【编者按】呸英语是由我主编的一个英语小教程，试发过两期之后，反响并不太好，只因为选编的材料太难。吸收大家的意见，我决定降低教程的难度。呸英语的宗旨是，选取平易而优美的英文，慢慢消除坏英语（比如：商业英语、政客英语、劣质的新闻英语）在读者身上的影响。
如何写一封安慰信。How to write a letter of sympathy.
面对灾患和不幸，语言是乏力的。但是我们的关心有这样的能力，它使我们遭受不幸的朋友能够明白到底发生了什么，能够在困难中有所依靠，能够知道他们并不孤独。
写安慰信是有秘诀的–A letter of sympathy is also a letter of empathy, helping people get through tough times by showing them that they are not alone. They gain strength from knowing another person (you, the writer) has gone through something similar and survived, or at least understand what is happening and how they feel about it.
下面这封信，就是一个范例。从信中可知，这是一位uncle写给niece的信，Arnie由于生病，无法作为主角参加演出，失望之情可想而知。Uncle写了这封信安慰她。信虽然短，但是逻辑严密，层层递进，而且不乏淡淡的幽默和真情流露。下面我们来看这封优美的安慰信。
Dear Arnie,
Your brother told me that, despite a great audition, you didn’t get the lead in the senior play.
But as the understudy, you should learn the role as if you did have the lead. After all, people
get sick. (They even break legs — hence the show-business expression, “Break a leg!”)
And even if you do not act in this show, mastering such a difficult role as Robespierre will
serve you well in your future acting endeavors.
I had a similar situation in school, though in a different area: I wanted to be editor of the school
paper, but the teacher in charge picked another student.
I was crushed, but kept writing — and as you know, I now have a regular column in my industry
trade paper. So persistence pays!
By the way, it’s time you came into New York to see your old uncle. Pick whichever Broadway
show you want. The tickets, and a great dinner, are on me — my treat.
Feel better, smile, and keep up your spirits. You are great, and that’s all that matters!
Sincerely,
Uncle Andy
（选自：Robert W. Bly: Webster’s New World Letter Writing Handbook, 2004, p.42）
