每个民族都有独特的传统性情。推崇“中庸之道”大概是中国人的标签，美国人自信坦率，缄默、拘谨、冷幽默，则差不多算是英国人的招牌。下文是英国人对自我的深度剖析。它以英国人对待“成功”的态度为切入点，为你揭开英国人的神秘面纱。

  British people have always received success in a way quite unfamiliar to, for example, Americans and Chinese. To some extent, this is the tiff-upper-lip eld, untremblingly, by countless generations-concealing emotions in good times just as in bad。

  英国人接受成功的方式总是与众不同，比如美国人或中国人就会觉得陌生。某种程度上，这是“紧抿上唇”，一种世世代代恪守的矜持态度——藏起情感，无论在得意还是失意的时候。

  Such implacability may simply disguise shyness or arrogance. But, Iargue, in the case of the British, there has, for a long time, been something deeper than merely biding success. There has also been,perhaps, a shame in success itself。

  这种冷漠无情也许仅仅是为了掩饰害羞或傲慢。可我认为，就英国人来说，长期以来，在简单的“隐藏”成功的背后，还有一些更深层的东西。也许还有一种对于成功本身的羞愧。

  Neither British teachers nor students refer often to the top of the class If one mentions the academic success of a classmate, boy or girl, onedoes so with a sneer, perhaps calling such a student hwot insinuating that their success resulted only from effort, or worse,the sacrifice of social life. Successful students might also betermed teacher's pet? attributing success to the teacher's favour.Such accusations are usually, of course, unjustified. But life in British schools none the less creates ambivalences even for gifted children. Their culture and language discourages excellence. And itis rare to find a British student, of any ability, graduating from university without having enjoyed a sustained period of rebellion.For the majority of the time, perhaps, the scorn for success ismerely rhetoric. Still, it's rare to find anyone for whom them essage has never entered consciousness。

  英国的师生都不大提及“优等生”。如果有人谈到同学的优异成绩，无论此人是男生还是女生，谈论者都会语带讥讽，也许还称这样的学生是“书呆子”，暗讽其成绩无非是用功的结果——或者更糟——是牺牲了社交生活而来。优秀的学生还可能被贴上“老师的宠物”的标签，以示其成功来自教师的偏爱。当然，这种谴责通常是不正确的。尽管如此，英国的校园生活的确塑造出一种矛盾态度，即使对天才孩童也是如此。他们的文化和语言不鼓励出类拔萃。而且，几乎找不出一个大学毕业前没享受过一段叛逆时期的英国学生，无论其能力如何。也许绝大多数时候，对成功的轻蔑不过是不实之辞，然而，几乎没有一个人是从未有过这种想法的。

  In adulthood,like wise. Where as the American or Chinese will willingly discusstheir salary with a stranger, along with the exact monetary valueof possessions, few from Britain would mention such things outsideclose family. We British would like you to think that, in not mentioning such quantitative details openly, we are not even thinking about them。

  长大成人以后，情况依然如此。尽管美国人或中国人会欣然与陌生人谈论薪水，以及个人财产的确切价值，却极少有英国人与家人之外的人提及这些事。我们英国人希望你们知道，我们不公开讨论这些数字的细节，我们甚至连想也不想这些。

  Don't believeus。

  可别相信我们。

  All Britonsread the Times Rich List, the annual newspaper supplement containing the nation's hundred richest men and women. We look downon those we see reading it, even on the paper itself, for heapening themselves? Those listed inside the paper we label fat-cats. Thosewho choose to launt their successes are described as show-offs,big-heads, or too big for their boots. Many Chinese resent Zhang Yimou for portraying his country, internationally, in an unfavourable light. British people resent Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean)because he is internationally successful。

  所有的英国人都看《泰晤士报财富榜》——《泰晤士报》的年度增刊——上面列有英国最富有的100个人。我们瞧不起读它的人，我们甚至瞧不起这份增刊本身，因为“看了就掉价”。上榜的富人被我们称为“肥猫”。那些选择“炫耀”成功的人被描述成“卖弄”、“傲慢”、“摆架子”的人。很多中国人憎恶张艺谋，因为他在国际上展示了祖国的“黑暗面”；英国人憎恶的是罗温·阿特金森(憨豆先生)，恰恰因为他取得了国际性成功。

