he was suffering from, but entirely disagreed with his idea. In order to calm him down and settle his problem, she talked with him face to face and swapped a series of learning tips with him. The items she set down helped him find the highway to studying English well. The teenager was grateful and got great power from his friend’s words. Now, he has recovered from being upset and has fallen in love with English. 2 Different Countries Have Different Kinds of Englishes 不同的国家有不同的英语 Voyages of people from England play an important part in spreading the English language. At present, English is frequently spoken as an official or common language in many countries, such as America, Singapore, Malaysia and some African countries. All based on British English, the English spoken in these countries can be well understood by native English speakers. But actually, these Englishes have been gradually changing in accents, spellings, expressions and the usage of vocabulary. Because of this fact, you can make use of the differences to tell which country the foreigners of your block are from. For example, if a boss fluently commands his driver, “Come up straight to my apartment by elevator and take some gas for my trucks and cabs”, instead of requesting, “Please come to my flat by lift and take some petrol for my lorries and taxis”, you can recognize his American identity, while the latter suggests that he is British .3.A Hard Trip一次辛苦的旅行 My sister was fond of traveling. Ever since graduating, she had been determined to organize a trip to an old temple. Since transporting fare was expensive, she decided to use a bicycle to cycle there not caring about the disadvantages. Her stubborn attitude was always her shortcoming. Once she made up her mind to do something, no one could persuade her to change her mind. Finally, we gave in as usual though we preferred to take a train. After we prepared everything, including the schedule, reliable weather forecast and
经典英语美文欣赏50篇关于爱家的英语美文欣赏 不要太注意家庭的外观及形式，最主要的，是要注重家庭里特有的，充满了爱、温暖与明朗的气氛。了关于爱家的英语美文，欢迎阅读! Home is a warm noun, because it means a place full filled with love and support. Home is not just a place where we live in, but a place where families support each other and show their love to others. When we have something happy, we first want to bring them home and share the happinesswith families. On the contrast, if we get into trouble, home is the first place where we look for support and fort. In short, home is not just a house we live in; moreover, it's our home of spirit. I was panic a while absolute being, stand Be frightenning into inaction simultaneously, stare greatly eyes to looking at father and mother, the in the mind worries very much they will blame me.Just at I daze of time, father said a words:"Unimportant of, ground(from year to year) and peaceful!"
英语美文欣赏 第一篇：A Grain of Sand 一粒沙子William Blake/威廉.布莱克To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild fllower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. 从一粒沙子看到一个世界，从一朵野花看到一个天堂，把握在你手心里的就是无限，永恒也就消融于一个时辰。 第二篇：Love Your Life 热爱生活Henry David Thoreau/享利.大卫.梭罗However mean your life is,meet it and live it ;do not shun it and call it hard names.It is not so bad as you are.It looks poorest when you are richest.The fault-finder will find faults in paradise.Love your life,poor as it is.You may perhaps have some pleasant,thrilling,glorious hourss,even in a poor-house.The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode;the snow melts before its door as early in the spring.I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there,and have as cheering thoughts,as in a palace.The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any.May be they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving.Most think that they are above being supported by the town;but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means.which should be more disreputable.Cultivate poverty like a garden herb,like sage.Do not trouble yourself much to get new things,whether clothes or friends,Turn the old,return to them.Things do not change;we change.Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. 不论你的生活如何卑贱，你要面对它生活，不要躲避它，更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活，尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里，你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人，我看，倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的，不
英语美文欣赏15 个性的价值被高估了 Have you ever thought about what your own personality is like? 你有没有想过，你自己的个性到底是怎样的？ If you are asked to describe yourself with three words, which three words would you choose? 如果让你用3个词来概括你自己，你会选择哪3个单词？ Or, do you actually have no idea what your own personality is like? 还是说，其实你自己并不清楚自己的个性是怎样的？ Are you actually a person with no personality? 或者你其实是个没有什么个性的人？ But then again, is personality really so important? 但是，话说回来，个性这个东西真的那么重要吗？ Kenya Hara, a leading design personality in Japan, once said: 日本的设计大师原研哉有一句名言： The value of personality, as well as the explicit expression of likes and dislikes, have been unnecessarily overestimated. 个性的价值，以及明确表达喜欢、不喜欢的态度，都被不必要地高估了。 It is a good thing that we live in a society where all people are free to express their desires. 我们身处一个所有人都能自由表达其欲望的社会，这是一件好事。 But freedom can also bring confusion. 但自由也会带来迷失。 What some people are really seeking is not to enjoy the freedom itself, but to force others to see their freedom. 有些人真正在寻求的已经不是享受自由本身，而是强行让别人看见自己的 自由。 For example, “I want to eat Mac Donald’s” and “Mac Donald’s will do mean to eat Mac Donald’s. 例如，“我想吃麦当劳”和“麦当劳就行”表达的本来都是去吃麦当劳。 But it seems that the former embodies a person’s independence, while the la reflects the lack of assertiveness. 但似乎前者体现了一个人的独立，而后者体现的是没主见。 However, is this really necessary? 然而，这样做真的有必要吗？ Is one’s daily performance of independence with a variety of acts not an
The Scar I always felt ugly. Then I learned that beauty and perfection are two very different things. By Joanna Slan His thumb softly rubbed the twisted flesh on my cheek. The plastic surgeon, a good fifteen years my senior, was a very attractive man. His masculinity and the intensity of his gaze seemed almost overpowering. “Hmmm,” he said quietly. “Are you a model?” Is this a joke? Is he kidding? I asked myself, and I searched his handsome face for signs of mockery. No way would anyone ever confuse me with a fashion model. I was ugly. My mother casually referred to my sister as her pretty child. Anyone could see I was homely. After all, I had the scar to prove it. The accident happened in fourth grade, when a neighbor boy picked up a hunk of concrete and heaved the mass through the side of my face. An emergency room doctor stitched together the shreds of skin, pulling cat-gut through the tattered outside of my face and then suturing the shards flesh inside my mouth. For the rest of the year, a huge bandage from cheekbone to jaw covered the raised angry welt. A few weeks after the accident, an eye exam revealed I was nearsighted. Above the ungainly bandage sat a big, thick pair of glasses. Around my head, a short fuzzy glob of curls stood out like mold growing on old bread. To save money, mom had taken me to a beauty school where a student cut my hair. The overzealous girl hacked away cheerfully. Globs of hair piled up on the floor. By the time her instructor wandered over, the damage was done. A quick conference followed, and we were given a coupon for a free styling on our next visit. “Well,” sighed my father that evening, “you’ll always be pretty to me,” and he hesitated, “even if you aren’t to the rest of the world.” Right. Thanks. As i f I couldn’t hear the taunts of the other kids at school. As if I couldn’t see how different I looked from the little girls whom the teachers fawned over. As if I didn’t occasionally catch a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror. In a culture that values beauty, an ugly girl is an outcast. My looks caused me no end of pain. I sat in my room and sobbed every time my family watched a beauty pageant or a “talent” search show. Eventually, I decided that if I couldn’t be pretty, I would at least be well-groomed. Over the course of years, I learned to style my hair, wear contact lenses and apply make-up. Watching what worked for other women, I learned to dress myself to best advantage. And now, I was engaged to be married. The scar, shrunken and faded with