第59课

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People tend to amass possessions, sometimes without being aware of doing so.

人们倾向于积累财产，有时甚至没有意识到自己在这样做。

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Indeed they can have a delightful surprise when they find something useful which they did not know they owned.

事实上，当他们发现一些自己并不知道拥有的有用物品时，他们会感到惊喜。

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Those who never have to move house become indiscriminate collectors of what can only be described as clutter.

那些从不搬家的人成了不加选择的收藏者，而他们的收藏只能被称为杂物。

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They leave unwanted objects in drawers, cupboards and attics for years, in the belief that they may one day need just those very things.

他们把不用的东西放在抽屉、碗柜和阁楼上好多年，相信总有一天会用上这些东西。

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As they grow old, people also accumulate belongings for two other reasons,

随着年龄的增长，人们还因为另外两个原因而积累物品：

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lack of physical and mental energy, both of which are essential in turning out and throwing away, and sentiment.

缺少清理和扔掉东西所必需的体力和精力，以及情感因素。

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Things owned for a long time are full of associations with the past,

拥有了很久的东西，充满了与过去的联系，

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perhaps with relatives who are dead, and so they gradually acquire a value beyond their true worth.

也许与已故的亲人有关，因此它们逐渐获得超出其真实价值的价值。

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Some things are collected deliberately in the home in an attempt to avoid waste.

有些东西是人们为了避免浪费而特意在家中收藏的。

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Among these I would list string and brown paper,

在这些东西中，我会列举麻线和牛皮纸，

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kept by thrifty people when a parcel has been opened, to save buying these two requisites.

节俭的人在包裹拆开后会把它们留下，以节省购买这两种必需品的钱。

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Collecting small items can easily become a mania.

收集小物品很容易变成一种癖好。

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I know someone who always cuts sketches out from newspapers of model clothes that she would like to buy if she had the money.

我认识一个人，她总是从报纸上剪下她有钱就想买的服装款式图。

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As she is not rich, the chances that she will ever be able to afford such purchases are remote;

由于她不富裕，她将来能买得起这些东西的可能性很小；

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but she is never sufficiently strongminded to be able to stop the practice.

但她从没有足够的毅力来停止这种做法。

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It is a harmless habit, but it litters up her desk to such an extent that every time she opens it, loose bits of paper fall out in every direction.

这是一种无害的习惯，但它把她的书桌弄得一团糟，以至于她每次打开书桌，散乱的纸片都会四处掉落。

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Collecting as a serious hobby is quite different and has many advantages.

作为一种严肃的爱好，收藏就完全不同了，它有很多优点。

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It provides relaxation for leisure hours, as just looking at one's treasures is always a joy.

它为闲暇时间提供了放松，因为仅仅看着自己的珍藏就是一种乐趣。

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One does not have to go outside for amusement, since the collection is housed at home.

人不必外出寻找乐趣，因为藏品就放在家里。

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Whatever it consists of, stamps, records, first editions of books, china, glass,

无论是邮票、唱片、书籍初版、瓷器、玻璃制品、

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antique furniture, pictures, model cars, stuffed birds, toy animals, there is always something to do in connection with it,

古董家具、画作、模型汽车、填充鸟类、玩具动物，总有与它相关的事情可做，

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from finding the right place for the latest addition, to verifying facts in reference books.

从为最新藏品找到合适的位置，到在参考书中核实事实。

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This hobby educates one not only in the chosen subject, but also in general matters which have some bearing on it.

这种爱好不仅能让人们在所选的领域受到教育，还能在与此相关的一般事务上学到知识。

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There are also other benefits.

还有其他好处。

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One wants to meet like-minded collectors, to get advice, to compare notes, to exchange articles, to show off the latest find.

人们会想结识志同道合的收藏家，以获取建议、交流心得、交换物品、炫耀最新的发现。

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So one's circle of friends grows.

这样一来，朋友圈子就扩大了。

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Soon the hobby leads to travel, perhaps to a meeting in another town,

很快，这项爱好就会带来旅行，也许是去另一个城市参加会议，

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possibly a trip abroad in search of a rare specimen, for collectors are not confined to any one country.

也可能是出国旅行寻找稀有标本，因为收藏家并不局限于某个国家。

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Over the years, one may well become an authority on one's hobby and will very probably be asked to give informal talks to little gatherings

多年以后，人们很可能成为自己爱好领域的权威人士，并且很可能会被邀请在小型聚会上做非正式的演讲，

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and then, if successful, to larger audiences.

然后，如果成功，还会面向更多的听众。

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In this way self-confidence grows, first from mastering a subject, then from being able to talk about it.

这样，自信心就会增长，首先是掌握了一门学科，然后是能够谈论它。

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Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom.

收藏，通过如此建设性地占据了业余时间，使人感到满足，没有时间感到无聊。