  There is the feeling that anyone blessed with success, wealth or fame should bemade to pay the price for it. They should be brought down a peg or brought back down to earth。

  (英国)有这么一种感觉：任何获得成就、财富或荣耀的人，都应为此付出代价。大家应该叫他们“收敛气势”或“清醒过来”。

  As soon as aBrit becomes a tar at home or abroad, they become prey to the paparazzi. Invasive photography, telephone tapping, rummaging inrubbish bins--such techniques are condemned by most news paperreaders. But in buying such a paper, in choosing a specific issueto buy, every member of the reading public is involved in votingfor and hiring such agents。

  哪个英国人一旦成了“明星”，不论是在国内还是国外，都会立即变成偷拍者的猎物。侵略性的拍照、电话窃听、垃圾箱的翻找——绝大多数报纸读者都会谴责这些手段，但在选择购买此类报纸、选择买具体哪一期时，广大读者中的每一位都赞成并支持这些手段。

  Part of thisis related to lass the idea that the esponsibilities of money should be granted only to those with generations of experience inowning and spending it. Part, too, may relate to boredom withseeing the same people, in politics, TV, business, even in thelocal community, enjoy success. Part of this, no doubt, isjealousy. We each revel in the assurance that no one will remain ina position higher than us for very long. It may also relate toChristianity, which preaches that it is harder for a rich man toenter the temple of heaven than for a camel to pass through the eyeof a needle. Post-colonial regret, or guilt may play its part in anation still coming to terms with having lost one quarter of theworld. But a big part of this, I suggest, is the healthy beliefthat beauty, talent and intelligence should be their own rewardthat doing a good job should be satisfaction in itself。

  这种态度部分地与“阶级”有关：这种观点认为，金钱的“责任”只应赋予那些拥有世传的有钱和花钱经验的那些人。另一部分则可能与厌倦有关——厌倦看到同样的人在政界、荧屏、商界，甚至是地方社区中，享受成功。还有一部分，无疑地，是嫉妒。我们每个人都笃信，没有人能长久地高过我们。这大概还与基督教有关，它宣扬富人进天堂比骆驼穿过针眼还要难。后殖民时代的叹惋或内疚也起到一定作用，尽管这个国家仍未完全适应失去了四分之一世界的现实。但我认为，其中的一大部分原因是一种健康的信念，那就是美丽、才华和睿智本身已是奖赏，而且“做好了工作”本身也应是一种满足。

  Sport is thearena in which success is most obviously and instantly measurable.The British, it is said, all love the he unfancied, unqualified,lucky lutside bet It is the defeat of established teams or players,more than any display of skill, that motivates the impartial British sports viewer。

  在体育运动的竞技场上，成功是可以最明显、最迅速地衡量的。据说英国人都爱“失败者”——那些不起眼的、不够格的、“有勇气的”、“几乎不可能成功的选择”。成名的队伍或运动员的失败，比任何技能的展示更能激发公正的英国体育评论员的兴趣。

  In the case of Eddie the Eagle Edwards, failed British ski-jumper in the 1986 Winter Olympics,laughable amateurishness was celebrated nationally. Buttraditionally it is not the failure who most captures the British heart but the good sport the competitor willing to accept victoryor defeat with equal geniality. It is essential that the good sport appears to have a life outside the game that he refuses to take ittoo seriously。

  1986年冬季奥运会上，英国滑雪运动员“山鹰”艾迪·爱德华失利，全国掀起了有趣的业余滑雪热。但在传统上，最能抓住英国人心的不是失败，而是“输得起的人”——能够胜不骄，败不馁的竞争者。最重要的是这样的人得表现出一点超脱的风范——他拒绝拿它太当回事儿。

  Times arechanging. American influence in Britain increases by the day.Professionalism and competitiveness have entered every aspect oflife. But still we have the character like Prince Hamlet, lacking iller instinct destroyed, by the imminent achievement of desires.In this peculiar failing, and in the bashfulness with which a British person receives praise, I invite you to witness our national ambivalence to success。

  时代在变化。美国人对英国的影响逐日加深。职业精神和竞争意识已经渗入生活的方方面面。但我们仍有像哈姆雷特王子那样的人物，因缺乏“杀手的本能”，被欲望即将来临的实现而毁灭。在这一特殊的弱点上，在英国人受到赞扬时的羞涩中，您可以看到我们整个民族对成功的矛盾态度。