SPM 2008 BI Poem analysis

IF ( By Rudyard Kipling )


Stanza 1
If you can keep your head when all about you
假如你能够保持清醒/冷静当你四周的人
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
不再冷静又责怪你关于一些出错
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
假如你可以相信你自己当所有人都怀疑你时
But make allowance for their doubting too,
但也让别人可有怀疑你的权利
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
假如你可以等待但不会因为等待而厌倦
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
或者被欺骗却不会去欺骗别人
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
或者被憎恨但不会去憎恨别人
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
还有不要看起来太成功，也别说起话来太精明

Moral value
We must be calm.
We must give others the right to doubt.
We must have confidence in our ability.
We must believe in ourselves.
We must be honest.
We must be humble.

Stanza 2
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master;
如果你有梦想，别只是想而已/别让梦想控制你
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
如果你能够思考，采取行动而不让思考荒废你时间
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
如果你能以同样的心境面对及对待失败与成功
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
如果你能忍受你所说的真相
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
被其他人（骗子）扭曲以便欺骗别人
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
或者，看着你用一生区建造的东西毁掉了
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
然后， 站起来，以虚弱和年老的身躯重建所有的一切

Moral value
We must work hard to achieve our dreams.
We must think and act wisely and not to waste our lives.
We must treat success and failure in the same way.
We must not become too attached to material things.
We must not be upset when others distort our words.
We must be strong in times of failure.


stanza 3
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
如果你能把所有赢来的
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
一次过以抛钱币来冒险
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
然后输了，再重新从原点开始
And never breath a word about your loss;
热后从不说出一口你的损失
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
如果你能强迫你的元气，神经与肌肉
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
来操作，当它们都失去了原本的状态
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
然后你坚持，当你再也一无所有时
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
除了那个向它们说出“继续吧“的意志


Moral value
We must prepare to take risk.
We must not too attached with material things
We must start again after we fail.
We must never complain.
We must never give up/quit/ although when we are weak and old.
We must have strong determination to go on although when we are weak and old.


stanza 4
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
如果你能和普通人讲话时保持你的德行
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
或者和国王并肩而行时，也没失去平易近人的特性
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
如果敌人或亲爱的朋友都无法伤害你
If all men count with you, but none too much,
如果所有的人都亲近你，但没有任何一个太多亲近
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
如果你能填满所有宝贵的每一分钟
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
以六十秒的价值度过
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
你将获得的是这世上最美好的一切
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
还有，更甚的是，你将成为男人， 我的孩子啊!

Moral value
We must be virtuous and humble.
We must have high moral standard.
We must socialize with people from all works of life.
We must live harmoniously with others.We must treat every one equally.
We must spend our time wisely.


Exercise 1
Choose the best answer.1.

This advice is given to
A. a man called Will
B. the father
C. the king
D. the son

2. In line 2 of stanza 1, what does the 'it' mean?
A. You
B. Your head
C. Your enemy
D. The bad situation

3. In line 1 of stanza 2, the advice means
A. you should not be controlled by your dreams
B. you should dream about your master
C. you should try your best not to dream
D. you should dream about becoming a master

4. Stanza 2 mentions a person who 'can think'. Such a person will be able to
A. repeat facts to someone else
B. remember the facts
C. analyse the facts
D. learn many facts

5. In stanza 3, what does 'Hold on!' mean?
A. Wait a while.
B. Don't give up.
C. Don't take action.
D. Don't lose your money.

6. In stanza 4, what does 'If all men count with you' mean?
A. If everyone studies mathematics with you
B. If only the men are important to you
C. If everyone is numbered with you
D. If everyone is respected by you

7. Which of the following moral values can be found in the poem?
A. Don't forget your moral principles in trying to please people.
B. Keep calm and cool.
C. Be patient.
D. All of the above.


Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.

1. What does the poem advise you to do when someone tells a lie about you?

2. In your opinion, is it good advice not to tell anyone about your loss? Explain your answer.

3. Give an example of how 'loving friends can hurt you'.

4. How can you make 'all men count with you'?